Annie Paladino continues her report from the BOA front lines…
So, BOA 2012 happened.
No, wait, just kidding! It’s STILL happening!
What DID happen was that, in less than a week, two full programs composed of 10 amazing one-act plays were loaded-in, teched, and rehearsed (lather, rinse, repeat). This past Sunday, both programs had their first performances. Since the play I am in, Maybe Baby, is in Program 2, I can only speak from that experience- which was LOVELY!- but seriously: just try to imagine TEN CASTS AND CREWS getting their shit together, tech-wise, in like, 4 days. Oh wait, YOU CAN’T, because IT SOUNDS IMPOSSIBLE. But… it happened! I promise! With little-to-no heartbreak, tears, hair-ripping, etc.!
Let the following facts and figures fill you with awe:
– Number of set changes in Program 2: 4
– Number of times we rehearsed the set changes during dress rehearsal: 3
– Number of actors in Program 2: 23
– Ratio of men to women in Program 2: 6:17 (including two separate plays with a cast of just two women — this is significant and awesome!)
– Sweat-intensity level in the overwhelmingly crowded backstage area: off the charts
– Average number of eggs cracked during each performance of Maybe Baby: 4-6
– Yolky-stage rating for the weekend: low (only one incidence of spillage)
– Number of teapots used in Maybe Baby: 9, plus one teapot-dog-puppet
– Average number of pushups done by the women in Maybe Baby (myself included): 20-25
– Number of splinters in bare feet thus far: ZERO, despite vigorous mash-potato-ing (the dance step — no actual cooking involved, sorry) (knock on wood)
– Number of bathrooms for the cast, crew and audience: 1 (plus one secret bathroom for cast/crew shhhh!)
– Number of minutes I have personally spent waiting in line for the bathroom: 15… so far
– Injury rating from the weekend: I may or may not have given my scene partner a fat lip during fight call before dress rehearsal
– Personal excitement level for seeing Program 1 (which I expect to do this weekend): SKY HIGH
– Number of performances before the cast of Maybe Baby reverted to high school theater and started trading back massages backstage during Act I: …zero
In sum…you don’t want to miss BOA 2012.
Until next week…
A.M.P.
PS. Wednesdays and Thursdays are PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN: perfect for all you broke-asses!
Annie will be back next Tuesday with more sassy backstage commentary. Meanwhile, if you want to know more about BOA 2012, check out http://www.bayoneacts.org for showtimes, tickets and more!
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