Well, for the past four weeks now, every Friday night, I have learned something about myself as a performer. You see, I created a show around Doris Day and her life and music. Sentimental Journey…the music of Doris Day, has taught me a lot.
First, it taught me to breath. I have always been caught up with pacing. You can’t have dead time on stage with nothing happening. It can drive an audience member crazy! But, it can also give an audience member time to breath. It gives them time to digest what they just heard, to get a drink, to whisper to their date what they thought of that last number. Silence can give everyone a moment to think.
Second, it taught me to accept applause. Hearing applause has always made me a bit uncomfortable. It’s so much easier to accept criticism, than it is praise. Praise is so foreign, when you hear rejection every day. They wonder why actors are so neurotic and insecure. Every day we hear no…you’re not what we want…you’re not young enough, pretty enough, thin enough, odd enough, tall enough…good enough. It’s hard. You would think to hear praise then, would be a welcome change. But, it seems false and is hard for me to hear. With this show, I let the applause come to me and I take it in and breath.
Lastly, it has taught me to trust myself. This show is one that I self-produced. Although my musical director helped me with arraignments, I wrote the script and the parodies. I did my own directing, marketing, costuming and props building. All by myself, when I had never done it before, I managed to get this show up and off the ground. It seemed so daunting in November, when I started rehearsals. I didn’t really know where to start. Having Beckie, as my collaborator, helped me so much because, she encouraged me to jump in, to try new things, to fail and to succeed. I couldn’t have done it without her.
What a gift this whole process has been. Thank you to those of you who took your time and money to Davenport’s Piano Bar. Here’s on to the next adventure!
