adventures in apprenticing

You know how sometimes you can't decide if you're helping or hindering? That was this morning.

I went to the Mysterium this morning to learn a bit about wiring and lights and stuff -- Marla reassured me last night that I'd have work to do -- so I rolled out of bed and got there a little late. A crucial purchase had not been made, so I ended up outside in the sun and frigid wind, reading the script. I wasn't useful, but it was something I could do to be useful later. An hour and a half later, I was 3/4 of the way through when Marla needed the script back, so after five minutes of being in people's way no matter where I lurked, I split. (I'm there to learn stuff, but when they have to get on with their work and don't have time to teach, I'm gonna get out of their way. I can't abide being useless or underfoot.) It was time for me to come home anyway.

At least I did something cool last night. The play is Arthur Miller's The Crucible, and one of the props they need is a poppet. The stage manager gave some vague instructions, but the Internet was no help because all the resources I found were for people looking to make one for actual use, and none had anything to do with how they looked historically. I did my best and brought it to the theater last night. Marla called it a good start, and over the next three hours, I cut and sewed and made the sturdiest, most durable, ugliest poppet you ever saw. There's stitching all over the place: its arms and chest especially ... it looks like Frankenstein's monster poppet. The thread is the same color as the muslin, so it'll look just fine from the front row of the theater; that's what counts.

Anyhoo, I'm off to do the shopping before Mom and I do a bit of housecleaning, and then we're off to see The King's Speech tonight. Phil's on duty, so I get to tease him a little. Sunday will be even quieter, and I need the rest because I'm throwing myself into Hell Week at the Mysterium Monday morning. Hooray for the weekend!