"Life w/o Makeup" at The Berkeley Rep Theatre, my fourth week of shows

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

I felt overwhelmed this week and could not muster the energy to type my thoughts on each performance at the close of the days. So instead I'll attempt to paint a picture of the week as a whole.

This is my fourth week performing "Life w/o Makeup" at the Berkeley Rep Theatre. The first week of November held alluring promise in that this week would only feature 5 performances rather than the usual 6. Next week will be the same. 

Despite the let-off, fatigue was a big problem for me over the course of these days. I've been having a hard time concentrating on the bandstand. Making musical errors in spots where I never had any problems before. Sweating a lot. Feeling unhealthy. I need some time off.

I am running short on reading material. That has been a hindrance to me - I need diversions! I struggled through a few issues of Smithsonian magazine, but I'm finding a lot of their content to be drab. I did read an interesting article this evening about rhinoceros poaching in South Africa. One scientist has discovered how to extract DNA material from a rhinoceros' horn in order to match an extracted horn to its previous body. This is a new way of connecting smugglers to recent poaching crimes. So there's that. The story included a photograph of a deceased rhinoceros whose horn had been shaven off by bandits. That was extremely unpleasant to see.

Earlier in the week I was thumbing through the latest Musician's Friend catalogue and coveting the new George Harrison Gretsch Duo Jet electric guitar. It's a beautiful instrument:

But I already own a black electric guitar: a Gibson Les Paul studio. And in truth I don't play that instrument nearly enough, so the idea of me purchasing the Gretsch guitar above is strictly fantasy. (Not to mention its hefty price tag: $3500!)

The show is swimming along nicely, I guess. Lately I am finding it hard to keep track of what day of the week it is. I scarcely feel anything anymore when I play the tunes in the show. It's like I'm living in a curious alternate reality: Robot Mode. I spring into action when the relevant cue line sounds in the stage monitor next to the piano bench. Then soon we're starting the song. When the number concludes I rustle for reading material again and resume something resembling "sleep mode". My working life is weird.

Last week Dave and Alex, the drummer and saxophonist in the band, told me a tragic story about a pianist they played with in the past. This gentleman worked as pianist for 5 years in a San Francisco production of the show "Phantom of the Opera". After accruing a decent cache of cash, he determined that he would finally leave the show and retire to "play all the music I've been unable to make while stuck playing this show." Within months he was stricken with cancer and died.

I don't even know what to make of that story, but it sticks with me. What's the lesson to be learned? Carpe diem? Be thankful for what you have now? Don't stop working or you might get cancer and die?!? Recollections of the horrid film "Mr. Holland's Opus" spring to mind. The character Mr. Holland is a beleaguered high school band instructor all his adult life and never has enough free time to progress in his own composing endeavors. Finally when he's old and gray, he has a premiere performance of his work, his "Opus". And unfortunately, it's rubbish. Saccharine and over-blown. Well, at least that's how I remember it. So what's the moral of that?

Ms. Moreno's co-star from "West Side Story", George Chakiris, attended the performance tonight. She brought him up on stage at the end after all the bows were completed. 

Mr. Chakiris has beautiful brown hair! I don't know what portion of it is natural, but credit to him if he's rolling like that in his late 70's! Sascha and I exchanged puzzled looks with one another when he strode onto the stage. Who is that young man emerging from stage left? Oh, it's George Chakiris. 

Looking forward to closing out the show next week. I'm determined to play my best for the final 5 shows.

Jesse