There are always frustrations when mounting a new show.  I would imagine, however, that when there’s a team to deal with it, things going wrong aren’t as frustrating.  Also, of course (and as usual), everything had to happen at once.

 

The thing to remember is, I’ve produced almost a dozen shows.  There are always unexpected hurdles, and they need to be kept in perspective.  Because that is the mature and professional way to handle things, right? (Right??)

 

So last week, within a course of one sunny morning, the arrival date for the box of 5000 programs that I had arriving from the UK changed from the day before I am going to depart Alberta, to the day after.  Also, I dropped in to check with the company who is altering my costume.  And when I reminded the woman at the counter that I needed it back by the date we had agreed upon over two weeks before, she sort of shrugged and said that they would do their best and did I really need it then, or could I wait?  I said I couldn’t wait.  She then texted the seamstress and said to try to have it done in time.  I saw the text.  Not that it needed to be done, but a casual message saying it would be nice if she could try.  And that was also the day that I noticed the issues with the studio recording when the sound engineer hadn’t bothered to properly monitor the levels.

 

AAUGH!!! 

 

Luckily, none of that was too dire.  Worst case: The show would go on without programs or a soundtrack, and the costume would be too long but still wearable.  Best Case:  Well, I’d see what I could do.

 

I started with the package.  I phoned DPD (the shipping company) in the UK, and sent a message to the printing company, to figure out what was going on.  I learned that the programs had been missing an invoice from the company and had sat in a warehouse for almost a week.  I urged the agent to expedite the package, and he responded that he couldn’t guarantee anything, but he gave me the number of Aramex, the customs brokers in Canada.  I phoned Aramex, and despite their 1-star online ratings, I reached a kind agent who explained that the package would arrive in Canada the next day, and after 24-48 hours in customs, would be given to Purolator.  (It’s been over 3 days, and I haven’t heard anything – the tracking isn’t showing any movement either… but at least I knew what was going on…)

 

I will likely not have my gorgeous programs for the first festival, but hopefully after that I can get them.  Who knows…

 

As far as the CD, that was the easiest fix.  My great sound engineer in Brooklyn fixed all of the issues and it sounds wonderful. 

 

For the costume, I phoned the company and managed to speak to the seamstress directly, and stressed how important not to delay in these alterations.  She promised to have them done in time, and hopefully they will be.

 

Meanwhile, the front porch is waiting for three giant boxes of programs, and I need to pack.  I hit the road in just three days, and there’s still so much to do…