Death of a Salesman

A year and a half ago, Stacey was asked if our tap dancing troupe would participate in a fund raiser by performing two of our pieces in a show. Stacey, always one for having us in a show said yes and soon we were polishing up the dances and working on our costumes. Having performed in front of audiences before whether in one of several choirs (a national television show included here), instrumentally with a bell choir (tv again) or piano, or a little bit of theatre in college, I did not mind being watched by many people. It was the possibility of making a mistake in the dance that made me nervous. But I was still not prepared for what happened to me that night. I fell head over heels in love with the stage. I love the whole thing- the dressing rooms, the crowded hallways full of whispering performers, to the "five minutes On Tap!". I love it all. That night I drove home knowing this is one of the things I was born for and I felt right at home.

In the intervening time as we have gotten to perform several more times including twice at the Elsinore Theatre, this feeling has only intensified. In fact, I was watching a movie last night where they showed a shot of people working on getting a stage ready for a performance and my heart skipped a beat. I simply love being in a show and from the comments Stacey has heard and relayed back to me, it shows.

So it will come as little surprise to people who have seen me perform that I auditioned for and got the part of Ms. Forsythe in "Death of a Salesman", a production my community theatre is putting on. It's a minor female role in the second act, a character who lightens up an otherwise darker scene and helps illustrate what two men in the play are really like. This is the kind of thing I have long desired to be a part of but was too scared to try. But I'm willing to take a chance now, I have that confidence in myself and little fear. I have also hesitated because of the time commitment but since it is a smaller role, for most of November and December, the rehearsal schedule is pretty light for me which works well with my dancing classes. In January and February though, it's much more involved but I'm willing to sacrifice a bit to be a part of this. I will learn so much and I think being a part of this is going to change me in ways I can only now begin to imagine. I think I am going to like the person who comes out of this.

The show runs from January 23rd to February 14th and there will be a lot of rehearsal time leading up to it. I am really looking forward to seeing how a show is put together, to watch the cast gel. By the way, it is an incredible cast of extremely talented people. I highly recommend seeing this show. Tickets are on sale now. You can check out the theatre's website at: www.pentacletheatre.org.