Happy Holidays!!!

To:  "Carol" Cast and Crew
From:  John McC

There is no question in my mind that one of the top highlights of the 2009 holiday season will be the joy of watching your  "A Christmas Carol" grow from a timid, rough read-through in the BCT Lobby to the five beautiful, polished performances on the BCT main stage.  You had a classic story to tell and tell it you did - wonderfully.  Dickens would have been proud.

Thank you again for the beautiful book.  It is so special.  And thank you for including me in your holiday season.  May your holidays be blessed and bright.  "God Bless Us, Every One!"  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Photos, etc...

To:  "Carol" Cast and Crew
From:  John McC

As of this minute, presale for tonight has climbed to 217...

There are GREAT photos posted on the theatre's website - both rehearsal and LIVE...look for Garrett Kline Photography...

Speaking of photos, there are only two days left to order your cast photo...it is posted in the lobby by the concession stand...

Sunday is of course a matinee...adjust your times accordingly...all cast members ages 13 and older should please plan to stay around and help strike the set...it is expected...the idea is to leave the theatre in better shape than when we found it...

Post Show "congrats"

To:  "Carol" Cast and Crew
From:  John McC

10:00pm...just got home...have to tell you what a great show it was tonight...best of the three...everybody - I mean everybody did a super job...

after the show one gentleman complimented me on the pacing of the show...he said it moved like the "dickens"...

as of 3:45pm the sales were:  Friday - 345...Saturday - 208...Sunday...357...fantastic...a compliment to you and a huge financial support to the theatre...

ALSO...I have been given this fantastic book of "A Christmas Carol" with notations from Dickens himself...thank you to those who caused t to come my way...

("hi" Diane)

Happy Thursday....

To:  "Carol" Cast and Crew
From:  John McC

Holy Cow!!!...here we are...the night before our final weekend...I hope everyone is reviewing their lines and blocking...am meeting Scrooge, Marley, and Spirits 1 & 2 is just a few minutes to go over their lines...Spirit #3 has assured me he remembers all his lines perfectly...remember:  three shows this weekend - Friday at 8, Saturday at 8, AND Sunday at 2...allow yourself a little extra time Friday night to double check props, costumes, lines, etc....

Tickets still being sold...as of 4pm today the Friday sales were at 245, Saturday sales are at 199, and Sunday sales are at 333...that is super...hopefully there will be a good sale tomorrow and a good walk-in at all three remaining shows...when your friends and family ask, remember, yes, there are plenty of good seats remaining for all shows..

numbers update...

Friday...214
Saturday...196
Sunday...324

keeps looking better and better...miss you all...

more numbers...

To:  "Carol" Cast and Crew
From:  John McC

Ted just emailed me some more numbers....

December 4 was 354
December 5 was 271

At the end of the weekend Friday was 173 - at 4:00 today it was 204 (293 remaining)
At the end of the weekend Saturday was 155 - at 4:00 today it was 189 (308 remaining)
At the end of the weekend Sunday was 289 - at 4:00 today it ws 298 (199 remaining)

These numbers are very good...I am very proud of these numbers...it shows you have done some good work...I think this also shows that people who saw the show last weekend did some talking - and it was good...it would be neat to have all shows over the 250 mark...

PS...have I told you lately how proud I am of each and every one of you...

numbers...

To:  "number watchers"
From:  John McC

For those of you who like to watch the numbers...

Friday, December 4 was 354
Saturday, December 5 was 271

Friday, December 11 is at 173
Saturday, December 12 is at 155
Sunday, December 13 is at 289

We will keep you posted...total number of seats is 497...so, lots of empty seats remain...

Bravo!!!

To:  "Carol" Cast and Crew
From"  John McC

Thursday, December 10 - “Brush-Up Rehearsal”
- “Line rehearsal” for Scrooge, Marley, Christmas Past, and Christmas Present ONLY
(time and place TBA)
- All others please be checking your lines and blocking at home all week long.
- Come 20 minutes earlier on Friday, December 11 to double check everything.

