"Are you not entertained??!"

So today I had a great matinee of Broadway Bound. Good audience, too, around 55 people, even on Super Bowl Sunday!

I was especially pleased with my big fight scene with Pop, because Tim was really into it and I actually felt angry. The job you have as a performer changes as the show progresses from first read, to rehearsal, to opening, to closing. In this show, we've already performed it eight times, so we have it down pretty well. The challenge here is keeping it honest and fresh, and not switching into autopilot. 

The actors in the cast are all really good at finding new stuff, that is to say, discovering a new meaning or line reading that wasn't there before, and exploiting it to enhance the depth of the performance. Discoveries also help keep the material fresh for the performers.

Photos by Jerry Telfer. From Masquer's Midwinter 2012 newsletter. The other cast  members are Zac Shuman, Marylin Hughes, Timothy Beagley, Avi Jacobson, and Georgie Craig. Set by John Hull, Costumes by Marjorie Moore, Props by Jean Rose, Lighting by John Gourdine.

I really look forward to certain parts of the play that I have down really well. When everything is clicking, and the other actors are on the same groove, it's almost like meditating, because thoughts cease and there's only awareness and reaction. Usually the problem with me is I think a lot, even on stage, and I'm very proud of myself that I've gotten some zen moments in this production.

After the show I went over to Grandma's house to visit her and watch the second half of the Super Bowl. She just had her left ankle replaced, and she has to have it in a cast until around Easter. It's an interesting situation for Grandpa, who isn't super used to cooking and other things. He made us eggs Benedict for dinner. 

On the way over, I was listening to the radio, and the halftime show, and I was getting chills and choking up a little just listening to it. Nothing really gets to me like big events where there's a ton of people watching, I guess. I have always loved the dramatics that sports provide, and even when it's not my team, I still get pretty into it.  

In a way I think athletes are similar to actors, because of the nature of what they do: it involves intense practice and rehearsal, and the culmination of it is a spectacle with high stakes. Granted, performers and stage people are not in direct competition with one another. But they are fighting for things. They're fighting against the small attention spans and critical eyes of the audience, in order to give them a story that has meaning and is entertaining. They're fighting the inherent difficulties found in any collaborative art project, in order to deliver the playwrights' message as clearly as possible. Now that I think of it, entertainers are in a sense fighting each other for the attention and money of the viewers, but not in the direct way football teams do. 

the coin toss

Plays and Sports both have a unique ability to inspire. 

In a similar vein, I must add that I love stadium shows, especially the Olympics opening and closing ceremonies. I have very clear memories of every Opening ceremony performance I've seen. They're just so unique...in terms of artistic expression, scale, budget, or people involved. And of course the whole world is watching. 

The 2000 Sydney Olympics opening ceremony

It's inspiring to me to see so many resources put forth for an artistic event. To me, if so many people want to put so much effort into an art project, maybe the ideals of art aren't as pointless as they can sometimes seem in modern society. Also, the diversity of skills and personalities that are all working together makes me hopeful that people can work out their differences in other areas like politics and war. 

But it doesn't have to be an artistic event for me to get excited about it. As I mentioned above, sports inspire me, for the dedication, skill, and cooperation that is required to succeed. Space exploration also is something that gets my heart pounding. 

I hope all this is at least mildly interesting to y'all. I've included some pictures to break up the text a bit. 

Also I feel a little bad for reposting those pics of the show without the photographer's permission. I will hopefully get better quality versions from him, he's an excellent photographer.   

TTYL