the dude abides
December 09, 2003, 10:01 pm

"Ms. B, I have to tell you something that's been bothering me."

"What is it, Amanda?"

"Well, remember last week when we were talking about prodigies, and I said you were, and you said you weren't really."

"Yes."

"Well, Ms. B, you are. I've never liked school, especially Language Arts, and I've never been interested in any class that I've ever had. And I know some of the other kids are mean to you, and I know I don't ever participate in this class, but I just wanted to let you know that you're the best teacher I've ever had and even if I'm not saying anything, I'm listening and paying attention."

"..."

And I'm thinking of quitting?

A lot of bad things happened today, but man...I don't even have to say it.

While we're dispensing with the good news, I'm pleased to tell you I'm going to be in a play. I'll sit back and wait while you're reasonably impressed. No, really. Go ahead. Awesome, isn't it?

Yesterday while driving home from school, I received a phonecall from my friend Swashburn, saying that although I didn't audition, would I please consider taking a recently vacated part in a show going up at the Top Floor in January?

Um, yeah.

So, I'm in a play. I have a big part, although it's the smallest in the play (there are only four parts in it). I'm excited; this is EXACTLY the artistic release I've been stretching for...

And I'm scared SHITLESS.

I showed up to rehearsal tonight, five minutes late, confronted with three people I didn't know and one person I knew only as Swashburn's boyfriend-space-director-guy-and-guy-that-I've-heard-mentioned-in-lots-of-"you-had-to-be-there-stories". I like knowing I've won the hearts of everyone in a room before I enter it; I wasn't particularly prepared for the stonewall that set in.

These people are serious actors.

I am a hack theatre teacher whose most recent acting stint involved screaming in a zombie play. Good times.

It went fine, and everyone didn't turn their noses up at me when I wet myself. Director just pointed to a mop and told me to clean it up, and we progressed with the read-through as though nothing happened. I actually got a lot of laughs, which was what I was aiming for in a drama about a near-rape and the threat of physical and emotional violence. I think I'm taking a character into uncharted territory as far as the laugh-quotient is concerned; I'm thinking of her as a Monica Gellar character, actually.

So tomorrow, Director has decided we're going to have a "Big Lebowski" rehearsal: White Russians and Bowling.

The Dude Abides.