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WOW! If Henry’s room looked good, James’ room looks fuckin’ amazing!

Last night we did the basic build (which was pretty much the same as Henry’s with the door and window walls flopped and repositioning the door to match how it would be in the hallway.

Today we painted (a dark aqua blue that I was afraid would be too “pretty” when we started putting it up – but huh-uh, it’s awesome!). We did a crackle effect that we left on overnight. The crackle idea worked to a certain extent, in some areas the grey from Henry’s room is bubbling through, in others, it just looks like the paint is old and cracking. Not as much destruction to the walls. But what really makes the room is that it feels like an actual apartment. With the loveseat, coffee table and the dresser and TV in there, it really feels like you’re sitting in someone’s crappy-ass apartment. Walt came in for rehearsal when we were done (which was about 6pm – much better than the 1am finish last week) and he was floored. When he came in to audition last week, the flats were still mostly unassembled and there were backdrops the students had painted on the stage. Not to knock the kids’ stuff, but Walt thought they were for our set and was a bit, um, reserved. So walking in to a complete set that looked like a real deal set, he was just shocked. And thrilled.

I gotta say, I’m particularly happy with how the window turned out. Square panes on plexi and the fluorescent light hanging in front of it… Looks pretty damn close to the reference image. Just WOW!

Matt said at the beginning of this whole thing that the location was like a fourth character in the story. I totally agreed and am so relieved we were able to pull it off.

So, then on to the rehearsal with Walt. The guy just oozes James – not to say that Walt’s evil or anything like that, but the wicked playfulness I pictured in James from the beginning is just right there, bubbling under the surface.

After the rehearsal we ran to Target to get the wardrobe. Walt tried on a few pairs of jeans and outside the fitting room, right in front of two employees, I asked if it was comfortable when he squatted. I’m thinking, he needs to be able to bend over and kneel down and be active in what he’s wearing for the sake of the performance. Then, when he went to try on another pair, I wondered what the employees were thinking. Just another uncomfortable/funny moment for the sake of art.

Can’t wait to get going tomorrow. The set – WOW! Walt – WOW! and to see him interact with Courtney and Lou… oh, and the knnife scene is tomorrow as well – kinda nervous/excited to see that play out.

I gotta sleep.