Sunday, July 6, 2008

Opening Night

Last night was the opening night for The Comedy of Errors. My very first opening night. I'm sort of sick right now, so I felt a little queasy during the performance; it might have been stage fright but I'm not so sure. I still feel the same way right now. Maybe I'll never know.

Our Dromios (D. of Ephesus and D. of Syracuse) were both played by girls, and wore fake mustaches. Ha! D. of Syracuse came into the girl's dressing room after trimming her mustache and said in a Jaq-Clousseau accent, "Believe it or not, I do belong in here!"

Our nine-year-old duke (pardon me: nine and a half!) had a mild case of stage fright just before the show. But she did so wonderfully. She didn't fidget too much, she stood nice and tall, and spoke loudly.

Some people fumbled of course, but the audience seemed to really enjoy the play. When they first laughed (probably at D. of Syracuse - she was GREAT!) GiGi, the lady playing Dr. Pinch, said, "Ooh, that's good!" When they laughed a second time she said, "Isn't that a beautiful sound?" It was. It really was. It made me want to laugh too. I practically had the play memorized but I smiled and chuckled along with the audience.

I did fine, if you're wondering. I play Luce, a servant. I had some snappy, scornful lines in Act III, and a frantic speech as a messenger in Act V. That was lots of fun. I didn't have so many lines to memorize that it was stressful for me. I went out without my glasses which was... alright, I suppose. I could see everyone on stage well enough. Though with the lights and without my glasses, our Antipholus of Syracuse looked like he had a blurry halo over his head which is funny for two reasons: the first being that the Syracusian boys are supposed to be more innocent and naive than the Ephesian boys. The second reason was that A. of Syracuse was showing people how to make the Sign of the Cross backstage before the show. Hehe!

I almost forgot to mention the turn-out: 100 people! I know it doesn't seem like a lot, but keep in mind that we were performing in a small town in a gazebo. We ran out of seats!

We had another show today. It was very hot, but all together I think everyone did better. Next week is the opening of You Can't Take It With You. I really can't wait to see it. Now I'm already wondering what play the Shakespeare Festival up here will do next year...

4 comments:

Elenatintil said...

It sounds like it went really well, Delaney! I'm glad that it did! (And wish that we lived in the same state so that I could have come to see you act...)

Courtney said...

oh i'm so delighted to hear it went good! i'm more of a music girl, so i understand stage fright! i usually get queasy before i sing or play the piano. i'm really terrible at acting and i respect your ability! congrats!

Grace K. said...

Eeep! Congradulations, Delaney! *hugs her* That's so cool! Please tell me your mom got pictures...I want to see you in costume!

You wear glasses? Me too! When I was Titania in my Co-op's little 20/30 minuet production for the closing program I couldn't wear my glasses. So there I was trying my hardest not to squint, (I could see, just not very well) look regal and fairy-ish, not trip on my long sea-green blue piece of fabric I had over my shoulders, remember my (few!) lines, oh, and not look stupid.

*sighs deeply* A heavy burden. But such is the life of the stage, and of us actors who give it our all! ;)

It sounds like so much fun!

Lots of love,
Grace

~Firefly~ said...

That's so cool! This is really funny to me because when I was younger I was also in A Comedy Of Errors, except for that I played Adrianna I think her name is? Yeah. It was really fun. They Dromius's were also played by girls :P