5 MORE DAYS! IS THIS REAL?

This week has been a whirlwind and we're barely halfway through. The days are long for Cory and with each passing day it is obvious that we are inching closer to opening night. On Monday, rehearsal started at 11:00am. It was pouring outside! Schlepping around the city in the heat is bad enough, but in torrential rain, that is worse. Thank you Grandma Leslie for enduring Monday's weather with Cory! After a full day of rehearsals, it was time for the long awaited haircut. We had so much fun wondering aloud what they would do with his hair. Would they give him a mohawk? A funky rocker look? Keep it long? Out the stage door he walked and he fit the part perfectly....the part of a student at the most expensive prep school in the country, Horace Green. It's no rocker style, but after all, that's not the plot line. Cory is just happy that his hair is not in his eyes anymore.

Before                                              After

Cory getting ready to go in to trail.
This is his, "OMG, only 6 more days" face!

On Tuesday Cory started the day at the Winter Garden with another spacing rehearsal and then moved over to the studio for a music rehearsal. I am really amazed, not just by the new kids who are learning all of this material (in one month), but also by the existing cast of kids who have been doing double duty to bring Cory and his new cast mates up to speed. The current kids in the cast have been called for long rehearsals and then have to turn it around in the evening for a performance. It is incredible what these kids are capable of. I met Cory in the city Tuesday to pick him up from rehearsal only to get him a quick bite to eat and then get him back to the Winter Garden. Cory had his mic fitting and was trailing the show again. He was equally excited walking in this time as he was the first time he trailed the show. He can't seem to get enough! I was happy to have dinner with a friend in the city while Cory was backstage and then motored back to get him. When I picked him up after the show at the stage door, he came out exhausted and exhilarated (and starving); on a high. When I asked him, "so? are you ready?", he responded, "getting there, getting there". I smiled, nodded my head, gave him a hug and thought to myself, "well you better hurry up, Monday is around the corner."

Today started with studio rehearsal and then back to the Winter Garden for evening rehearsal. Grandma Sheri is with Cory today. It is crazy how your whole day revolves around getting Cory to and from where he needs to be and fed in between. It sounds easy, but I know, it is exhausting. I am grateful that we have people in our lives willing to take this on so that Josh and I can continue taking care of our jobs and other responsibilities.

Two of the child guardians.
Cory coming out of the stage door.

I got a call from Cory today while he was at rehearsal on a break, letting me know that his water bottle opened in his bag and drenched everything! Oy! This gives me a chance to say how amazing the child guardians have been. Whenever Cory is at rehearsal there are child guardians, who work for the show, that are there too. These guardians are who you drop the kids off with. Depending on how many kids are at rehearsals will determine how many guardians there are that day. I must give a shout out to Claire, one of the guardians, who has been so great with Cory. So when this major spill happened, or when other things go awry, the child guardians are the ones that help "make things better" and that is just what Claire did. It is comforting to know that the kids have good people helping to take care of them. Claire is not alone in that category. Cory says everyone is super nice and helpful and he seems very happy to be with all of the kids and adults involved!

So we are eeking towards Cory's debut on Monday. Each day feels like it flies by and crawls by at the same time. Anticipation and excitement (and nerves) are mounting. Cory is feeling all of these emotions but his general attitude is great. He walks around saying the same thing we do, "is this real?" - he can't wait! And he won't have to wait much longer....5 more days.....

Cory and Levi (will be playing Freddy)

From left to right:
Cory, Levi (will be playing Freddy),
Zach (will be playing Zack), Rachel (plays Katie)