The other day, I was thinking about how much I miss being on stage. For as long as I can remember, I have loved being on stage. Whether I was just part of the chorus, or singing a solo, I felt “at home” standing in front of an audience.
This is strange because I’m typically a very anxious person. Before getting on and after getting off stage, I feel so sick and nervous… but while performing I feel like a different person.
I was in chorus for all four years of high school. The chorus had two major performances (in addition to regular concerts), Rick’s Café and Madrigal Dinners. Madrigal Dinners is a dinner theatre in December where we dress up in costume and sing and serve dinner. Lots of fun.
Rick’s Café was the absolute best. Every choral class performs about 4 songs from different Broadway plays and then individuals and group audition to sing songs from a show of their choice.
Here’s what I did:
Freshmen Year: Annie Get Your Gun (Group number w/ Solo: “Anything You Can Do”)
Sophomore Year: Beauty in the Beast, “One” (from A Chorus Line), “Go Go Go Joseph” (from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat)
Junior Year: Les Miserables (“Castle on a Cloud” solo)
Senior Year: West Side Story, “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend”
Getting ready for the curtain to open before “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.” We literally had 3 minutes (ONE SONG) to change from our opening costumes into these dresses. It was so scary, but lots of fun!!!
We always had a great time backstage. I’m curling Bebe’s hair before the opening number.
“I Feel Pretty” from Westside Story.
The opening song was “Another Op’nin’ Another Show.” The whole cast was divided into three groups each representing another part of a production (Rehearsal, stage preparation, and opening night). I was always in the “Fan Section” during the opening night segment. My friends made it a tradition to wear Fan Club shirts for one of the senior boys. During our senior year, we made them for our girl friend so as not to discriminate against our boy friends haha.
Lefty and me before a Madrigal Dinner performance senior year! I had my costume made my freshmen year… I LOVED it!!!
We were the go go girls for “Go Go Go Joseph.” Great costumes!
This is before Les Mis. I hated the costumes… Who wants to look dirty??? But I was young Cosette and sang “Castle on a Cloud.”
Junior Year Fan Club!
Our costumes for “One.” We brought out a picture of our director out at the end of the song. I was mortified to be on stage in just a leotard… I threw a fit. I wanted to wear jazz pants or something. Oh well.. In the scheme of themes, it really wasn’t a big deal.
The first Fan Club!!!
I love everything about performing…. the excitement of finding out what songs we sing, trying to be “off book” by a certain rehearsal, memorizing the stage directions, finding costumes, realizing during the dress rehearsal that something is terribly wrong, scrambling around, hearing applause before the curtain goes up, being blinded by the light, having standing ovations, freezing for the “kodak moment” at the end… EVERYTHING.
-College Prepster
I was in a show a few years ago and we sang "Another Opening Another Show" too! I remember all the cheering at the beginning of the song! What a coincidence!
This is an absolutely wonderful post!!! It shows another aspect showing how well rounded you are…Those were the days my friends, may they never end!!! La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La…..
Betsy
La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La!!!
Did I finally get all my La, La La's posted??? Tee!Hee!
Betsy
cute! I miss my choral days, too.
Just one last post Carly…I swear I have written everything you write!!! It might be strange or maybe not considering we ,most likely have the same writing and thought genes!!! It's fine with me, hope you too!!!
Betsy
me thinks?
You gotta get back there!
Oh! Despite the dirt, I love Les Miserables "Castle on a Cloud". I performed it in an Elementary School talent show – I think people were a little suprised at a seven-year-olds choice of song but I loved it! You have fabulous song choices – just fabulous! And you looked great so I am sure you sounded great too. PS – I cannot wait to show you the pendant banner that I did for my Lilly Bridesmaid Luncheon – you will flip! It will be on my blog hopefully in the next few weeks!