Electricity, E-Lec-Tri-City!

Ever since I arrived home this evening I've been singing the above little ditty from Schoolhouse Rock. I'm sitting in plenty of light in my little home in Miami. Well into day 7 and I finally get it back. All of us at the house were ecstatic. and I am basking in my ability to see clearly.

You can see the difference in this very dark photo. This is the moment the giant tree in the back fell as we all sat in the living room and watched Wilma destroy the neighborhood. Things are starting to recover, however. I didn't know how much more darkness I could take but today has been a turning point for many of us who finally can work after dark.

Rehearsals are still run by generator power. We are working long hours with no air conditioning and a full chorus, so tensions run a little higher. Our chorus is amazing, however, and have worked their tails off this weekend. They are going to be spectacular because they all can act, they all react, and they all are committed to the production. Lillian told the chorus after rehearsal yesterday, "I think Doug (Kinney-Frost, the chorus master) should manufacture Florida Grand Chorus pills and sell them to opera companies around the country. He would make a mint!" Tis' true. We are blessed.

Blessed, but dealing with power issues every day.

Today wigs and makeup was doing fittings and they set their station up right in the doorway of the lobby so they would have enough light to do their work. The pic is of Jeff Buchman getting a head wrap made out of a Publix supermarket bag, so they could get the size of his head for wigs, since they couldn't have their entire stock in the doorway. We sat all over that well lit doorway for dinner as well, which was Greek food from across the street. The best Baklavah I've ever had. I'm not sure if it's because I haven't had well-made food in a while or because it really was that great, but it was making us all happy as we sat along the sidewalk with our styrofoam plates and shoveled warm food in our mouths.

This show will be ready and amazing if we can get into the theater in time. The boys sound great and the end, when they turn into a lynch mob, is truly terrifying. Thank god for the good days.