so he is now simultaneously
conducting and playing the
keyboard. But this is just
par for the course, given the
requirements for working on
a professional theater tour
of this caliber: discipline;
experience; patience; and the
ability to stay calm, cool,
and collected under fire.
During the final dress re-
hearsal, one of the Whos gets
stuck trying to come out of
a rotating box onstage, and
later, the show comes to a
grinding halt when a radio
failure between crew members
results in a missed cue for a
backdrop to slide on. But ev-
eryone remains in good spir-
its. It’s only the rehearsal,
not the real deal. Yet.
“When one tiny thing goes
wrong, it can throw a major
kink in the works. Usually
you adapt and change and make
it continue, and the audience
doesn’t necessarily know that
it’s any different than the
last show,” observes stage
manager Daniel S. Rosokoff.
Judging from the standing
ovation on opening night fol-
lowing a fluid, near-flawless
performance — hey, it looked
that way to us — the confetti-
covered audience liked the
show just fine.
60 AMERICANWAY
DECEMBER 15 2008
BRYan ReeSman is a new York–based
writer who has contributed to the New
York Times, Playboy, Fandango, and e!
Online. He’s thinking of dressing up
as the Grinch next Halloween.
