The Farm and The Cast

After our walk and breakfast, I high-tailed it up to the farm, listening for the engine to do something horrible.  It didn't happen, but when I stopped, it seemed to "rev up," with a whirring sound. (Well, that's as scientific as I can get.)  However, I got there with no problem, spent roughly two hours gathering and picking, then went off without incident and was home at 1:00.
Separated the goods--my friend's two-thirds, mine the rest--then showered and dressed.  Friend came about 3:15, we talked about the health crapola, then she treated me to an early dinner at Dynasty.  She had to be back at the school to meet with a parent at 6:00, so left a bit before.
I readied things for my first cast gathering and, wouldn't you know, my printer quit on me--"printer error/turn off, then on again/if not remedied, consult manual"--damn, the story of my life and I don't know if I have a manual.  Oh, well, I'll have to take care of it today.
Cast came at 7:00.  I was pleased that whatever obligation Frank-Next-Door had had, it ended early and he was able to join us.
We had a pretty good session.  Of course, people had to double up to fill in for others--at one point, Chuck D. played both Singing Jim, who gets murdered, and Spike Grogan, one of his murderers, so he was pleading with himself to lay off--but that will be adjusted before the show.
Dayle was superb.  She took not only her actual part, as Apple Mary, but Mary H.'s as Margo and immediately adjusted from hardscrabble lady of the streets (beggar, not prostitute) to highborn, elegant Margo Lane. Grey, Frank, and especially Chuck, were good, although they need to slow down a bit.
Two problems, though: Desi, who's well over 80 and seems to be getting somewhat befuddled, had difficulty seeing the script--or something--and as Officer Clancy, kept adding, then subtracting the Irish accent.  However, he's a trouper from way back and I know he can handle it.
I'm not so sure about Bob.  He was anxious to be in LETCO, but seems not to understand he's supposed to be acting.  From his reading and remarks he made after the run-through, his educational background is modest--no prob at all, that, as long as he's reasonably bright.  Unfortunately, that didn't shine through last night, either.  He had some difficulty pronouncing certain words, although as beggar "Limpy," his lines are hardly above fifth-grade level.
But even that wasn't so much a problem as the fact that he simply read--in a big, booming voice, to be sure, and that's an asset, but haltingly and in a complete monotone.  He didn't display a hint that he had any grasp of the character or the story line. Okay, I'm going to work with him.  I'll call him today and see when we can meet so I can coach him to reach at least a modicum of competence.
My first session for the FELS acting class is on Tuesday and, of course, I'll be conducting that for a group.  I wonder if Bob will ever realize it how very privileged he is to get free, one-on-one instruction from the prof--HA!