Excited and scared
That’s how Little Red Riding Hood describes her feelings about meeting the wolf in the midst of the forest in Into the Woods – excited and scared. I know how she feels. Over the next two weeks, I’m performing in two different shows. My librarianing will be drastically reduced, as I’ll be working on only five out of the ten potential working days over this period, but this is probably sensible. I imagine I’ll need a bit of time to lie down in a darkened room.
I’m excited because shows are exciting. I’m scared because shows are scary.
I’m excited because shows are the ultimate adrenaline rush. I’m scared because shows are exhausting, and I don’t really know whether I have enough energy reserves.
I’m excited because both shows will stretch my skills in different ways. I’m scared because they might be stretching them further than they can go.
I’m excited because Charles Miller, composer of When Midnight Strikes, is coming to see the show. I’m scared for exactly the same reason!
I’m excited because the dance routines in The Pajama Game are really good fun to do. I’m scared because quite a few of my friends are real dancers, yet some of them haven’t seen me ‘dance’ – I’m not sure what they’ll make of it if they come.
I’m excited because When Midnight Strikes gives me the opportunity to portray a complex character with three dimensions with a true dramatic arc. I’m scared because I don’t want to overplay the emotions and ruin the drama.
I’m excited because the shows both seem to be coming together well. I’m scared because I always am at this stage in proceedings.
Above all, though, I’m excited. Excited because performing is my passion. Excited to sing songs old and new. Excited to jive, tango and do some comedy character-based dance. Excited to have the chance to portray two such different people. Excited to be working alongside some good friends and some amazingly talented people who truly blow me away (there is, I hasten to add, definite overlap between these two categories). Excited to use the gifts I’ve been given to entertain. Excited to be heading back on to stage.
Well…excited and scared!
The Singing Librarian Talks 
Break a leg Mr Librarian. You’ll be fab.
And advice from someone who deals with people doing short term stressful and time consuming things? Drink plenty of water, eat plenty of fruit, and stay away from the sushi.
This post made me wonder if there is a set cycle of emotions that an actor goes through each time they put on a play (from the first rehearsal till a week or two after the play ends).
Does an actor go through the same emotions each time or is it different for every play and every actor?
Do the negative emotions (like being scared) compensate for the positive ones (like being excited)? I guess they must do or you wouldn’t keep on doing it 🙂
When you have finished this next run of performances (I don’t know whether you are supposed to wish an actor good luck 🙂 ) you could write a post about it.
I meant do the positive emotions (like being excited) compensate for the negative ones (like being scared)? (not the other way round) 🙂
I thought I had commented on this yesterday but i don’t seem to have done. Probably hit the wrong button. I really enjoyed reading this. Good luck with your performances and I’ll look forward to reading more about them
All the best for your opening night tomorrow. Just stumbled on your blog today… the music on the promotional video for When Midnight Strikes sounds fabulous. Break a leg for The Pajama Game too – although not literally – I never got to do that particular show in performance as I managed to break my pelvis the day before the dress rehearsal 😦
My current ‘excited and scared’ moments are opening in the play ‘The Memory of Water’ next Monday, followed on the 5th & 6th April with an as yet unknown musical, learnt and rehearsed overnight and performed for charity 24 hours later. So I know what you mean when you talk about that ‘ultimate adrenaline rush’!
Looking forward to following your on- and off-stage stories – you can read about mine (if you get time!) at highonahill.wordpress.com
Best wishes for your shows, highonahill! A musical in 24 hours sounds like a fun, if somewhat insane, challenge…
When Midnight Strikes went well. Plenty of water was drunk (as well as all sorts of “wine” and “champagne” on stage. On to Pajama Game now!
I think the emotions vary from person to person and show to show. Some nervousness is necessary to drive a performance, I think, but too much would kill it. Everyone has different emotions before and after shows, and I know that my feelings vary greatly, probably due to how difficult I perceive my part to be.