The opening weekend of “Arsenic and Old Lace” ended yesterday with a matinee, and it might have been the best performance of the four. At least it was for me in many ways. I really felt connected to the other characters and “in” each scene.
Performing in a play is so much more than just saying the right lines at the right time or moving to some spot on the stage at the right time. The actor must become the character he or she is trying to convey, and the scenes have to become real.
Yesterday, the Brewster house was really my house, with my sister, Abby, and we were connecting in a special way. As the other characters came in and out of scenes, we had the same connections, and that helped make everything so real.
Thinking about that, I realized that that is what needs to happen in the scenes we write for books, too. We, as author, need to make them so real that the reader steps into a whole new world.
I am truly grateful to be working with such a terrific cast of very talented folks. Each, in his or her own way, raises the bar for the rest of us, and it has been exciting to discover those little nuances that help to make the characters and the scenes come alive.
We run again next weekend, then that will be the end of it. The Main Street Theatre is already looking ahead to auditions for the next show, and I will be moving on to the Readers’s Theatre production at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts the end of this month. But even though the show is ending, and I am not sure when I will again have the pleasure of sharing the stage with these terrific actors, I will carry a bit of them with me. I am better at my craft because of this association, and for that, I say, “Thank you.”
I also want to say “thank you” to all my writer friends who have offered support and guidance that has helped me become a better writer. Creativity does feed creativity, and when we are willing to share our gifts it raises the bar for all of us.
What about you? Where do you find support and guidance? Where do you share yours?
Well stated “Sis”. This has been a truly wonderful experience. It’s a pleasure to be working with so many experienced and gifted thespians, as well as some new folks just getting their feet wet. And we will definitely carry some of what we experienced with us.
I find inspiration all around me on a daily basis. My family, friends, co-workers, and, sometimes, even strangers inspire me in so many different ways.
And you are definitely an inspiration to many of us. Thanks for being who and what you are.
Aw, Abbey, that is so sweet. (smile)