My Life in the Theatre: Opening Night

I am happy to report that it turns out that we really didn't need another month. We did a very good job on Opening Night at the Phoenix Stage Company's production of . Not perfect, mind you, but most of the audience had no idea.

Hell week had had its ups and downs. Tech Sunday was really rough but it was the first time we had really run the show in its entirety. Monday was a little better, but I knew that I had the fear of God in my eyes and that was not good.  I realized that I wasn't nervous about being on the stage and the singing. I was actually terrified of messing us and disappointing the people in charge of the production. Here they had given me this amazing opportunity and I kept messing up on so many things.

When the director's note appeared in my e-mail inbox, I cringed and counted how many corrections I had to make. I didn't really have a higher number than anyone else, but it sure felt that way. I honestly wanted and needed feedback, but I was angry with myself for not being as experienced as everyone else appeared to be. After Monday's trial run, Ed Bassett made a comment to me that really stuck. "Nancy, we are not curing cancer here. The audience won't know if you mess up a line or a song. Just have fun with it."

With the firmly implanted in my brain, Tuesday's practice was so much better.  We were awesome and I thought "I can do this." That was until I started losing my voice due to seasonal allergies and the next night I was truly awful. I could barely speak, let alone sing. Of course, that was the rehearsal that our. I assured her after the performance ended that I really can sing, just not on that day. Lucky for me, our director gave us the next night off, and I rested my voice and with a few other interventions managed to get my voice back by the morning of Opening Night. Many thanks to everyone who offered advice on how to get better quickly.

Which brings me back to Opening Night... my day at work seemed to drag. I was so excited to do the show for an audience. I truly wasn't nervous and I was a little surprised that I wasn't. I figured that I knew my lines and the vast majority of the music so I could just relax. I definitely worried that my voice might go away again, so I self-medicated with a hot shower to wash away the pollen. We get to dress in our "blacks" at home because there are so many in the cast and not a lot of room backstage. I had to drag along my two youngest sons to the theatre for my 6:30 call; they were not really happy, but kept the grumbling to a minimum. A field trip to McDonalds and treats from the concession stand helped a lot.

As an honorary prop mistress, I readied the real food for the final scene (as the real Martha and Mary had done so many years ago) and we all did a vocal warm-up with TJ that I could actually sing with. We got to see our head shots for the first time on the poster just inside the door and read the bios in the newly printed program. We had to wait outside in the warm night as the audience tood their seats and I enjoyed talking to the other actors about theatre. I felt like a spy in their backstage group but tried to soak up all the info and tips that I could. We were told that the house was only half sold, but there were only a few empty seats that I saw when we entered the theatre for our entrance about 10 minutes late. Ed did the announce and gave a shout out to the group from my school which included a nice mention about me.

And we did it. Oh yes, there were mistakes, but I think we covered well. My mouth got really dry and no amount of water seemed to help. I usually get the same problem during parent conference marathons and sometimes while speaking during public comment at the Board of Ed meetings. Nothing I couldn't handle and a whole lot better than the audition. Sharon was taking photos from the booth and I can't wait to see and steal them. As I sang in the choir at the back of the house, I realized something funny. At the audition, one of the questions on the form was something along the lines of the role you were seeking. I had no expectations whatsoever, so I honestly wrote that my dream role was to be a pit singer. 

These are people that literally sit in the pit with the orchestra and sing with the cast into a microphone.  No acting, no dancing, no costume. Just singing to back up the voices on stage (especially while they dance) and that is something that I am very secure in the knowledge that I can do. Sharon had mentioned this dream role of mine on the radio and said that they had pretty much stepped over that one and put me right up on stage. But as I sang next to the piano, I couldn't help but notice that I was, in fact, fulfilling that dream of being a pit singer and somehow moving on to the next level, all at the same time. 

After we sang the last note, we took off our robes as fast as we could to go and went to greet family members and friends. My two sons said I "did good." High praise from teenagers. My faithful Maple Hill peeps were far more complimentary and loved that the part fit me so well. Some real actors and actresses that I have had the pleasure of reviewing in their shows took the time to come over and say that I did a good job. That really meant a lot to me. The traditional Opening Night cast party followed with pizza and a delicious cake with the painting of The Last Supper on it, of course. Since I only had a few crackers for dinner, I was starving and enjoyed every bite. I truly did not want the night to end.

Only to go.