Hanging on a Costumed Thread

He comes into rehearsals hanging by a costumed thread! I notice every year that there comes a time in the senior year when the talented, passionate seniors enter the maelstrom of being a part of every single project – holding up every single production – and needing to realize their last “high school report card” as the best it can be. One such senior slumped his way into rehearsal this afternoon. He had been sneaking around his academics all day squeezing the last of his brain cells to get as many words of the script possible in his brain – granted he has only had this role for a week – but he KNOWS that the fun of playmaking can only begin with the script is left to the side. He pushed himself through all of the academics – had all his work when it came to my classes at least – and actually help up his head and participated all the way to the bell. I will say that he sneaked the illegal can of “super coffee” in a classroom that is to have no food or drink – but what the hell, give the boy a break.

His work at rehearsal was perfectly on point. He is new to working on the role and is setting likely too high of a goal for his work (at least at this 4th or 5th rehearsal) – but nothing really holds this young man back. He wants to open himself be to being available to the moment. He talked of times when he opened himself to a rush of feeling and one could sense that he was going to take us there in a rehearsal not to far from now. It was bit of a challenge to navigate him at the rehearsal – he was so wanting to get to the product and was so hard on himself for not getting there NOW. I did all I could to insure him that this art works on faith and I have total faith that in a few weeks more rehearsal he will even surprise himself with how far he will reach. He will be wonderful – but we don’t talk about that today. Today we set him up with his scene partner and allow him just to pass the words and moments back and forth in repetition that looks a bit like emotional ping-pong. I encourage him to not work so much – – but just play an hour or two of ping-pong.

Then 5:30 comes and he must be off – now to a show he is managing and not acting in – now to a show that is not here but there – now to a show that is not starting but concluding – and then home to a meal that likely be cold if not simply missing – home to a pile of scripts that would be nice to read but more likely will just another item to fall asleep on – home to simply stop moving – – which, of course, means to fall dead asleep – –

And if truth be told – he would have it no other way. He is a treasure – but I don’t say that to him. You cannot be TOO nice to actors . . .