Play

I have been cast in a play in a community theater presentation of the Philadelphia Story. I am very excited to be involved in the whole process, since I have not performed on stage in over 2 years. I am also very nervous.

I have lines to learn, blocking to remember and a character to develop. The show dates are in May. That may seem like a lot of time but the reality is, it is not. I also have work, a house that needs attention, a wife who I enjoy spending time with, 2 kids to play with and teach, a blog to write and Guilder to frame for it. I’m Swamped.

Rehearsals started last week. My friend Dave is directing. He has been recovering from cancer/chemo/radiation and it is good to see him out and about and doing the stuff he loves. I am also lucky enough to have some of my friends (Josh, Seamus, Beeds) also in the cast. Two nights a week I get to hang out with friends who, for the past few years, I may have only seen once or twice. I never realized how much I missed them nor how much I have missed the creative process.

One of my pet peeves about rehearsing is the fact that people I know keep referring to it as “play practice”. For some reason, maybe I am a theater snob or something, but I always correct them and tell then that I have REHEARSAL. I think that sounds much better than 'practice'. If you look up the words practice and rehearsal in the dictionary they pretty much have the same definition. But rehearsal just sounds more, I don't know, more important, I guess.

But now I have given this much thought. I am not really rehearsing anything. I get to go to the theater and pretend I am someone else for a bit. I get to make believe that the stage is a living room or some other area. I get to wear costumes and use props. I am not rehearsing. I am not practicing. I am playing.


If you are going to be in the Philly area the second two weekends in May, come on out and watch me play.