Opening Energy

One night down, two nights to go.

Opening night. There is nothing like it in the entire world. The energy is high, the nerves are higher. Audiences pump us full, we're on fire, ready to go.

It was an amazing night. We got laughs, we got sighs, some characters were loved, some were hated. They hit their cues, their jokes, their cast members (literally, Ramad gets slapped in the face).

After the show everyone was on cloud 9. The realization that comes with every opening night: "We've done it. All our hard work was worth it. They loved it. We had fun. Let's do it again!"

I think I had forgotten how much I love being back stage during shows. It's been a year and a half since I was sitting in the dark behind the curtains for a show. There is such a different energy behind the curtain compared to in the light booth. In the booth you get to watch the show, enjoy it again, comment on how it's going from out there, watch the audience react. Behind the curtain the energy is still high, but we have to try and contain it. It's like an atomic bomb waiting to explode as soon as they walk on stage. There are people saying the lines along with the characters on stage, people doing very quick changes, people running around silently as they loose their props and costume pieces. Instead of watching everything, you hear everything. You get to hug cast members after a scene they nailed. You get to attempt to stifle your laughs when a new joke is said (harder for me than for others).

I love theatre!

The show we are putting on will never be done again, not in the way we are doing it. The script will be revived, but this show is one of a kind. Every night the show is one of a kind. The characters the audience loved last night may not be the ones they love tonight. It is a constantly changing medium, and it is exciting! No matter how many times you watch a movie, it never changes. Theatre has a life that nothing else can come close to.

And can I just say how wonderful it is to perform for a mostly African American audience? They are so much more responsive than the majority white audiences back in Iowa. They give such a wonderful energy, yelling at the characters when something is happening. One of our favorite moments last night was when Vanessa said, "Is my family that messed up?" and someone said, "Yeah!" Such a different dynamic than I am used to, that I will miss when I go back.

So now we just have to do it two more times. I'm excited. Such a good way to end my stay here. But I don't want to think about leaving, not yet. Tuesday will come soon enough.

Until next time, pump up the energy!