Cloud 9

After eight weeks of stressful rehearsal, it's extremely satisfying to finally perform Cloud 9. Not that the play itself is stressful, but the commitment did inspire me to write a blog post about the trials and tribulations of finishing homework while staying dedicated to the play. The only problem now is convincing people to come and see the show and K students are really weird about what they go to see. Improv comedy shows and a cappella concerts can sell out in ten minutes, but only seventy people may show up for a play. It's okay because I have the perfect tagline for when I verbally advertise the play: "It has an orgy in it!" 

It's true. Cloud 9, a bizarre play by Caryl Churchill, does in fact have an orgy in it. When I tell people it's an amazing play about gender, race and sexuality people tell me things like, "I have a lot of homework this weekend," or "I wish I could come but I have plans." However when I tell them my brilliant tagline (say it with me) "It has an orgy in it!" people abruptly change their minds and say, "Yeah, I think I can make it." I've been using these magic words frequently recently and I've had amazing success.

Acting in a play this inappropriately crazy has been a dream come true as a young actor and even though I'm only a first year, I haven’t had any difficulty securing large roles for my first two plays here. I thought I would be auditioning for at least a year before a director would even consider casting me, but K's theater program isn't so concerned with requiring people to "pay their dues" but interested in helping people enthusiastic to participate in theater and giving them chances. Even my theater friends that didn't get into Cloud 9 were able to participate in a student directed show and a staged reading. As for the adult content in Cloud 9, it's amazing to work in an environment where these mature themes can be taken seriously.

That said, seeing as tomorrow will be the last day I perform this show, I'm feeling very conflicted about the show ending. I've become emotionally attached to my characters and I'm sad to let them go, but now a huge amount of free time has opened up. No longer committed to evenings filled with long rehearsals, I feel so liberated. So while all my peers may be starting to freak out over finals, I'm asking people if they want to hang out.