Sunday, Aug 10, 2008 - Busy Week

Hiya Bloggy,

So, "busy week" is a bit of an understatement if I do say so myself! Not only have I just finished a busy week, but I'm about to go into a really busy week, what with it being the final week of TUTS. And let's just hope the weather gods are going to be in our favour for this last week.

Last night was not really a pretty sight as those deep, dark, gray clouds hung around all day, and then the rains came. The rains did stop around 6pm so we thought we were going to be lucky, but sure enough, they had to start up again around intermission. They then stopped again but started up in earnest just before the show came down. But hey, you can't say we aren't prepared! This IS Vancouver after all and when it looks like we may be hit with some rain, we prepare our outdoor audience with... rain ponchos!!! :D

Hehe... don't they look cute?? It's actually a rather ingenius idea. A local insurance company pays for them, in return, they get to put their advertising on the back and we have the Theatre Under The Stars logo on the front. Meanwhile, if it IS a performance in the rain, people stay dry.

But even so, there are some people that just amaze me with their selfishness. When they purchase tickets, they know up front that once the ticket is purchased it is only good for that performance. There are no refunds or exchanges because the weather is not something we have control over and this IS an outdoor theatre where the audience is under the open skies. That is what makes seeing "theatre under the stars" such a unique experience. When people buy their tickets, and they purchase them during good weather, they have no qualms about the rain policy... but heaven forbid should they buy them early to get good seats and then that night it turns out to be a wet night. The names they call us and the attitude they have on the phone when they call to ask if the show is going to be cancelled because of the weather and we say no... the show will go on!

We have had everything from "You are only in the business to rip off your audiences!" to "How do you expect me to bring my 78 yr. old mother to watch theatre in the rain???" Uh... we don't expect you to do anything... we didn't twist your arms to buy tickets, this was your choice. We didn't tell you you can't bring 78 year old mothers to an outdoor theatre, it was you that chose who you were going to bring. So where is it our fault that your mother can't attend when we have always been up front and said the show goes on rain or shine and the only reason we would ever cancel would be if there were an electrical storm (hence the crew who are in the follow spot towers might be in danger) or high winds (where any number of people might be in danger from falling trees)? I don't understand where these folk get off thinking WE are in the wrong. It's as if they want to have the right to get their seats early so they can pick the best seats, but if the weather is not suitable for them, they should have the right to change their seats to a night that is more suitable for them... and who cares about the company that is putting on the show and trying to survive so that we can put on two shows again next year.

Fortunately, there are more people who are good natured and they make it all worth while! They will call up to see if the show is still going on and when we say yes, they are grateful! "Thank you!! We were hoping a little rain wasn't going to cancel the show!" Last night close to 500 people came to see the show on a night where it looked like we weren't going to get away with no rain... 500 people who were willing to chance it. So why would we cancel a show for the handful that are nasty about our decision and ruin the evening of 500 who planned to come and enjoyed themselves (by the way... the audience last night gave the cast a standing ovation and you know, besides the fact it was a good show, they were appreciating the fact the cast would go ahead, rain or shine!).

Hehehe... here we were last night... Jo and I in the box office, and Naveen who was out greeting the public and answering any questions they might have. Don't we look trendy in our rain gear??

LOL! This is Erin Hall, our Venue Manager, getting ready with making sure we have enough rain ponchos to be handed out as the audience arrives :)

Here's the little Diva Bridget with one of the Park Rangers... who is not too hard on the eyes. I don't know how Bridget does it but she seems to win over everyone, and it's not as if she is smiling at any of them ;) The Park Ranger stops in to make sure all is ok, that we aren't having any problems and if there's anything he can do for us... very nice guy!

I rather like this picture and hope it's not too dark on some of your monitors. This was taken the other day at the theatre and it could almost look like it was taken in Hawaii. I have no idea where I got the tan from because I have not had time to sit in the sun! I have been down at the theatre pretty much every day and when I'm there, I'm behind the box office counter, selling tickets and answering general questions about the Park to the tourists. The only time I'm getting any sun will be on the 5 min. drive to the park when I have my sunroof open or if I take Bridget for a quick little walk to do her business, but usually, one of the volunteers always offers to take her for a walk, so I don't even do that that often. But ever since I've had problems with the adrenal gland (and now it's been removed), it seems my skin tans way quicker than it used to and it doesn't burn. Go figure?

Ok... I don't think I managed to mention that last weekend was so busy because not only did we have the shows every night, last weekend was a long weekend (BC Day) and it was also Pride weekend. The Saturday night was the last night of the fireworks, so here are a couple of fireworks pictures that I took while we were up on the roof deck of our building ...









Fireworks are always fun... but alas, the one drawback is that if you live across the street from where they are happening, you really do have to have your car home early and parked. Otherwise, you'll never get it home until well after 11pm those nights!!

Being that it was also Pride weekend, it is one of the most festive weekends of the year in my neighbourhood! Everyone is into Pride weekend and just out to have fun! It's so neat to see everyone laughing and having a good time and everyone is friendly to everyone else! It's too bad this can't happen year round... maybe one day we will get there!

Here are a couple of pictures of the fun... TUTS had an entry in the Pride Parade and the kids from both shows had soooo much fun!! Hopefully NEXT year my feet and legs will be better so I can go in it with them... hahaha, not to dance and sing, but to dress up and hand out 1/2 price coupons to both shows and just be with the gang :)

Hahaha... this was so much fun!! Talk about good timing! They weren't even part of the parade, this was just a promotion for women's razors , but they happened to be doing their thing passing them out during Pride weekend ;)

Awwww... here's our TUTS parade entry!! Aren't the horses so darn cute! Those big old Clydesdales!! This was great fun because both casts were involved... and they sang and danced along the whole parade route :)

Here's some of the Annie Get Your Gun cast dancing/singing behind the horse drawn carriage :)

This is some of the Jesus Christ Superstar cast riding on the carriage while the Annie cast were doing their number :)

Sooooo that's pretty much it for this week's report. I'm feeling great although am still having complaints about my legs and feet. The pain is really annoying because it means I can't walk far and some days, just walking is so uncomfortable. Dr. Fay (GP) has taken me off the narcotic meds (oxycodone) because they just weren't doing anything for the pain and there's no point being on them if they aren't working because they are/can be highly addictive. He has put me on a new non-narcotic prescription (tridurnal) which sort of works. It worked to the point where I don't have to rely on my cane to walk... but it hasn't gotten rid of the pain. Mornings are the absolute worse... and the nerve damage in my feet from the chemo seems to have gotten WORSE not better, which is really strange. So, I guess we will continue to work on that and see if there is some combination of meds we can use to help.

Now, I'm not sure if in the last blog entry I mentioned that I do have a chest CAT scan appt. for Aug 21st and then a consultation appointment with the lung surgeon, Dr. Yee, on Aug 28th. I don't have a date for the surgery yet, but I guess we will find out around Aug 28th when that will happen.

Sooooo... don't be surprised if I don't get another entry done before sometime after the weekend. The shows close this coming weekend so I'll be down at the park every day this week. Then, two friends, Janet and Tracy are doing a one night show a week tomorrow, and I said I'd help them with it.... so after Aug 19th, I will be taking a couple of days off to do absolutely nothing before getting involved in another show :) :) Besides, I have a lot of dinners and lunches to catch up with friends who I said I would get together with after TUTS was finished :)

Ta ta for now!

Cheryl