These are the tales from the PINK TRAILER! I have been asked to write down the adventures of the "GRITS Gals" as they happen on each of our trips to productions here and yonder as they are stories that you couldn't make up if you tried! From secret dungeons found in the basement of venues, to stories of technical directors ending up deceased in a broom closet. From stage managers running off with the merchandise sales money, to divas throwing punches backstage, I have seen it all! Now I am gonna get it ALL off my chest and share it with you! So strap on your girdles and jack up your hair cause these are the tale of "Girls Raised in the South-GRITS: The Musical" and I am NOT playin'!
FIRST-
This past trip was to Louisburg NC at Louisburg College. Wonderful folks, but the road to get there this time was not so great! To "band" or not to "band" that is the question. The venue for this gig requested a band. Now, we gals have not used a band with our show in two seasons. When the economy went by the waste side, so did the band. Thus, the track show was born No one could afford the price tag that came with the band so we had to do without testosterone for a while. Us gals didn't really need it anyway.
WELL! We needed a band for this show and so I set out to find one! Asked around...nothin'. Craigslist...nothing'. Finally got some boys out of a nearby college. They showed up and weren't too bad so we offered them the job. Two days later....gone. Can't do it. So sorry, but we're out! 11th hour, got some old friends from my former homeland, Knoxville, TN. Those boys drove 6 hours to get there. It was a sweet deal. Could we have used a little more practice from them? Yes. Did they pull it off with out a hitch? Yes! Live music is always great and these boys delivered when it counted!
SECOND-
My stage manager calls me the day before we leave to announce he's gonna play in a rugby game...match...whatever (it's NOT football.) instead of working for me! Good luck lady, with the lights and the sound, he says! No matter he's been setting up the show ("advancing" as we call it in the biz!) for the past month with the venue. Ta ta! See you later sucker! Students.
WELL! The theater gods smiled upon me and a new stage manager was born at 10:45 pm the night before we left. She was a jewel from Fayetteville, NC, showed up, called the show, got us together and was a little bit of a hero for me! No to mention when we arrived at the theater, the staff was just precious in every way! Bless their hearts! Looked like the "show would go on!" (Spoiler alert....it always does.)
When I asked the theater director how ticket sales were going before the show began, he said, "Well...you're doing better than Rubin Studdard (from American Idol fame?)" I said that should be our new tag line for marketing purposes..."GRITS: The Musical"...We're doing better than Rubin Studdard."
650+ people showed up that night! We didn't get every word of the script right, every note was not played perfectly, entrances were not timed exact, but we entertained the socks off those folks. We had audience members hollering out things and at the end of the show, one woman came down to the front of the stage, beat her hands on it and said, "I need to talk to y'all!" Told one of the actresses some new material she thought should be in the show.
That's what I love. We spend a couple of hours with these people and they feel like they know us, want to be a part of the production. And they are.
There's usually more drama off the stage than on so I'll keep writing it down, for your backstage amusement. This one was mild...who knows what's gonna happen this holiday season when we trot out "Cinnamon GRITS: Christmas in the South" Wheels up on the pink trailer Dec 3rd. Check back in mid month for more crazy fun!
Show dates, times and locations at www.gritsthemusical.com
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