I'm tired! However, this is the best sort of exhaustion borne of hard work and hard play.
Opening Night
My jitters stayed with me as I took the stage Friday night. Despite a smooth technical rehearsal earlier in the day, I wasn't able to shake my anxiety as the lights rose on the stage-version of my store. Fringe is a roll of dice. Not only because of the last minute addition of lighting, sound and the theater itself. But you don't know how the audience will respond to you, or you to them. Given that I'm both the writer and the lead in Oreo (only narrowly avoiding the Kevin Costner triumvirate of ego), I was feeling tremendous pressure.
Thankfully, the audience was fabulous. Generally speaking, people sitting in the seats WANT you to succeed. I don't know why I always forget that. Perhaps writing it down will help me remember. As soon as I began my first monologue, I could feel the good vibrations and my heart began to slow down.
And as I've mentioned, my cast is beyond fabulous. Everyone, to a (wo)man came alive in a way I hadn't seen before. In particular J.P. (of no-known LJ) pulled out an A-game, I didn't know he had. There's one scene where we fight, that I was so impressed I momentarily left my character, thinking 'Wow. He's fucking ON tonight!'
Needless to say, celebrations were in order after the show. We all made our way to the beer tent, the social hub of the Ottawa Fringe. There our director, Chantale (also of no-known LJ) bought the cast a round of drinks. Later, a new acquaintance treated me to another fruity wine cooler.
And then I was drunk.
It's a well documented case that I'm a lightweight. But, DAG y'all! I stumbled, I slurred...I made loud proclamations and found myself much too hilarious. In retrospect it was probably the combination of alcohol and adrenaline. Fortunately, my friends took good care of me. We partied long into the night. My repeat instance that "I NEED FRENCH FRIES! FRENCH FRIES," led to late, late night snacking at a diner. I made it home at 3 a.m. and woke up the next day with the first (and therefore worst) hangover of my life.
(I'm such a great parent.)
Sunday I was both an audience member and a performer. The nerves returned with a vengeance for our second performance, but fortunately the audience didn't seem to notice. I saw four shows: No Exit Upstage, Heebs and Dweebs, Satanic Panic (or the Death of Al Pacino) and The Accident. Fringe can be a mixed bag of great, good and terrible but I'm pleased to report that every show I saw was great! If you'd like to read my reviews, they're on the
Ottawa Fringe website.
Last night was our late show. Eleven o'clock on a Monday is possibly the least desirable slot of the festival. But someone's got to take it. I told myself if we cracked ten in the audience, I'd be happy. If we cracked 15, I'd be thrilled. Well I almost died. There were over forty people in the audience. I could have started crying, I was so taken aback. Not only were there people, they were people I knew! Actors, directors and playwrights whom I look up to and adore.
You'd think I would have been dying from anxiety. But for whatever reason, seeing those face calmed my nerves entirely. I had my best night on stage and after the show my other cast members reported feeling calm and happy as well. Another late-night jaunt over to the beer tent was in order!
This time I refused the drinks that were offered me. However, I did have wonderful conversation with my cast mates and fellow tenters. I came home, late again, snuggled into bed next to Drama King and slept like the dead.
So today I'm tired. The best kind of tired there is.