Total Immersion

Finally coming up for air. Last Wednesday, I went out to Actors' Summit to play for the directors, which entailed learning the two hardest passages from the show in about 20 minutes to give them a rough idea of how fast I could learn. I liked their energy and we have an easy rapport. I did get the job. I got a copy of the original Broadway cast CD, the piano score, and a contract for one rehearsal this Wednesday night and 11 performances, starting Saturday. Some of the CD recording is different from the score, and whenever it's different we're doing it like the CD.

Starting last Wednesday afternoon, I have been eating, sleeping and breathing this score, practicing up to 4 hours a day, taking breaks every hour to go for a bike ride or do a little yoga, listening to the CD constantly, and writing out the parts that are different in my lazy, music-score-free code that nobody else can read. Most of it I can now play well enough to play along with the CD so I can get used to the vocal parts, cues and tempo changes. It's working. Snippets of the show are now the soundtrack of my subconcious, which means it's sinking in. I still have things to clean up, but now I can play the whole thing (well over an hour of music).

Good thing, too. My first--and only--rehearsal is the day after tomorrow, and I really want to make a good impression and do a good job. I've been really physically tired from this, especially the first 3 days, but also energized. It couldn't have come at a better time in my schedule, as last week was my week off from CSD before the summer session started today, and I would have had nothing to do. I am just not used to that kind of intense practicing, though. I can't do more than 4 hours or the fatigue gets to be too much. My brain can only absorb so much information at a time anyhow. I think without the workouts I would have much less focus and stamina, yet another reason to keep it up.

Today, I went back to work at CSD. It was muggy and hit 95 degrees (our hottest day so far this year), but I still managed two round trips there by bike (I had a 3-hour break between classes) for a total of 16 miles riding. My first ride there, a month ago, took me 26 minutes to get there, and today's second trip took me only 21! (It takes about 12-15 minutes to drive, depending on the traffic.) It still feels strenuous (lots of hills) but it is noticably easier. I like seeing that sort of progress in such a short time.

Got Myself a New Gig!

My profile listing at www.artistschair.com is finally getting some nibbles after languishing for two years. Last Friday I was selected at random to be the "featured artist of the day", and someone from the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre called the same day to ask if I could play for a production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. I had to decline, unfortunately, because half of the run is during our Europe trip (boo!), but at least I was able to give him the name of another pianist and get on the call list for next summer.

Today, I got an offer from Actors' Summit to sub for 10 performances of The Musical of Musicals from June 23-July 15. If I'm lucky I'll get 10 or so days to learn the music and one rehearsal before being thrown onstage with the actors for a funny, fast-paced hour and 45 minutes in front of a paying audience. Wowie!

Baby's First Bifocals

Though not in denial of the fact that I've reached middle age, I mostly feel (and I like to think look) young for my chronological age. But there are some things in this "slow slide into decrepitude", as Paul and I like to refer to it, that no amount of lifestyle changes will ever have any control over.

Yesterday I had my annual eye exam. Because I'm cheap, I usually stretch the appointment frequency to every two years, but this year I actually took the doctor's advice and came back after only one year. The reason: last fall, I started noticing that, especially in dim light while wearing my contacts, sometimes it would take a few seconds for my eyes to adjust when reading a restaurant menu or the phone book. Once when writing the mileage in my logbook by the light of the car overhead at night, I just couldn't see well enough to write at all. Paul lent me his reading glasses, and wow! Everything was so big and clear, and it took no effort to see! I realized I've been in denial for quite a while and promptly went to Walgreen's to buy some compact reading glasses that fit in my purse.

When we go out to eat or the theater, now we each don our respective specs to peruse the menu or program. I still feel like I'm impersonating a "young grandma" whenever I do this, a little self-conscious but not unduly upset at this undeniable sign of aging. I've already been practically blind for decades anyway, so it's not that huge of an adjustment. My friends who've already gone through this transition have been known to smile and say, "Our little Karin is growing up."

I got my new glasses prescription yesterday, and for the first time there is a number under the ADD column. +100 is about the mildest bifocal prescription possible--it's like a training bra for reading glasses--but still, it does make it easier to see.

Still, I feel compelled to add, I rode my bike 14 miles round trip to get to my appointment, and still had the energy to ride the 8 mile round trip to work later the same day. And it was all uphill. Both ways.

New Cycle Nut

Well, I never did update about the RDA Festival. Here's the short summary: I worked really hard, playing only my very best and original stuff while world-class teachers, newspaper, TV and Dance Magazine reporters observed classes. I met and mingled with other dance accompanists and saw lots of strong, talented young dancers from all over the country. Now they want me to play for the regional RDA Festival again next year. If only it weren't during Memorial Day weekend, which is almost sure to be the performance time of Cleve. School of Dance. (Why can't they hold these things in August, when I'm unemployed for a month?) Anyway, I had a good time and came out ahead a bit in the financial department for the week.

The weather has finally warmed up, and as usual this time of year, my thoughts turned to alternative forms of transport to work (other than the car, that is). Last year, I intended to walk to work at least 3 times a week in the summer. The problem is, the school is 4 miles from home and it takes me about an hour each way. With my classes starting at 9 am every morning, I just never got up early enough to leave on time.

This year I thought, maybe it's time to get a bicycle. I've been resisting for years because 1) Every bike I've ever had except one has gotten stolen, admittedly because I got lazy just for a minute and left it unlocked in public and 2) helmets are hot and mess up your hair. I can solve 1) by being conscientious about locking, much easier now that I'm a grownup and 2) helmets nowadays are much lighter, more ventilated, and surprisingly, don't mess up my hair at all.

After doing some online research for a week, I went to Century Cycles to buy this bike, and I just love it!! It's the first really high-quality bike I've ever had, and now I'm in shape enough to pedal up the hills without having to get off and walk. The first day I had it, I rode to work (8-mile round trip including steep hills). My legs were rubbery afterward and certain muscles were sore so I had to take a day off the next day. Now, two weeks later, I've ridden to more distant destinations, such as downtown or Beechwood Place (15-mile round trip) to run errands. To stay off of the scary, busy, non-bike-friendly main roads I've been exploring the parallel quiet neighborhood side streets.

I really enjoy smelling the flowers and feeling the breeze (which makes riding even on a 90-degree day surprisingly pleasant), as well as the good feeling of being active and saving gas in the process. My body has gotten used to it quickly and now I can ride several days in a row without feeling like I'm overdoing it.

I'm skipping today though because 1) it's raining and 2) I have an extra Windsong rehearsal tonight for our performance tomorrow.