Opening Niiiiight...

We had our first performance last night which was effectively our tech as well, and was certainly the first performance of any kind of front of an audience. It definitely threw me a bit--I had to wait for a bit of laughter on some of my lines, I had to think more and time things differently which normally I love (I love the technique of comedy) but I was so nervous that I dropped a small chunk toward the end of the opening monologue. Not a huge amount and I covered it well enough but I know the slides beyond me are dependent on what I'm saying. Argh! So frustrating, I know that monologue, I can rattle it off in my sleep. I apologized to Adam backstage (he's running the slides) but he said no sweat, he was able to adjust pretty quickly.

Had another almost-flub during the Oscar nomination speech which, although it's so short, is probably my most difficult monologue, since there's no consequence or narrative to it, it's just names and titles. There was a slightly-long pause between the second and third Best Actor nominees--I almost jumped to the 4th one but then it came to me. SWEATING. I think this flub was triggered because when I walked out for the Oscar nom speech, the light was different and I kept thinking "Am I in the light all the way?" and then "I don't think I am, should I cross and block the slide show?"

I rather love my costumes--well, most of them are my clothes anyway but I quite like one of the suits I wear (not mine), a charcoal-grey wollen double-breasted suit. It's sexy-frumpy.

This is a nice group of people--a small cast, just us four, but we get along well. It's a little odd because I share so little stage time with them.

Jesse Rosbrow was waiting after the show and he said it took him a minute to realize--hey, in real lfe someone speaking this long (my opening, two-page monologue) on camera would have a teleprompter (instead of memorizing the copy). I said YEAH.

Afterward I needed strong drink--we tried to hit up Acme but they were closed (but not closed--I checked their hours, they close at 11:30 on Thursdays) so we went to the place next door, called the Smile. Very cute and I loved the ale I got but their menu is a little frou-frou for post-show nomming. At any rate their kitchen had already closed so I couldn't order food--STARVING. It's a good thing I maued a Magnum Doble* on the way to the theater, because that was pretty much my dinner.

*I discovered Magnum bars when I did my cruise ship contract in Spain, they are CRACKTASTIC. Ice cream is very big in Spain, you see heladerias everywhere on the streets. My favorite Magnum bar is the Doble--sooooo much caramel. It's vanilla ice cream on a stick, covered with chocolate, then lots of caramel, then more chocolate. I always tried to basically just eat the caramel with a little bit of ice cream to accompany it. This is easily accomplished in Southern Spain because it gets very melty and you can just pull off the layers with your teeth. Mmm, caramel...this contract was also where I discovered the incredible deliciousness that is banoffee pie. Also j'adore the cheesy ads with Rachel Bilson.

Payback is a Bitch, i'in't it?

Cop Rapists outed on East Village fliers.

When you read about how justice was perverted in this case:

*the defense attorney's unbelievable language (comparing her vagina to a Venus Fly Trap, and suggesting she could've bruised her own cervix(internal examination proved she been forcefully penetrated) by "vigorously scrubbing" with a loofah).

*the rapist's wife numerous interviews where she calls the victim a golddigging whore. I get that she's terrified because her husband has ruined their future but Jesus, woman, STFU. You can support your husband without screeching like a fishwife and violating the victim again.

*the fact that the accomplice originally tried to cop a plea deal with the DA--he was going to testify that his partner *did* rape the woman. The DA turned him down, because they felt they had a really strong case. Well yeah, as long as you don't get a jury of CSI-addled morons who seem to think it's impossible to rape without leaving semen (psst--condoms take care of that. Also, cops know how to clean crime scenes. Also, it's possible to rape without using a penis--like, with a broom).

*the fact that they stole the woman's phone and called her family to threaten them. (from the NYPD internal investigation)

*the fact that they NYPD found *other* women's IDs in the guy's locker. (from the NYPD internal investigation)

*the fact that they stole her keys, faked a 9-1-1 call and went back THREE MORE TIMES--and these fuckers still REFUSED to convict them.

This whole case makes me sick, just sick. What's even creepier is that the rapist and his wife are moving out to California--which is where the victim now lives. It's a big state, I know, but still creepy. Why don't you move to France instead? I hear they love rapists over there.

Frankly, I have no sympathy. You're a predator? These are the consequences. It's easy enough to find out this information as it is--anyone could've looked this up online. And all they post is the street, not the house number.

I feel I'm looking at the police differently after this case. Frankly the NYPD reacted rather gratifyingly--first, by firing them IMMEDIATELY and nullifying their pensions (GOOD. That's a lot of money they lost--GOOD). And apparently they showed no support during the trial either--as I mentioned above, there was an internal report which shows how truly sketchy and criminal these two were. There was a whole stash of women's IDs in one of their lockers, as well as falsified logbooks, and heroin. I don't feel like all cops are bad.

However if I'm ever in a vulnerable situation where a cop might take advantage--I no longer feel I can call them. The cabbie who was trying to help the woman (the one who originally called the cops) thought he was doing the RIGHT thing. That's what kills me. That moronic jury has compromised the basis of trust for all the women of this city.