Who Maid Who

So, the latest play at the dinner theatre is "Who Maid Who" by David Lassig.  It's pretty easy in terms of sound.  I started off with two (count 'em, two) sound effects.  After the first technical rehearsal last night, one was cut, and I now have one (1) sound effect, a cell phone ringtone in Act 2.

The one that was cut was a champagne cork popping.  It wasn't in the script, but right at the beginning the male lead walks in with a champagne bottle, goes into the kitchen, then returns with the bottle opened and two glasses.  I faded the music to play the sound effect (you'd never hear it over the music anyway) then there's silence until he makes a phone call.  Since the director felt the music was more important than a cork popping, she cut the sound effect.

Music was pretty easy too.  The whole play is one, long scene, no blackouts.  So basically, I needed preshow music, something to start the show, something for the blackout leading to intermission, intermission music, something to come out of intermission with, curtain call music, and something for the audience to exit with.

When we did "Prisoner of Second Avenue" earlier this year, I put together preshow and intermission music.  When I got to the theatre for the first technical rehearsal the producer asked me if I had put together some great, groovy 70's music for the show and I realized, for the first time, that the play was set in the 1970's.  Whoops.  I made an excuse, said it would be ready tomorrow, and everyone was happy.  The next morning I did put together a great 70's soundtrack for the show.  

So this show I am using the preshow and intermission that I put together for that one.  It fits, as "Who Maid Who" is pretty timeless.  Cell phones are used throughout, so it's modern times.  And my music is just a mishmash of mostly romantic stuff, again perfect for the show.

The show is a farce about a guy trying to have an affair with a waitress from his favourite coffee shop, but everything goes wrong.  His wife arrives, his parents, etc.  So I needed sexy music.  Top of the show (the one that cancelled the cork pop) is "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye.  Before the intermission I have "Lollipops and Roses" by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass.  After the intermission is "Can't Get Enough of Your Love" by Barry White.  The curtain call music is "Like a Virgin" by Madonna, as is the ringtone of the cell phone.  For exit music I have "Midnight at the Oasis" by Maria Muldaur.  If needed (it rarely is) I have "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye, in case of a particularly slow moving group.

Lights will be a little more of a challenge in this one.  There is a bedroom, a little raised above the stage, that needs it's own lighting.  Most of the time there is nothing happening in there but, when there is, I will bring the lights a little brighter in the bedroom (and dim the other lights slightly) so the audience knows where to look.  It's not hard but it happens quite a few times during the play, which means I'll be needing to pay attention to the script a little more closely than usual.  Oh well, that's what I'm paid for, I guess.

We're running from this weekend to July 7th, so come and see us!

Michael