I thought it would be interesting to log my day and then blog about it. Log n’ Blog.

6:44am: Woke up and showered.

7:08am: Watched episode 7 of Season 1 of True Blood while eating breakfast and getting ready so I could mail the disc to Netflix today.

8:08am: Walked Samson.

8:46am: Continued to get ready. Samson is exhausted and will not be coming to the office today.

9:14am: Out the door to the train station.

9:16am: Decided I do not need an iced latte.

9:24am: Express train to Grand Central. Activities include list making, texting, followed by general daydreaming and brainstorming.

9:53am: Arrived at Grand Central.

9:57am: Am so preoccupied that I walk at full speed into the turnstile at the Subway Shuttle because I try and walk through without having swiped my Metro Card. Full speed. This may be the most embarrassing thing that has happened to me while commuting in New York. Perhaps I should have purchased that coffee.

10:03am: Arrive at Times Square. Walk past the Hilton Theatre and resist the urge to camp out at rehearsal all day. Instead, I stop at the deli and purchase 3 Diet Cokes. One for Randy, one for Sue, and a Caffeine Free one for me.

10:07am: See Lead Producers Barbara & Buddy Freitag outside the office and ride the elevator to the Junkyard Dog office together. Barbara has on great jewelry as per usual and a great bag; let’s just say it starts with “Pra” and ends with “da.” My Kate Spade bag bows out of respect.

10:11am: Lead Producers are meeting in the conference room and I get to the business at hand, which mainly involves emails. Lots of emails.

10:56am: Sue takes a phone call and one producer needs 6 packets by 3pm. With the Freitags taking my last 3, I now need to make more packets. Okay…

11:28am: Meeting at the General Managers office with Michael Lawrence whose firm is planning the Opening Night Party. Buddy makes sure that there will be plenty of room for dancing.

11:58am: Party planning meeting turns into a Box Office Opening meeting.

Show Power Alert: Memphis is taking over Shubert Alley. Next Wednesday, August 26th from 12-1pm, all are welcome to join us for the first NYC performance by the full company as well as a special presentation by the VH1 Save the Music Program. A portion of the proceeds from the box office that day will help Memphis restore a music program at an NYC or New Jersey School. Plus, there will be free BBQ. And belting. Lots of belting.

12:15pm: Chipotle for lunch. Large iced tea/lemonade needed today.

12:37pm: Time to get to the business of making packets; the packets contain information regarding the show, mostly for Investors. Printing begins.

1:14pm: Major Color Printer malfunction. I literally say out loud, “Oh, my stars.” It feels both appropriate and classy for the workplace.

1:53pm: Packets are done.

2pm: Conference call with Apples and Oranges. They are a company that works between New York City and Orange County, CA. So the name works on many levels.

2:48pm: Conference call ends.

2:51pm: Already have an email from Jacob at Apples and Oranges about scheduling a meeting for next week. We are going to be “locked in a room together” sometime next week; our creative minds will apparently give birth to brilliance.

2:55pm: I steal the Diet Coke that I had originally purchased for Sue. (See 10:03am).

3:29pm: After much witty banter between Jacob and I in which I reveal that I am allergic to the elastic in socks (true), he writes “I could tell from your blog how funny you are, but now I am really looking forward to meeting you.” That may be the greatest compliment I have ever received.

3:30pm: I immediately write back and make sure I can quote him on the aforementioned blog.

3:45pm: Despite the stress, something makes me laugh and I tell Sue “at least I am having fun.”

3:54pm: Sue leaves for rehearsal. I start moving into hyper speed so I can get there to watch some of it before a 5pm meeting. I realize I don’t know where Randy has gone.

4:06pm: Attempted to create some Memphis t-shirt magic on Zazzle.com. But it doesn’t load my design correctly.

4:07pm: Producer Kenny Alhadeff makes a clutch decision regarding the BBQ. It’s going to be a blowout.

4:10pm: Try Zazzle again. No go.

