The week before Thanksgiving...

20^th November, 2011

Whoo boy….what a week.  The show finally ended last night, and as always, it was bittersweet.  After the show ended, we helped take the set apart, just as if it were a huge puzzle.  We couldn’t demolish it because we are hoping that we will be sent to compete at ACTF with it.  It was so strange, seeing the Margetts empty of that stage.  I will miss performing in that show, however, when I finally got home that night and went to bed, I felt my body relax in a way it hasn’t done in over two months.  The Elephant Man was probably one of the most stressful shows I have done, rehearsal-wise and performance-wise.  It turned out to be one of the most phenomenal shows I have done as well, but I will most definitely have a bit more time now that it is over.  It is actually pretty amazing—we sold out almost every single show, and we extended a week.  It is currently the highest grossing show at the university, and that is saying something, considering that we performed in the smallest theatre available.

We had another fire alarm last night, but this time, thank heavens, it happened just before the show started.  The last time was in the middle of the first act, during the moment when the audience first sees Merrick.  It totally threw off the show that first time.  We did have to evacuate the building this time, but we didn’t lose our audience, and the show just started late.  White Christmas set off the alarm again!  The haze from their matinee hadn’t cleared, and when it shot up in the theatre again, there went the fire alarm.   Crazy, huh? 

After the show ended last night, we all went out to IHop to celebrate our closing.  Bethany and Graham had written cards for everyone and brought a single red rose for each girl as well (I managed to forget mine when I left, which I am rather sad about). I always feel badly that I rarely do anything like that; I probably should.  Oh.  I also found out who the anonymous flower giver was…Gabby!  It was incredibly kind of her to give them to me, especially as she knew I was feeling a bit left out at times.  I am so happy I found out it was her though.  It made it a bit more special for me.  She is truly a good friend and a wonderful person.

I was pondering recently about the closing of shows.  There are two things that I miss about shows when they end.  One is performance aspect of it.  You spend so long rehearsing, and often, the run is a lot shorter than the performance—especially in a college situation.  And secondly, I miss the people.  You become friends with those you work with (usually anyway), and then all of a sudden, after seeing them constantly for three months, you only see them in passing. 

I had my first rehearsal for Little Eyolf on Saturday morning, and I am actually pretty excited for it.  The character of the Rat-wife, is, in my opinion, the best character in the show, even if she is on stage for the smallest amount of time.  I am quite excited about creating her and coming to know her over the next few months!  I love the rehearsal process, when you get to explore and create with so many possibilities! 

I am also so, so, so grateful that Thanksgiving break is upon us.  This semester has been crazy.  I have been getting everything done, but it feels like I have been walking the edge all semester, and still am for the most part.  And let me tell you, I don’t particularly enjoy that feeling. 

Two days of school this week, and then I can head home.  I can’t wait, even though I have homework to be done over the holidays.  I am hoping that I can get much of it done before I leave, but that may be expecting too much of myself, especially as I have a date tomorrow night. 

Anyway, those are the interesting bits of my week, as well my thoughts on them.  That’s all folks.