I’ve been through some troubled tech periods in my time but the last few days with Richard II may take the gold star. And that’s saying a lot, given my adventures with Politically Incorrect Cabaret over the years. (Butler buildings without air conditioning in 100 degree summer weather, abandoned boot factories without heat in freezing winter weather, windstorms on sea piers, more than a dozen dressing in a small emergency exit corridor, llamas just outside the stage door, Katrina damaged houses in NOLA without intact floors or walls, Wiccans out back hauling each other up and down with pullies attached to various body piercings etc. etc.)
Bell Tower Players has somewhat limited technical facilities and capacities. We perform in the cafetorium of an aging church building. There have been issues with the lighting in particular for years, likely due to an aging electrical system. We scraped together the money to replace all the heavy duty Fresnels and can lights with new LED instruments which consume far less power and can have color adjustments made without gels. For some reason, during first tech, the entire house right bank of lights would die every ten minutes or so. Eventually I made the executive decision to perform under the fluorescent work lights. Not ideal by any stretch but they at least stay on and allow both actors and audience to see. We disconnected the board and unpowered the lighting system so, of course, first dress the lights proceeded to turn themselves off and on at random moments and in random color shades. The poltergeist in the lighting system was effectively banished final dress by throwing various circuit breakers.
Costumes were behind due to the costumer having had to spend a day in the ER last week and another day recuperating. We had the majority ready for first dress and planned out the fixes and the need for distressing so he loaded them all up to take them home and work on them the next day. On his way in for final dress, he had a car accident and was back in the ER and there was no way to get the costumes back to the theater for the run so final dress done without costumes. They did make it in time for opening last night – I would have asked for a few additional fixes but time’s up. To add insult to injury, on the night of final dress, after the run, I went to the ED to check on my costumer and hit a pothole and blew out one of my tires. By the time I got home at 2 am I was fried and did something I have never had to do before in my last 23 years of dual careers and took a mental health day to recuperate.
We opened last night. Small, but appreciative audience. I’m hoping houses improve. (Hint hint to all my local friends whom I come to see in their shows…) In general, I’m pleased with my cast who are giving it their all in a not so easy piece to perform and are holding to my directorial strictures and overall vision. Is everyone ready for the RSC? Of course not but they are working together as a company and an ensemble and supporting each other so that each gets their moments to shine but at the same time unify with each other to tell the story. I think people are getting what I’m doing with the piece politically with its modern settingand dual layer of story between the prison environment and the collapse of the Plantagenet kings into civil war. It may take me getting the pulse of several audiences to know for sure.
Now that my job is over as far as Richard II is concerned (other than showing up for performances and glad handing the audience), I can start concentrating on other things. Important stuff like what am I going to do this fall in terms of performance career (I’m not contracted for anything until January) and if I take a trip in October, where am I going to go? I’d also like to get some writing done that has specific end goals and isn’t just these random musings. I’ve also got to fix the floor where the great washing maching flood of 2025 buckled the parquet and I’m feeling an urge to do some decluttering, especially as I may be losing my office relatively soon. Most things in my academic office can be thrown out. A lot of the files date back to California but there are books, and diplomas and artwork that will need to be rehomed.
It also, of course, means that I’m paying attention to this modern world for the first time since last weekend. I’m not exactly sure that I wouldn’t enjoy putting my head back under my pillow for a few more weeks but forewarned is forearmed. What have I learned? The Republicans are attempting to force through a mid-decade census which only counts citizens and to base reapportionment on this. Fortunately, the constitution is pretty clear on both the timing of the census and whom is to be enumerated so I don’t see this going very far. Of course, it will depend on the courts actually doing their job regarding interpreting and defending the contstitution and the Roberts court has shown itself to be somewhat questionable in this regard, not to mention having minimal respect for stare decisis. The president still does not appear to understand what a tariff is or does and his followers are bewildered as they stare at higher prices and import fees. I have the feeling that all of the bored high schoolers in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off who were drifting off as Ben Stein was droning on about the Smoot-Hawley tariff grew up to be MAGA economic advisers.
The biggest threat regarding the census proposition is that it would be an easy step to move from certain classes of persons from being non-enumerated to being non-persons. And once people become non-people it is very easy for the state apparatus to eliminate them one way or another. It fits in with the way in which programs are being erased which support the disabled, the chronically ill, or others unable to exist physically or economically without some sort of assistance. Without support, these populations are naturally reduced as disease and despair lead to higher death rates. If you read through the philosophical ideals of Stephen Miller and some of the other idealogues in the administration, they envision a future where 340 million Americans are winnowed down to 100 million young, white, healthy rich folk and what happened to the others is not really of any concern. We’re not all that far away from American families having to choose between groceries and support for grandma.
Political theater is playing out in a grand manner in Texas. Gerrymandering is a tool as old as election districts and both sides are guilty at various times. Currently the Republicans are more blatant in their attempts to enshrine minority rule. Quorum busting is also an old technique which has been used by both sides at various times. It’s not illegal and the various threats are likely only so much saber rattling, but given the current adminstrations complete disregard for laws, rules, norms, and ethics who knows where this one is going to end up. All it does however is draw attention to a need to bend if not break rules in order for the Republicans to retain power in the midterms and middle America is starting to see that.
The Epstein files remain the gift that keeps on giving… something. No doubt Trump is in them. The two were close. No doubt Trump is guilty of bad behavior. He’s been well known for it for fifty years. Were laws broken and cans/should Trump be prosecuted? That’s the sixty-four dollar question. Highly likely given the circumstances of his life but I’m not going to rush to judgement without evidence. The Republicans, having used them to beat the Democrats over the head for years, are going to have to come clean at least about some things or, given the more salacious components of the whole affair, it’s not going to disappear from the headlines and the Democrats are going to keep fanning the flames going into next year’s midterms.
I’m thinking a cocktail or two before tonight’s performance may be in order.
Life, The Universe, and Everything 