Well, we opened this behemoth of a show, Adding Machine, this past Saturday. For good or ill, it's on the books now. Los Angeles has now seen and heard Adding Machine - the musical.
I haven't weighed in here on the blog for awhile...in fact, I think this may be my longest extended absence since I started. Several reasons for that, the most obvious being that I've been simply overwhelmed with the final couple of weeks of mounting this thing. Another, not quite so tangible reason, was that I was sort of struggling for something good to say. I wanted very much to keep in a positive state of mind for this show because, well, because I cared so much about it. Like nearly every play I've ever done, this one got to be a bit nerve-wracking as opening night loomed. The tech wasn't coming together. The director was making choices that concerned me. And most notably, one of the actors was seriously trying my patience.
I'm pleased, and I suppose, not terribly surprised, however, to say all has ended reasonably well. This silly business has a way of doing that. Like the line in 'Shakespeare in Love,' it is a mystery. Not to say it simply 'came together.' It did not. In fact, some of it is still not 'together.' However, we did make it through the play without anyone losing an eye, which is saying something, I guess.
The piece is polarizing, to say the least. I didn't go out and make chatty with the opening night crowd (one of the above mentioned problems was still terrorizing me and frankly, I was in a bit of a snit) but I did go out to the lobby last night and hear some opinions. This music is either loved or hated. I loved it upon hearing it. Others, clearly, don't. My agent, for example, didn't care for it all. Yet he really enjoyed the performances. It's that kind of stuff.
So...for the first time in about 18 days...I can relax. And I have every intention of doing so. I'm taking my dogs for a long walk, I'm reading and resting my voice, I'm watching a Netflix...all the things I haven't had time for or cared to do lately.
And I'll begin blogging again after a conspicous absence. I have been rather shocked at the response I've gotten from people about it. In fact, even last night a gentleman (no idea who he was) came up to me in the lobby and instead of saying 'Good show' or something to that effect, said, 'Love your blog.' Hm.
Now we wait for the reviews. Honestly, I have no idea whatsoever which way they'll go. It's quite possible we will get our asses handed to us on a platter. Or they might be really glorious. I really don't know. One of my closest friends came last night and said he thought the piece 'brilliant.' But, he offered as a disclaimer, 'I like weird shit.' So there you have it.
It's good to work in a real theatre again, I have to say. The last one, over in NoHo, was really more like a Judy and Mickey movie...'Hey, I got a barn! Let's put on a show!'
No, I've enjoyed The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble very much. It comes as no surprise to any LA actors out there that the reputation is somewhat lofty and, at the same time, daunting. Ron Sossi, the artistic director of that institution for some 41 years, either strikes fear in one's heart (I've heard from others) or bolsters one's confidence. Personally, I've had a really warm and constructive relationship with him.
I'm sure Angie is pleased this long and emotionally bumpy ride has ended. She, as usual, has been the picture of patience itself. There was a moment awhile back, last week, in fact, that even she thought perhaps I was into a project that was possibly doomed. The technical aspects were overwhelming her (she sat in on the first invited dress and was, um, mortified). Plus she had to contend with the fact that I was coming home nightly in various states of despair.
And, as I alluded to earlier, rather than write negative things about the piece, I chose instead not to blog for awhile. Probably for the best.
In any event, we're up and running. For better or worse. The only thing to do now is to see what the press has to say about it all and that, like so many other things in my life, is out of my hands. All I can continue to do is my best.
See you tomorrow.
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