Two preview performances and two shows later: Paradise Lost is on its feet in Manhattan. We made some substantial improvements to the show throughout previews, including the elimination of the Chaos dance number. (It was a good dance song, but it didn't make enough sense in the context of the show. With more resources to show the setting, meaning and characters in Chaos we may re-insert it.)

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The show now clocks in at 2 hours even, with a fifteen minute intermission, and is by all accounts fairly tightly paced. Audience reactions have been quite positive overall, which is encouraging. Sitting back in the booth looking at the backs of peoples' heads (and listening to comments in the house at intermission), my instinct is to think "they hate it, they hate it" - but that comes from me, really. I think. I hope...?

At least two press outlets were in the house tonight, so we'll be watching for reviews to appear sometime in the coming week. In the meantime, the cast has three very much deserved days off from Paradise Lost, and I get to do a little work for my web programming clients. I'll also be at the NYMF "Best of the Fest" gala tomorrow night... in my most appropriate attire, which is probably not appropriate enough. My nicest shoes are beat-up old loafers. Oh well.

I myself am totally exhausted. This last month has been more intense than I ever imagined it could be, and I have been at work nearly non-stop for the past two weeks. This production has been like trying to build a house out of squirrels: really squirrely. But now I have a house made out of squirrels, which is pretty cool.

OK, weird analogy. And, to be fair, my cast and staff have been much more professional and dedicated than your average squirrel. But maybe it still gets the point across.