Saturday, February 7, 2009

Show & Tell With Mel - Feb. 8th


Behold, I show you my Thespian Card. I was in my first play at the age of 5. My first role? That of "child". It was a musical - so I had songs to learn and sing. As with many musicals, there was also dancing involved. Since I was young (and cute at the time) my part in the one big dance number was to sit sweetly on the front edge of the stage and play with a dolly. I was to do nothing more than to sit, play with the dolly and sing. For some reason, on the night of the last show, I got it in my head I needed to do more than just sit, play, sing. So, when the dancers finished their number - which was a big square dance type thing and ended with them on their backs kicking their feet in the air, I decided to join them. They were wearing pantaloons - I was not. When you're 5 and cute - you can get away with flashing the audience in your days of the week undies with the polyester lace. I was a hit. Flash forward some almost 12 or 13 years . . . .



Definitely not as young. Still kind of cute though. Still not wearing pantaloons. This time I got to sing AND dance. We did a musical revue this year in high school. One of my big numbers was to sing "Baby Face" with 5 other girls. We started off sweet and adorable - note the big, dopey bow. We were supposed to end in a sort of burlesque-y grand finish with involved a chorus line bit of kicking and some shimmying. Given that we were a smallish high school with a drama budget to match, many of our costumes were pretty much spit and gum and mostly held together with safety pins. Our first performance was a matinee for the high school. The entire Varsity football team sat in the first two rows, together - a loud, rowdy and verbal bunch guaranteed to consider this an interactive type activity. When it came turn for our number, the other girls and I smartly marched out on stage and began singing and dancing. "baby face, you got the cutest little baby face . . . " Things were going quite well. Near the end of the song and before the chorus line kick, we were to kneel in a cheerleader pose. We knelt and when I stood up, caught the heel of my character shoes on the hem of my pinafore. So much for safety pins. So, now I am standing, heading into what it supposed to be an impressive show of shimmying followed by synchronized kicking with my dress around my ankles. Talk about a wardrobe malfunction. The first two rows are in an absolute uproar. I shimmied my pinafore to one foot and then kicked it into the front row. The show must go on right? And that, my good folks, is how I managed to moon the entire Varsity football team and earn my Thespian Card.

Now, stop snickering and go see who else is mooning the class . . .

17 comments:

Kristin said...

Oh honey...you have much more nerve than I had at that age. I think I would have turned a thousand shades of red and ran away.

Malky B. said...

Wow what a fun memory that must be. yes you where very cute and still are (in a more grownup way of course)!

JuliaS said...

Running off with my pinafore wound round my ankles would have landed me on my face - not so much nerve as just fear of really making a spectacle of myself! I was also kind of stuck especially since I was in the middle of the line and we now all have our arms around each others shoulders and doing our kicks. Fortunately my shirt was rather longish and I was wearing undies at least and a pair of support hose type tights. I sure did whip the football team into a frenzy though! I made sure to wear my tap pants underneath for the rest of the shows.

Lori Lavender Luz said...

Well, at FIRST I was going to go on about how CUTE you are.

But after THAT story, I just have to admire you in a whole new way. Takes a real big person to be able to recover the way you did.

Yay, you!

Mrs. Spit said...

I dunno. Groped by men in the choir, showing her knickers to the football team.

TSK TSK

HaleyMarieOlson said...

Wow, what a story! I admire you for being able to continue.

I know if it had been me, I would have burst into tears and run off the stage(costume allowing, of course)...and then begged my mom to move to another country.

What courage, confidence, and bravery you have!!

The Steadfast Warrior said...

Ah, yes, those endearing moments in theatre. What a trouper! Yes, the show must always go on! I rolled my ankle in a dance in Anything Goes in grade 12 and fell to the ground. Luckily I was in the 2nd row and no one saw. Got back up and kept on going. What we do while on stage...

Sam said...

I feel for you! Drama always has more theatrics than you expect!! ha ha!

Coffeegrljapan said...

Amazingly hysterical! Good for you - the show MUST go on. I like your spirit!

Cara said...

Ha! A fellow thesbian! Although - you trump me as I never persued the CARD!

Oh how I miss singing and dancing on stage! Your fact just brought it all right back.

First the laundry and now this? I'm sure we are meant to meet someday...somewhere...we'll know each other because of the pantaloons we will be wearing! (he he)

Megan said...

I have one of those cards too!!! Thanks for taking me back and making me nostalgic.

loribeth said...

ROFL!!!

I acted in school plays too, although I don't remember anything quite so memorable happening to me.

Beautiful Mess said...

Good for you for not running off stage! You are WAY more courageous then I was at that age, even now! Great picture, thank you for sharing.

Michelle said...

Yup, you had more courage than me as a child.

Anonymous said...

Proud member of Thespian Troupe 1534 here! Your post inspired me to see if I still have my card, and lo and behold, I was able to find it! We also have a shared experience when it comes to ..ahem..mooning activity. About 6 years ago, I was playing Frau Schmidt in Sound of Music. I shared the mic pack with the woman who played Mother Abbess, and one night we were slow on making the switch. I struggled to put the mic on and then ran out on stage. I could sense a weird energy in the audience the whole time I was out there, but I just thought we were really nailing the scene. When I came off stage, they sent the little girl who played Gretl to tell me that my skirt had been caught up over the mic pack and I had been treating the audience to a view the entire scene. I was mortified to say the least...but at least I got a rousing curtain call!

Thanks for your Show & Tell and story!

battynurse said...

Wow. That's impressive. I tried drama once and luckily figured out about a day into the class that I didnt' like to get up in front of people and quickly transferred out of the class. I never would have made it through a dance thing minus the skirt.

MrsSpock said...

I'm glad I didn't have your nerve in my tooth, LOL. That costume is AWESOME.