1. Samantha Burdick Burdick, 1<br />Disarro<br />English 103<br />18 September 2010<br />The Jig is up Missy!<br />There is no greater feeling than the excited, nervous feeling I get before I go on stage. The rush of energy right before I walk on is so immense that I cannot help but feel proud. A feeling of pride that can only come from the hard work and determination to put on an outstanding performance. The confidence I feel when I finally step out from beneath the curtain is insurmountable. The stage is hidden in shadow, the audience apprehensive. Finally the lights go up; the show begins.<br />Ever since I was a little girl I have participated in theater productions. I have been in over twenty productions thus far. During every production I learn something new and exciting about the theater. I have learnt to love not only performing in a production, but to enjoy the other side of theater, directing the play. Directing is completely different from performing. You have to be stern and direct with performers, but understanding of each individual as well. Essentially one must create a play that is entertaining to all audiences, while dealing with the stress of the cast. I love directing. The feeling I get after receiving a standing ovation is indescribable.<br /> Even though I enjoyed acting, I did not think it was something that I would be able to do when I grew up. The theater was more of a hobby to me than a job. In the seventh grade I took a Government and Introduction to Economics class. During this class I decided that I wanted to be a lawyer when I grew up. I saw the court room as a stage. A stage where I would perform my best to persuade “the audience,” namely: the jury, of my story. I could not think of one <br />Burdick, 2<br />consequence to becoming a lawyer. I had even considered becoming an agent for actors and singers. I still did not stop participating in School Theater, despite my new ambitions. <br />In high school I was in many theatrical performances including: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Singin’ in the Rain, Alice in Wonderland, Anything Goes, Sound of Music, and Kiss me Kate.<br />During my freshman year of high school I discovered the Civic Theater. My honors English class was reading William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and was invited to see the show at the Civic. It was a Thursday dress rehearsal, the last one before the opening night.<br />When we arrived at the Civic Theater I was surprised to see how small it was compared to all the theaters I have performed in. The stage was down on the floor of the theater so that the audience actually felt a connection with the story and the performance. Before the show started, a woman named Melanie Buchanan went on stage and made an announcement. It was the usual welcome speech a director or lead actor gives before the show. Then the show began. <br />The show started just like the original, but I noticed that this version of Romeo and Juliet had been modernized. Instead of wearing the usual attire of the era, the cast was clad in heavy metal leather and preppy, conservative clothes. The play still showed the contrast between the two households yet it created an atmosphere that I had more of a connection to since I was a kid in high school. Though the play had been modernized it still had all of the language that Shakespeare had used. The way the cast spoke their words, used phrasing, it was beyond anything I could have imagined to come from this tiny theater. I was amazed by the quality of the acting. I truly felt like I was a part of the show, something I have never felt in a bigger theater. The play was outstanding. Everyone became their character and played their parts with <br />Burdick, 3<br />stunning perfection. That day I left the theater changed. Again I had learned something new, I missed acting.<br />During my sophomore and junior years of high school I decided to concentrate on my academics having little time to participate in anything the Civic had to offer. Then I found out about a summer camp that the theater held each year for children ages nine to eighteen. Here arose my chance to see what the Civic was like. The musical that summer was Guys and Dolls. I was so excited for the first day and nervous for auditions. My audition went well. By Wednesday the play was cast. I would be playing…Benny Southstreet? I did not know how I was going to go about playing the part of a male character. Definitely something I had never done before. I expressed my questioning thoughts to Mel, who quickly dismissed them, saying that I would do an outstanding job and not to worry. She seemed to be more excited about me playing this part than I was. In the end I was happy I was offered that part. Not only did it help me expand my acting experience, but it also showed me how to stand and act strongly, like my character. It helped me understand the difference between each character. How some are strong and most are weak. Benny was a very strong character. He was a gambler, a cheat, and most importantly Nathan Detroit’s wingman. <br />After Guys and Dolls I started to participate in more plays at Civic. That year I was in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Snow White, and Cabaret. Then one day Mel asked if I would be interested in being her assistant director for the upcoming show the Young Play Writer’s Project. I was very excited! The fact that she thought I had that much potential was humbling. I quickly agreed and started planning for the play. Finally I would have the chance to explore the other parts of putting on a production, an experience I had been secretly hoping for. It was something new that I had never done in the theater before and I was more than ready.