Day 1177: Exhausted

It took three and a half months to create the illusion of the SS America in 1934.  In a matter of a few hours, it was gone.  In just an hour last night, railings and curtain were down, pit drapes were packed, costumes collected.  Because of the security system, we had to be out of the building by 11:45.  We would have had to go back today anyway, so it wasn't all bad to have our work cut short.  By then we were ready to drop.

Sandy, Kevin, James, Jake, Steve and I were able to remove the second story and the stairs in an hour this morning.  Then Ben, Ben, and Kathy arrived.  Next, the lighting guys, Josh and Daniel.  A little later, Doreen and Ellen.  All the old reliables.  One surprise was Rick, who worked with us for ten years on break downs.  He thought we'd need a little help.  We joked about how we used to run out of the building with just seconds to spare before we tripped the alarm.  It was so sweet of him to come.  Ellen had sent an email to all musical families, over 110 of them, asking for ten adults to help.  Not a single person responded.

There's plenty of work left for the kids to do after school this week, but just 21 signed up.  The jail, stern sections and cabins still need to be dismantled.  And they can always sort screws.  Thousands of them!  I swept up a box full, mixed with sawdust, wood chips, gum, tape, bobbie pins.  It's for all those folks who don't want to operate a drill or get dirty.

So, now at 8:00, we're ready for bed.

The costumes, all organized, deodorized, hung, and boxed.  More are sloshing in our washing machines, tumbling in our dryers and folded on dining room tables.

The last panel came down at 1:33 pm.  Just three and a half hours after we started today.

$2500 worth of lumber lies stacked off camera.  The last few pieces will disassembled by Tuesday afternoon.