4:15pm: Office phone rings and my phone cord tips the remaining liquid from the contraband Diet Coke, DIRECTLY ONTO MY BLACKBERRY. Tried to assess the damage to the blackberry while talking to the person on the phone.

4:19pm: Randy comes back. He has been at the bank and at the Shubert Theatre. The giant back wall of the set has gone up and he says it looks awesome.

4:28pm: Discover that the photo disc with pictures from the Meet and Greet on Monday is stuck in my disc drive.

4:38pm: Finally headed over to rehearsal.

4:52: Caught the tail end of “Make Me Stronger;” the Act 1 Gospel-inspired number. I found myself unable to contain my excitement and rocked out a bit in the corner.

5:01pm: I catch Buddy Frietag dancing while Composer David Bryan is singing and clapping along. This is a fun group. Buddy agrees to do a special video piece for the blog to spotlight some of these moves. Art is meant to be shared after all.

5:07pm: A meeting of the minds.

6:54pm: took a Cab to Grand Central- perhaps because of the heat or most likely because of the shame of the morning’s turnstile mishap. The cab driver decided to take 42nd street instead of 44th street to Grand Central. I’m annoyed but I am distracted by my clearly non-functioning Blackberry.

6:55pm: Phone is working but I cannot access my emails and they have been pouring in since turning on my phone post-meeeting.

6:59pm: Arrived at Grand Central- forked over more cash than normal due to driver’s ridiculous route choice.

7:07pm: Decided to get a refreshing coffee beverage. (better late than never?) With that purchase, I am out of cash.

7:25pm: Express train home. Anxiety over phone increases with every email that is coming in that I cannot open. Or perhaps its a text. I don’t know. I. Cannot. Open. It. I am not working in the office tomorrow and will not be by a computer for the lionshare of the day. Where’s Eat, Pray, Love when you need it?

7:41pm: Will (boyfriend) calls and says he will meet me at the train station and take me to the Verizon store which is only open until 9pm. A glimmer of hope…

8:20pm: Arrived at Verizon store and put my name in the cue.

8:35pm: Name is called. Phone is diagnosed. A new phone is ordered. Tomorrow is going to be painful. Made mental note to bring Eat, Pray, Love with me.

9:15pm-Now: Finally at home. Read emails. Blogging begins. I stop keeping track of time.

10:29pm: I finally look at the time.

10:31pm: Will asks me to take the dog out. I’ve come full circle.

11:33pm: Realized I still have to order that stuff from Zazzle.

Busy Busy Busy.

Rehearsals are in full swing. It is pretty much all about dividing and conquering. There are two rehearsal rooms that are constantly in use, actors have costume fittings at various costume houses around town, shoe fittings are happening in the hallway of the rehearsal studio, new pages of the script and score are being distributed, and there were at least three smaller meetings happening in various locations around the Hilton Theatre.

Fun Fact: there is actually a VIP lounge on the bottom basement level of that theatre called the Conrad Hilton room: full bar, comfy seating, private restrooms. It is a pretty luxurious place to have a meeting…

Cast member Ephraim Sykes:

Cast member Danny Tidwell:

I was able to catch the last session of rehearsal from about 4:30-6pm but was hanging around as actors were released and saw the Stage Management/Production Assistants (PA’s) reapplying the tape on the studio floor.

The tape is used to mark out where the set pieces and boundaries of the stage are so that the cast members can familiarize themselves with their dance and blocking (where they move onstage) patterns before they are on the real stage with the real set pieces.

Me: “Oh, has something changed with the set?”

PA: “No, we re-tape the floor everyday. Especially after a dance rehearsal.”

Fun Fact: Apparently, PA’s re-tape the floors everyday. (I will add this to my list from yesterday about “Things I have learned about Broadway since working on a Broadway show”).

Production Assistant, Kendra, works the yellow:

PA, Meg, handles the blue:

One must note the classic technique of collecting the old, used pieces of tape on the toe box of your ballet flat- well done, Meg!

