There is always such a thrill while watching live theatre. A story is told through the lights, sets, dialogue, songs, and actors who transform into people they aren’t for a night. The only thing I find to be even more thrilling is being one of those actors that helps to tell the story.
Theatre has been part of my life since I was 11 years old, and although I had to wait until high school to be able to participate in live theatre once more, it was always on my mind ever since my very first musical, "Children of Eden," in 2008. I knew it would help me overcome at least a little bit of my shyness when it came to singing and performing in front of people and after four years of high school theatre and three BGSU cabarets, I can say that it has worked.
What’s the best moments while working on a show? I, and many of my performing peers, can talk about the classic thriller moments like being in an actual spotlight, learning a dance routine, vocal exercises, working your way through the set or backstage and, of course, the final bows.
However, in my experience, I’ve found that there are even smaller elements of putting a production together that I find to be so exciting. While many may not think twice about these little things, I may not be alone in feeling like following moments are just as thrilling as the classics:
Getting a mic.
Nothing says “I’m in a show!” quite like having a small mic taped to your face. Whether your school or company’s mics were fancy or not, it felt truly official to sport a mic on your face. There is nothing like the feeling of being handed your own assigned mic, going through the process of attaching and accommodating it under your costume, and taping it to your cheek, especially since it was a privilege only given to leads and supporting characters in my high school.
Sound check.
While on the subject of microphones, it’s such an exciting moment when you hear yourself talk and/or sing through a mic. Sound checks are done during tech weeks and before official performances to make sure the mics work properly. Each actor only gets a minute or so to test out their mics during sound check but it is no less exciting to test out your voice and sound before a show.
Costume fitting.
Any costume can either be fun or a pain in the butt, but costume fittings can be quite the moment of truth. It’s at that time that you finally get to see how you look in your character’s clothes and if you actually enjoy the costume, strutting around in it will be even better.
Hair styling.
In the rush of actors, crew members, and stage managers getting ready, sitting in the makeup area while getting your hair done feels so glamorous. Many times, I’ve gotten my hair curled for roles, which isn’t usually the way I’d normally do my hair outside the theater so getting it styled differently felt so transformative.
Notes.
Every actor anticipates getting notes from the director after every dress rehearsal. Some dread it, but others like myself find it as a great opportunity to improve and there’s something about being addressed directly (sometimes by your character name) for a specific note that feels so officially and cool as an ever-learning performer.
Promo photos.
The day that a photographer shows up to a day you know you’ll get amazing promotional shots to share on social media -- not to mention, some potential profile pictures.
Cast call.
Performance weekend(s) call for actors and crew to arrive early in order to have as much time as possible to prepare. No matter how early you are called, it’s always fun to enter the bustling theater with your peers.
Quick changes.
The teamwork involved in quick changes during shows is mesmerizing and being the actor who needs that quick change is done is stressful yet endearing. During those crazy seconds, you feel like you’re in a less graceful version of Cinderella although instead of a fairy godmother transforming a dress for you, assigned costumers are pulling and pinning your next costume on you in the wings.
Every element of a show is exciting no matter how small, and should be appreciated as such.
