WEDNESDAY MORNING, 2:30 AM

It's 2:30 am, and here I sit: traces of make up on my face, a whiff of hairspray in my ponytail, my aching feet propped up on the desk.  But there's no way to even think about going to bed until i share the experiences of this night with you, my loyal blog readers.

Tonight we did our 6th show, three more to go; this one was in Ra'anana.  The performance was sold out, and the energy of a full house helped push us to our best show yet.  When the final curtain closed, a fellow cast member turned to me and whispered - "the show sailed tonight".  And so it did.  

The before-curtain experiences weren't exactly auspicious - Ra'anana celebrated Purim today, and our bus got tied up in traffic.  Then we discovered that we were quite close to the theater - but it was on the opposite side of multiple police barricades!  One of our veteran members (thank you, Bob) hopped off the bus and managed to sweet talk the cops into letting us through.  We arrived to find enough dressing room space for about one third of the cast; we crowded in together like passengers on the Sunday morning bus, glad that this show requires virtually no off-stage costume changes.  Then we found out that due to technical difficulties, this show would not have a cat.  Wahhhhh!  (confused?  see the blog post from March 1)  Then we discovered that our flautist was stuck on a train!!  We didn't know it at the time, but she wouldn't arrive until 20 minutes into the first act.  But you all know what we say:  the show must go on.  And so it did.

SNEAK PREVIEW HERE!!

And what a show it was!  We could hear the audience laughing out loud at the funny bits, we could hear warm applause for the songs, we could hear the hush and the stillness at the dramatic peaks. 

Dramatic peaks: not like this

 We did not hear, but were told afterwards, that the audience hummed and sang along with the most popular songs.  In the end, we heard the sweetest sound of all: cheers, and shouts, and calls of bravo, waves of applause as chorus members and each principal player come out to take a bow.  What a night!  "I don't want to leave here, ever" wailed one of our new members, as the curtain finally closed.  "It's ok, sweetie" someone consoled her. "On Thursday we'll be in Haifa, and wait til you see the show we put on for THEM!!!"  

Haifa is usually our very best audience, and they usually bring out the best in us in return.  Which is not to say that we don't LOVE performing in our home theater, that performing in the Jerusalem Theater isn't a thrilling experience, or that we don't appreciate every person in every audience in every venue.  But Haifa......  Even in the old days, before Highway Six cut hours off of our travel time, we looked forward to that trip, knowing the reception that awaited us.

And Haifa is really really NORTH, compared to Beer Sheva

We'll see you Thursday, Haifa!  Nesher theater, 8 pm.  For ticket information:  Click here . We promise an unforgettable show.  And we won't forget the cat, or the flautist.  Nothing but the best for our northern-most audience!!!  

Coming soon, to a theater [or a theatre] near you

COME, ENTER INTO MY IMAGINATION.......

From the beginning, this blog - like the play itself - has been about transformation.  On Thursday night, at the Culture Hall in Beer Sheva, the transformations became complete.

This is how our set looked during rehearsals, in the big auditorium at the Psychiatric Hospital:

This is how our set looked on Thursday night:

We were transformed:  

                                                                                      

                                        Brett and Tiffany:

became Don Quixote and Dulcinea:

The cast, orchestra and audience were transported back in space and time to the dungeons of the Inquisition, circa 1600.  

Characters transform.  Cervantes, the author, becomes a befuddled old man who then morphs into Don Quixote, knight errant.  An anonymous female prisoner becomes the tart Aldonza who then morphs into the Lady Dulcinea.  The Governor's brutal bodyguard becomes a kindly innkeeper. A shaving basin becomes a magic helmet.  Even the music transforms: a gentle love seranade transforms into the anthym which accompanies a brutal molestation.  The dungeon itself transforms from a dark place of horror and fear to a place of courage, hope, and respect for both self and others.  

The response from the opening night audience left no room for doubt; this is a show that should not be missed.  Come join us for a magical evening.  Come and help us dream the impossible dream.  Perhaps you too will be transformed.  



Information on when we will be performing, and where, as well as contact information to buy tickets:  http://www.negevlightopera.com/


PS:  if you've been following this blog, you'll be expecting at least one cat.  Here's one more picture for you.  Meow!

PPS  Thanks to Patrice Perez for most of these photos