Well, I thought things would be a bit easier today as it was a Friday. How wrong I was!
Arrived at rehearsals to be informed by Evie, the B&Q, that there were going to be rehearsal photographs in the afternoon... What?! This I was not prepared for! Thank goodness I had my best support garments on! But I wasn't too keen on being photographed in my dance gear - leggings and leg warmers, Dear Diary, is certainly not my usual look!
Couldn't really concentrate all morning... Was too preoccupied trying to remember what makeup I'd brought with me, and whether I had anything more suitable to wear in my dressing room.
Julian Littman, a dear little man who I have since learned is the Musical Director, bumbled up to me and asked me how my keyboard skills were.
"Julian, dear... Honestly, I haven't been near a keyboard for years, but in my early 20s I did do a little secretarial work for my agent, Kenny Pirouette, and got up to the dizzy heights of 15 words a minute, but that was at my best. I'm not sure how I'd be now..."
"No, Felicia," he replied. "I meant your piano skills?"
Oh. Well, if that's what you mean, just say that!
"Hmm..." I admitted. "I'm not sure my nails would take it, to be honest, but what do you need?"
"Well, we need a 2nd keys player for Addicted To Love."
My worst nightmare. A lowly member of the band playing SECOND keyboard in my competition's big number? I think not.
I was just about to explode, when little Matty Devitt popped up.
"Uh, Julian..." he interrupted. "I don't think you mean 2nd keys, do you? You said to me you needed an Associate Keyboard Lead for this one. Didn't you?"
"Oh... Um... Yes!"
I thought about it. Associate Keyboard Lead? It sounded an entirely suitable role for the likes of the lead in the show. And it would mean that I could sell myself as an 'actor-musician' on my CV.
"Well," I said. "I'll have to run it past Kenny, obviously, and have a look at the part over the weekend, but in theory, it sounds like a possibility."
"Great!" exclaimed Julian. "I'll print out the part for you..."
Ha! We shall see how amazing your number is now, Ms Cassar, with a little 'accidental' misfingering from Yours Truly! Must brush off my A Tune A Day for Piano and get back into the pianistic swing over the weekend. What with that, the Dance Workshop with Arlene and more vocal work with dear Mr Holland, I'm in for a busy time. Thank goodness it's a bank holiday weekend!
Lunch was a very brief affair; I had much to do if I was going to be ready for the photos in the afternoon. With makeup done, and some cunning drapage of an old orange scarf about my shoulders, I felt a little more comfortable, and made my way back to the rehearsal room.
Oddly, nobody else seemed all that bothered by the photographer - they were all wearing their usual dowdy rehearsal gear. Oh well, I thought, if I shine in these photos, there's no great loss.
I was quite unprepared for Mark Sepple (the photographer) and his dexterous fingers! He seemed to be everywhere! And not in a good way!!!
No matter what I was doing, all I could hear all afternoon was "click, click"! Honestly, it reminded me of the time I had a brief sojourn with Elton. No matter where we went, we were "papped" to such a gargantuan extent that we had to call it a day and go our separate ways.
To make matters worse, Valentina Dolci, the assistant choreogratherapist decided that a section of the afternoon should be designated "Stretching Felicia" time, and proceeded to yank my leg virtually out of its socket in an attempt to get my kicks higher. Honestly, Valentina, a true Lady should only kick a maximum of a 45 degree angle. Any woman with an ounce of self respect knows that (Hollie Cassar, please take note)!
And just when I thought things couldn't get any more rancid, who should appear? Karen, the delight from marketing, with a cheeky printout of one of the photos that she had humorously processed through the Internet craze of the day, how-old.net. Oh, how funny, that the Internet had decided based on one photograph that I was 38! I was fuming!
"Guess what, Felicia," she delighted in informing me. "It put me at 27!"
"Well, dear," I retorted, "it clearly has no idea then, does it! Did you use a recent photo?! And did it say you were female or male?!"
Perhaps I misjudged that woman. But that certainly put her in her place!
By the end of the day, I was an absolute wreck! So Juanita has sat me down in my comfy chair and is kindly massaging my feet for me as we speak. She has thoughtfully suggested I have 20 minutes or so in my isolation floatation tank, which sounds like a very good idea.
I shall report back on Tuesday, letting you know how the weekend activities have gone.
