Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Our audition team returned from Vancouver late last night. They were a little disappointed in the turnout, but did find several really talented potential cast members. We are diving into casting in a major way this week. There are a lot of spots to fill, so it will be a flurry of calls, emails, and paperwork going out over the next few days.

One of the big issues confronting us lately is the new emphasis on stricter interpretation of medical forms required by the cruise lines. It seems there are a number of conditions that now constitute grounds for "no-hire" when casting. Mindy and our cruise team are working with the cruise lines to make sure we are clearly communicating these new requirements to potential cast members when offers go out. We don't want anyone to spend a significant amount of money on a medical exam when circumstances exist that are likely to result in a no-hire decree from the medical officers at the lines. We are also finding a renewed emphasis on background checks. Just a heads-up to any of you who are planning to work on ships in the immediate future. 

We are heavily into the final phases of production for a major Interstate Batteries show in Washington DC next week. We are also working on the Backyard Burgers show at Opryland (Bert is producing), and a third corporate event at Gaylord Opryland (Bert is also handling that one). Curt and our scenic team are working on new scenery for the Norwegian Sky, as well as a trade show for Healthcare Management Systems in Las Vegas. Brandon produced a booth for Big Machine Records (Taylor Swift, Trisha Yearwood, Jack Ingram) for their artist showcase at the CMA Musicfest starting tomorrow in Nashville. We're all trying to stay on top of photos for the blog, so I should have some new shots for you in a few days! Have a great hump day, everyone!