I just graduated in December. I found that to be incredibly exciting, but terrifying at the same time. I knew that I wanted to get out and start auditioning, but now that I have to knowing that it's how what I need to do next makes me anxious. But I am loving it all the same.
It's been a while since I've gotten to perform in a play, and my last semester, I felt slightly out of touch with the world of theatre. While I still was participating in theatre (I was directing New Dawn, a musical that I wrote), I felt like I had forgotten the joy of getting to perform and create. So since graduating, I have been working up my audition book, and finding material, performing scenes in my room with invisible scene partners, and just having fun and reminding myself why I fell in love with theatre in the first place. It's been wonderful.
My mom and I went into the city to see Anything Goes Saturday. I don't know how else to describe it besides phenomenal. It was absolutely beautiful. We saw the evening performance, and even after having performed the ridiculously demanding show once, they still gave a stellar performance that evening that never faltered or failed to blow my mind. An 8minute tap number is enough to make anyone exhausted, but they performed just that at the end of the first act, and proceeded to flawlessly sing at the end of the number. And then the second act was JUST as strong as the first. The show was absolutely magical. And as if seeing Sutton Foster and the company tap their hearts out and belt up a storm, seeing Joel Grey performing was absolutely inspiring. He's 79 years old, and still never fails to give a remarkable performance. The show was beyond words. It was spectacular to the nth degree. It was absolutely astonishing. You couldn't help but walk out of the theatre feeling lighter than air with a huge smile on your face! (plus I got to see Natalia. It was totally a wonderful night.)
My point in all of this is not to brag that I saw a wonderful show (but I recommend everyone go), but I feel it necessary to mention because it's what made me stop and examine why I'm doing this. I've always known that I love performing theatre. There is some part of me that is only ever fully satisfied when I'm getting to perform. But seeing this awe-inspiring show made me sit back and realize that I do theatre because it brings me joy, but also, because it bring other people joy. While it's easy to get caught up in the anxiety of theatre or competition, I think the people who perform out of joy and absolute positive love for all things theatre are the most successful. I'm not sure how anyone else measures success, but I believe success in theatre is measured in how many people walk out of Anything Goes with smiles that can't be wiped off their faces.
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