"In the eye of the hurricane there is quiet..." ***Celebrating our penultimate weekend of shows with a throwback to the excitement of opening! Enjoy this post by acting apprentice Emily Garst as she shares her opening night reflections.***
1776 Opening Weekend: Braving the Storm
By Emily Garst
It's impossible to accurately describe what an opening weekend feels like. After weeks of rigorous rehearsals - and subsequently weeks of expectation - you are finally in front of an audience. You cannot predict what kind of audience will be in attendance, nor how they receive the performance. The chance of missing a cue or mangling a line is left up to the fates. The time to call "hold" and run that song one more time is long past.
However, amidst all the panic and anxious excitement, there is also a unique sense of calm. It's as if we members of the entire cast and crew find ourselves in the eye of a storm. This tempest consists of keeping the author's and director's vision close by, supporting your voice, and responding accordingly to the choices made around you. The whirlwind is having animated whispered conversations in the green room before hushing yourself abruptly mid-sentence and perking your head up to listen for the scene's progress as you await your cue. The deluge is keeping the energy alive after 2.5 hours of congressional debate.
Even so, none of us feel a deep sense of dread. We've made it this far. We are a force with which to be reckoned. Just as our Founding Fathers who came before us, we "brave the storm in a skiff made of paper." This script brought us all together for a common purpose. And in our journey to revive a tale of America's birth, we have supported each other the entire way. There are bonds forged within this cast that are stronger than many I have experienced in my brief time on this earth - and that makes them all the more precious. I am endlessly grateful to everyone who has been part of this process, and I cannot wait to return to this incredible production for the next three weekends.
***Tickets are going fast! Don't miss your chance to see this wonderful, unique production!***
1776 Opening Weekend: Braving the Storm
By Emily Garst
It's impossible to accurately describe what an opening weekend feels like. After weeks of rigorous rehearsals - and subsequently weeks of expectation - you are finally in front of an audience. You cannot predict what kind of audience will be in attendance, nor how they receive the performance. The chance of missing a cue or mangling a line is left up to the fates. The time to call "hold" and run that song one more time is long past.
However, amidst all the panic and anxious excitement, there is also a unique sense of calm. It's as if we members of the entire cast and crew find ourselves in the eye of a storm. This tempest consists of keeping the author's and director's vision close by, supporting your voice, and responding accordingly to the choices made around you. The whirlwind is having animated whispered conversations in the green room before hushing yourself abruptly mid-sentence and perking your head up to listen for the scene's progress as you await your cue. The deluge is keeping the energy alive after 2.5 hours of congressional debate.
Even so, none of us feel a deep sense of dread. We've made it this far. We are a force with which to be reckoned. Just as our Founding Fathers who came before us, we "brave the storm in a skiff made of paper." This script brought us all together for a common purpose. And in our journey to revive a tale of America's birth, we have supported each other the entire way. There are bonds forged within this cast that are stronger than many I have experienced in my brief time on this earth - and that makes them all the more precious. I am endlessly grateful to everyone who has been part of this process, and I cannot wait to return to this incredible production for the next three weekends.
***Tickets are going fast! Don't miss your chance to see this wonderful, unique production!***
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