Day One - February 6th

Day one.

Spamalot's 8 trucks arrived here at the Philharmonic Center in Naples, Florida and began the load-in on Monday. I flew to Fort Meyers and drove down while Ken (the PSM) and the crew got started at the theatre.

By the time I arrived this morning at eight, most of the trucks had been pulled and the scenery was going up, quick change booths were laid out and the orchestra was setting up for their rehearsal. Ken introduced me to Brian and Francesca (the other two SMs) and we got to work setting up the backstage environs. We put of signs directing the company around the backstage, met with the House Manager, checked the stage’s spike marks, ordered playbill stuffers, and generally began inhabiting the theatre. The cast arrived at 6 PM. Ken gave them a brief orientation, introduced me, and then they did a quick sound check (the orchestra checked while we were in our orientation). After the cast and orchestra sang a couple of numbers, they met their dressers and talked down some quick changes. 7:30: ½ hour and then, two hours after they walked in the door for the first time, the cast was onstage for the performance.

I spent my first show in the audience, enjoying the show. I sat at the back of the auditorium with our local presenter, Karl (our Company Manager) and the swings. The show is light-hearted and a little bit ridiculous – a lot of fun. The audience tonight was the oldest audience I’ve ever sat amongst (Gateway matinees included). The man in “lucky” seat D101 could hardly get up and into the aisle – there was no way they were going to drag him up the stairs to the stage – the cast just had to come to him! It was strange to watch this audience’s reaction to Spamalot – I don’t think they knew what they were in for. But, by the end, they were on their feet for King Arthur’s bow.

Tomorrow I’ll star learning the deck in earnest. I have only the six remaining shows here in Naples to master my deck position before I’m teaching it to a new crew in Memphis next week. But for tonight, I’m still marveling that 20 hours after the first truck door was opened, we were performing a Broadway show for 1,400 people. These folks are really pros.

JV