OK, so I know how you all are just DYING to find out how opening week for my play went. I'm sure it's hard to think of anything else. Seriously though, how do you stand going about your daily life without knowing? It must be hard. I really feel for you. So...kind person that I am, I decided to fill you in on all the details. You are so very, very lucky!
We started off the week with rehearsals every day - Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. By the time our last dress rehearsal rolled around, we were exhausted. And dying for a real audience.
Thursday was Opening Night. It was a large crowd filled with friendly people. There were members of East Side Players from past shows, the play reading committee and from the board. Cast and crew were each given complimentary tickets so each of us had a familiar face in the audience. For me, it was the Husband. Everyone LOVED the show. They are a bit biased, but still, they loved it. They loved it so much, in fact, that they found it uproariously funny. It was a bit disconcerting. We knew that there were moments with humour written into the script, but we had no idea it was a farce. It was interesting. And kind of fun. It erased my exhaustion for the time being.
There was a wine and cheese after the show, and we got to mingle with the audience. That was a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be. I usually don't like those kind of things at all, because I am very shy. But person after person came up to me telling me how much they enjoyed the show. I barely had time to eat, and had to make the Husband my fetch-and-carry boy because I was starving! A lot of the people who talked to me were East Side big-wigs, and I've been out of the loop for so long that I had no idea who they were, but had to pretend I did. Very awkward. Bad actor, bad!
The second night's audience was much more subdued. In reality, though, they were very good, and had the kind of response that I was actually expecting for the play. The show, for us, was technically much more smooth (there were a lot of quickly-covered goofs on opening), but our tiredness was starting to show. Everyone needed sleep.
Saturday night was the biggie for me. A bunch of my very favourite bloggirls got together and came to see the show. I was STUPENDOUSLY nervous. Here were a bunch of wonderfully articulate, intelligent, funny and nice women who have never seen me act. It's strange how your mom-life and your work-life can be very separate. What would they think? Would they like the show? I came face to face with the fact that it is one thing to say that you are an actor, and a very different thing altogether to actually have to prove that you can act. Luckily for me, it was a good night, and they seemed to have a good time. I KNOW I had a fantastic time at the bar afterwards. (And really, isn't it ALL ABOUT drinking at the bar afterwards? I'm not an alcoholic! Shut up! I only have trouble drinking when people ask me to stop...)
The Sunday matinée was a bit up and down for me. We had a great crowd. People love matinées for some reason. Me? I loathe them. I think it's weird to do a show when it's still light outside. This week, our matinee (March 1st) is being adjudicated for the ACTCO awards. The house is over-sold for that show. Gulp. Wish me luck. Or break a leg. Or bad rice. Whatever is en vogue these days. I just can't keep up anymore.
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