Moment Number 4
Moment Number 4: Footlight's West Side (Fall 2005)
The Footlight Club is a Community Theatre in Jamaica Plain. In late August I auditioned for their production of West Side Story, and completely unexpectedly was cast as Maria. After months of strenuous rehearsals and late nights, it was opening night. This whole evening was so surreal. Maria has always been my ultimate dream role... the one I knew I needed to play once before I was too old. For a 17 year old in such a demanding role, playing across from the most beautiful and talented 26 year old (who sang for the pope!) I was feeling alot of pressure and working harder than usual so that I could live up to the standards of the adult cast around me. I had dreamed of opening night and some how in the back of the mind I could never visiualize it happening bc it seemed too good to be true. By opening night, each and every performance was already completely sold out. We did our warms ups, got into hair and make up and then the boys went on stage for fight call. About 5 minutes into it we heard a blood curdling scream from the stage. Sam (the really amazing Tony)was lying on the stage, unable to stand.
10 minutes before the start of the show, Sam seemed to have broken his knee during fight call and was unable to walk. my vision of opening night had been shattered. It didnt look like the show was going to happen. What could I do? looking at the pain on Sam's face I wasn't going to beg him to go on. But being the professional he is, he asked them to hold the show until the could get a doctor to tightly wrap his knee. The director pulled me aside and asked me if I could restage anything off the top of my head that she felt would need restaging. "Of course... I'll do my best." At this point I was even more of a nervous wreck than before. I realized that opening night of my dream show relied soley on me. So i sat down, got myself together and the show began. Most of the show was fine.... until teh balcony scene. I began to panic... There was no way sam could climb a 12 foot ladder... So in the middle of the scene when Tony asks if he came up... I told him "no because we would get caught. but I will come down to you" Needless to say, it wasnt quite what teh audience was expecting, but the scene happened... as did the rest of the show. It was a a huge hit. the audience went crazy and stood thru the entire curtain call. When the show was over the entire production cast came over and publically congratulated me and told eveyrone that was the hero of the show. Although I still maintain the idea that Sam was the true hero, I'm proud that I didnt crack under the pressure I was face with. Afterall the show must go on, right?
it was without a doubt one of my top 3 theatre experiences. I had a true understanding of my character... i did my homework... developed true realtionships both on and off stage (and got to kiss a gorgeous 26 year old :)... multiple times!) But mostly, i handled every obstacle thrown at me, despite feeling like I may fail. it was a true learning experience... it kept me on my toes. I can honestly say it is one of very few shows that I have felt really good about the end result.
The Footlight Club is a Community Theatre in Jamaica Plain. In late August I auditioned for their production of West Side Story, and completely unexpectedly was cast as Maria. After months of strenuous rehearsals and late nights, it was opening night. This whole evening was so surreal. Maria has always been my ultimate dream role... the one I knew I needed to play once before I was too old. For a 17 year old in such a demanding role, playing across from the most beautiful and talented 26 year old (who sang for the pope!) I was feeling alot of pressure and working harder than usual so that I could live up to the standards of the adult cast around me. I had dreamed of opening night and some how in the back of the mind I could never visiualize it happening bc it seemed too good to be true. By opening night, each and every performance was already completely sold out. We did our warms ups, got into hair and make up and then the boys went on stage for fight call. About 5 minutes into it we heard a blood curdling scream from the stage. Sam (the really amazing Tony)was lying on the stage, unable to stand.
10 minutes before the start of the show, Sam seemed to have broken his knee during fight call and was unable to walk. my vision of opening night had been shattered. It didnt look like the show was going to happen. What could I do? looking at the pain on Sam's face I wasn't going to beg him to go on. But being the professional he is, he asked them to hold the show until the could get a doctor to tightly wrap his knee. The director pulled me aside and asked me if I could restage anything off the top of my head that she felt would need restaging. "Of course... I'll do my best." At this point I was even more of a nervous wreck than before. I realized that opening night of my dream show relied soley on me. So i sat down, got myself together and the show began. Most of the show was fine.... until teh balcony scene. I began to panic... There was no way sam could climb a 12 foot ladder... So in the middle of the scene when Tony asks if he came up... I told him "no because we would get caught. but I will come down to you" Needless to say, it wasnt quite what teh audience was expecting, but the scene happened... as did the rest of the show. It was a a huge hit. the audience went crazy and stood thru the entire curtain call. When the show was over the entire production cast came over and publically congratulated me and told eveyrone that was the hero of the show. Although I still maintain the idea that Sam was the true hero, I'm proud that I didnt crack under the pressure I was face with. Afterall the show must go on, right?
it was without a doubt one of my top 3 theatre experiences. I had a true understanding of my character... i did my homework... developed true realtionships both on and off stage (and got to kiss a gorgeous 26 year old :)... multiple times!) But mostly, i handled every obstacle thrown at me, despite feeling like I may fail. it was a true learning experience... it kept me on my toes. I can honestly say it is one of very few shows that I have felt really good about the end result.