The day had finally arrived! Opening night was upon us and I went back and forth between excitement and sheer terror. No matter how many productions I have done, pre-show jitters will always be a part of the ritual.

It was an exhausting week. From continuous run-throughs to us standing on stage for times at the end, just to fix lighting and blocking or even last minute additions to choreography and formation, we were finally ready to show the public what we had been doing for the past ten weeks.

Rehearsals were in full swing, and that meant a few things. First, the cast members had all settled into their own little groups, coming together when need be but only choosing a few to confide in. Second, you know it’s performance season when your body is five hundred different shades of bruise. Third, with great productions come great expectations.

It was a bright and sunny Saturday morning when I made my debut in the rehearsal space. But before we talk about my underwhelming entrance and what went on in that rehearsal space, let’s do like Sister Maria and start at the very beginning.