First rehearsal down... but plenty more to go and therefore ample opportunities for things to go awry.

Yes, indeed. My glass is not only always half-empty, but it's chipped as well. And Murphy (the one from Murphy's Law fame) is forever breathing down my neck, so I have every right to my (justified) paranoia.

But I've survived the first one! Yay! And more than that, I even had some good old-fashioned fun.

Now for the gossip.

I showed up a few minutes late (thanks to an unexpected road repairs shut-down on the planned route) and so when I stumbled (told ya I'm graceful) into the dimly lit (and therefore almost flattering!) theatre lobby, temporarily blinded after the sunshine outside, I was even more nervous than before.

I hate, hate, HATE being the last one to arrive and having all eyes on me for even a second. (Why is it always easier to meet new people when one is first to arrive at the meeting point?)

Anyway, luckily I wasn't the last to arrive. Turns out almost everyone was subjected to the same road repairs and detours, so I was actually not the last cast member to show up.

The director was there. And his wife, who is going to stage manage us. And the assistant director. (Yes, this is quite an operation! Eeek! What have I... or rather, what have THEY let themselves in for by casting an amateur like me?!?) And I must say, they went all out to make us feel welcome and at ease.

Of course, though, all the other cast members (three other girls and a guy) seemed cool as cucumbers, while I was literally trembling in my boots.

Plus, to add further insult to my already fragile ego: they are all GORGEOUS looking creatures. Like, they should be on t.v. or something. (Ah, but some of them ARE! I was to find that out soon enough.) But more ~~bitching~~ information about that later.

We were measured for costumes (never a fun exercise, that) and then jumped right into the rehearsal process with a read-through.

And hello! Turns out that I'm the only amateur in the cast! And what's even worse is that all those beauties have the talent to back up their drama degrees!

Grrr... Okay, I'm just jealous. Truth is, I'm actually just grateful to be among them, and I plan on picking their brains and learning whatever I can from them.

They are all also really gracious to boot!

Don't you despise that? When beautiful and talented people who have no right to possess even have half a brain have, well, much more than half a brain? Because life's not supposed to give you heaps of everything! That's just downright MEAN to mere deprived mortals like me!

Anyway, good and fuzzy feelings abound right now because well, everyone is still being polite strangers to one another.

Since I'm of that rare breed of the Redheaded Species, the one who doesn't like to fight (yes, GASP!), I'm hoping that things will stay polite and friendly, even through two and a half months of frenzied rehearsals and nerve-wracking performances.

I have a surprising amount of high hopes mixed in with my healthy pessimism, 'eh?

P.S. It's a theatre-in-the-round, so blocking is going to be TOUGH.

P.P.S. You guys are probably hoping for a cat fight or two, because upon reading back through this I realised that the "gossip" I teased you with at the beginning of this entry is non-existing.

P.P.P.S. I will tell you more about my "famous" cast mates later on. Right now, time to prepare for round two coming up tomorrow.

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Comments

TV Actors?

Cool!
Who are they?

Wow! What a hook!
I think I'm permanently attached to this blog!
The suspense!

comment by Zinke at 04:00 AM on 06.20.04 [ link ]

Sure, they may have the t.v. experience and talent to boot, but where are they at??? In a local show right there with "clumsy" you.

Obviously someone saw something in you that equates you to their "level," or they aren't all that good after all.

Flatter yourself! At least you are up there doing the show! Most of us would be content to envy you while sitting in the dark shadows of the audience.

comment by Gretchen at 10:15 AM on 06.20.04 [ link ]

I always found blocking in the round to be easier because you didn't have to follow the 'don't turn your back on the audience' rule (causing some truly unnatural movements). Since your back is always towards someone, you just move normally & pretend there's no audience at all...

comment by Maggie at 02:28 PM on 06.20.04 [ link ]

I have never done theatre in the round but always wanted to, mostly since I love a challenge. Oooh, but I so know understand what you meant about hating to be late. I hateses it too, and so am always ridiculously early for things since I hate all eyes on me.

comment by Helen at 05:24 AM on 06.21.04 [ link ]

used to love doing theatre in high school... until one day my mom came to pick me up from a rehersal and the drama teacher/dictator told her i couldn't dance, couldn't sing, and my voice was far too nasal. ouch.

i think you are very lucky to get to do a play, and i hope you'll keep us updated!

comment by kellen at 10:09 AM on 06.21.04 [ link ]

That sounds pretty exciting! Just out of curiosity, how did you make it into the ensemble with all these "famous" people? Did you go through an audition process, or is this something that you've done in the past (so you had "connections")? :)

comment by Zandria at 06:08 PM on 06.21.04 [ link ]