Only once have I laid in a pile of my dirty laundry on the bathroom floor and cried for two days straight. That is, until West Side Story closed, and now it has been twice. Ok, ok ok, I didn’t cry into a pile of cloths when the show closed, but I did cry in my closet.
I had two of my worst shows in the history of the run this weekend. I got stuck in the window during the Quintet, and I was a whole beat behind the orchestra. This would normally be “coverable,” if I was singing by myself. Alas, I had all the jet boys, all the shark boys and Anita depending on my to be on the beat. I couldn’t get back on because I was lost and I couldn’t see the musical director. I started to drown in the dark dark waters of “where the hell am I?” Then Tony came in at the right spot instead of following me and rescued me from the dark suffocating waters. WHEW! The 60 seconds that the flub up lasted caused me to be on guard for the entire 2nd Act! Nothing could help me.
Then on Saturday, the acting seemed to just be there without effort. Act 1 felt solid, and Act 2 was falling into all the right places. Until, “A Boy Like That” turned into “A Note Like What?”
I’m serious.
When I got to the part where Anita and I sang together, I made up my own notes and sang whatever. I thought… oh Bernstein, you missed this one, - it should sound like THIS. Ok, that’s not what I thought, but I could not find the right notes. It was horrible. I totally messed u p, and I couldn’t get back. However, Tony was so solid that night I remained in the show. Plus, it was the last thing I sang… so, it didn’t matter.
Sunday’s show was utterly fantastic!! I think that I cried throughout the whole show, and it was just so amazing to be part of just an amazing production that I know will be with me forever. I got to play my dream role. I got to learn a lot about myself, my dreams, my hopes and my aspirations.
I will miss you dearly WSS.
1 comment:
I'm going to have the strings from Maria in my head all day now.
Great post.
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