Rehearsal

I am now a few weeks into rehearsals for my upcoming show, The Last Night of Ballyhoo. In fact, we only have 10 more rehearsals until we open! EEK! Most of us are off book and we are starting to really get a feel for the show. Characters are coming along nicely and we, as a cast, really gel, I think. We rehearse Monday-Thursday from 7-10pm and typically run the whole show every night. Each night as we approach the final scenes and inch closer to the 10 o'clock mark, we all start to get a little loopy. We start flubbing lines, interjecting random thoughts into scenes, behaving badly and just all around acting like idiots. This is actually my favorite part of rehearsal. The funniest things come out of people's mouths and of course, by 10pm we are all a little slap-happy so everything is hilarious. Also, I think these cooky experiences every night help us bond as a cast. Inside jokes are formed and these are the moments we will really remember in the future.

One of the best things about theater is that you get to spend so much time with so many wonderful people that share the same passions and interests that you do. Everyone works really hard to build their character over time, and you get to witness these transformations along the way -- all while doing something you love. You learn to depend on one another and to learn from everyone's experience and expertise. And then to top it off, you get to go out there and perform to hoards of applauding fans (well, at least your cheering parents). Although it's full of hard work, long hours, and many struggles, there are few things as rewarding as performing in the theatre.