So sorry, but this post won’t be full of photos… but this one basically says it all anyway. Tonight was opening night for “How Does a Thing Like That Get Started?” It’s late and I’m waiting on laundry to finish washing so I can hang it to dry and head home but my heart is happy.
Although this show was only a one act (one of two put together to make a night of drama) and you’d think that meant quick and easy, it wasn’t always fun and games along the way. Yes, we laughed a ton. It’s a very funny script and it’s a great group of kids, but busy schedules for them and for me made it stressful to add one more thing to do. It’s hard to be committed when you don’t have time left to commit! We also performed this play in-the-round (just like it sounds, seats all the way around the stage) which was a challenge I’ve been wanting take on as a director but as I mentioned in a previous post, my cohort in crime is still raising support to return so I was on my own to figure out how to light this show. Dusting off ancient 10 years put away knowledge on the subject was a little overwhelming. I had several student techies volunteer two evenings of time to help and with support from collegues across the pond I was encouraged to feel like I was not as far off track as I feared. My friend Kim (and mother of the ginger in the middle) helped me pull out costumes (even digging out some of her old work clothes– the two beautiful flowered dresses in the middle), buy potato chips and pull together all sorts of details. Another junior from the #classofswag jumped in to help with hair and I even ended up doing some myself. Other collegues Drew and Tiffany stepped up to tech and video. There are just so many details! Thankfully all my set required was park benches. A one act is less rehearsal time (usually) because it’s shorter but can be just as full of things to do as full length show. I am always amazed and blessed by the people that come along even in the last few days that help make a show that much better.
Well, we didn’t have a huge crowd and it wasn’t a spectacle of a show, I am very tired and will be grateful to have the time to shift back to other commitments but the audience laughter and the faces of the kids after (3 of which have never been in a play before) and the learning experience doing something very different (aka being forced from my comfort zone) from everything I’ve done before made it all worth it.
Well done to my kiddos and the cast of the other one act too. Ya’ll did fabulous.
