I am getting into a new field for me, theatre. My wife always wanted to try acting in live theatre, so she is getting her feet wet by starting out as assistant stage manager for an upcoming play, to get a feel for what goes on in a production. Along the way, she volunteered me to do sound.
Tonight I attended my first rehearsal and met the crew and cast. I also had to get my photo taken for the program and publicity stills, because tonight was the only night they had the photographer there. And me with 3 days' growth of facial fuzz on my jawline in preparation for electrolysis tomorrow!
You know what? It didn't bother me at all. What a change in me from a few months ago! Now I refuse to apologize for being me. I yam what I yam, and if anyone has a problem with that,
they have a problem, not me. Though normally, I would attend an event like that wearing just lipstick and mascara for makeup, tonight I did the full makeup job for the camera. The photos are black-and-white, so no one will notice the beard, I think. No one made any comments. In fact, everyone was nice to me, as I expected from theatre people.
It is going to be a fun production, with lots of sound effects, hence the need for a dedicated sound person. I am not new to a sound board. I owned a basement recording studio years ago and recorded CDs for myself and a couple of friends. So I know that I can do the job.
Will I ever go on the stage? A year ago, I would have said no way. Now I am not so certain. I am so much more self-confident as Kathy than I was as
him, I could be talked into acting. My wife already has a small onstage part in the next play this company is doing. I might, at some time in the future, join her out there. My acting experience so far? Playing a man for 62 years!
