Camel caravan in a desert
When I last posted on the crazy subject of “Joseph” it was just less than two weeks until the opening night. I had every intention of sharing with you all the last minute dilemmas, gory details of a crisis or two and my every thought on where we needed to be to lift the show to new and wonderful heights. Somehow though, in the midst of getting on with the business of living in show fever, it didn’t work out quite like that.
The spare minutes left over after planning, organising and running rehearsals, not to mention checking on all the various backstage teams and emailing out a whole variety of notes, were mostly spent working, sleeping or just trying to get some form of sustenance. For the record two packets of crisps definitely does not qualify as a satisfying or healthy dinner option. Oh, and praying. There was an awful lot of that.
Throughout those final two weeks of run-throughs and “fix it” sessions I did at least have the pleasure of a constant companion. One that stayed by my side by day and by night. One that helped me keep track of the days and the hours flying by. A faithful friend who never let me down. My trusty purple notebook.
It has since been said that this dear old friend of mine has caused others to develop the lesser known illness of notebook phobia (or notibookinus as it is more commonly referred to). It is an unusual phobia where the sufferer can no longer enter stationery stores and is forced to cross the road rather than walk past a cousin of my little friend. This was not my plight. In fact I strongly suspect that without my friend by my side it would not have been possible for us to achieve together all that we did.
We faced many a challenge in those last two weeks. Not just the expected loss of concentration resulting from the relaxation of the Easter break, but trials such as losing our Musical Director for an entire run-through due to an unfortunately timed (but necessary) work trip, getting used to operating with props and climbing on and off the stage (in various forms of readiness but constantly changing), working incessantly on harmonies and tidying up entrances and exits. This was not at all stressful for anyone involved and no doctors were consulted about blood-pressure levels at any point in that process.
But the great thing about our little group is that we always seem to pull together and by doing so we achieve something so much greater than we could ever achieve on our own. It is all about community. About acceptance and belonging. And, with that on our side, Joseph finally came out of the desert and out into the glory of Egypt.
To be continued….
[Photo of "Camel caravan in a desert" by m_bartosch: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=681 ]
