Things are getting better.
Jerry Davis, director of Burning Coal Theatre, came by my office the other day. In one quick look he surveyed the heap of work on my desk, the freshly delivered posters waiting to be hung around town, the ringing telephone, the stack of notes of things to be done and the general chaos of all that is an international music festival.
“Who is helping you with all this?”
Such a question. I just laughed.
“I’ve got 14 interns this summer,” he said, in his most measured stage voice, letting each word have its dramatic due. His assistant stood smiling by his side.
“We could give her one.” She offered.
“A good one,” he countered.
And, so, that’s how Rachel McKay came to help me. She’s wonderful. Competent. She’s a rising junior at Appalachian majoring in theatre with a concentration in design and technology and a minor in apparrel and communications. She hangs posters, unravels the mess I have created in my haste of trying to do too much in too little time. She knows her way around the internet as well as downtown Raleigh AND Cary…and she drives! She loves the theatre but I have assured her that music festivals have their drama as well.
Thank you Jerry. And, thank you Rachel.
In the meantime, our wonderful designer, Allison Mitchell, has put the final touches on our 32 page festival program. Jeff (thank you) has stayed up several nights proofing and tweaking. It looks great.
We at last have our Visa in hand for the musicians. Neil has managed to accomodate all the musician’s various schedules and needs and will be herding them into the Belgian visa office next week to get that one last step taken care of.
I’ve asked friends to bake cookies to help feed the students as well as the orchestra members during the festival. Fourteen days of workshops, open rehearsals and concerts is a long time. Musicians seem to like cookies. Chocolate is the flavor of choice and lemon is a close second. Bake a batch if you have time. I promise they will be both eaten and appreciatted.
I can’t look at the calendar anymore. I don’t want to know what day it is or how few days there are left before it all happens.
On the other hand. I can’t wait. The music this year will be great!
