I believe in miracles. Especially the theatrical miracle. Over and over our LaGrande residency has proved that the theater owner in "Shakespeare in Love" was right when he answered the desperate question, “How will it be alright?” with, “I don’t know. It’s a miracle.”

Last week, POGO loaded up into the van on Monday morning and drove to Eastern Oregon University in LaGrande. The plan was to arrive early to mid-afternoon, check into the hotel and have time for a deep cleansing breath before I headed over to the university with David, our accompanist for our first rehearsal with the children’s choir for the second act of La Boheme. Oh, did I forget to tell you? We were going to stage the entire second act of La Boheme in just under 4 hours. As Christopher Mattaliano, our GD told me when he heard that that was my plan, “You do realize that that is the most difficult 20 minutes in all of opera to stage, right?” Well, Chris, I do now. But, then fools rush in where angels fear to tread, and, while I don’t think I am a fool, I am no angel!

Anyway, the Grande Ronde Community Choir, the children’s choir, three of the university students (thank you, Keil, Renee and Jon!), one university professor (thanks, Peter!) and the intrepid cast of POGO pulled it off. I cannot believe we did it, but we did. Granted, I pulled the principals into about 4 hours of rehearsal away from the chorus, but still. I was very impressed with the hard work and dedication that made it happen.  

And I need to give a huge thanks to Michael Frasier—he pulled together the minimal props and built me a platform so I could get some of the bodies off of the floor. His efforts were heroic, and I appreciate him more than I can say!

First of all, I love my job…I love my job….I love my job.  I really do.  But 6:30 am is too early to be driving to a gig.  I keep asking myself over and over, “Who the [blazes] booked this thing???!”  And then being forced to answer, “Oh.  I did.”  

Portland Opera To Go is in full swing and we have been experiencing terrific success, both in schools and in our various McMenamins venues.  I couldn’t be more pleased or proud of the magnificent and heroic work ethic and professionalism exhibited by my cast, and their ability to pull a brilliant performance out even when the evening performance is 12 hours after our initial call.  We did that this week.  I am telling you—we are Opera Peace Corps, the toughest job you will ever love.

But, of course, even the toughest job has its perks.  For instance, watching Stacey Murdock as Dr. Dulcamara turn on the bubble machine in his cart and watching the kid sitting next to me gasp and bounce, exclaiming, delighted, “Now, THAT’S cool.”  Or having an octogenarian taking the usual place of a kindergartner delivering a “telegram” in the show, and having him be as full of joy as a five-year-old to help us out, even as he gave me a knowing wink.  Or getting to actually say, “Yeah, we are playing The Crystal tonight.”  Or seeing our pianist, David, sitting on an amp at the keyboard on the sidewalk at 14th and Burnside in the middle of the night as we loaded out of the Crystal Ballroom.  

Well, the countdown continues!  Today I went to the warehouse to check on what I might need to bring with us and got a wonderful preview of our set.  The folks at the warehouse were excited to show me all of the bells and whistles, and I have to say, it may be our cutest set ever!  Not only is it adorable, but it is beautiful and painterly, based heavily on the artistic style of Thomas Hart Benton.  

More important to me while wearing my tour manager hat, is the amazing and ingenious ease with which it has been designed and executed.  No tools are needed in the set up or strike.  Our shop has truly outdone themselves.  Kudos to Jim Sisemore, Jonah Stagg and Linda McGinnis for a fantastic set and an enthusiastic and informative introduction to it—I cannot wait to see the cast’s faces when they see the world that has been built for them!

Wow!  Time is starting to race as the count-down to Portland Opera To Go blast off begins.  All of my performers arrive here bright and early on January 11 to start rehearsals for our brand new production of The Elixir of Love.  I cannot wait, because that means that all of the odds and ends I am currently putting together will be done and the fun stuff will begin!  Man, this is the part that drives me nuts:  booking hotels, creating schedules, confirming dates and times—all the little details.  This year it is even more imperative that I get it done now, rather than during rehearsals, because not only do we have a new show this year, but a new tour manager—ME!

Now, I have tour managed before.  I’ve been a regular employee with Portland Opera since 2000.  After singing with our outreach tour, I was hired to be the Education Assistant and the Tour Manager, but I haven’t tour managed since 2004—I became the Manager of Education & Outreach and have been office bound for the last 6 years.  Well, not quite.  I went out with Opera Improv in the Spring of 2010 as both performer and tour manager, which was great fun, but didn’t entail a set and costumes.  This year, it is the full-meal deal.  I have to say, I am really looking forward to driving the box truck again, but not so excited about the o’dark:thirty call times!  What was I thinking when I booked these things?!!  I tell you, it is constitutionally impossible for me to say no to school children in need of opera.