A picture of DP1 theatre in a workshop

Senior Production

I signed up for the production because i love acting and taking part in plays.  I also signed up because it was another way for me to get familiar in the space and to meet new people. When going up for auditions i was nervous since i was unfamiliar with the play “Little shop of Horrors” and as well as it being a musical since i wasn’t that good at my singing skills.

On the day  of callbacks i had finally gotten my cast roll, i was part of the chorus. I was a bit disappointed as first since i did not get a solid role but it was also a new way for me to expand on my singing it also wasn’t the end of the world for acting since there are other minor roles that the chorus could pick from  so overall it was a win win situation.

During the first month rehearsals , i got more familiar with the play and its entire plot as well as the soundtrack for the musical of which  some are already getting stuck in my head.  I also got to know more people that were in other grades that were part of the production well which made it overall a better experience. On days where we go to the music room to sing its always a way to expand on my skills and i learn new techniques on how to bring life into what we’re singing.

Currently we are putting together the first few scenes with the cast and chorus along with choreographing it with the singing.

 

No Takesy Backsies

After our SAISA meet in Nov beginning , we had a local TISSL meet the next weekend.

I was feeling numbness and pain in my left leg, but I thought I’d still make it to the TISSL

After the first day of swimming in TISSL meet, I could not get up to make it the next day wit h severe muscle spasms.

After several doctor visits it was diagnosed that I have a Saitic Tilt due to prolonged nerve injury between vertebrae L4/L5 and my over exhausted muscles trying to correct my posture is not giving up one me. I was asked to bed-rest and continue with physiotherapy to correct my posture and improve my muscles such that I could stand and walk , and it was just 17 days more for the opening show

Now Ms. Jackson and everyone else were in a dilemma and asked me what I wanted to do. Whether they are to look for a replacement for my role or whether i wanted to stay in the show despite not even being able to stand for longer than 2 minutes without my leg hurting

I was determined to make it work for everyone’s sake, and winners are not quitters.

All my friends helped carrying my bags books etc. for me while I was in school and helped me cope with the long days in school. With painkillers, physiotherapy and a lot of rest I made it to the show. What a spectacular experience that’s about to come up

The Curtains Have called

Its me again now writing the rest after we finished our final performance on the 1st of December. For the play i had a multitude of roles since i wasn’t part of the main cast, that being said it was still fun and a good learning experience. One of my characters is just as a Ragamuffin who lives on the streets of skid row and the other the Dentist , A.K.A  Orin (Played by Ethan shawl).  The dynamic between the two characters is quite different. Most of my scenes as  Ragamuffin is mostly choreographed and singing related with a few lines here and there that help the plot move foreword. Where as the dentists assistant its more serious and the sole purpose of my character is just to be there and help Orin.

We had a total of 3 performances spanning 3 days, not to say that each of them were good but all of them had their strengths and the audience absolutely loved it at the end. There were a bunch of moments that didn’t go exactly according to plan for me as well, as on the last performance i have a scene where i hand Orin a drill and he uses it to scare Seymore ( played by Akhil Pilapitya) and well the drill fell off. At the moment i had one reaction which was to not laugh and figure out a way to improv. Even though it wasn’t planned it actually made the audience laugh which was a surprise to me but shows how little things matter.

One of my most favorite things about doing the senior production is how the songs are still stuck with me to this day as I’m updating the post , as well as the many friends i made along the way who prior to the play I don’t think i would’ve have ever talked to.

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