Parties, Baking, Rehearsal and Drunken Actors

Quite a title, isn't it? So, tomorrow is the St. Patrick's Day party at my day job. You have to understand though, that where I work we have parties at the drop of a hat. "Oops! I sneezed! Let's have a party!" It wouldn't be so bad, but every department on the floor joins in. There is enough food for two weddings and the leftovers go on for days. Some people stop at a store or bakery and just buy something lame like chips and jarred salsa or a supermarket cake. Other people are up all night the night before, cooking and making special dishes. Now, not to blow my own horn (these days though, it seems I'm the only one who does... haha), but I happen to be a pretty darned good cook. The folks at work always look forward to whatever I show up with on party day, and my dish is always among the first to be gone. For my birthday last year, I received a "Monkey Bread" kit. For those unfamiliar, Monkey Bread is a lumpy, tear-apart sweet bread, usually made with a biscuit type-dough and a brown-sugar and cinnamon glaze and baked in a bundt-style pan. Sometimes it's stuffed with cream cheese. After the first time making it, I thought "You can make this a million ways" and I started experimenting. For the last work party, I made a Tropical Monkey Bread with pineapple cream-cheese stuffing and a crushed pecans in the topping. This time, I decided to try a savory version, with spinach, onions and sharp cheddar (I may do a spiced ham and cheese, next time). So what does this have to do with Rehearsal and Drunken Actors? Well...

I am currently rehearsing for a staged reading of a new play which goes up this Friday. Staged readings are nice - they require minimal rehearsal and no memorization. We had our first read-through last week and tonight we were adding the minimal blocking (movement) for the piece. It's an interesting work in which I am playing the psychiatrist who, in 1972, admitted to being gay at the APA convention in Philadelphia, paving the way for the removal of homosexuality from the APA's list of mental disorders in 1973. There are six actors, only one of whom I know well and have worked with before. Two are relatively young, and neither have played gay characters before. Tonight's rehearsal started at 8 (later than most). Five of us were there at 7:50. The sixth didn't make it until 8:45. When he did arrive, claiming he'd gotten caught up at work, he joined me on stage for our first scene together and nearly knocked me over with his whiskey breath, which I could've lit aflame with a match. I don't know who else noticed. I mentioned it to the actor I know, but not the director (didn't think it was my place, actually). But the point is, he delayed rehearsal and caused me to get home much later than I had hoped. Which then meant that I was starting my baking at 10:30 and literally finished just before I started this rant. I'm now tired, annoyed and though my bread smells delicious, I have no idea if it actually worked or not, because I was rushed in preparing it.

So, what's my point? I guess I'm just pissed that two things I had planned for tonight were delayed because some young pissant actor decided to get drunk before rehearsal. Really, is it too much to ask for a little professionalism and respect for your fellow cast mates? OK - maybe the poor fellow is nervous about playing gay. Maybe he has a problem. I don't know and don't care. Just don't waste my time with your issues. kid. There. I feel a little better now. And how was your evening?

More, anon.

Prospero

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