No prompt- just kind of thinking about a thing...
In an alternate reality, I didn't move back up to Fairfax, and my friend Dave didn't suggest I audition for a play.
If I had not auditioned for a play, and gotten in, I don't think I would have tried again. I would never have done theater.
Obviously, if I wasn't doing theater, I wouldn't have been in Twelfth Night, where I discovered my love of Shakespeare for the stage.
From there, I wouldn't have branched out to Vpstart Crow, teaching me everything I know about stage managing. I wouldn't have moved on to NJS, which taught me that I hate working with children, and working outside is miserable.
If I hadn't done so much local theater, I probably wouldn't have realized so quickly that casting someone based off of their genitalia instead of their acting ability was not just upsetting, but a normal occurrence. (Note: At any given audition, there may be up to two or three women for everyone 1 man. There are usually more "male" roles. If a character is written as a man, many directors would rather have a bad actor than an okay actress.)
This all primed me for another incredibly large milestone: I met Arielle, and she had an all-female Shakespeare company.
She cast me in Twelfth Night, as Duke Orsino. It was by far the largest role I had ever had. I wasn't great, but the experience was amazing. Playing men is great. The best roles are written for men, to be played by men anyone who would do their best in that role.
Then, she cast me as Demetrius and Snout, in Midsummer. I wasn't terribly strong as either role, but before the show opened, Arielle said that she couldn't keep running the company by herself, with no assistance.
I offered to help, and she allowed me to become the Managing Director. Dan shortly afterward completed the board as Technical Director.
After Midsummer was over, she believed in me and let me direct The Importance of Being Earnest.
I had never tried to direct before. I had never blocked a show. I had, however, worked behind the scenes with several directors, and thought I could do it. As it turns out, I could direct. I'm a sub-par actor, but I'm actually pretty decent at directing.
After Earnest, there was Hamlet, which was the last time that Arielle cast me in a large role. I nearly destroyed her show by not learning my lines, and even when I got off-book, the words were not solidified, and my performance was incomplete. However, I still learned from that production; I will not regulate my time appropriately unless forced.
Winter's Tale followed Hamlet. Macbeth followed Winter's Tale. Show, after show, after show passed, as first Vpstart Crow, then NJS, slowly died.
Each show, the company grows. Each show, we learn from mistakes so we can make new mistakes in the future.
Tonight is the final rehearsal before our most recent show. I do special effects makeup and otherwise sit in a corner and stay out of trouble because my work is done.
I think about the experiences I've had, and the things I've learned along the way. I think about how Arielle is my best friend, and how much we've grown the company.
And none of this would have happened if my friend Dave hadn't suggest that I audition for a play.
Life is funny like that.
If I had not auditioned for a play, and gotten in, I don't think I would have tried again. I would never have done theater.
Obviously, if I wasn't doing theater, I wouldn't have been in Twelfth Night, where I discovered my love of Shakespeare for the stage.
From there, I wouldn't have branched out to Vpstart Crow, teaching me everything I know about stage managing. I wouldn't have moved on to NJS, which taught me that I hate working with children, and working outside is miserable.
If I hadn't done so much local theater, I probably wouldn't have realized so quickly that casting someone based off of their genitalia instead of their acting ability was not just upsetting, but a normal occurrence. (Note: At any given audition, there may be up to two or three women for everyone 1 man. There are usually more "male" roles. If a character is written as a man, many directors would rather have a bad actor than an okay actress.)
This all primed me for another incredibly large milestone: I met Arielle, and she had an all-female Shakespeare company.
She cast me in Twelfth Night, as Duke Orsino. It was by far the largest role I had ever had. I wasn't great, but the experience was amazing. Playing men is great. The best roles are written for men, to be played by men anyone who would do their best in that role.
Then, she cast me as Demetrius and Snout, in Midsummer. I wasn't terribly strong as either role, but before the show opened, Arielle said that she couldn't keep running the company by herself, with no assistance.
I offered to help, and she allowed me to become the Managing Director. Dan shortly afterward completed the board as Technical Director.
After Midsummer was over, she believed in me and let me direct The Importance of Being Earnest.
I had never tried to direct before. I had never blocked a show. I had, however, worked behind the scenes with several directors, and thought I could do it. As it turns out, I could direct. I'm a sub-par actor, but I'm actually pretty decent at directing.
After Earnest, there was Hamlet, which was the last time that Arielle cast me in a large role. I nearly destroyed her show by not learning my lines, and even when I got off-book, the words were not solidified, and my performance was incomplete. However, I still learned from that production; I will not regulate my time appropriately unless forced.
Winter's Tale followed Hamlet. Macbeth followed Winter's Tale. Show, after show, after show passed, as first Vpstart Crow, then NJS, slowly died.
Each show, the company grows. Each show, we learn from mistakes so we can make new mistakes in the future.
Tonight is the final rehearsal before our most recent show. I do special effects makeup and otherwise sit in a corner and stay out of trouble because my work is done.
I think about the experiences I've had, and the things I've learned along the way. I think about how Arielle is my best friend, and how much we've grown the company.
And none of this would have happened if my friend Dave hadn't suggest that I audition for a play.
Life is funny like that.