<br />Burdick, 4<br />The play was amazing, but little did I know that it had just been a test for me. I did so well that Mel asked if I would like to stage manage the summer camp production of Annie. <br />In the words of Kate Walker, “Stage managing is the hardest part of putting on a production. You have to be able to yell and be yelled at. You have to be creative and unique. But most importantly you must be a leader. You are the person that makes the show run smoothly. The director does everything they can until opening night and then all they can do is sit and watch. It is you who must see that the production succeeds.” I now understand what Kate meant when she told me that. I will never forget her words because they helped me become a better stage manager. In the end the show was a great success. We sold out all four showings before opening night. Being able to stage manage the production of Annie was one of the most influential moments of my life. Mel Buchanan helped me see what I really loved to do. Now, instead of going to law school I am pursuing a degree in vocal performance with a minor in theater.<br />This experience of stage managing the production of Annie helped me become the person I am now. I do not think that if I had not met Mel, that I would have considered theater as a career. I would have become a lawyer, stuck behind a desk doing research and paperwork. Through watching Mel deal with all of the hassle of her everyday life in the theater I realized that teaching and directing theater is what I really want to do. I am happy with my career choice and I know that I will enjoy my job every single day. I also learned a few life skills. Especially about time management, but I also learned how to encourage people, especially children, to follow their dreams. And who knows, maybe I’ll see one of the kids from Annie on the Broadway stage. “The stage is not merely the meeting place of all the arts, but is also the return of art to <br />Burdick, 5<br />life,”(Wilde).<br />Works Cited<br />Essay:<br /> Walker, Kate. Personal Statement. 24 July 2010<br />Wilde, Oscar. quot;
Theater Quotes.quot;
WorldofQuotes.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sep 2010. <http://www.worldofquotes.com/topic/Theater/index.html<br />Visual:<br />“Alice in Wonderland.”Book Cover. 22 Sep 2010 http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://freeonlinemoviesforum.com/attachment.php%3Fattachmentid%3D6818%26thumb%3D1%26d%3D1245522950&imgrefurl=http://freeonlinemoviesforum.com/alice-in-wonderland-1985-t6158.html&usg=__JySQMb4p1IZmDoDDtc4M9TOhOBM=&h=350&w=241&sz=24&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=2jkARbfwpDzIsM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=83&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dalice%2Bin%2Bwonderland%2Bthe%2Bstunning%2Btales%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4ACAW_en___US361%26biw%3D1345%26bih%3D514%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=700&ei=5DKaTNOZD4aBlAfS4Oz2Dw&oei=5DKaTNOZD4aBlAfS4Oz2Dw&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0&tx=54&ty=74 <br />“Anything Goes.” Poster. Port Summer Theater. 22 Sep 2010 < http://www.ci.port-washington.wi.us/SummerTheater/PastProductions/AnythingGoesPhotoSet1.htm <br />“Cabaret.” Poster. Carbaret or Cabarnet? Both sound like fun. 22 Sep 2010 http://drinknectar.com/2010/08/31/cabaret-or-cabernet-both-sound-like-fun/ <br />“Guys and Dolls.” Poster. Eventful. 22 Sep 2010 http://eventful.com/dexter_mi/events/guys-and-dolls-/E0-001-020039866-1 <br />“Kiss Me Kate.”Logo. Deviantart. 22 Sep 2010 http://deeplycrashing.deviantart.com/art/Kiss-Me-Kate-Logo-108697578?q=sort%3Atime+gallery%3Adeeplycrashing&qo=1 <br />quot;
lion&wardrobe.quot;
Poster. Google Images. Web. 22 Sep 2010. http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&rlz=1R2ACAW_en&biw=1345&bih=553&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=the+lion%2C+the+witch%2C+and+the+wardrobe+cover&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=&gs <br />“Singin in the Rain.” Poster. 2006 Movie Series. 22 Sep 2010 http://redfordtheatre.com/filmdatabase/2006.htm <br />“Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.” Book Cover. What I have read since 1974. 22 Sep 2010 http://www.whatihaveread.net/book.php?0215 <br />“Sound of Music.” Poster. AM Right. 22 Sep 2010 http://www.amiright.com/album-covers/various-artists-the-sound-of-music-parodies/ <br />quot;
Thouroughly Modern Millie.quot;
Poster.Google Images. Web. 22 Sep 2010. http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&rlz=1R2ACAW_en&biw=1345&bih=553&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=thouroughly+modern+millie&aq=2&aqi=g3&aql=&oq=thour&gs_rfai=<br />“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Poster. To Make or Remake: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 22 Sep 2010 http://www.geekshow.us/content/articles/to-make-or-remake-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory/ <br />“You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.”Poster. Nicaragua Living. 22 Sep 2010 http://www.nicaliving.com/node/14553 <br /> <br />