Week One: Done!

My first week of rehearsals in complete!  It was quite a week.  I had the chance to do many things that I never dreamed of doing.  Rehearsals themselves are also going very well.  We have learned the music for all 3 shows.  We have to be off book tomorrow (so I know what I am doing after I finish this post!). We also learned some of the choreography yesterday.  There isn't too much dancing for the singers...a lot of step, touch and arm movements, but we are going to rock it!

(Tim, Philip and Hannah)

On Wednesday, Hannah and I had an In-Ear Monitor appointment.  For the shows, we have to wear an in-ear monitor that will play the track into our ear so that we can stay with the music.  Before the appointment, we had to clean out our ears to make sure there was no wax in our ear canal.  Hannah and I did it together.  It felt like you had water clogged in your ear.  Then when we flushed our ears with water, nothing came out!  At the appointment the lady said we had clean ears, so we must have been clean to start.  She started by putting a piece of cotton way into the ear canal and then squirting this light green goo in with a big syringe. 

It was difficult to hear anything with both ears plugged.  The goo had to sit for about 5 minutes and then the lady pulled it out.  From this mold she will make the device that will eventually go into our ear.  I think that the monitors will be hard to get use to, but will be very helpful when it comes to giving the audience the best show possible.

On Thursday, we had Aeriel training for the first time.  For the Solstice show, the singers have to fly on the stage in the first number. 

The other 3 vocalists had flown before, but it was my very first time.  It was quite an experience.  The harness around your waist is all that holds you up and it really digs into your hips and thighs. But it is so thrilling to be hoisted up 25 feet in the air!  I think that I will get more comfortable as the training continues and I get stronger.

Finally, on Friday I was asked if I would be Vocal Captain for the show.  It was a bit of a shock, but I think that I am capable of doing it and it is quite an honor.  There is still so much to do and learn, but it is going well so far!  After all that has happened this week, I can't wait to see what will happen for the next 2 weeks of rehearsals and then the rest of my contract!  I'm excited. 

Day One

I made it to Florida!  My flight was really awesome.  Things went really effortlessly.  First of all, they flew me First Class.  I will never fly coach again.  The leg rooms, service, pillows.  Everything was so comfortable.  Second, I didn't have to pay for my wicked heavy bags.  They weighed 58lbs. and 36lbs.  and I thought for sure I was going to have to pay thousands of dollars to check them.  The attendant didn't charge me anything, she did tell me that I had to make the one bag weigh 50lbs. but then rethought it when she said I was allowed 75lb. bags!  I could have packed more shoes! ha  Third, when I landed in Ft. Lauderdale it was 80 degrees.  So wonderful.  I got a cab to the apartment where we are staying in for the next 3 weeks.  It is called The Quarter and houses all 8 dancers (4 boys, 4 girls) and 4 singers (2 boys, 2 girls).

After I dropped my stuff off in the apartment and called home I decided that it was necessary to check out the beach.  And find something to eat.  So, I walked the block & a half to the beach and did a little sunbathing, wading and exploring. 

It was beautiful.  After the beach, I met the dancers and one of the male singers.  Everyone is really nice and it seems like we are going to have a really good time. 

The first rehearsal went pretty well.  The songs are fun, the singers are super talented and the shows are going to be entertaining.  It is going to be a lot of work over the next 3 weeks, but I think that we are going to do really well.  We learned 2 of the 3 full length shows and both bumper shows.  We have to learn the Broadway show tomorrow, memorize them all and learn the choreography and then we'll be ready to open!! Here we go.



Last Day in Maine

So, here we go.  There's no turning back now!  I am pretty much all packed in 2 checked bags and one carry-on.  I have a feeling that I WAY over packed, but looking back through it all there is nothing that I want to do without.  A girl needs her shoes! And packing for an 8 month trip is not an everyday occurrence.  If I forgot anything, I can just buy it somewhere along the way.  If I packed things I find out that I don't need, I can always mail them home.  So, I am just going to let it go and call my packing done! 

I also had the pleasure of receiving an email from the other Female Vocalist on my ship.  Her name is Hannah, she's from the UK and seems really sweet.  She worked on the Solstice and did the same shows 2 years ago and she's coming back...I guess it can't be that bad :)  I don't know anyone else yet, but there will be 4 vocalists and 8 dancers on the ship, so it should be a lot of fun. 

This adventure is starting and will probably fly by at the speed of light.  I am hopeful that this blog will help me take time to appreciate everything that I am getting the opportunity to do and experience, and give me a virtual scrapbook to look back on at the end.  I'm sure there will be many rocky moments, but I think the sun and ocean will outshine them!  As for now, I am off to a good ol' Maine lobster dinner for my last night at home.