Magic

It's the big night.
An hour and a half before the show will make its debut, the actors begin gathering in the dressing rooms, putting on makeup, placing props where they need to be, and donning costumes. They have weeks and weeks of rehearsals under their belts, and last night's final dress rehearsal went marvelously. Still, there's a thrill of nervous excitement in the air. Will everything go as smoothly tonight as it did the night before?
Crew members flit about anxiously testing lights, administering microphones, and setting the stage. They have only a short while to make sure everything is perfect--if it isn't, the actors will be the ones to suffer. The orchestra warms up and awaits its first cue.
The spectators begin trickling into the theater and finding their seats. Although they aren't supposed to, cast and crew sneak peeks at their audience through the curtains. Their delight is tinged with hope; will this audience, large though it may be, react favorably to the show they've worked so hard to perfect?
Before anyone knows it, everyone is gathered backstage waiting to go on. The director stumbles out and makes a quick preshow speech, trying not to let on that he's just as nervous as his cast members. When he cracks a joke and the audience chuckles, the actors shoot each other encouraged grins.
With the director's speech completed, the orchestra's first tentative notes pierce the stillness of the auditorium. Cast, crew and staff draw in their breaths. Here it is. The moment of truth. Now or never. Here goes nothing.
The music swells into a crescendo as the orchestra picks up speed, and in a sudden burst of movement and color, the cast explodes onto the stage. The nervous energy the actors have been swallowing back all evening only drives their performance onward; nothing can stop them now. This is the moment they've all been waiting for. It is this moment that keeps them coming back again and again.

Spotlight on theater: Much Ado About Nothing

Tomorrow and Saturday evening, I'll be attending a live theater event which, if you're in the area, you won't want to miss out on.
Heartland Actors' Repertory Theatre is returning for their second year at White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis in an event called Shakespeare in the Park. This year's production will be William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. There will be two performances at 8:30 on Friday and Saturday evening (July 31st and August 1st.) It's an outdoor event, so bring your trappings for a picnic. The best part is that it's absolutely FREE! No cost for admission--just sit yourself down and enjoy the show.
I attended last year's production of The Merchant of Venice, and I was absolutely astounded. The acting was truly incredible. I was in tears at one point. Despite the fact that I was unfamiliar with the play, I had no trouble following the storyline--the cast expertly interpreted Shakespeare's sometimes-tricky-to-understand language and made it effortless for the audience to do the same.
I'm personally accquainted with several of the cast and crew members in this year's production. I've taken theater classes with the actors playing Margaret, Leonato, Don John, and Claudio, and I've met the director. I can vouch for all of them-- they're talented AND great to work with. Which, as we all know, are both equally important when it comes to theater.
So anyway, if you're in the area and have an evening free, this would be a great way to spend it. Incidentally, here's the page for White River State Park, which also has directions from different sides of town: www.in.gov/whiteriver/
Keep creating!