Social Butterflies

So... This past Friday evening, we performed our musical, Meet The Biscottis, down at the Spirit of Washington Events Center in Renton. I always say that every time we do it in a new location, we have to reinvent the wheel. It's so true... sound changes, lighting changes, timing changes, blocking changes.  Do we have to work around waitstaff as they run food out to the tables? do we have to run it out ourselves? Do we have to compete with noise from the bar or the street outside? Script changes? Does this bit work anymore? Did that bit ever work? Why don't we try this? Does the management hate us? Does the management like us? Does the management know we're trying to do a show here?

 This was our second show in this space... in August, we started working with this group (old friends from our days on the Mystery Train) and they really did a wonderful job for us... built a stage (well, actually they rented it but it was there!), set up a dance floor so we wouldn't beat our legs up. I really appreciated that because I spend a good part of the show either getting flung around by other characters or doing the flinging myself. They provided a lovely space and cooked a great meal for our guests. We had a good show.

This week, everything changed. Same place, different caterer. Slower ticket sales. some changes had to be made. Renting a 12' x 24' stage and having it loaded in and out is not cheap, so the stage had to go. Time was tight. we had two brushup rehearsals set for the week before and had to blow off one because several people were too sick. Other actors were rehearsing other projects. I myself had two rehearsals, a performance , an art show and a morning acting gig the week of this show. We all went in to a different space, different lights, the dance floor made up the performance space leading right up to the tables. We were working with wireless speakers and our sound man, Vinnie, was in a totally different location.

I should have know something was up by the way the audience made themselves at home on stage before the curtain went up. They had a party going before the actors even came out for the pre-show.

The show started and we knocked it out of the park. Great sound, beautiful harmonies. Everyone was confident, taking their time, hitting their lines and letting the audience have space to laugh. The floor set up let us get close to the audience all night long. Everyone we pulled up onstage during the improv scenes made the show better. I had trouble not cracking up at them.

And when the show was over, Gary, our Emcee, invited people to take the neon sign on the stage at its word. They were at "Club Vito" and they should feel free to stick around, have another drink and dance on the stage.

And they did!

Wonderful night. Best.Show.Ever

The Biscottis will be back October 15th. You can learn more about them and order tickets at

http://meetthebiscottis.com

You can learn about the Spirit  of Washington Event Center at
http://spiritofwashingtoneventcenter.com

The pin up above, the first of my "Social Butterfly" series - "No Time To Lose!" is avaiable in 

my online store