99 - Final Bow

It was an incredibly awesome run, selling out 5 of our 7 shows, but After the Murders: The Quest of Lizzie Borden took its final bow Saturday night.  Our closing night audience was as good as our opening night audience.  They fed us lots of energy, were 'into' the play.  The cast left it all on the stage, giving what I think was probably our best performance - I know it was mine.

Sometimes it's hard to close a show, to put a character away.  I had a lot of character development for Emma, and it feels in some ways like a friend has left.  Emma was overshadowed by the psycho Lizzie, so I had to show her turmoil through facial expressions and body language more than through my lines.  I felt this character grow through each show, and it seemed that just as we were finding our grove, we took our last bow.  That's the lot of community theatre.

As I've said throughout the rehearsal and run of this show, we had a remarkable cast.  Jack cast each role perfectly, in my opinion.  Only one of my cast mates had I worked with before, so my theatre family has grown again.  There are a couple that, without a doubt, I will keep in touch with even if we never walk the boards together again.

Another shout out to all of my friends and colleagues who came to see After the Murders.  You humble me with your patronage of the shows I'm in, and I appreciate more than I can say your support of me and of our community theatres.

ABET is dark now until December 4th when we open Aussie Song.  Emma fades as Mama Key starts to take hold.  It is good know that I'm stepping right into my next theatre project.  I hope to see all of you when the house lights come up again.

TTFN!