Clearing the brain so it keeps working
Posts tagged acting
Finding a way
Apr 7th
I’m involved with another theatrical production, as I’ve stated earlier. I’ve only been to a few rehearsals, and I’m tired of it. I don’t think it is the show, or the actors in the show. I have a good time when I am there, but before I get there and after I leave I experience a feeling numbness. I’m just tired of the whole thing. I really wish I would have stayed on my theater break. I don’t want to study lines, learn blocking or any of the other things needed for this show. I have other things I feel like doing instead.
I wonder how long this feeling will last. I need to learn how to say no. I need to focus on projects I am really interested in and ignore the ones that I have just a passing interest in.
Oh well, the show must go on, and I will soldier through.
You’re doing what?
Mar 29th
Well, I received an email last Friday. It was a request for my ‘acting’ ability. I have been on a self imposed hiatus from theater, so I didn’t think I would be doing any sort of acting in the near future. I was wrong. I will be the understudy for one of the actors. He can’t do all of the performances, so I will do the one he will miss. I’m just lucky it is a small role with very easy dialog. I get to be a love struck honeymooner. I’ve done that role once in real life, I think I can handle it. I played that role for 20 years.
This will be a little different. It is a dinner theater with audience participation. I’m looking forward to it. The audience will be sitting around and in the middle of our acting. Should be fun. The character I have doesn’t have too much interaction with the audience, but I do have to be aware of where they are located during my various scenes.
I will have to get some information as to the cost of the performances. Should be interesting.
The end of a very long day
Feb 14th
The day actually started some time after Midnight last night. Our director’s gift cast party was held, and it was almost mandatory attendance. It was worth the trip, because our fearless leader had some wonderful things to say about the show. The party was long and entertaining, but I got to bed very late (early???) and we had one more show to do in the afternoon.
The final show went as well as can be expected when one of the actors calls in sick at the last minute. Before anyone jumps to a conclusion, it was a real illness and not just sick from the party last night (ok, it may have been the food, but nobody else got sick). We had to cut the one scene that the person was in. Unfortunately, I was also in that scene. Life is full of disappointments.
My youngest and her grandparents were in the audience and seemed to enjoy the show. It is always fun to perform for family. I also had numerous people, throughout the run of the show, ask me if I was really a minister, or was I going to take that up as a new calling. Sorry folks, I’m an actor, I only play a minister on stage. Again I heard that this was the best I’ve ever done. My nature tends to think that people can only remember the last few shows they’ve seen. Surely I’ve done better on other roles? Oh well, as long as they enjoyed the show.
Finally, I took my youngest back to college. Just got back home. Definitely the end of a very long day.
Maybe it is coming together
Feb 2nd
We have one more dress rehearsal tomorrow night. Tonight was the first night I really felt comfortable in my role. I had flashes of comfort in the past week or so, but tonight felt good. Few things that I would like to improve on, but that is a never ending quest.
I haven’t written much about this show, partly because of how I was feeling about my character. Another point was an actor dropped out. The sickness and then death of someone close to him prevented him from doing the play. That situation did not help the feelings I was having.
Our director stepped in to take the role and had the part memorized in under a week. That made me feel bad, since I had my role for a month before that and I was still trying to get the lines down. It took me some time, but I eventually got there.
The of course there were the problems of getting the entire cast there on time and on the same day. That is three plays (that I have been involved with) in a row. What is happening. I remember more than one show that it was odd for a person to miss a rehearsal. Hmm.
Anyway, today’s show fell together nicely. We lost a cast member or two because of their work schedules, but we were able to work around that. Tonight was funny and in some parts very touching.
So to put it in a very few words: We have a show. 
An evening with lines
Oct 28th
Studying lines for tomorrow night’s rehearsal. I have some fun parts and they are the smaller roles. The intoxicated Santa at the beginning of the play is going to be a lot of fun all on 3 lines. Another 3 lines, and being on stage with my 3rd daughter makes the role of Dr. 2 very fun. Another 3 lines for another small part and 3 more for my 4th small part. 12 lines all memorized.
Some lines were taken away and I was given the part of Kris Kringle’s friend and Dr from the Maplewood home, Kris’ home away from the North Pole. This should be fun.
Anyway back to the lines….