Remember: three shows next weekend...
- Friday (11th) at 8:00pm
- Saturday (12th) at 8:00pm
- Sunday (13th) at 2:00pm

SEATS AVAILABLE FOR ALL SHOWS

Great Show Again Last Night - BRAVO!!!!!

Beautiful!!! Congrats!!!

To:  "Carol" Cast and Crew
From:  John McC

Congratulations everybody...it was a beautiful show last night...I think Ted said the count was 354...hopefully there will be some good mouth to mouth sales going on today...remind folks that walk-ins are welcomed and that seats are available...

Party tonight in the Little Theatre after the show...yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday "brush-up" rehearsal will be for Scrooge, Marley, Christmas Past, and Christmas Present only...time and location TBA...all else enjoy the evening at home or with friends...however, don't forget to look over you lines...

See you all tonight as we get the joy of doing it all again - even better...

Opening Night!!!!!!!!!

To:  "Carol" Cast and Crew
From:  John McC

Well here it is - OPENING NIGHT...this is what it is all about...putting it out there for an audience to enjoy...and I truly do believe they will enjoy your performances - from our corpse to our Scrooge...

And speaking of "enjoy"...that is exactly what I did last night - I enjoyed your dress rehearsal...not perfect in any stretch, but a darn good dress...clean up lines...project your voice AND your face...tell the story...

Here are the numbers as of last night...
     Dec. 4 - 270
     Dec. 5 - 162
     Dec. 11 - 157
     Dec. 12 - 147
     Dec. 13 - 267
TOTAL = 1003...that's good...still a lot of emty seats...tell your friends "excellent seats still available"

Ticket Update...

To:  "Carol" Cast and Crew
From:  John McC

Ted Smith (aka Christmas Present) wears many hats for the Barrow...one is overseeing the online ticket sales...I just received an email from him with this update:
     Friday the 4th...214
     Saturday the 5th...113
     Friday the 11th...101
     Saturday the 12th...116
     Sunday the 13th...213
     TOTAL = 757

May I share a couple of thoughts.....
Please be sure you all let people know you are in the show AND be sure you let them know you would really appreciate them being there...sometimes we forget that part...sometimes we may casually mention that we are doing a show and we stop there...don't forget to tell our family, friends, and coworkers that you would like them to be in attendence to enjoy your project...that it is a good show...lots of talent...it's very "holiday"...it's not long...you have spent a lot of time on this...you want to share this experience...it is a classic...it is family friendly (although have them remind young kids that the spirits/ghosts are only pretend)...it is LIVE - ON STAGE...it is good to support Franklin Civic Operetta Association and their Barrow-Civic Theatre...ticket prices are very reasonable...neat costumes...cute kids...beautiful adults --- whatever it takes to drum up ticket sales and to get yourself a well deserved audience...maybe this is your first show - maybe your last...share your excitement over having line(s) for the first time --- again, you deserve a good audience - work at it - get it...some people just come to the theater - that's nice - but the fact remains that most people come because they know someone in the production...(we'll talk later)

Final Rehearsals...

To:  "Carol" Cast and Crew
From:  John McC

Here we are with only two more rehearsals...show is looking great...Bravo! to Cathy and her costume crew...Judy's props are looking good...Ed is working his magic...and how about our first time stage manager, Linda - Bravo!...Ted's program looks super...EVERYONE is stepping up to the plate and doing a super job...Bravo! to all...

Tonight (Wednesday) we will again try to start as close to 7:00pm as possible...yes, costumes...no, makeup...I understand they will be playing with hair...Everyone bring your holiday smiles and big projection...Steve West will be taking a lot of pictures tonight...he does the WestPA Magazine...

Tomorrow is the final rehearsal...treat it like an all-out performance...we will have a few people in the audience - the volunteer crew that usher, etc...here at the Barrow...(more later)

I am very pleased - very pleased...there's a ways to go yet, but I am so confident that you all will get us there...