Oh, My Goodness!

I Have to Learn More Lines!!

I am into the sixth rewrite of parts of the play. All kind of cool, actually, so that's fine. Mostly things to make the play work better as a stage piece and with the time/actors/"stuff" we have to work with.

Only....I have this teeny bit part that somehow has escalated into a fairly significant dramatic role in the story. I get to tell off an annoying reporter who has spent the better part of the play using the stories of the victims of auto accidents to advance her television career.

I am dreadful at memorizing lines. Always have been. I can write up a storm and then not even remember whatever it is I've written--for someone else to speak. Now, I am writing a rather momentous set of lines for myself to learn, and then perform! Eeeeek!!

Fortunately, I can make stuff up if I have to. Just hope I can act my way out of a paper bag and actually make it sound real. The kids in the cast are SO good! The only other adult is a very professional, very skilled actor. And then there's me.

I've been on stage plenty before doing bit parts and singing, so I'm comfy up there. It's just those lines!!

Anyhoo...the play is "up" on Wednesday morning at 10:30 AM. There will be: school officials, the politicians who fund our school, some 25 or so school counselors from all over the county, (New Jersey has 21 counties with their own governments), newpaper reporters, representatives from various companies that have safe driving projects for teens, and a group of selected students. Afterwards, there will be a luncheon, and awards presented to the students who won contests in designing a safe driving bumper sticker, a tee shirt, and posters. The whole thing is to help launch Middlesex County's Safe Driving Initiative for Teenagers. So it really is a big thing.

I am very proud of who well the play works. Just didn't plan on taking such a role in it.

Meanwhile "Back at the Ranch," Toby was shod today. And so was Tucker, who was gracious enough to lose his shoe last night. When I got home, they were in, and Toby had two bell boots on. Not a match, but at least two. I turned them out.

Then when I got in the house tonight after rehearsal, I discovered a phone message from my farrier that Toby had an abscess which they had opened and I might need to soak it.

Hey, maybe I needed to wrap it too. Maybe he should have stayed in? Maybe a little note on the door??

Ah well, men. They don't think of things like that.

I'll give Toby a good look over before I go to bed tonight.

I honestly cannot wait until Scott is back in action shoeing the Boys. His substitute is a good shoer, but my Boys are suffering from his learning curve. Scott's been shoeing my horses so long he knows just exactly what works and what doesn't. I guess there is an art to it his replacement just hasn't quite mastered yet.

No riding again, as you can tell. Until Wednesday, I am finding the theater taking up all my spare time. I may even need to go to school on Sunday to help out.

Honestly, I will say it again. The kids in the show are fantastic. The theater teacher is an amazing teacher who has trained them to be fine and very "real" actors. They take direction and critque like pros and are truly skilled at creating "truth" on stage. More than once they have moved me to tears with their performances.

The play also has tons of interesting technology, interspersing taped scenes with the live action. And when people are being interviewed by the reported, the audience will be seeing the camera feed on a screen above the stage. Too cool for words.

Oooops. My enthusiam is showing. Better go study my lines. *G*