Our final dress was last night.  We had a small student audience, which was nice.  It's great to get some energy back from the audience (especially when I'm singing directly to them during my act IV aria).  I think we are in good shape.  This has been a really special experience for me, and I am full of gratitude for this cast, this company, this production.  I'm looking forward to making some good music and some good komedy laughs this weekend.  On the technical tip, I felt much better about last night than our first orchestra dress.  I've come to realize (and embrace) the fact that I'm just plain tired in Act IV and Aprite is a damn hard aria to sing.  I will keep fighting the good fight, but I'm going to stop obsessing about it and just enjoy it.  I've learned a few things during this process, and that's a good thing.  More on that later. 

Here is a fun video about our production from a local arts blog.  This is where I first heard the "opera singers as mythical creatures" idea.  Also, my friend Adriana invokes the great Jack Tripper (reinforcing my "what would John Ritter do?" character-building technique).  

PS- I look like Chris Farley.  Time to go back to the gym I guess.  Or maybe lay off the Vermont maple syrup.  

The media firestorm in Milwaukee continues over the firing of Bill Theisen.  There is some intelligent discourse happening here:

Artsy Schmartsy

Tom Strini's blog

I'm proud of my friends in Milwaukee who are taking ownership of their theatre community and making their voices heard, especially Jamie Johns.  The Skylight has been an artistic home for me for the last 10 years, and they have always welcomed me into the fold as though I were a local artist.  I sincerely hope they can work through this debacle.  

AW