Drama from a different perspective

Ever since I was introduced to the stage I have been coming back ever since to relive the thrill of acting. There's just something about becoming someone else for a little while with other actors and putting on a show for a crowd on the edge of their seats. The best part is hearing them cheer as you take your bow. My final big performance would be Twelve Angry Jurors and boy did we kill that play. After the countless rehearsals and four successful performances I was ready to walk away from acting and never look back. I put my heart and soul into becoming Juror 3 and now it was time for a rest. Bye Bye Birdie was the follow up musical to Twelve Angry Jurors and I declined auditions still to tired from the last play to jump right another. However by the time I was ready to take on a part the musical was already on its way. I rested after my long sea bearing performance and my next ship set sail without me.

     I wasn't going to miss the performances though so I offered to usher for a couple to get me in free. An hour before show time I stroll up to the doors looking my best. I may not know how to usher but I was going to dress for the part. Two ushers were already at the stairs leading to the auditorium checking tickets so I decided to slip in and watch the crowd. Basically I just looked for people who had their hats on or feet on the seats. An easy job but I seem to be the one who is always stuck doing it. Minutes before showtime as I am beginning to sit down in a closed off section of the house Brian, the techboard worker, walks up to me and asks if I would be the one to sit up at the booth and film the play. Well I figured why not since I had experience working behind a camera and took him up on his offer. Now if i had known how long i would be sitting there staring at the screen I may have had second thoughts.

     There were four performances and I ushered for three of them. The only time I really sat down and watched the show was the second time. Watching them dance and sing on stage really took me back to the plays I have been in. I slowly began to imagine what it was like on stage during my performances and at the end pretended I was up on stage bowing with the cast. My mouth became dry and I grew anxious as I thought of the heat of the stage lights combined with the intense struggles. Watching them perform made me long to just be performing just one last time with them. I immediately began regretting turning down the offers to audition and get a part in all of this Drama. I guess what they say is true you don 't know what you got until it's gone.