I got to the theater around 2:30 pm.

Rehearsal was to start at 3:00 pm. We only had two hours to have each singer run through their music with the band before the Chamber Singers would join us to rehearse the finale, "Seasons of Love." I had been buzzing with this constant low-level anxiety all day and the day before. It was strange, and exhausting.

It wasn’t about ticket sales this time. It was about me. In all the planning for this event, I had waited until the last minute to write out the introductions for each singer and all the other patter I needed as MC. Since I was only singing two songs to open the show, my main responsibility was as MC, and I was feeling a bit anxious about that.

Tom Shader, my favorite bass player, showed up next. Jeff, our sound man, had been there for a while setting up speakers and such. Then Tom Hayashi the drummer showed around 2:50. Actually everyone got there pretty much on time. Except for Terese who got stuck in crazy traffic driving up from Oakland.

And then, a surprise! Around 4:15, with rehearsals well on the way, Rich Armstrong shows up. Rich is an

mind-blowing trumpet player. I’ve heard him play in Terese’s little big band, in my friend Shaynee’s show at Jazz at Pearl’s, and for Shawn Ryan’s big show at the Herbst Theater. This guy has a sound that drives me wild! And he was here to play the show. For free.

Now, this sounds great, doesn’t it? A free and fabulous trumpet player? And it would have been great if it hadn’t been such a surprise. Terese had told me Rich was interested in coming up to play, but the last time we had talked about it, it looked like he wasn’t coming. So, when he showed up 90 minutes into the rehearsal, I was …irritated.

Part of me wanted to tell him, Sorry, but I had no idea you were coming and we’re well into rehearsal so you can’t play. But I wasn’t about to do that. And I’m so glad I didn’t.

We got another mic set up for Rich, and rehearsal continued. I felt slightly embarrassed because the rest of the band had no idea they would be joined by a trumpet player. Once he began playing though, everyone was very happy he was there. Especially me. Because I got to sing with him, and that was amazing. Thank god that I had chosen "Teach Me Tonight" as my second tune because it has this sexy,bluesy feel that allowed Rich to really wail.

Even with this surprise, we made amazing time and when the kids showed up to rehearse "Seasons of Love," we were ready. By 5:30, everyone took off for a bite to eat before the show. I went into the green room to be alone and focus on my part of the show.

2 hours before show time.