Three Things I have learned about Broadway since working on a Broadway show:

1. You actually reserve an Opening Night date. Sort of like making a reservation at the Olive Garden, but sort of not.

Show Power Alert/Reminder: Memphis is opening Monday, October 19th.

Producers work with their Press Agents and request dates for opening night to The Broadway League. If another production already has your preferred date reserved, then they have 48 hours to either book it or release that specific date.

In my mind, its a little like issuing a challenge. But not a “slap the face with a glove” kind of challenge. A much more civilized challenge. Like this classic Cosby gem (start at 1:25):

2. The information found in the Playbill (program) is not actually generated by the people AT Playbill. They do the Ads and the articles and that sort of thing, but the specific show information literally comes from the production personnel to someone like me and then is wrangled and formatted by the press office and company management.

Perhaps this information is not shocking or particularly informative. But when you are editing someones bio on your computer, it is a bit unsettling. As if you have pulled back the curtain and the secret magic of Broadway has been revealed. Because now you are worried about typos.

For me, a Broadway Playbill has always been a sort of treasure; a sacred token of my time with Broadway. I guess I had hoped that there was some High Official of Ye Olde Playbill who came and collected the information in a well choreographed and revered ceremony. Nope.

3. A full page color ad in the Sunday New York Times costs well over $100,000.

Monday, August 17th is the first full rehearsal for Memphis.

The cast will arrive at 10am where they will do top secret business for Actor’s Equity with Stage Management.

Then the Designers, Producers, and Show riff-raff like myself, will join at 11am for the official “Meet and Greet,” Designer Presentations and General Love Fest.

I am so excited for the Meet and Greet- it is a little like an AA meeting where you stand up and say your name and what you are doing in the room. I’m not sure what my slate should be. Possible options:

1. Hi, I am with Junkyard Dog. My name is Carolyn D. Miller. The D stands for Delicious.

2. Hi, I am a Junkyard Dog. My name is Carolyn D. Miller. The D is silent.

3. Hi, my name is Carolyn. I am one of the Junkyard Dogs, some have called me Junior Dog. You can call me Carolyn or Junior, whichever feels right to you.

4. Hi, my name is Carolyn. I work for Junkyard Dog Productions. I also have a dog named Samson. It is my secret wish that my dog will become best friends with (Book Writer) Joe DiPietro’s dog, Rocco. I am so freakin’ excited that I may lick your faces.

It is also entirely possible that I will just stand up and cry from being absolutely overwhelmed.

Fun Fact: My dog Samson comes into the office with me several times a week.

Samson is (usually) very good and rides on the Metro-North train with me no problem:

Although, sometimes “Bad Samson” comes out and innocent tupperware containers fall victim:

So far, Samson has come to rehearsals twice.

Highlights for Samson this week were: meeting cast member Danny Tidwell, destroying a plastic tupperware container, becoming friends with Chris Jahnke (Music Supervisor).

Low points for Samson this week: Destroying a plastic tupperware container, barking during rehearsal when provoked by the taunting of his former friend, Chris Jahnke, being called “a confused cat,” due to a recent grooming experience.

Show Power Alert: I am off to see cast members Derrick Baskin and Daniel Watts in an original piece called “Words.” They have put together a song/spoken word piece and are performing it tonight. They are amazing and I can’t wait to see them perform something they have created. Good luck guys!

I’m pretty sure that I am dehydrated. It is wickedly hot here in the City. I have heard more New Yorkers complaining about the lack of summer this season; well, it is finally here. Of course, all those complaining New Yorkers are in the Hamptons or at the Shore.

But I would gladly risk dehydration and mild sun poisoning to hear Montego Glover sing.

The song comes as a critical point in Act I where Montego’s character, the singer Felicia Ferrell, encounters a seemingly career-ending blow.

In Montego’s own words, “when everything else is telling her to stop, she keeps moving forward.”

My favorite comment came from a man who walked past her after the performance and, while still on his cell phone, said “That was beautiful. I could hear you from two blocks away!”

