Well, why not? I’ve directed it, and I’ve seen every performance.
This is the 4th performance in front of a paying audience.
7:50 — Pretty full house. A little bit older than usual. Very cold night. Nobody in the church balcony, so I feel free to type to my heart’s content.
7:53 — Pre-show music is nice. We have a cast member out tonight. She’s in the angel choir, no lines.
7:56 — Uh, why are we starting early? Brad is giving his curtain speech. He’s actually getting a little better at this.
7:58 — Oh, dear. I should have checked where the table was set. It’s too far stage left. Danny will never be ab;e to squeeze in his seat.
7:59 — And here we go.
8:00 — How much do I love Sarah King? Kid’s got talent.
8:01 — Uh, oh. Not much laughter. Tough crowd. Landon, dude! I told you to come DOWNstage. If you say your line back there, nobody knows who’s talking!
8:02 — Volume is good though. Danny fit in the chair.
8:03 — OK. Now they’re laughing. A little.
8:04 — Danny changed the line "The angel choir always sounds like a closet full of mice" to "a closet full of cats". It still doesn;t get a laugh.
8:05 — I always find it weird when characters call other characters by their own name.
8:06 — Okay, the audience warmed up a little.
8:08 — The cell phone/supper gag. Always an audience pleaser.
8:09 — Why can’t Sarah find that light? It’s center stage.
8:10 — This scene never works. Landon talks too fast. Thank God it last only 30 seconds.
8:11 — Here’s Faith. What kind of a night will she have?
8:12 — Is Erin good as the snotty stuck-up kid? Or is she playing herself?
8:13 — Brad has a small part, but he’s really come along. I wish those girls stage right wouldn’t be so far stage right. They know better.
8:14 — Kelly”s gagging schtick worked okay tonight. Better than usual.
8:15 — I never get tired of how cute Ruth Jeffers is.
8:16 — I really like that Grace/Elmer exchange. Too bad I blocked it too far stage left so half the audience can’t see it. My bad.
8:17 — Time for McKenzie to jump her cue.
8:17:30 — and she did.
8:18 — The five women chattering lasts 30 seconds too long.
8:19 — Faith, I swear to God you will lose your voice if you shout that much. Angry, not loud, honey bear.
8:20 — I don’t like the way I staged this. The kids in the center okay. But the Herdman lineup is awkward.
8:21 — Wait for the laughs to die down before you start the next line, kids.
8:22 — SHAZAM! The best part. Not a great audience reaction tonight.
8:23 — Faith, you really have to stop inserting "I mean" and "You know" in your lines. It may feel "natural" but it interrupts the flow.
8:24 — Louder, Faith. She’s either too loud or too soft.
8:25 — This Sarah/Erin scene is sweet. Sarah is simply a terrific actress. Great for 12 years old. I like that back-to-back thing they added on their ownl. Nice touch.
8:26 — Fire scene coming up. Kids running all through the church screaming, up and down the aisles. It’s a miracle nobody has got hurt. Well, except that one time.
8:27 — Landon! If you cover your mouth, they can’t hear you! And then Hobie’s punchline is meaningless.
8:30 — It’s the face afterwards that causes the laugh to go. I should have told Kelly to not make that face.
8:31 — Wow, weird energy tonight.
8:32 — Fire scene! Audience liked it.
8:33 — Why can’t they play this stage right like I asked? Really, it’s where the lights are pointing.
8:34 — Don is doing well. I think the audience is glad to see someone their age in the play.
8:35 — Palm tree gag. Cute.
8:36 — Mary and Joseph were refugees speech. Yawn.
8:37 — The interplay between Danny and Kelly is cute here. Ooops, early entrance kids. Whaddup with that? Not that it was a problem. Actually it’s a little better if they come in early.
8:38 — Faith’s solo scene. Her "conversion" scene. Nicely staged, nicely lit, if I do say so myself. Nicely acted. Not a sound in the house. Really nice.
8:40 — And the pageant within the play is about to begin. Hey, the Miss Clark cell phone thing got a laugh!!!
8:41 — Beginning of pageant.
8:42 — "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear". Why can’t Stephanie stand still?
8:43 — Molly’s wearing those earrings. She told me I was the best director ever and then asked if I woulod let her wear them. How could I say no?
8:44 — "Away In A Manger", "While Shepherds Watch Their Flcok By Night"
8:45 — Yeah, Molly! Nicely done!
8:46 — Sheep knocked over. Funny.
8:47 — It’s fine if the angel choir wants to stand there; but they can’t be seen.
8:48 — "We 3 Kings" shtick was good. I think the audience was confused tho.
8:49 — "Silent Night". Let’s see if Faith pulls off the crying.
8:50 — She does. I wish the kids in the background would stop fidgeting.
8:51 — And now the epilogue.
8:52 — I’ve never understand that line that Landen says. Speak clearly, boy.
8:53 — Montage.
8:54 — Final song. Audience standing and singing.
8:55 — Oh, nice of you to join the cast for the final number, Sean (or Nathan, whichever twin it is).
8:56 —- The End. Running time: 57 minutes. Not bad. Still a little fast.
And I am outta here.