IN the moment

Yahooo! When was the last time you did something like this? It's been a year for me. We don't seem to have as many leaves on the ground this year.

Time seems at a bit of a premium, right now. Busy, busy with our new show opening this week and all the hustle bustle of dress rehearsals and school outreach shows. Whew!

One of the kids was complaining yesterday about their costume being itchy and feeling sweaty. My reply was WELCOME TO SHOW BUSINESS! The kid said something about the glamour and when does that start? I replied, nope. It's mostly itchy and sweaty. The things that look so good to us like being on stage and having fun comes down to this. It's hard work. It's long hours. You'll spend most of your time itchy and sweaty!

I always explain a performance is like a ride on a roller coaster. There's that long line to wait in. Maybe you are waiting with a friend and they are complaining about it being hot or how they are thirsty. They are being pains in the neck right about the time you see the sign that says.... FROM THIS POINT 30 MINUTE WAIT.

Finally you arrive at the front of the line and get into a seat. Then the click, click, click up the ramp (the worst part for me!!) and you start to yell at your friend THIS WAS YOUR IDEA!! I HATE ROLLER COASTERS! GET ME OFF!!!

And then WHOOSH!!! You fly, you scream, you laugh!! And, just as suddenly, you are at the end of the ride and climb, on shaky legs, out of the car....

And right back into the line to ride again! You are pumped with adrenaline with the notion that YOU MADE IT! YOU LIVED!!! It's enough to want to endure another long line. More, please!!!

Interpretation: The long wait in line is the process of rehearsals, lessons, memorization, etc. Long and boring but completely necessary. The click, click, click of the ride is equal to the ghastly stage fright you get before you go on stage. The feeling that you really don't want to do this after all! Then WHOOSH! The thrill of preforming and being truly in the moment. Followed by the applause and the knowledge that you did not crash and burn but triumphed!! It's enough to make you forget all the work and makes you want to go back into the long process again.

So you see the WHOOSH is about a blink of an eye in the whole operation. That's why performers are really crazy! We live for the WHOOSH and we will work our bums off to make sure the WHOOSH gets better and better.

How often are you really IN the moment?