And as I waited for the Metro-North train home and willed myself to not fall asleep, (wait, I think that’s for a concussion not for heat stroke) I could only smile and think that those people out of town this weekend seriously missed out.

Harlem was the place to be today, not the Hamptons.

Fun Fact: Speaking of the Hamptons, today I was in an amazing apartment in the building where P.Diddy has a place. Like a true New Yorker, I immediately got my camera out to take pictures of the view:

I’m pretty impressed that these road boxes are just sitting on 44th street and no one is messing with them.

Of course, I haven’t actually tried moving them. They probably are so heavy that anyone attempting to make off with a box of expensive lighting equipment would probably get about as far as the Majestic Theater down the street before giving up and abandoning the road box in front of Phantom. Where it would stay for the next 20 years…

I am so fascinated by stagehands and load-in crew. I am determined to find some of them who will talk to me and tell me stories. Perhaps I can lure them to Sardi’s with the promise of beer, cheese & crackers. The main question I want to ask: Were you always behind the scenes or did you dabble in the footlights as well? If they did, I would like to see pictures.

I also stopped by rehearsal which is always a huge pick me up in the middle of the day.

The new guys were working on the choreography for “Everybody Wants to be Black on A Saturday Night,” which has a Temptations sort of feel to it in sound and movement.

My favorite direction of the day came from Choreographer Associate, Edgar Godineaux, who encouraged the guys to approach the dance moves like “hip cats.” I’m proud to be associated with a show in which the phrase “hip cat” is being bandied around.

I hope someone uses “jive turkey” one day- though I’ll have to get the dramaturg to look into whether that phrase was used in the 1950s.

Update: Friday Feast was a huge success.

There was even BBQ flavored popcorn.

It has been such a weird day. I knew it was going to be a random day when it was cold enough for jeans but still warm enough for flip flops.

Randomness was everywhere today as the rev-up to the first rehearsal is a flurry of activity. Having never experienced pre-production week of a Broadway show, I was not quite prepared for how everything just starts to happen at once. All of a sudden, there are a hundred people doing a thousand different things; try to keep tabs on it all and you start to go a little insane.

I am always trying to get my office to participate in “Friday Feast;” a common meal we would share together instead of the usual solo desk picnic that happens everyday. Well, tomorrow, thanks to Rendezvous, we will probably have the greatest Friday Feast we will ever have.

Show Power Alert: Montego Glover will be performing “Colored Woman” from the show as part of the Harlem Week celebration on Sunday at 2pm at 135th & 5th. Today, I watched the footage of her singing this song at the presentation in Memphis and got chills three times.

The great Load-In has begun.

Load-In is the literal load in of all the equipment, technical instruments, set pieces, etc., to be used as part of the physical production of the show. Even though we do not start public performances until our first preview on September 23rd, it takes a seriously long time and some seriously skilled labor to bring the physical production to life.

The cast doesn’t take to the stage for tech until after Labor Day (which is crazy late this year by the by), but the crews in the Shubert will have already been in there a month before any actor walks out onto that stage.

Here is the mezzanine view of those road boxes:

This show has a lot of scenery- the book has many different locations: an underground Beale Street bar, a department store, a radio station, a recording studio, the inside of a house, a road, a bridge, a television studio, a dressing room, a church… there are a lot of moving pieces, trap doors, the whole enchilada. Let’s just say its a big Broadway musical.

Speaking of big Broadway musicals, I have to talk about the Shubert Theatre for a second. This is the home to the original production of A Chorus Line people. Kiss Me, Kate, the revival of Chicago, A Little Night Music, the 2003 revival of Gypsy with Bernadette Peters…this is good company to be in.

Fun Fact: On a personal note, A Chorus Line was the first show I ever directed back in college so it sort of feels like coming full circle. Though my show was a limited run of one weekend while the original Broadway production ran for 6,137 performances, or, you know, 15 years! http://www.achorusline.com/achorusline_history.php