Made the Papers...

Opening Night went off without a hitch. Was a bit low energy for my tastes. The preview dress rehearsal was stronger. I think the actors shot our collective wad, so to speak, at the preview, then came in tired for Opening Night. We did fine. A flubbed line or two, a dead quiet audience, and fatigue can slow the pace on any night, even Opening Night.
Afterwards, handsome co-star Launey opened up to us last night over copious cocktails and onion rings at the Golden Latrine, er, Lantern. He's a character that one. So earnest about theatre (notice I've adopted the New Orleans spelling of "theater". No point swimming upstream.) He gave us heart-felt thanks for a fun production, explaining "this is why I ever got into theatre." He speaks with the Brooklyn-esque accent of local Italians when not in character. I'm very happy to work with him. The versatility he shows, his seriousness, a young, brooding Brando.
I'm most happy to be working with Mandi Turner again. We did one short weekend together around Christmas-time, when I stepped into the role of Comet in The 8: Reindeer Monologues. She gave the strongest performance in that large cast of mixed skill-levels. She brings her professionalism with her to this production too. My only note to her: "speak in your lowest register." She plays a woman nearly double her actual age, and her girlish trills betray her girlish age, 23.
Lew Routh gave a flattering, somewhat gushing review of our preview dress rehearsal. Bless his heart. That review went out by email, and has made the rounds: NOLAtheatre.com, Patrick Shannon's theatre list, Pat Jolly's community list, the Radical Faeries, the entire nomination committee for the Big Easy awards. We made the papers too. A photographer from the Times-Picayune did frolicsome portraits of us, actors trying to "act" natural, me with my face caked in Ben Nye make-up, mascara, and fresh coat of coral lipstick. We might as well have staged a pillow fight, for all our "naturalness". It was fun. We'll appear in the Sunday Lifestyle section, an "out on the town" sort of society page. And then, hopefully, we'll also get a Cuthbert review. A favorable review would be nice.
Now that Opening Night is behind us, we fall into the regular pattern of shows, pick-up rehearsals, and free time(!) in between. I've spent the entire day in my sweats, eating chicken soup and reading a novel. Hey! Remember novels? Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter, by Mario Vargas Llosa. I'm eager to get back to writing too. Sunday Write Club at CC's coffee, and hopefully some additional appointments during the week. My characters are calling out to me.
And I can get back to the serious job of finding work. Tuesday I have an informal interview with Carl Mack Productions. Would be great to work as a reveller at conventions. A reveller is a performer, hired to greet convention guests and put on little shows, in costumes provided by Carl. Pays. I could sure use the dough, as I can't even afford to buy razor blades, a necessity when you're playing a transvestite.