Another Openin', Another Show!

Tonight was Opening Night for Hairspray.
I should be asleep because there are two shows tomorrow.
I definitely shouldn't be blogging - especially at 2am after a few glasses of wine at the cast party! (Well, technically, it was one glass... or rather, a plastic cup that kept getting mysteriously refilled... but I digress.)

Our tech was grueling. Well, the whole process was a bit of organized chaos, really. We staged Act I in the first week, Act II in the second week and went into tech our third week. We had 3 "10 of 12"s... which means we're at the theatre from 11am to 11pm with a 2-hour dinner break. So, yeah... 30 hours of tech rehearsal in three days. Can you say sleepy and cranky mama??

Wednesday and Thursday were our Preview performances and they were packed. I was kinda surprised... I mean, I know that Hairspray is a popular show, but I didn't expect that our Previews would be sold out! Standing ovations, amazing feedback from audience members, great response in ticket sales...

And I found myself in a corner tonight, surveying the smiling faces milling through Mr. B's backyard... and felt more than a little overwhelmed.

There is a moment in this show that I find incredibly moving and sobering. Thankfully, I'm backstage and have a few moments to compose myself before my next entrance - because it never fails to bring me to tears and leave me emotionally wobbly. For those not familiar with 'Hairspray', it deals with issues such as civil rights, prejudices, overcoming obstacles, etc. etc. While the practical application of the show deals 'mostly' with racism, it's a pretty decent commentary on any and all social stereotypes. And one of the clever elements or at least an astute observation on the part of Mr. Waters, is that the children of the show are the catalysts to change outdated or unenlightened traditions of their predecessors. Much like I feel like my generation rebelled against what we considered outdated or misguided opinions, ideas, traditions, rituals, etc; I also think it will be our children and our children's children that finally abolish what is left of the bigotry and intolerance that still weighs heavy in our ranks.

What I love most about this show is the joyous spirit of it. Not only is the show itself uplifting and inspiring, but the cast is really an incredible eclectic mix of awesomeness that I never would have dreamed. I remember getting Tiff's first email with the contact list... and I read down each name, smiling at the familiar ones that I knew or had worked with before and wondering who the others were and what they'd be like.

I feel like we bonded instantly, knowing the work that was ahead for all of us. When we laugh, we laugh loud and hard; when we cry, we cry openly.

There are times in my life that I wonder if I've made the right choices in my life. I miss a lot of my kids' recitals, games, and events because I work the equivalent of a 'swing shift' with Mondays off. (And I'm usually doing at least a shoot or two on Mondays.) I've traded in financial success for being passionate about what I do and I often panic when I think that I'm a mere emergency away from being in debt again. (Which took me the last seven years to climb out of.)

Any time I begin to have doubts... any time I find myself perusing want ads for marketing execs; God, the universe, the magic of fate, drops me into a project like this one. I'm loving every moment and every person involved. I feel like I'm learning and growing. It has felt like more than just another Opening Night. This one has been special. I know I don't fully understand 'why' just yet... and it may take many years for me to appreciate some elements of this production that I don't right now, but I'm trying to soak up as much as I possibly can while I can.

In the meantime, I feel blessed.

Blessed to be part of something so amazing.

And very very grateful.