Shakespeare once said, that all the world's a stage and that all the men and women are merely players. What Shakespeare forgot to mention was that some players are better than others and that some players, actually know what they're doing.
On Wednesday, my friend Madelaine conned and manipulated me into being an usher at the Pima Community College Production of Kiss Me Kate. She was a house manager, low on ushers, and I was a twenty-something with no plans, feeling low.
ME: Ok, so what should I wear? Can I wear jeans?
MADELAINE: No. You have to wear black pants and a white shirt.
ME: Like a button-down?
MADELAINE: Uh-huh.
ME: But I dont have a white button-down. I have a black button-down.
MADELAINE: Oh. Well, I dont know. I think it has to be white. Just wear a white shirt.
Obviously, the house manager and I wear having a wardrobe misunderstanding. I wanted to stand out and showcase my new green jacket, hoping to gain some publicity for my new film, while Madelaine felt it would be better if I blended in with the walls and just handed out pamphlets. Me? An actor? Hand out pamphlets? Tscha! But after some thought, I figured, maybe I could probably learn a thing or two from the actors. And maybe, if they were lucky, I could teach them a thing or two.
That night, at a half hour past seven, after finishing my usher duities, I was intro
duced to Cole Porter's timeless work of art. The music! The sets! The costumes! It was all very Broadway. And considering the fact it was a Tucson college play, it was beyond good. Good enough to make me feel like I was at home, watching a Broadway play on PBS during pledge week. The actors spoke with authority. They sang with supremacy. They danced with dignity. They were truly actors. But after seeing them take command of the stage, I began to question my own acting abilities. Or actually lack thereof. How could I compare to Kalli Houston or Evan Engle, the two leads? Not that they were Tony Award winning actors, but they did have that certain je nais se quois.
Falling into my new acting job, was just that. It was something I fell into. Not something I worked hard at. I didnt have to submit a head shot or audition, like the rest of the cast. It was like that infamous story of Lana Turner, who was discovered by W.R. Wilkerson, while sipping soda at a cafe across her high school. And although I wasnt around, I've always wondered how well of an actress she was in the beginning. How well, did she perform in front of "the fourth wall"? With my questionable acting ability on my mind, I turned to my friend Madelaine.
MADELAINE: Just watch Mean Girls.
ME: Huh?
MADELAINE: Just watch Mean Girls. Pretend, like you're one of the characters from the movie and just act out their part. Like...like...
ME: Like what?
MADELAINE: Hold on, let me think. Ok. Like, "On Wednesdays we wear pink. And we only wear jeans or track pants on Friday." Like that.
ME: Ok. So what character should I be? Cuz I have to do my table read this Saturday, and now I'm so nervous.
MADELAINE: Well, I dont mean you should be one the characters. I just mean, pretend that you are them. And then act out their lines like they would. Just pretend you are that character, and you'll be that character.
ME: I dont know. Maybe. I just wish I knew what I was doing.
MADELAINE: Don't worry about it. You'll be fine.
On Wednesday, my friend Madelaine conned and manipulated me into being an usher at the Pima Community College Production of Kiss Me Kate. She was a house manager, low on ushers, and I was a twenty-something with no plans, feeling low.
ME: Ok, so what should I wear? Can I wear jeans?
MADELAINE: No. You have to wear black pants and a white shirt.
ME: Like a button-down?
MADELAINE: Uh-huh.
ME: But I dont have a white button-down. I have a black button-down.
MADELAINE: Oh. Well, I dont know. I think it has to be white. Just wear a white shirt.
Obviously, the house manager and I wear having a wardrobe misunderstanding. I wanted to stand out and showcase my new green jacket, hoping to gain some publicity for my new film, while Madelaine felt it would be better if I blended in with the walls and just handed out pamphlets. Me? An actor? Hand out pamphlets? Tscha! But after some thought, I figured, maybe I could probably learn a thing or two from the actors. And maybe, if they were lucky, I could teach them a thing or two.
That night, at a half hour past seven, after finishing my usher duities, I was intro
duced to Cole Porter's timeless work of art. The music! The sets! The costumes! It was all very Broadway. And considering the fact it was a Tucson college play, it was beyond good. Good enough to make me feel like I was at home, watching a Broadway play on PBS during pledge week. The actors spoke with authority. They sang with supremacy. They danced with dignity. They were truly actors. But after seeing them take command of the stage, I began to question my own acting abilities. Or actually lack thereof. How could I compare to Kalli Houston or Evan Engle, the two leads? Not that they were Tony Award winning actors, but they did have that certain je nais se quois. Falling into my new acting job, was just that. It was something I fell into. Not something I worked hard at. I didnt have to submit a head shot or audition, like the rest of the cast. It was like that infamous story of Lana Turner, who was discovered by W.R. Wilkerson, while sipping soda at a cafe across her high school. And although I wasnt around, I've always wondered how well of an actress she was in the beginning. How well, did she perform in front of "the fourth wall"? With my questionable acting ability on my mind, I turned to my friend Madelaine.
MADELAINE: Just watch Mean Girls.
ME: Huh?
MADELAINE: Just watch Mean Girls. Pretend, like you're one of the characters from the movie and just act out their part. Like...like...
ME: Like what?
MADELAINE: Hold on, let me think. Ok. Like, "On Wednesdays we wear pink. And we only wear jeans or track pants on Friday." Like that.
ME: Ok. So what character should I be? Cuz I have to do my table read this Saturday, and now I'm so nervous.
MADELAINE: Well, I dont mean you should be one the characters. I just mean, pretend that you are them. And then act out their lines like they would. Just pretend you are that character, and you'll be that character.
ME: I dont know. Maybe. I just wish I knew what I was doing.
MADELAINE: Don't worry about it. You'll be fine.
|