Lesson n°1

"When life gives you lemons... you make lemonade."

That's it. Rehearsals officially started. As usual with these things ( "these things" being "staging plays") nothing goes on as planned. Ok, I need to stop being so drastic: not everything goes on as planned. The only thing you can do is not plan too far ahead. As Philip Henslowe (played by Geoffrey Rush) says in Shakespeare in Love *: "It's a mystery."

When you put on a play you need to be ready to reassess everything, all the time. Cast changes, schedule changes, direction changes, or "do-ability" changes. But that's part of the fun of putting a production together: learn to not-stress-ahead! I must say I haven't gotten quite there yet, but I keep going back to putting up plays anyway. So that's a good sign. 

I thought I was done you know. Done trying to organize such big and demanding projects. Done complaining and not sleeping, and sending random emails and figuring out how to get a monkey and a musical-chariot-that-spits-fire-and-smoke. But there is something that keeps me coming back to the stress and the passion of it all. Mostly, that's the stage. I know I want to go back to the stage, always. That's why I get so excited when I'm at the Globe or at the RSC. I want to be part of that formidable energy that is playing Shakespeare and being on stage with Shakespeare (sounds somehow kinky)! But being on stage with Stoppard is no less exciting (yet again, kinky -- intended this time).

Also, a big part of what made me do this project is Nadia's inextinguishable energy. Imagine something you looove, like chocolate, or coke, or playing the flute, or simply being with someone you love -- and that is denied you for two entire years. Imagine the yearning you have to get that thing back, and what you'd do to get it. Scary, hu? Well, that's pretty much what Nadia felt for theatre. She was so enthused it was a mystery. I couldn't not help her get her addiction back!

So here you go, this is just to say (while talking a lot about me, sorry about that): theatre is a mysterious place. It teaches you about life, love, friendship and tragedy. It teaches you about all these things you could live but are afraid to, and all these things you might never get to live. You need balls to experience theatre. But if you're up for it, it is the most deliciously bittersweet of lemonades.

* Footnote: I just watched that movie again and let me tell you it is marvelously wonderful! Some have critiqued its historical incoherences, but what is that compared to the true magic of a story? To being moved, and moved, and moved again until you are a completely mesmerized bit of a spectator gazing in awe into the depths of the wonders of love? I for one, was completely mesmerized. It gave me that "Globe" feeling--when you are so caught in the story you hope against all odds and against your better judgement (we all know how R&J ends) that somehow the lovers will stay together. *Victoria cries* End of the footnote.