Welcome to the ACE BACKSTAGE PASS

  Welcome to the ACE BACKSTAGE PASS, where Yours Truly (”Ace”), will be blogging away about the goings on at ACTORS CABARET OF EUGENE, Eugene’s busiest, most ambitious and fabulous theater company ever in the history of Eugene Theater companies!

A DAY AT ACE

Here’s what happened at our theater on Wednesday, November 19, 2008:

10:30 AM – Our Box Office Manager arrives.  The lights get turned on, the computers get fired up and the coffee gets made.  Not in that order.  Coffee first.  The phone messages get listened to and the day begins!

Today the phones are particularly busy.  We’re selling tickets to PIGS IN LOVE, FOREVER PLAID: PLAID TIDINGS and THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE.  Tonight, in addition to our scheduled rehearsals, we’re hosting the monthly meeting of the American Institute of Architects.  The AIA meets at ACE regularly, and enjoys the dinners prepared by our experienced chefs in our fully equipped kitchen.

11:00 AM – The theater is buzzing with activity.  There are costume fittings this evening for our upcoming production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the Hult.  This years production will be bigger than ever before, and a lot of extra time is being put into the extravagent costumes designed by ACE Artistic Director, Joe Zingo.  So, before noon, the phones are ringing, the kitchen is cooking and the sewing machines are sewing.  This is the sound of the theater!  The activity continues all afternoon.  The coming and going of volunteers, employees and friends throughout the day makes for a happy wave of productivity, creativity and fun.

3:00 PM – The theater, newly decorated for the Christmas season, is preparing for the AIA dinner.  Tables are being set and the kitchen is in full swing.

4:00 – 6:00 PM – The American Institute of Architects arrive.  Like our theater audiences, they appreciate the cozy ACE atmosphere and the tasty food!

7:30 PM – Now the theater is really humming.  Cast members for A CHRISTMAS CAROL begin to roll in for their costume fittings.

The cast of THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE gathers for a rehearsal in our Annex Theater.  They make use of the set for the current show on the Annex stage; the World Premiere of Dorothy Velasco’s PIGS IN LOVE.

Cast members for FOREVER PLAID: PLAID TIDINGS arrive for a dress rehearsal of their show.

8:00 PM – The architects leave, and the dress rehearsal for FOREVER PLAID: PLAID TIDINGS begins.  The actors get in costume and are found dicussing the details of this weekend’s opening night.  The tech crew arrives and everyone gets down to business for tonights rehearsal.  In the Annex, the rehearsal for THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE continues, oblivious to all the activity in the other parts of the theater.  The kitchen staff cleans up and prepares for the opening weekend of PLAID TIDINGS.

10:00 PM – The rehearsal for TRUCE winds down.  The writer, director and actors agree that tonight was a good rehearsal.

10:30 PM – PLAID TIDINGS continues their dress rehearsal.  Yours Truly decides to call it a day, and goes home to count sheep.  After all, TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY!

“Ace”