This requires some explanation.
The costume designer for Mabou Mines’ latest show approached me about making a wing mechanism for her. I didn’t have time for the whole project, but was able to make a single wing, hoping that they could copy it for the other. She took it to California to be tested. Last week I got a phone message from her that was garbled. All I could make out was something about her going out of town and something about picking up. I sent her an email saying, “Hey, I couldn’t understand your message. What’s up?”
Meanwhile, she went out of town, confident that someone from Mabou Mines would contact me and explain the situation. No one did. So the poor designer arrived back in town tonight to discover that nothing had happened with the wings while she was gone. Her message had been that she couldn’t find anyone to copy the wing and could I please, please make the other one.
Their dress rehearsal is on Wednesday.
At this point, I simply don’t have the time. The first one took me about four hours, but I am booked solid this week. I’m already staying up until midnight just to get my current commitments finished. Three of my projects are due on the 30th and there’s not one that I can bump.
They have no money–I was doing this as a gratis thing–and the designer is totally screwed. Had I gotten the message last week, or had someone from the company contacted me as she had asked, I could have helped, but I can’t now.
I’m looking for anyone with reasonable skills with power tools to duplicate the existing wing mechanism on Monday or Tuesday in the New York area. You can see what I built here. I will happily supervise while I work on another project.
I will buy you a really good meal and trade you an equal amount of time later. I just flat don’t have time right now. Interested? Full of pity? The woman is really screwed and really nice. Mabou Mines is not a bad company to get in with–aside from this unfortunate miscommunication–and I’ll make sure you get credit.
Did I mention the meal? How about a bottle of wine?
