Friday, April 2, 2010

The Personal Humiliation Just Keeps Coming

Not only did I sit in for the lovely Melisa at Suburban Wow this morning (replays on a loop right now if you missed it), but tonight I will be in a passion play.

Yep. Me, with my lovely and well-polished acting resume, will be in a play. The last time I was in a play, I was a freshman in high school. And I wrote the play in a summer school class. It was awful. The time before that? Lifestyles of the Lovely But Conceited, another original production that is known among family friends as "The Infamous Florida Video." Infamous isn't necessarily the adjective you want applied to your talents.

However, I will be in a passion play tonight. This isn't just any passion play, however. This is an original production written by our choir director and his wife. Jesus is not the star of it, ironically - as has been the case with every other passion play I've ever seen. Rather it's an interpretation of Christ's last seven phrases in a retelling of the agony of Christ via music and drama.

While it's not quite the Broadway musical that WeaselMomma alleged, it is definitely a unique performance. Part of what will make it even more unique is that we've practiced this a total of - wait for it - once. Yep, one single time, with a quarter of the cast missing, and we are performing it in public in a mere couple hours. It will be interesting to see how it goes over.

The good news is that I have my line memorized. And since I have only a single (albeit somewhat long) line, I have to know only that I start my line after one guy finishes his song. I have yet to hear this song, but he's "promised" (his words, not mine) that it's really long, so I won't miss it. Once he stops singing, I spout my dramatic line, and I'm done.

Oh - and I almost forgot to mention my character. My character is one of the few named characters in the play. I am the infamous Mary Magdalene. (For those of you not familiar with her history, she was a reformed prostitute and a follower of Jesus - including being the person who discovers his empty tomb on Easter.)

The roles were carefully cast. Mine, I was told, was simply typecast. I'll let that set in for a bit.

When doing our auditions - did I mention I didn't volunteer for this but was rather volunteered? - we simply were handed an early script after choir practice one day (ok, THAT part I did volunteer for) and we read the play through, each person reading one line and the next person taking the next line. After we finished the read through, the choir director scribbled his mad notes, and we were told at the next choir practice which part we would play.

Which is how I came to be Mary Magdalene, since I fit her character best. Why, you might ask? I'm told - and here's hoping this is the real reason - that I am the only person whose hair is somewhat red, and my hair is the longest in the choir. Apparently Mary Magdalene was a redhead. With her line referencing drying Jesus's feet with her hair, I suppose long hair is a mandate.

On the plus side, costuming is easy. We're simply all wearing our choir robes. Dressed all in a simple black, it will be easy to tell the characters apart. On the plus side, putting on this performance (which is being advertised as an EVENT in the local papers to get more attendance) doesn't dip into the nonexistent choir budget.

If there is video taken, I promise to share it if possible. I have a feeling this will be worth watching - Jesus being offstage with a microphone and crosses hanging from the ceiling to represent the crucifixions and all.

Wish me luck. I certainly don't want this acting endeavor to also become co-mingled with the word "infamous."

Oh, and don't forget that I have giveaways (umm single digit entries people? Really?) here and here.

16 comments:

Kori April 2, 2010 at 5:38 PM  

Oh, that would be so neat; I too hope it doesn't being another infamous performance, though I suspect you will be lovely.

Laura April 2, 2010 at 8:24 PM  

watched this morning for a bit, no time to sign in....reformed prostitute hunh? yeah I can see that :D

**ducking and running now**

Anonymous April 2, 2010 at 11:06 PM  

Best of luck tonight! That is quite the casting leap, but an honor none-the-less, right?!

septembermom April 3, 2010 at 6:52 AM  

I'm sure you were great! Happy Easter Michelle :)

septembermom April 3, 2010 at 6:54 AM  

I just went over to watch the video. It was terrific to see and "hear" you :) Fun!

Melisa Wells April 3, 2010 at 7:08 AM  

I'm sure it went fine! You and I always perform well under pressure. :)

Tara R. April 3, 2010 at 6:42 PM  

I hope the performance went well, and that there is a vid to share later.

I really enjoyed you guest hosting on SuburbanWow. You were great.

Tara R. April 3, 2010 at 6:42 PM  

I hope the performance went well, and that there is a vid to share later.

I really enjoyed you guest hosting on SuburbanWow. You were great.

Michelle April 3, 2010 at 11:44 PM  

Kori - It wasn't... although with only 22 people in the audience, even if it had been at least not too many people would have witnessed it ;)

Laura - Gee thanks! I love what you think of me....

Nichole - Umm yes. An honor. Sorta like being drafted.

Kelly - Awww, you're quite sweet. It actually went well, thankfully. And can I complain that I don't sound like what I sound like?

Melisa - True. Is this why we wait until the last minute to do things so that there IS pressure?

Tara - Sorry, no video. There weren't enough people there to do so, and when I mentioned it to people on the vestry, they all did a "OH! What a good idea that would have been." Just a few photos that I haven't received yet of the rehearsal.

Laura April 3, 2010 at 11:57 PM  

I was teasing you!!

Michelle April 4, 2010 at 12:14 AM  

Laura - I know you are. I was teasing right back at you. :)

Alexis AKA MOM April 4, 2010 at 3:38 AM  

We just talked about her in church two weeks ago how no one wanted her to come in but she's the one that gave him the welcoming that he deserved. That is awesome my dear!!!

Karen April 4, 2010 at 9:51 PM  

Even if you are the prostitute, THANK GOODNESS for Jesus' saving grace. ;)

Michelle April 6, 2010 at 10:33 PM  

Alexis - Yep, no one wanted her... but I was her. Apparently it was a moving performance. We made people cry. But no video.

Karen - That is a VERY good point. To clarify, however, I am not, nor have I ever been, a prostitute. Just in case anyone was confused. At all.

Pat April 6, 2010 at 11:41 PM  

So, how did it go? Do you have an agent now? It sounds like it was quite a production.

Michelle April 7, 2010 at 10:18 PM  

Pat - It actually went surprisingly well. We made people cry and have heard some really good feedback. 22 people in the audience, but far more than that have heard and regret missing it - or so I've heard. ;)

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