Insights

The Hale Centre Theatre facebook page has a little segment called "A Day in the Life" where the people of Hale share thoughts and experiences about their lives. They asked me to do the latest one, and this is what I wrote. It's a small look inside my head:

I've recently come to a realization about performing - I can't get enough of it. It's the one thing I've never gotten tired of doing (well, that and eating brownies). Nowhere has that been more apparent than my participation at the Hale Centre Theatre. In the last 3 years I've been involved in 11 shows which means I've spent more days at the theater than away from the theater in that time. And the thing I love most about performing is making people laugh. It's so incredibly fulfilling. There's nothing on Earth like it, and after playing everything from a high-class British socialite to a crazy ex-pirate castaway, I've certainly had my fair share of chances to do just that. It's a sickness, but as Mr. Turnblad says in "Hairspray," "There ain't no cure, so let this fever rage!"

The thing I look forward to most on a regular basis is heading to the theater for a rehearsal or a performance. Everyone acts excited/relieved/happy when we get a free night, but secretly I'm disappointed. There's literally nowhere I'd rather be than at the theater - even if I'm not doing anything! Not only do I get to spend time in my favorite place doing my favorite thing, but when I'm there I'm surrounded by the most amazing, talented, hilarious, caring, supportive, loving, insane, fantastic people you'll ever find. Olive Garden may have the copyright to the tagline "When you're here your family," but at the theater - you live it.

Currently I'm following in a storied tradition of insane people - being single cast. That's a minimum of 8 shows a week and 0 social life. But two things make it bearable: 1 - I'm playing a dream role - Man in Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone. And 2 - I LOVE performing. Even the thought of not having Friday or Saturday nights free doesn't really bother me because I'll be spending them doing the thing I love most, surrounded by amazingly hilarious, talented people. What more could anyone want?

So when you come to see "The Drowsy Chaperone" (Playing from Oct. 5 - Nov. 27) - and you definitely don't want to miss this one - and you see me up on stage absolutely beaming, just know that at that moment, I'm not acting. And feel free to give me a big grin yourself on the way out of the theater, then I know I've done my job. :)