The Tempest!

These last couple of days have certainly been eventful.

Last evening (Friday), I went over to the Playhouse to help out with Merchant, as I've been doing for the past couple of weeks. I'm technically only contracted to work on Two Gents, but I like to take whatever opportunities I can to be at the Playhouse and be helpful. So I help out the assistant stage manager, Abby, and do things like take line notes, sweep floors, help clean out the rehearsal room, clean the stairwells, steam comforters, wash cups, and help prep the stage occasionally.

So, last night, Abby and I were cleaning out Tyson (the rehearsal room), and all of a sudden, the power flickered and then went completely out. Box office staff were running back and forth, and Abby asked if I would go and stand backstage and call her if anybody needed anything. The actors were about three quarters of the way through Merchant, so they paused the show and one of the actors announced, "Please stay in your seats, we'll keep you informed and let you know what the plan is." Then, the lights came back on. Everything seemed fine, and the actors picked up exactly where they left off and kept going. I went back downstairs, and we resumed the cleaning of Tyson, and then the power went out AGAIN. Not for quite as long this time, because by the time we got out the door and partway down the hallway, the lights were back on again. The power went out and came back on probably six or seven times over the course of the evening. Each time, the actors would just pause the show and then resume again where they left off when the lights came back on.

I went up to the front of the Playhouse because one of the box office staffers had come downstairs saying something about crazy wind and a big storm. So one of the actors and I ventured upstairs and peered out the windows to see that some of the trees were basically bent sideways and things were blowing around in the street. The box office staff talked about stopping the show and sending people home at one point, but then decided that since it was so bad outside, they might as well have people stay at the Playhouse and they might as well see a show while they were there. So the show went on.

I went back downstairs, and after the power went out a couple more times I ventured back up to see if the wind had gotten any better or worse. As I headed to the window, the box office staff, who were all standing in one of the open doorways at the back of the Playhouse, called me over, saying that the windows had been rattling not too long before and they were afraid they were going to break. They told me to head back downstairs for now and to let people downstairs know to stay down there unless absolutely necessary (minus the actors, who obviously had entrances to make on the stage).

The show ended and the lights had stayed on for a bit, but they made an announcement that the winds were dangerous and that they didn't recommend venturing out into it, and that everyone was welcome to stay for as long as they needed to. The offer was extended to the staff and the actors as well, but most of us live very close to the Playhouse. After a few minutes, I decided to risk the walk up the hill to my dorm.

It wasn't bad. Pretty windy and a little rainy, and it was almost completely dark as all the street lights and traffic lights around the college were out. I got to the dorm, and discovered Lee Ann sitting in the first floor lobby. The power and air conditioning were out, but there were some emergency lights on in the building. We chilled in the lobby for a while, then she and I and Tory (a costume designer for the theatre who is also on the fourth floor with us), decided to head upstairs. The auxiliary power meant that the lights in the hall were on, but the lights in our rooms and the bathroom wouldn't work, and the outlets in the rooms had a very small amount of power. The mini-fridge in my room had started leaking and there was a big fun puddle of water all over my floor and under my bed, so I cleaned that up, opened the window in my room the whopping five inches it will open, and hunkered down for a rather warm night's sleep.

When I woke up this morning, there was still no power, and it was very warm. After I took a cool shower, Lee Ann and I decided to head over to Coffee on the Corner to see if they had power. They had power, but no AC, and their wifi was down. So, next, we wandered over to the Playhouse, which had power and AC, but no wifi. Then we wandered down a couple of blocks to another cafe called Mugshots, which, thankfully, has power, AC, and wifi. So we're chilling here for now (pun intended), charging everything electronic and taking advantage of the free interwebs.

Tonight I'm planning to help out with Merchant again. Two Gents rehearsal tomorrow night from 6:00 to 10:00, and then day off on Monday. Wondering when they'll be able to get the power back up and running, and cringing at the thought that my groceries in the fridge are spoiling as I type.