With opening night a mere two weeks away, director Bob Heckman gave his first real pep talk for all the actors Wednesday night.

The Ponderosa Theater Company enjoys a reputation for putting on terrific shows and "Gypsy" would be no exception, he said.

But time was running out, he cautioned, and all the actors had to get down to business. There were lines to be honed, timings sharpened, dance steps refined and all the goofing off had to be curtailed.

"Have your bios in on Friday and your costumes ready by Monday," Heckman added.

"What's a bio?" a young dancer cheeped from the back row.

Her charming display of innocence offered one of those rare, sweet glimpses into how much youth has to learn. Someone filled her in.

"Keep it to three of four lines," Heckman advised.

Just think, when Michael Jackson was that girl's age, he’d already hired someone to ghost his autobiography.

Heckman also gave the players an idea of what he liked and expected to see in actors: self-direction.

He likes actors who can divine for themselves actions a scene calls for and how to do it. It gives the show a feeling of spontaneity and freshness. While this may sound strange, the great film director Elia Kazan set this same high standard of acting, when he cast “On the Waterfront.”

Kazan demanded the same from young Marlon Brando who responded with a groundbreaking and Academy Award-winning portrayal of “Terry,” the ex-pug Mob thug and bum who “could have been a contendah.”

Mrs. Heckman handed out two complimentary tickets to each “Gypsy” actor. Bob Heckman told the players what they could do with the Annie Oakleys.

Dispense them to whomever. They were good for the run of the play. Be careful not to lose them. Most theater companies weren't so free with comps, and if an actor should happen to lose his or her ducats, no more freebies were to be had.

Heckman’s rallying talk and the company’s generous gesture had a tonic effect on the players. Or maybe it was just that Evelyn the piano player was back.

The dancers looked better that night, both in the child and adult chorus lines.

Yonkers got rid of his weird, flip-kick-nudge. He switched it to a hard punch in the shoulder. It looked infinitely more realistic, but I imagine the recipient, Brenden, may not have appreciated the change.

Jayne White fluffed her lines a few times. She expressed a great deal of disappointment in herself, which was a shame. White has so much acting, singing and dancing to do in the show, one would expect a few fluffs now and then. She should be more self-forgiving. But, then, maybe it's her high expectations and unrelenting self-discipline that's makes her the star.

White, Tim Van Zant and Carmen Smith have steadily improved their "Together Wherever We Go" number to where it is shaping up to be another potential show-stopper.

The soft-shoe song-and-dance number captures the feeling of showbiz camaraderie so well. It was inexplicably cut from the Rosalind Russell movie version of "Gypsy" - a decision the director ought to have been strung up for. Happily, it resurfaced in the Bette Midler version.

As the three of them -- White, Smith and Van Zant -- sing and soft-shoe their way through this heart-tugging number, they reveal both the strengths and weaknesses of the show as it stands at this point in rehearsals.

Born to belt, Jayne White is giving it her all at every rehearsal, proving her voice and spirit to be stronger and better than Bette Midler, both in this part and in this song. Listen to Jaynie, and every performance is like opening night.

One would expect White’s pull-out-the -stops approach would inspire - or at least force - her companions in song to go for broke. But so far, haven't.

Van Zant seems to have decided lay back and loll through the lines he sings in "Together." Couple this with his already mellow - not to say muddy bass-baritone voice - and he’s washed out by Jayne White’s tsunamic delivery.

This was initially incomprehensible to some spectators. Herbie doesn't have all that many song lines, so you’d think he’d pump them for all he was worth – milk to the max his scant opportunities to shine in the few penumbras the script and the Rose character permit.

A careful review of the Midler movie soundtrack suggests Van Zant may have poured his performance into the mold of that other "Herbie." If he has, it may be a mistake, not only for him, but for the number and the show, as well.

One close observer suggested White’s talent and power had simply cowed Van Zant. But that’s doubtful.

Carmen Smith -- “Louise” -- the third-wheel in that delightful trio seems to be holding back in “Together.”

Watching her and “June” compete for excellence in their “If Momma Got Married" duet it is evident she has more gusto to give in “Together.”

Put all this together and the suspicion creeps in that it isn’t a lack of talent that’s keeping Smith and Van Zant from bursting forth into perfection, but the absence of “chemistry.”

And the essential ingredient missing from this formula for greatness may very well be adrenaline – a chemical that tends to flow faster as opening night approaches.

Rehearsals seem to be in the doldrums. In part from a coincidence of absences; in part from the fact this is ordinarily a low blood sugar time between when the performers have their lines down and the angst of opening night draws near.

It is over this mid-season swoon director Bob Heckman, seasoned actor and entertainer will usher the cast to a brilliant opening night. If …

Evelyn the piano player was missing from last night’s rehearsal. Dancing and singing to no music at all is a lackluster affair, isn’t it? Still, the cast bore up well, especially the little kids chorus line.

The strippers act was brought to life again with the re-emergence of Tessie Tura the Texas Twirler, back from the cruise to wherever it was she took.

Indefatigable were Jaynie White, Tim Van Zant and Carmen Smith in their excellent “Together Wherever We Go” number. The three worked the choreography on their own, sans Carolyn Foy-Hoffer, and they’ve put together a serviceable soft-shoe on their own.

It was touching to see they abandoned paddling a canoe while singing “wherever we row” line. It made for a small, but unnerving cognizant dissonance.

Adult June was missing for the night, but Heckman skipped over her bits.

The boys in the adult chorus line seem to be scrambling themselves into different positions each time they assemble, which conveys a sense of disorganization, although it shouldn’t matter who stands where in a chorus line, since everyone is theoretically doing the same thing.

Agnes/Amanda showed up with a sample “Newsboys” outfit apparently made by her mother. It was quite good, dark, not too much so, and period authentic enough for a light musical, to be sure.

Wednesday, everyone reconvenes for more rehearsals as we all enter the clubhouse turn for getting this how reading.