Feb 22/07 Café

February 22

Holy mother of "The Show Must Go On!" Our second Café night was coming on smoothly. We had been meeting once or twice a week to bash out new material, rehearse and plan. Then a week before the Café, we learn that Garry can't be with us.

Crap. Er, I mean, no problem. Some valiant cries of "I could probably do that thing..." (maybe doesn't sound so valiant in print, but when you're less than a week to show and people are deciding to pick up even more material... yup) and we had the menu pretty much covered.

So, it's 7 pm on Café night, we start actor service in an hour and we're meeting at Pip and Shtev's to make one last attempt to get the choreography down for the new DaBig Ensemble Number. Oh. And by the way, Shtev just called and he's not going to make it. At all. See he's doing the lighting for the Cirque Siana show and the day has gone to utter hell and he cannot leave.

Uh. Wha'?

Moments to let it sink in. Then, WHAM! Mike is at the keyboard bashing out music Shtev was to play. Andrea is going to replace him in Schroedinger's Cat. We already have MacBeth and Apocalypse doubly covered. Kim still has one improv character. We have enough songs and poetry as well and ... oh crap. The beatnik bongo accompaniament to Eric's pretentious song... Mike again! woo hoo! We have to drop the new ensemble number, but other than that...

Oh. Right. 13 Ways. Ok. Kim knows the ballad and can do it if necessary. Maybe, she thinks. OH! What about the verse that was Steven's. She and Pip can't even think of the first ... wait "Keith with his nose in the air." And then it flows (more or less) and...

..And we're off. It's a busier night at the Café. We absolutely fill the front room and spill over to the back. Some actors are so busy dishing out performances they can barely get back to the tables they're supposed to be "waiting on." (sorry about that Paul!) We get backed up at times but people are generally laid back and happy to go along for the ride.

Shtev's "Happening" happening without him courtesy of Andrea, Pip (oc) & Eric adds art

Our lovely couple from last month has returned and brought friends. They order lots. And they are so fun. More friends of DaPoPo and cast plus some newbies are there. We love our friends! We love newbies! Our 'family' is growing!

Four Actors, Improv and Sock Puppets, oh my! Elvis makes a grand total of four appearances. Why is Elvis so Popular!?

Recent Elvis sighting at Mollyz Diner

And blue smurfs under the Eiffel tower as an improv? ok... More sonnets ordered this month than last but hardly any Shakespeare. Kim presents more last-minute work than stuff she had actually prepared. Pip and Eric jump in for the "add art" feature. Bonnie keeps tabs on everything and encourages us to pick up the pace. OMG!

We go very late again this time. Pip has to pool the last three orders for a bedtime story or we'll never let Micky and Bruce get home (yay! Micky and Bruce!). Midnight and we're on the sidewalk outside Mollyz arranging to meet at 11 am on Monday to debrief and start plotting March's Café.