The trip to Naples took us through the Everglades.  There was the occasional road sign that said, "Panther Crossing" and I assume they did not mean the NFL team. The tech staff at the ORC said that we might see alligators, we thought they were trying to scare us into taking the toll road. Not true John and I lost count of the number of alligators we saw in the three hour drive. The first siting was so special had we not been driving the truck we would have turned around to gawk. After a while seeing gators became as common place as seeing BMW's in Beverly Hills.  It was a beautiful day and I assume that the gators were out soaking up the local color.  I wish I had my camera ready for the picture, but about 20 yards from a Panther crossing sign and several large alligators sunbathing was a sign that said, "Camp grounds". In a Gary Larson world it would have been the gators that put the sign there for an easy dinner. 
We arrived at the hotel, or more like a motel that the theatre has provided.  It is okay but certainly not the luxury that we were in last night.... but the good news is we can wear jeans with out worry.
We went by the theatre to get our bearings. This has the potential to be the most difficult place we have been so far.  The show times are weird... 5:30 and 7:30?  I will have to keep the first show to an hour and a half just to have a breather in-between.  We thought they would have all the lights hung and gelled.  The dimmer board is smaller than what we are used to and John will have to rewrite some cues to accommodate, that was to have taken place tonight.  But no lights were hung and they said they were taking tonight to "build the stage....???"  It is a black box theatre and they had not defined the stage with portable risers yet. So we are a day behind before we even start.  And  with a show time so early and so much work to do it will be a very long day tomorrow. 
Mainly I just didn't get a good feeling from the theatre tech guy at the Phil, who shall remain nameless. There was no pretense that he was glad to have us opening tomorrow, or that it was anything but an inconvenience on him that we showed up.  I know they don't hire these guys for there personality and I am not expecting Dale Carnagie (there is a dated reference). But hey... we are all here to do a job and compared to picking strawberries on our knees in a hot field at one hundredth the pay we should at least do it with a happy attitude.
I especially want this two day, four show run to go well because it is the venue that my hero and ventriloquist friend Jimmy Nelson is coming to. He of all people would know what it is like to be on the road at the mercy of weird facilities.  Still you want the show for your idol to be as perfect as can be.  
My sister in law is also coming to see the show here at the Phil. She was there for my opening on Broadway so she has seen the way it should be done,  but she's bringing friends who have no concept of the show. More reason and more pressure on this run to be the best it can be. 
So it could be that I have a wrong impression of the tech guy, and they may be able to focus lights in half the time it takes everyone else.  By tomorrow night I may be saying that this is the best place we have ever done the show, but right now, that seems like an impossible dream.
Stay tuned for more details from this internet address.
As you were,
Jay