water riot diary: apollo residency
show logs from the May 2026 residency at the Apollo Theater.
May 9 - chicago
T minus 6 days until our first public presentation
Actor check ins and lodging confirmations in the morning
Errands for supplies, tech and some looks in the PM
About to do the night shift
But took a long lunch to prepare
Check in with Aymar on the big stuff and some of the little frustrations
Chats with a few friends on the ins and outs
I can’t wait, but I’m also getting these little fleeting feelings - let’s get this overwith already.
Probably nerves.
But it’s a feeling of countdown really.
Of getting everything as perfect as possible
Ahead of launch
And that, when it’s all said and done, is why I do any of this anyway.
Alright.
Back to grind .
May 10 - Harlem
T Minus 5 days until our first public presentation.
The day before our first rehearsal.
GETTING TO GOTHAM
I spent the day in airports, in lyfts, and in various domiciles - out of town members of our ensemble are in three different Harlem locations.
Had to take a break for Mother’s Day. Check in on Mom. She’s excited about a couple different things, including this show.
Also keeping an eye on the finances. The money is all in hand, but I gotta stay on top of things, as the little things pile up.
May 11 - First Rehearsal, T Minus Four Days until the Performances
This is amazing. OMG there’s so much work to do.
The cast is spectacular and committed.
The story is A LOT. The music is ALOT. But we know where we’re heading.
May 12 - Second Rehearsal, Three Days Until Performances
Quite the day. This ensemble did almost every song. And we’re getting it in our bodies. It’s so gratifying to have top tier talent on this project and doing their thing with it! I do need to get some rest. And I have to keep an eye on a few story moments that could use more definition. But we’re in it now, and getting things done.
May 13 - 14: Adaptation, Troubleshooting, Problem-Solving
The clock is ticking. I wish we had a few more days before our public performances but we don’t. We have to build with what we’ve got. We lost a little time doubling down on this and that, tried a few things that just didn’t work in terms of bring the show to life.
Nerves are getting to me. A lot of what’s left to do is simply out of my hands as the writer. It’s down to making the most with what we’ve got.
And this team is so committed. We’ve got a lot.
Mike and I do what we can to support Maija Garcia and James Davis Jr as they lead the rehearsals.
Maija’s focused on story and clarity. And Jim is all over the music. With our production stage manager, Paul, keeping us on task. We’ve become a real coalition. Its inspiring. But how in the world are we gonna make this work?
