Show Week

Well the last week & a bit has been flat out. It is what we call "show week". The kids are involved in NYTC which is the National Youth Theatre Company. They perform 2 kids musical shows a year (along with holiday programmes). Basically the week of the shows, they have rehearsals & are in theatre for a week and as a parent helper in the props department, that also means me.

The week went something like this:

Sat 15 May

Kids at rehearsal from 1-6.30 so Gary & I did some shopping & went out for lunch. That night we had a work dinner at TriBeCa in Parnell. Sue played driver (dropped us off, picked kids up then picked us up later).

Sun 16 May

Kids at rehearsal 1-4.30, more housework & shopping. had an egg sandwich at about 4pm for lunch (yes this is important).

Mon 17 May

I was SICK!!!! Bloody egg sandwich. I will spare the gory details, suffice to say both ends going & serious stomach cramps. Gary ended up taking the day off work to look after me (awwww). He got the kids to school & then to theatre at 3.30 for rehearsal, he then had to pick them up at 8.45.

Tues 18 May

Still felt like crap but went to work since I am already having a heap of time off for the show. Left early & took Samyson to Bruce Mason Theatre for Glenfields Got Talent Show then Siobhan & I went to Portofino in Takapuna for dinner. It is nowhere near as nice as Devonport, we shared the most boring Maguerita pizza. Anyway the GHT show was pretty good, Samyson was great in the play they did. I was really disappointed that he did not sing in the band, he was one of the dancers (he was good but I don't get to hear him sing very often).

Wed 19 May

Work for a couple of hours in the morning then to theatre by 12.30 with the kids. Get there to find that as usual, no one has a clue. Supposed to do a full run thru without stopping (minimal stopping anyway) - did not happen and then because they had to let the younger group go they changed the order of the scenes so we have no idea what the cues are for the scene changes or if we are missing any props etc. Got home about 8, hoping that they do a second run thru with the leads & the older groups - people are actually paying to come to the show at 9.45 Thursday. Everyone stressed & Jan who is the props manager feeling sick.

Thurs 20 May

Arrive at theatre at 8.30am (not bad considering it is raining & peak hour traffic). We run thru our pre set list & other notes & hope like hell we don't completely cock up. They did a better run thru last night but still a couple of scenes not run & we have no idea of our cues.

We ran the first show & we ROCKED. It was really good for a first show better than some where everyone was better organised. Second show went well. I was supposed to go into work but Siobhan not well (I have been dosing her with cough meds, panadol, breath easy etc so much so one of the dressing room Mums thought I was the nurse). Home to relax, the last early night for a while.

Fri 21 May

Theatre at 8.30 again (I don't do mornings!!). 2 school shows, again went really well. No time to go home in between shows as planned since they have decided to call them back early!!! I was supposed to Pick Gary up & get a change of clothes as we are going to Avenue Q & I am dressed in manky black & running shoes. He ends up not coming because when he got home the front door was wide open, it looks like someone tried to break in so he had to fix that. Fed the kids at the food hall & dropped them at theatre and hit the shops. farmers for a new top, eyeliner, mascara, deoderant and some silver bracelets & Hannahs for a pair of boots, a quick change in the loo at McDonalds and just in time to meet the others for dinner at Eliot Stables.

Avenue Q finished in time to pick the kids up from Aotea after their show & off home & to bed.

Sat 22 May

Ahhh, a bit of a sleep in, we don't have to be at theatre until 12.30. Let the kids relax & phoned Samyson at 11.15 to double check it was 12.30 & not 12 call time - it was 11.30 call time!!!!!! rushed home, sent a text to say we are running late & rushed off to theatre. Luckily the kids threw together their food and were ready when I got home.

Show did not go so well, my pirates got their cue but the person they got their cue off was too early so the whole scene was a bit of a mess, then I could not unplug the dresser (Sam had been doing that & I did not realise there was a button!!!!), my fault I should have checked before the show to make sure I could do it.

Picture this, the show was Peter Pan the musical, we have the nursery. Peter Pan, Wendy, John & Michael are about to depart for Neverland by flying, the maid Eliza enters just in time to see them flying away, she faints, spotlights on the flying while the Nursery scene is changed to Neverland with the help of some pirates (I assume to give a hint of what's to come). Unfortunately, the flyers were slow taking off so Peter Pan etc are still on the ground, Eliza instead of winging it still gives her line "Oh My" & faints which is the cue for the pirates to come in & start he scene change & the Nursery walls to start moving - what we ended up with was Eliza fainting for no apparant reason (since no one was flying, Peter Pan et al were still standing in the Nursery) & the nursery being invaded by pirates who then had to stand there like lemmings until the nursery walls moved so they could get the beds out. Then, because I cocked up my bit, we have neverland with a Dolls house & a dresser sitting it it until they get wheeled into the wings - Epic fail!!!

Gala night then the final show which went fantastic & the kids stayed & helped pack up the props so we got home about 12.30am. My feet & my back were killing me.

Sun 22 May

Everyone just blobbed today, kids grumpy. Gary & I went fruit & vege shopping - that was it.

So this week back to some sort of normality and catching up with everything at work. Samyson off school yesterday and thankfully Carolann looked after him so I was not distracted at work.