once upon a dream

no matter how tonight goes, this has already been a dream come true. this is all going to sound terribly cheesy, but...it is what it is. i put away theatre after i graduated high school (theatre in the park doesn't count). i was ok with never doing it again, i was closing that chapter of my life and focusing on my future career. but i kept singing (cantoria for 2 years, then voice lessons and chamber choir), and i acted to an extent (forensics and then the madrigal dinner), so i guess i couldn't ever really suppress it completely.

i heard that they were doing jekyll & hyde this spring and it didn't even cross my mind to audition. i was just planning on going to see it, and planning on feeling a twinge of nostalgia. it wasn't until i saw a midsummer night's dream and was absolutely enchanted that i made up my mind to do it, just because i wanted to be a part of an awesome production if i could. i listened to the soundtrack for ALL of christmas break (even though i knew it really well already) and started to daydream about having a lead. emma would be nice since i'm a soprano. but all i really wanted was to get in. and as a result, i've never prepared so much for an audition. i worked my butt off singing those 3 songs over and over awkwardly in front of a mirror in practice rooms and now i am so glad that i did.

so...all of this has just been unreal. i went to auditions with absolutely no expectations, so reading the cast list was just an unbelievable and indescribable feeling. i've been blown away from day 1 by the talent, professionalism, and extraordinary kindness of everyone involved. in high school i remembered feeling (and possibly acting) antagonistic towards random outsiders who auditioned for a show and got good parts, so it's been a wonderful surprise to be so welcomed and included. it's been bizarre to transition from scrubs to corsets, let me tell you, but i am so happy that i was able to do both nursing and theatre for at least these 2 months. it has been so amazing to realize how much performing is still a part of me and how fulfilling it is to let that part shine. i have learned so much about acting, theatre in general, and myself in this process and looking back on college, i know that i will cherish these memories as possibly the very best ones of my 4 years.

thank you SO much to everyone, and break a leg tonight!