Have a delightful weekend, Dear Diary. I know I won't!
Arrived at rehearsals to be informed by Evie, the B&Q, that there were going to be rehearsal photographs in the afternoon... What?! This I was not prepared for! Thank goodness I had my best support garments on! But I wasn't too keen on being photographed in my dance gear - leggings and leg warmers, Dear Diary, is certainly not my usual look!
Couldn't really concentrate all morning... Was too preoccupied trying to remember what makeup I'd brought with me, and whether I had anything more suitable to wear in my dressing room.
Julian Littman, a dear little man who I have since learned is the Musical Director, bumbled up to me and asked me how my keyboard skills were.
"Julian, dear... Honestly, I haven't been near a keyboard for years, but in my early 20s I did do a little secretarial work for my agent, Kenny Pirouette, and got up to the dizzy heights of 15 words a minute, but that was at my best. I'm not sure how I'd be now..."
"No, Felicia," he replied. "I meant your piano skills?"
Oh. Well, if that's what you mean, just say that!
"Hmm..." I admitted. "I'm not sure my nails would take it, to be honest, but what do you need?"
"Well, we need a 2nd keys player for Addicted To Love."
My worst nightmare. A lowly member of the band playing SECOND keyboard in my competition's big number? I think not.
I was just about to explode, when little Matty Devitt popped up.
"Uh, Julian..." he interrupted. "I don't think you mean 2nd keys, do you? You said to me you needed an Associate Keyboard Lead for this one. Didn't you?"
"Oh... Um... Yes!"
I thought about it. Associate Keyboard Lead? It sounded an entirely suitable role for the likes of the lead in the show. And it would mean that I could sell myself as an 'actor-musician' on my CV.
"Well," I said. "I'll have to run it past Kenny, obviously, and have a look at the part over the weekend, but in theory, it sounds like a possibility."
"Great!" exclaimed Julian. "I'll print out the part for you..."
Ha! We shall see how amazing your number is now, Ms Cassar, with a little 'accidental' misfingering from Yours Truly! Must brush off my A Tune A Day for Piano and get back into the pianistic swing over the weekend. What with that, the Dance Workshop with Arlene and more vocal work with dear Mr Holland, I'm in for a busy time. Thank goodness it's a bank holiday weekend!
Lunch was a very brief affair; I had much to do if I was going to be ready for the photos in the afternoon. With makeup done, and some cunning drapage of an old orange scarf about my shoulders, I felt a little more comfortable, and made my way back to the rehearsal room.
Oddly, nobody else seemed all that bothered by the photographer - they were all wearing their usual dowdy rehearsal gear. Oh well, I thought, if I shine in these photos, there's no great loss.
I was quite unprepared for Mark Sepple (the photographer) and his dexterous fingers! He seemed to be everywhere! And not in a good way!!!
No matter what I was doing, all I could hear all afternoon was "click, click"! Honestly, it reminded me of the time I had a brief sojourn with Elton. No matter where we went, we were "papped" to such a gargantuan extent that we had to call it a day and go our separate ways.
To make matters worse, Valentina Dolci, the assistant choreogratherapist decided that a section of the afternoon should be designated "Stretching Felicia" time, and proceeded to yank my leg virtually out of its socket in an attempt to get my kicks higher. Honestly, Valentina, a true Lady should only kick a maximum of a 45 degree angle. Any woman with an ounce of self respect knows that (Hollie Cassar, please take note)!
And just when I thought things couldn't get any more rancid, who should appear? Karen, the delight from marketing, with a cheeky printout of one of the photos that she had humorously processed through the Internet craze of the day, how-old.net. Oh, how funny, that the Internet had decided based on one photograph that I was 38! I was fuming!
"Guess what, Felicia," she delighted in informing me. "It put me at 27!"
"Well, dear," I retorted, "it clearly has no idea then, does it! Did you use a recent photo?! And did it say you were female or male?!"
Perhaps I misjudged that woman. But that certainly put her in her place!
By the end of the day, I was an absolute wreck! So Juanita has sat me down in my comfy chair and is kindly massaging my feet for me as we speak. She has thoughtfully suggested I have 20 minutes or so in my isolation floatation tank, which sounds like a very good idea.
I shall report back on Tuesday, letting you know how the weekend activities have gone.
Have a delightful weekend, Dear Diary. I know I won't!