My Orange Story

"its a fun fun game i like to play

make believe

we all used to play it each and every day

even now that my body’s shape has changed

we can still pretend and not be thought deranged"

to anyone else it might seem to be a cacophony of sounds

strings screeching and plucking

piano keys running up and down the scales

horns tooting and wailing

to me it is the beginning

of awesome

i sit in a dimly lit corner of the stage

i’m waiting for my turn in the makeup chair

i stretch

nose to knees

point flex point flex

feet wide

side to side

breathe deeply

this is perhaps our 30th show

i’ve lost count actually

i am a principle actor in a

children’s theater troupe

today during rehearsal we were studied by a local

community college’s acting class

they asked us about our method

our method?

we didn’t know

we were kids

our method was to know our lines and not to mess up

they asked us how we ‘scene studied’

we said we just ‘did them again and again’

they stared at us as our director stepped in to help us out

and answered their studious questions

i mean seriously

our star was 6 years old and just learning addition

i was one of the oldest at 12

we were more interested in making friendship bracelets

and talking about music and boys

but we knew we were special

we were talented for sure

little triple threats

actors, singers, dancers

all before puberty took its strangle hold

and changed our voices and

gave us breasts

imagine that!

an orange striped zebra with boobs!

wait. what?

oh shit. i lost you.

let’s get back to the theater

the story of orange

a three act musical about an orange striped zebra

who, after being teased by my children (brymond and elsbeth), lost the sunbow in his eye

and goes on a journey to the lands of ‘i can’t’, ‘who cares’, and ‘i’ll try’ to retrieve that sunbow and the ability to see beauty in all things

no…i don’t believe there were any magic mushrooms involved

but that musical was my life for two years

practicing my solo while finishing my math homework in my hotel room

stretching and giving each other foot massages while we shared secrets

getting onto the bus to get to the theater for voice work

finding our way backstage to our dressing moms

prepping our costumes, making adjustments, warming up

always aware of the clock as it ticks closer to showtime

the ritual of the cacophony of the pit orchestra

sitting in the makeup chair

feeling the warmth of the spotlight

the trust of my theater family

as we bring this imaginary world to life

there is no safety net on the stage

there is no second take or do over

the audience lets you know if you’re getting it right

or if you’re getting it wrong

you never want to get it wrong

and we made it our practice not to get it wrong

there were times you wouldn’t know we were children

we rehearsed several times a week after school

we spent hours upon hours at the studio during the summer

our writer/producer/director would have the entire cast

over to her home and we would sing and dance and bond

in ways that only highly creative children know how to do

its the type of creativity that inspires and challenges and

manifests an energy that can never be recreated

all of that togetherness created a bond that kept us

safe on stage

we were each other’s safety net

one by one

coming to the dark stage

behind the deep red velvet curtain

sitting cross legged

tiny animals preparing to enter ‘the land of you are’

as the orchestra played the overture and the audience settled into their seats

our makeup was on

we were silent

passing energy stones around the circle

listening for our musical cue

to take our places

and begin the next show

"its all in the attitude

often its misconstrued

and i do hope you will conclude

that none of us should exclude

for really it’s spirit food

and i’m filled with gratitude for

make believe"