Enter, Stage Left
This one's for everyone I met at the Colonial Theatre. Consider it a theatrical life update.
The time is about 7:20 pm and I'm sitting in the cosmotology labratory of a vocational high school, it being our temporary dressing room right before the show. We're about to go on in about 10 minutes, looking at myself in the mirror caked with makeup and foundation with only one thought on my mind:
"I really need some Gold Bond."
Hang on, let's backtrack here for a second.
When I looked back on the year 2006 I think the sole reason why the year was so horrible was because of the fact that I did not do one single theatrical performance. For a guy that's done plays since Junior year of high school up until then, it was wrenching and ultimately a cause of my depression and psycho rants. If you knew me well enough, you were probably on the receiving end of those and I apologize collectively for them.
Two months ago I received a message from someone who was involved in the Armstrong Community Theater, who had been doing shows in my town and was formed about the same time the modern RMU Colonial Theatre was (2001 and 2003, respectively.) They were holding auditions for a "1960s Variety Show" with music from that decade and scenes from the NBC variety show "Laugh In". The first thought that crossed my head when I entered auditions and everyone there stared at me was "new guy". The nerves went away after a balls-out edition of Tainted Love in the style of the karaoke-lounge-singing sensation, Buddy Blackstone followed by some reading.
Amazingly enough I was casted for Dick Martin, who is the co-host of the entire show and carries a good amount of lines in the show. I felt a little bad considering in the show I have no costume changes, no mic changes, and no songs (the last one by my choice) while others in the cast do a tremendous job with their various roles. While it is community theater and the production value isn't as expansive as it was in college, it's something to do and have fun with instead of stewing in my room talking about nuking Wal-Mart to some girl on Yahoo.
With the show over on now (this part was written on Monday) I can say that the stage there at the vocational high school was quite possibly the smallest stage I have ever performed on, smaller than the Colonial Theatre and even smaller than the one in high school. Needless to say there was a good amount of people traffic to get through between scenes but thankfully it worked out in the end.
Opening night was a bit of trouble because as a group we weren't 100% ready given the fact that one dress rehearsal was semi-cancelled due to the snow. It was a smaller crowd on opening night but still a good performance on our end. Friday night was a great show in that even if your only lines consisted of "cheese" and "pants" they would have laughed. Saturday night had some minor issues but we did sell out the show on two nights.
It should also be noted that following Friday's show a few cast members went to a local bar for some karaoke. I made a phone call and invited Buddy Blackstone (www.myspace.com/buddyblackstone), further proving to them that I'm batshiitake crazy.
Overall the show was a lot of fun to do and I got to meet a lot of new people in the process. I'll be auditioning for their next show coming up in April, that being a comedy play.
And maybe I'll bring Gold Bond then. Maybe.
The time is about 7:20 pm and I'm sitting in the cosmotology labratory of a vocational high school, it being our temporary dressing room right before the show. We're about to go on in about 10 minutes, looking at myself in the mirror caked with makeup and foundation with only one thought on my mind:
"I really need some Gold Bond."
Hang on, let's backtrack here for a second.
When I looked back on the year 2006 I think the sole reason why the year was so horrible was because of the fact that I did not do one single theatrical performance. For a guy that's done plays since Junior year of high school up until then, it was wrenching and ultimately a cause of my depression and psycho rants. If you knew me well enough, you were probably on the receiving end of those and I apologize collectively for them.
Two months ago I received a message from someone who was involved in the Armstrong Community Theater, who had been doing shows in my town and was formed about the same time the modern RMU Colonial Theatre was (2001 and 2003, respectively.) They were holding auditions for a "1960s Variety Show" with music from that decade and scenes from the NBC variety show "Laugh In". The first thought that crossed my head when I entered auditions and everyone there stared at me was "new guy". The nerves went away after a balls-out edition of Tainted Love in the style of the karaoke-lounge-singing sensation, Buddy Blackstone followed by some reading.
Amazingly enough I was casted for Dick Martin, who is the co-host of the entire show and carries a good amount of lines in the show. I felt a little bad considering in the show I have no costume changes, no mic changes, and no songs (the last one by my choice) while others in the cast do a tremendous job with their various roles. While it is community theater and the production value isn't as expansive as it was in college, it's something to do and have fun with instead of stewing in my room talking about nuking Wal-Mart to some girl on Yahoo.
With the show over on now (this part was written on Monday) I can say that the stage there at the vocational high school was quite possibly the smallest stage I have ever performed on, smaller than the Colonial Theatre and even smaller than the one in high school. Needless to say there was a good amount of people traffic to get through between scenes but thankfully it worked out in the end.
Opening night was a bit of trouble because as a group we weren't 100% ready given the fact that one dress rehearsal was semi-cancelled due to the snow. It was a smaller crowd on opening night but still a good performance on our end. Friday night was a great show in that even if your only lines consisted of "cheese" and "pants" they would have laughed. Saturday night had some minor issues but we did sell out the show on two nights.
It should also be noted that following Friday's show a few cast members went to a local bar for some karaoke. I made a phone call and invited Buddy Blackstone (www.myspace.com/buddyblackstone), further proving to them that I'm batshiitake crazy.
Overall the show was a lot of fun to do and I got to meet a lot of new people in the process. I'll be auditioning for their next show coming up in April, that being a comedy play.
And maybe I'll bring Gold Bond then. Maybe.
Labels: Theater
posted by Gary at
3:37 AM
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