[BestButchBoy]

Originally Posted by Sybelle

After a lot of not so nice life stuff I moved into a place with my wild, teenaged daughter - who was our budding thespian. On a whim I auditioned for Steel Magnolias with a small theater group here. Came away as the Assistant Director for Steel Magnolias and I was hooked. My daughter opted out. She was trying to hurry up and grow up.

Trial by fire is a nice way of phrasing my introduction to live community theater. And I was still hooked. After that I worked backstage (aka teched) for a local production of Crowns. Talk about a lot of hats! Also, helped paint the stage/set for that one.

Took a few classes, learned about building characters and various "methods" of acting. Who knew? Landed a part in "Harvey" and I came away knowing I still had a lot to learn. Then it was "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever". Followed by playing the "Widow Douglas" in "the Adventures of Tom Sawyer - the musical." Who knew there was a Tom Sawyer musical?

Then another theater group held auditions for a show called WV: Words and Music. They wanted singers and actors and singer/actors. I really sing (singing with the symphony chorus). Acting was a way to help work on the onstage jittery solo stuff. So I auditioned to sing and came away with two very powerful monologues. The music in the show was very moving. Appalachian song has a way of pricking the heart. Our largest audience in the small Walker theater at the Clay Center was around 200. It was such an intimate setting. Onstage there, I had the first experience with really settling into the characters so well - I could see what the ancient Greeks admired about theater.

Managed to work my way into the tech crew of a local Light Opera Guild production of Peter Pan, also at the Clay Center. That was a kick yo ass production. With the fly in sets and the pieces that we had to move in and out, AND the flying kids - no pressure! Ha! But loooooooooved it. The energy was amazing.

Finished up a show last week with another theater group geared towards the younger generation and came away with a huge appreciation for the heart it takes to do just that. They work with the kids other theater groups here in town seem to want to dub "trouble". Some talented young people!

There is something about being involved from the beginning to the very end of a show. I've worked in bad shows, and in higher end production shows. You learn something with each show and with each director. And sometimes, you learn things about yourself.

This last show I finished? My girlfriend of 4 years, broke up with me on opening weekend. What had been an already stressful production, became even more so. But, under pressure, I performed and maintained that same level of energy necessary for each show. After it was done? Then came the tears and now I'm sorting through things, myself. She and I had a complicated story anyways. But that's for another thread.

Started production Sunday night for another show. My daughter is in this one! Our first one together. Should be interesting.

Yes, I love, live theater!

Brava!

I admire your determination and courage to get on the stage. Agreed--there's nothing like being in it from the beginning. When I lived in Boston I was on the board of directors for a theatre group (I'm a behind the scenes kinda theatre guy) and loved being in the game from concept to completion.

Cheers for Queers!