The Week So Far

I have spent the last few days getting all the lights hung, plugged in and tested. I have had a great crew here to help me out, all lined up for me by ECAG. Up until the end of today, I have been a little stressed about getting everything done. One piece of scenery proved to be more complicated than had originally been anticipated, and so I have had to wait for it to be done to move forward on my end of things.

Today we focused the show. As my regular readers know, I usually hate the whole focusing process. It never seems to go fast enough, no matter how good the crew is, and I spend most of the day second guessing the choices I have made. But as I have also been acting as Master Electrician on the show, I have been second guessing those choices for days now.

So the focus went great, the crew moved at a good speed, and I was able to see that what I was planning was indeed going to work. Now we just hope the director likes it. This is my first time working with him Designer to Director, so I have been somewhat nervous about whether he will like what I am doing, and some of my angst this week with the delays is the concern there would be no time to change anything if he looks at it and says, “Yeah, hate that.”

But life here has not been all work and no play. I went on a long hike yesterday with ECAG as we searched for bears. No bear sightings, but we did see the aforementioned porcupine, and some spectacular views on one of the old mine trails above downtown.

It rained for the first three days I was here, and by the end of Thursday I was like, “Why the hell do people live here.” But Friday morning I got up and headed out to the theatre, and the clouds had disappeared and the sun was out and I had that moment of, “Oh yeah, this is why.” Alaska is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. I am not nearly articulate enough to describe it, but Friday night, as I stood on the side of a mountain staring at a moon and stars that were closer and more real than any I had seen in my entire life, I saw such beauty that it was painful. You can’t imagine.

It is strange how easily I settle into being here. I really like the theatre, the town and the people. I have made friends here that I would consider visiting even if I were not coming for work. I have been told that part of the Artistic Director’s master plan is to get me to move here, and though I can’t imagine a scenario in which that would happen, a part of me knows there are far worse choices I could make.

I am rambling, and it is time to go to bed.

Peace In yer crease.

Oh yeah, the bonehead who robbed the bank here a few days ago.

Guy signed his name to the note he handed the teller.