Being on stage again

When I was in kindergarten, our school put on a musicial (Pinnochio). For some reason, we got to watch the auditions, and as I saw the older girls trying out for the role of the Blue Fairy, I knew I could be up there. I walked up to Mrs. Piola, my teacher, and said, "I can do that." So she brought me up, spoke with the teacher in charge, and I was allowed to audition.

I got the part. And the bug took hold.

I was in various productions during school all through elementary, middle school, high school and college, but once I started teaching, I didn't have time to be a performer. All of my energy went towards teaching, music directing productions, grad school, and then parenting. After watching my friend get back up on stage after many years, I knew I wanted to do it, too.

The one problem was, how to find a production that fit into our crazy schedule. I work part-time in the afternoons, and then when I get home, my husband goes to work. In June, I saw an ad for auditions for the Connecticut Gilbert and Sullivan Society's production of "Yeoman of the Guard." They rehearse on Sunday nights---the one night of the week Scott never has to work, and some Tuesdays, which we could swing. Problem is, I saw it precisely 3 days before the auditions, which left me little time to prepare. But I scraped a song from my senior recital together, and auditioned. I was thrilled to be cast as the understudy to Phoebe, and in the chorus.

My friend Noelle (understudy for Elsie) and I thought this sign was hiliarious. Especially because we were cracking jokes backstage, not concentrating. 

Although I never got to perform the role of Phoebe for an audience, I had plenty of opportunities to peform it for the cast in rehearsals, and received great feedback from cast, crew, and the director. I was even more excited when the music director offerred me an opportunity to sing one of the arias with the orchestra at one of our dress rehearsals. Best of all, my daughter got to be a part of the townspeople scenes, and I had a great time with a WONDERFUL group of people.

Can't wait until next year (and neither can Lori!)

Me in my "drapes" (I swear the costume fabric were drapes in a former life) and Lori readdy to perform!