We are in our official kick-off of tour! Official opening night was last night here in Oklahoma City. It was a great crowd, especially for a Tuesday. The theatre is absolutely gorgeous! Four balconies, steeply raked- it's huge, but oddly intimate. Such an amazing gift to have been raised in an atmosphere where theatre was considered a second home. For so much of my life, the theatre has been home. With my dad owning a theatre company since I was born, I have always been on or near a stage. Even hundreds of miles away from home and from those I love dearly, the lights and the stage bring a comfort, a sort of warmth. No matter what may be going wrong, what kind of loneliness I might feel, I step into a theatre and it's okay for a while. There's really "no people like show people, they smile when they are low". We're a certain breed, a very... unique breed of people. Sure, the show references and the impersonations can be overwhelming (Although men in their mid-twenties taking on the personas of Liza Minnelli and Patti Lupone can be pretty entertaining), but it's the vibrant love and life that make theatre people amazing to be around. The way they observe and participate in the world around them is astounding. The way they are not ashamed to feel, to experience life fully, to be effected by it, and to avoid the society expectation of "not making a scene" (showing their emotions). These are some of the most honest and compassionate people I've been around, and I couldn't imagine life on the road without them.
The entire city is filled with OKC Thunder signs and apparel, and I just had to grab a mini-basketball for the road. My room mate and I were going to attempt attending a game, but apparently the Grinch frowns upon us ditching him for basketball (what a debbie downer). I had a chance to see their arena, the botanical gardens, as well as their downtown area, called "Bricktown". It's a neat town, with murals of "Oklahoma!" on the walls and plenty of rich dairy farmers with cowboy hats walking around our hotel. It's everything you'd hope to see in an Oklahoma town.
Understudy rehearsals took place today, which made me really really excited. Getting the chance to step into the character of the Grinch is simultaneously exhilarating and challenging. The role is so demanding on every level, I marvel at how Stefan does it 8-10 times a week! It's filling the entire stage, giving yourself 100% to every moment, and maintaining an electricity that lights the entire show. I am thankful for the challenges and for the bar that has been set for meeting these challenges. I can't think of a better way to grow than to take on a type of role I have little experience with, and learn that role from someone who has brought it to life and perfected it over several years. I am confident that, even if I were to never put on the green, I will be walking away from this tour a much better actor and student of the craft. I couldn't be more grateful for that gift.
So, now we march on to 10 show performance weeks, moving from city to city every week. There is much to be explored over the coming weeks, people and places. I am thrilled to be on this journey, and I feel more and more every day that this is exactly where I am supposed to be. This is the perfect atmosphere to better myself in every way, and I hope I can take advantage of that. I value the time of learning from other people, and I value the time by myself to learn more about me. "Happiness is being alone every now and then, and happiness is coming home again" - you knew what you were talkin' bout, Charlie Brown. Love love love.
The entire city is filled with OKC Thunder signs and apparel, and I just had to grab a mini-basketball for the road. My room mate and I were going to attempt attending a game, but apparently the Grinch frowns upon us ditching him for basketball (what a debbie downer). I had a chance to see their arena, the botanical gardens, as well as their downtown area, called "Bricktown". It's a neat town, with murals of "Oklahoma!" on the walls and plenty of rich dairy farmers with cowboy hats walking around our hotel. It's everything you'd hope to see in an Oklahoma town.
Understudy rehearsals took place today, which made me really really excited. Getting the chance to step into the character of the Grinch is simultaneously exhilarating and challenging. The role is so demanding on every level, I marvel at how Stefan does it 8-10 times a week! It's filling the entire stage, giving yourself 100% to every moment, and maintaining an electricity that lights the entire show. I am thankful for the challenges and for the bar that has been set for meeting these challenges. I can't think of a better way to grow than to take on a type of role I have little experience with, and learn that role from someone who has brought it to life and perfected it over several years. I am confident that, even if I were to never put on the green, I will be walking away from this tour a much better actor and student of the craft. I couldn't be more grateful for that gift.
So, now we march on to 10 show performance weeks, moving from city to city every week. There is much to be explored over the coming weeks, people and places. I am thrilled to be on this journey, and I feel more and more every day that this is exactly where I am supposed to be. This is the perfect atmosphere to better myself in every way, and I hope I can take advantage of that. I value the time of learning from other people, and I value the time by myself to learn more about me. "Happiness is being alone every now and then, and happiness is coming home again" - you knew what you were talkin' bout, Charlie Brown. Love love love.