The Importance of "The Importance of Being Earnest"

Wow. Two long months of hard work have finally come to an end. It's over. Fall Play 2010 is over. Holy cow.

If you know me well at all you've probably heard me talk about how stressed play is making me or that it's eating my life or that I can't wait for it to be over. It's all bluffing. Underneath it all I was loving every minute of it. I love the way a blank stage turns into a flat or a BEAUTIFUL garden or a manor house. I love the way the people I've gotten to know can totally disappear for two and a half hours and become Jack and Algernon and Gwendolen and Cecily and everybody else. I love the way simple (albeit extremely well written... thank you Mr. Wilde) words on a page are given life and substance. Theatre utterly amazes me.

Not only that, but I loved the chemistry and camaraderie we all had this year. I love the way a group of (relative) strangers becomes a group that pulls tables together at the cast party so there's absolutely no separation or segregation. I love that for the first time ever stage crew gave the directors gifts. I love the way even cast and crew were so tightknit this year. I love the way I got to know so many people so much better. I love the way the assistant producer (hem hem... me) was so accepted by both cast and crew. I love the bonds that people form over hours of rehearsals and homework and stress. I love how we cry so hard at the end because we all realize we love all these people so ridiculously much.

I love the laughs.
-"Im-MER-sion?!?
-"Alienating the affections of my only granddaughter... my only niece... my only... I'm sorry, I'm really angry right now!"
-"Laetit..." *stands on chair* "Laetitia!!"
-"Jack, I like the muffins!!!"
-The hat falling off the stage Saturday night
-"Displeasant" (haha... I love you Dani!)
And many, many, MANY more...

I love that first day feeling as you sit in a circle on that empty stage and hear the lines read for the first time. I love that "they nailed it today" rehearsal. I love that opening night feeling as the curtain opens and you think, "Woah. We're finally there." I love the closing night feeling when you're sad it's over. But maybe the thing I love most is the "wow, I loved this" feeling. The moment when you realize that every hour of free time lost, every evening of endless homework, every single iota of stress was so incredibly worth it for THIS feeling. The "we did it" feeling.

Thank you guys for one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. Let's make musical even better.

"It is through art, and through art only, that we can realize our perfection; through art and art only that we can shield ourselves from the sordid perils of actual existence." -Oscar Wilde

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