My mom constantly reminds me of my freshman year when I was so envious every time I would walk by the theatre and saw people rehearsing.
I couldn’t participate because I was a cheerleader.
She also brings up the time sophomore year when I was laying on my bed, crying my eyes out because I thought Miss Allmendinger hated me.
And the time I came running out to the car when she picked me up from auditions when I was a sophomore yelling “I GOT A CALLBACK!”
Or the time I came home balling because I didn’t get that part I so desperately wanted my junior year.
But she also reminds me of the time I came home screaming because I got my dream role my senior year.
Theatre has been filled with ups and downs. My lowest lows and highest highs can all be attributed to theatre and usually can be traced back to Miss A.
Until now, I never fully understood what she meant when she would talk about how difficult it is to direct a show.
Everything made sense once I directed “A Wedding Story” by Julianne Homokay for Senior-directed One Acts last month.
The casting was definitely the most difficult part. I was always so disappointed the times I didn’t get a part and felt like it was for personal reasons or it was because Miss A liked someone else better than me.
I fully understand how stupid this idea sounded; I just couldn’t help but think it.
Casting is so hard because you can see how multiple people could all play the same part. It takes hours of contemplation and has nothing to do with who is your “favorite.”
I also have begun to realize how stressful it is when people don’t understand what you want them to do. For example, if I give a simple piece of blocking like “cross stage right” and the actor doesn’t understand, it is so frustrating because I don’t understand what they are confused about or how I can make it any clearer.
The one act I directed only has a cast of three, so this problem is on a small scale. A typical musical can have a cast of 30, so I can only imagine how stressful it is when 30 people aren’t listening to what you want them to do.
This one act was my baby. I put so much work into it, and I feel like the way it turns out is a reflection of me so I can understand why Miss A is so particular in how her shows turn out.
I have always had immense respect for Miss A. After four years of working with her, I have a new-found understanding for everything she has done: the reason she is always so stressed out is because she truly cares for every member of etc… and the quality of the show.
I wish I could have had this experience earlier so I could understand her more while I was in high school. I will just have to take this next month and make sure I show how thankful I am for everything she has done for me and etc… these past couple of years because I now understand: DIRECTING IS HARD.
