And I can now add usher to my resume (wink)! Being behind the scenes at a musical was a fun experience. Thanks to my sister I had an in to this cultured world! She was one of the nuns in this theatre groups last play, ‘The Sound Of Music’.
It felt strangely unreal for me as I sat stuffing programs. I realised I can romanticise just about anything! Here I was at the ground level of theatre culture and I had been swept into it so easily and unexpectedly. The offer came up and I grabbed it. The evenings work began and I seized the moment! I ate up every menial task! Starving artists remember their stuffing programs days, do they not? Not that I am a starving artist but I was peckish after stuffing and standing most of the evening.
The ushers leader was a feisty older woman who had a knack for being tough and hilarious all at once. I instantly liked her. When she handed me the flashlight and an usher name tag it all felt so official. I shall for ever look at ushers in a new light.
Perhaps a tad over zealously I threw myself into handing out the programs. A few times I offered the same people a second one and when I offered the stage manager one I almost laughed aloud. He looked so unimpressed with me and even huffed! His reaction make me giddy and I couldn’t help contemplating doing it again just to mess with him… but, after all, I thought better of it, I am not that brazen, I am a think and laugh at the thought kinda girl.
Seated at the back when the curtain went up, we ushers where removed in more ways then one from the actual audience. I felt set apart but also important, people asked me questions! We observed the play and the audience from a servants position.
At half time… oh theatre biz calls it intermission, my sister and I where placed at the main doors to do some bouncing… more correctly, to act as bouncers. No food or drink was to make its way in for the second act. We may have not been on stage last night but this was our opportunity to do a little acting. I don’t believe either of us are really bouncer types.
Even picking up bits of trash after the show was fun for me. This affirms I may have been over board with my enthusiasm. Above all else I felt very thrifty! It has been a goal of my sister and I, of late, to seek out clever thriftiness in life. To get into a show (we enjoy going to plays and musicals) for free by volunteering to usher was indeed cleverly thrifty!
Here’s to theatre! Here’s to being cleverly thrifty and here’s to new experiences!
TTFN
That was cute, so glad you girls had that opportunity.