"Tech"nical Difficulties...

Hey there, bloggers! It's Saturday, 3:33 PM, and all is well, or at least as well as one can expect them to be while stuck in a foreign country. Don't be alarmed by the title of this installment of blog theatre. I am only referring to our impending "Tech", or technical rehearsals this coming week. Tech is usually crazy, stressful, and time consuming-but at a glacier's pace. Imagine, if you will, the space shuttle inching along its' route from hangar to launch pad. It can only sloth a mile or two an hour for fear of tipping or upsetting valuable cargo en route to the tower. Tech is similar, as the final elements of the show are added. The show is then firmly in the hands of the lighting staff, electrics, sound, and, in the case of this show, magic. The acting/dancing/singing takes a backseat to the techies, but it's only fair as we have been toiling away for a month now, getting our respective acts in order(no pun intended).

The 100,000 peso question is whether or not the performance venue has a wireless Internet signal. This might have some bearing on my ability to communicate this next week. The issue is not down time, as my track is rather light and stage time limited, but rather said access to the Internet. Excluding tomorrow, there are zero days off scheduled for the next 9-10 days, so "me" time is not an option. The nice thing is that tech only happens once. Let's hope...

One nice thing about tech is the fact we usually don't spend too much money during this period. I am trying to save as much loot as possible so as to pay off my bills, and I am doing a fairly decent job of it, but I see visions of an ipod in my future. I am looking at it as an investment towards future projects, as I will be able to record songs/works in progress cleanly, clearly and directly to digital format. I am thinking specifically of my current musical project which I cannot expound upon due to unsecured rights (and those damned musical theatre pirates). I'll go into detail when I know more about the next step, which is currently up in the air.

OK, blog dogs, I'll leave you for now with the hope this blog is entertaining enough and, frankly, short enough to keep your attention. Here's to a painless tech and a casualty free day off. Thanks for reading!

Gags

The Prince Is Giving A Ball...

Howdy-do, bloggers? It's your faithful, albeit tired, hero of the flickering screen. Things are well here in the city that needs to put a NYC-like ordinance on horn honking. (Now I understand what all the fuss was about.) Splitting time between Massachusetts and New York City, I've seen my fair share of crazy drivers, but Manila makes them seem like a gaggle of Grandmas on their way to church.

So, yesterday I spent a good portion of the day recording the "Cinderella" cast album. It went very well and, as the leads sing most of the score, our well rehearsed ensemble only needed a few extra passes at some tricky measures. The exciting thing is that our director informed us that this is the first actual Cast Recording that "Cinderella" has ever had. There are two other recordings in existence, but they are basically lifted from Live TV broadcasts and are not officially considered Cast Recordings. Further, the CD from the late 1990's TV adaptation starring Brandy and Whitney Houston(et. al.) never saw the light of day- something about royalties disputes. Oh well, their loss, our gain. The uppity-upside is that this recording has the backing of the "Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization" and stars Lea Salonga, so it will most certainly get some international attention.

Aside from the recording, things in Manila have been going well. The show is coming together slowly but very surely. Meanwhile, Lea is in the U.S. keeping some concert dates, so we are finishing the remainder of the show in her stead.

Oh, I almost forgot, Happy (belated) Fourth of July to you all. It was sort of anti-climactic here. One of the cast members put a little get-together... together... and it ended up being a nice day. That should pale in comparison to having to travel on Christmas Day, though. Ah, life on the road...

As many of you may already know, in my absence, Mother Nature took a swipe at my car recently, in the form of a falling tree. I was not alone in my arboreal strife, as my Aunt Mary's vehicle was parked beside my own. The end result was a glancing blow, but the shade in the backyard of Dunkirk Avenue is severely depleted, so bring an umbrella and some lotion if you go a-visitin'.

OK, blog-dogs, I have a cold Dalandan soda awaiting my lips, a bucket of Fisher Cheese Balls at the ready, and the "Indiana Jones" Trilogy demanding my attention, so I'll bid you adieu for now. Before I go, I just want to give a shout out to my lovely girlfriend, Annie, as we approach our second year together(July 13). It has been a blessing to have her in my life and, although we are oft apart, sometimes by the furthest distance possible on Earth- Literally! - she is still a comfort and a joy to me as we ride this crazy world. And I should know, having seen some of the craziest parts with my own two eyes. I love you, babe.

Ta for now,
Steve