At long last, I have returned. You may have noticed that this is my first post of 2017. You may also realize that it’s October. October is the tenth month of the year. So where have I been? This was … Continue reading
Disappearing Act
Category Archives: Rehearsals
Almost on Island Time
Has it really been two months since my last post? Quite a bit has happened, but I’ll just hit the high points. The end of rehearsals went by quickly. We learned our last show in less than two weeks, cleaned … Continue reading
Another Adventure
At long last, I am back in Miami for rehearsals! I’ve actually been back for a few weeks, but got so caught up in whirlwind of activity I was unable to write. Please forgive me! Rehearsals on a Thursday, so … Continue reading
So Long, Farewell
As the end of the rehearsal period neared, it seemed as though we had only just begun. Things I needed to do and people I needed to see had to be taken care of quickly! The final weekend I spent … Continue reading
Work Hard, Play Hard
Seeing as I like to maintain a work/play balance, I’ve been spicing up this rehearsal process with some fun outings. Some (at least one) were educational and inspiring, some were extremely unhealthy, and some were simply necessary. Here’s the run-down … Continue reading
Ready to Run
The past few weeks have flown by! I’m down to just 2 weeks of rehearsals before joining the ship. At the end of our third week, the cast did our Office Run. We performed the fairy tale show at the … Continue reading
Here We Go, One More Time
I’m not sure why N*Sync popped into my head this morning while pondering titles of this post… In case you aren’t sure what song I’m referencing, here you go. Please forgive my recent absence! I was busy enjoying the end … Continue reading
It’s Showtime
Manivela
I’ve now completed my first cruise on the Adventure of the Seas. We’ve been working in the theater every day since we got onboard. During the cruise, we opened two of our three shows.
Invitation to Dance
The ballroom show opened on day 6 of the cruise. Despite some technical malfunctions, the shows went well! A lot of fellow crewmembers came to support us, and the feedback was really positive. We’ll be performing it again the day after tomorrow!
Mambo #5
Our rock themed show opened last night, the final night of the cruise. One of the dancers was confined to his cabin due to illness, so we had to re-block the show in the morning. Some of our spacing changed, and people were taken out of some numbers to balance the stage. After 5 straight days of rehearsing the original blocking, we had to work extra hard to make those changes. By the end of the second show, I was mentally and physically drained. Even so, I was pleased with our performances!
Candyman
Tonight we have our first tech run of the third production show. We are scheduled to open it halfway through this cruise. We had a costume fitting a few days ago, and now that I’ve seen the costumes, I’m even more excited to get this show on the stage!
Singing in the Rain
So far, I’m enjoying this ship! The crew is so nice, and what I’ve seen of the ports is lovely. I’m looking forward to having more time to explore in port this cruise.
Baby, take a bow!
Born to Fly
The last week of rehearsals was intense. We were running all 3 shows, and also cleaning our Vegas show to get ready for our office run. An “office run” is when we perform one production show in front of the staff, other casts in the studios, and local family and friends at the end of the rehearsal period. It allows the staff to ensure that we are ready for the ship and are maintaining the integrity of the shows. Since we were the only cast in rehearsals for a few days, we also had staff members pop in to watch us run the other two shows.
The cast
By the time we were performing on Friday, I was worn out! Learning three shows was physically demanding, but was also mentally exhausting. There are so many details in the choreography, and some of the techniques are still sort of unfamiliar, so my brain was never really resting. Despite my exhaustion, the office run went really well! The whole cast felt happy with our performance, and we got some nice feedback form the audience. I had some family member in attendance, and really enjoyed talking with them after the show.
Office Run
The following day, we were back at the studio! We spent Saturday cleaning our ballroom show, and Sunday worked on the Welcome number, Farewell show, and our Rock themed production show. It was a busy day, but I feel much more confident with all the material now!
We match! Cast jackets!
Sunday and Monday new casts were arriving. 4 of my friends from my last ship are now here! It was so great catching up with them. I’m excited to hear about their upcoming contracts, but selfishly wish they could come with me! I’m still getting used to the constant goodbyes that are part of this lifestyle.
Friends
I spent Monday running errands and packing. This evening, we will be flying to London! We land in the morning, and have the rest of the day to go into the city and explore. It’s been years since I’ve been to London, so I’m really excited. The following morning, we will drive out to join the ship, and then the real madness begins!
My people 🙂
I feel like this rehearsal period has flown by! I’m loving my cast, and worked with some great choreographers. It has been such a positive experience thus far, and I can’t wait to see what the next few months will bring!
Bye, bye Po!
The Final Countdown
Big news! There is just over one week left until we leave for the ship!
Last week was packed with excitement. We finished learning our third and final show, and did our first run through. I have to be honest, this show is hard! It is the most technically demanding show I’ve done with the company, and also requires a lot of stamina. When I get more comfortable with the choreography, I think I will enjoy it a lot, but at the moment, I feel somewhat overwhelmed! I appreciate the challenge, though.
Something to smile about! Puss in Boots stopped by rehearsal!
4 other casts left to join their ships last week. A few days before they left, each cast performed one of their shows at the studio. It was great to see what the other casts have been doing! The studios will be lonely this week without them. Other casts arrive at the end of the week, right before we leave!
Gloria is leaving us, too!
Last weekend, the my cast got together for a barbecue by the pool. It was so nice to spend time with my new “family” outside of the studio. I feel lucky to be with such a great group of people!
Cast barbecue
Two cast members had birthday last week, so we had a couple nights of celebrations. I’m already trying to come up with theme ideas for my birthday. It’s less than 3 months away! Theme suggestions are welcome!
With the birthday girl
I’ve spent my Sunday sitting around and relaxing. I’ll need a lot of energy this week! We’ll be running all 3 shows and cleaning them up. Friday, we perform the Vegas show at the studio. I can’t believe the rehearsal period is already coming to a close!
waltzing on water 