From the beginning of rehearsals to our closing night, we invested our bodies, spirits and talents to the incredible production of "Nice Work If You Can Get It" at Diamond Head Theatre.
There were inevitable mishaps, frustrations and injuries that often come with being in a show, but let me tell you...
Literal blood, sweat and tears.
It became a running joke about how many dance shoes succumbed to the intensity of the choreography, or who would be hurt next from a rolled ankle (me, a few weeks into rehearsal) or who would get kicked during a dance number. However much the show tried to push us down, we always came out triumphant.
We rubbed tiger balm on our bodies and put salonpas patches on aching muscles. We had ice cream on multiple occasions to reward ourselves for our hard work and had incredible support from our creative team and each other throughout the whole process. No matter how much sweat was accumulating (ew), how many bruises we got each night, how many people got intensely sick, how many beads broke, chair slips or costume struggles there were, we were in it together– and that is what kept us going and what allowed our production to be as stellar as it was.
The cast, crew and creative team of this show worked together to create a production that was more than a simple farce, but one that had incredible depth, integrity and connection by all players. We got rave reviews from local publications and even some random mainland ones (THANK YOU) and really felt the positive reactions of the audience after each performance. It's all a tribute to our hard work on and off stage. All of the "moments" we had with each other onstage were special and fun; it filled the offstage moments with more laughter. I honestly don't think there could have been a better group of people to bring life to these characters.
A lot of people know that this was my first show in a few years. I had to stop doing a lot of the stuff I loved because of school and work and internships. After I graduated, I felt really lost - still kinda do honestly - and was struggling to find myself again. I had ignored the performing arts side of me for too long. Doing something that I was passionate about really allowed me to build back a bit more of the confidence I lost, surround myself by people that understood me and shared the same passions of performing and growing – I am so grateful to have been in this show. Not only did it push me as a performer, but it helped me begin to find myself again.
On and offstage, this show created a bond between all involved. How lucky are we to have been able to lie on a stage together, BREATHE and experience moments that only we could ever have. The magic of theatre, folks. Thank you.
I'm gonna miss seeing these people on a consistent basis, but I know we'll always have the best memories of our time in the roaring 20s being miscreants who loved booze, partying, undressing onstage and swinging from chandeliers. I hope we'll soon be able to find 400 cases of gin in the bathroom. ;)
