It’s Play Time

I began my approach to Ryan with “Now don’t freak out, but…” He quickly chastised me and said he never freaks out, but he WOULD be freaking out if I started a sentence like that again. I began again, “I know it’s crazy and I probably won’t make it, but…I want to try out for ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ at the Scera theater.” There, I had announced my intentions to the one I love, I HAD to do it.

When I went to the Scera to audition, I was scared spitless. Really. Who did I think I was auditioning for the Scera? This isn’t just our friendly neighborhood community theater. But I had said I would do it, so I signed up, went in there and sang my audition song. I was shaking with fear and relief when I came out of there. I had done pretty well, but I was still not sure. When the kids asked me where I had gone, I just said, “nowhere”.

Much to my surprise, I got an email inviting me to audition a few days later. I was to prepare to sing two pages of the song ‘Madame Guillotine’. So, I practiced, learned the words to the song, and tried to prepare myself to go to the call backs. There were singing and dancing call backs, and I was auditioning for a spot in the ensemble. I was again terrified, even MORE so than the regular audition. This time we had to sing that song in front of everyone else who was there auditioning, then we had to learn a dance and perform that in groups of 4 or 5. I really suck at dancing, and I felt SO OLD and FAT. Really. I was there with a bunch of 20 year old skinny girls who can sing up a storm, and who all seem to know each other from other plays they have done together. I felt about as out of place as I had at my first summer theater audition, back a few years ago. Somehow I made it through without tripping or falling flat on my face. One lady came up to me after the dance part (or should I say..pure torture), and said, “You’re doing a good job.” I just about cried. “Thank you so much”, I said, “I just feel really old.” She assured me that they need all ages for a play like this, and I should feel proud of myself. I asked if she was auditioning, and she said, no, she was here for her daughter for morale support, not to mention she was her ride. Thank you, unknown lady.

I went home sweaty and feeling conflicted. On the one hand I was proud of myself for doing such a hard thing, on the other hand, I wondered WHY I had put myself through that. The next Saturday they held the auditions for Peter Pan, which is at Alpine Community Theater. I hadn’t heard if I had made it into the Pimpernell thing, so I auditioned with Natalie for Peter Pan. I rocked that audition, I must say. I sang Madame Guillotine, which I had been practicing, and the dance for that audition was so much easier, and I didn’t have trouble with it. Maybe because I wasn’t nervous, I felt more like I was among friends.

I went home and opened my email and saw..
Dear Paige,

Thank you!
What?! Wow! I had made it! But now I wanted to be in Peter Pan! But I had tried for the Scera because of the scheduling (they don’t perform on Wednesday nights, which is my bell rehearsal night, and they didn’t start rehearsal until mid June, so I could get through concert season and the end of the year stress of May), so I really had to go with that one, even though I kind of just wanted to ditch them and stick with Alpine Community Theater, where I have friends.

I had to tell the Alpine people that I couldn’t do their show, but they must not have gotten my message because I was called back and cast as a pirate, even though I didn’t go to the call backs. I hated having to tell them I couldn’t be in their show, especially after they cast Natalie in the show (she’s an Indian rhythm dancer).

So, Natalie will be in one play (PETER PAN!) and I will be in another play (THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL).

I went to my first rehearsal this week. We start with music rehearsals so we can learn all the songs. They actually gave us a lot of the music at a pre-rehearsal meeting a few weeks ago so we could look it over and start learning. Although I didn’t know anyone, it wasn’t totally uncomfortable. I recognized some of the people from auditions, and one sweet girl named Erica introduced herself to me (there are 3 Erica’s in the cast). There’s actually a guy I knew in college in the show. We went out a few times back in my sophomore year, but apparantly I wasn’t very memorable, because when I said, “I think I know you from BYU”, he didn’t remember me, but just said, “I thought you looked familiar. Were you in my voice class?” It was German, but that’s ok. I don’t expect everyone to have my stellar memory. (ahem–hopefully you realize I am joking, I can’t even remember what we had for dinner last night, but I didn’t go out with that many guys in college, so I do remember most of them).

I am only in the ensemble of this play, so I won’t be on stage a bunch, but it can’t be less than my two appearances, no lines in Cinderella a couple of years ago. I am excited to be a part of this show. There’s so much LESS time wasted without all those kids! And the quality of the voices! Wow! I’m already blown away. I can’t wait to hear the soloists sing, and see how it all comes together.

So, that’s what I’ll be doing for the next two months. And if you are in the area between August 2nd and the 17th, I hope you will stop in and see the show!