Curtain Call

Originally posted 5/23/2011

For the last several weeks I've had a role as one of the backstage coordinators for the CLC Drama Production of Beauty and the Beast, Jr.  So the post this week comes to you from "behind the black curtain" instead of the office window!

Preparing for a middle school drama production is no easy feat.  In the three and a half months we had to prepare there were role changes (due to some actors leaving drama), forgotten lines, scene mishaps, wardrobe malfunctions, and even a meltdown over who was going to be the dinner fork. When we started to do run throughs of the show things backstage were, well...they were chaotic.  The biggest obstacles were getting the kids to stay quiet and to keep away from the curtains that they so loved to peek out of. Contrary to popular belief whispering is talking and if you can see the audience they can see you! I won't lie, I was a little nervous to see how the school preview was going to go.

Fast forward to the school preview. The lights go down, the music starts, and I start scanning the back to see what antics have already started.  What do I see? Nothing but silent actors, anxiously waiting their turn on stage.  On stage I hear loud speaking voices, no pauses in dialogue, and every actor hits their mark.  When it comes time to change the scene, my work is cut in half because all the actors jump in to help.  All of these things put a smile on my face, but what really made me proud was that each time an actor would come back behind the curtain off stage he/she would be given a pat on the back and words of encouragement...silently mouthed of course :-)

How awesome is that? They were the biggest supporters of each other...and after all those tumultuous weeks, that was the only thing that mattered.