Thoughts of an Actor

There is something about acting that excites
Me. I'm not sure what it is, and during
The rehearsals I must not understand
Why. Learning the lines, learning the blocking,
All of the cues, the lights, the projection,
Articulation, the stress, the whole big
Package brings a lot of anxiety.

On performance night is the same old deal.
Backstage students are running back and forth,
Stagehands asking the producer where this goes
And where that goes, students reciting lines
To themselves (which happens less than it aught
To), and friends panicking to their friends (which
Happens more than I would like, honestly).
It even carries itself into the wings
And into the minds of the students, just
Before they step to their moment of truth.

But when they step onto that stage, when the
Lights are beaming on them, when the eyes of
Hundreds of onlookers are watching their
Every move, when it comes down to saying the
First line of the performance, all of that
Anxiety takes their own wings and fly
Away, lifting that weight off their shoulders. Their
Chest is lighter, their lungs fill with air, and
Words roll off the tongue smoothly and with such grace:

"Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean..."

Two hours later backstage are the cheers and
Laughter of those actors that told their story
With effortless grace and strong fortitude. "I can
Do two more nights of this," they say. And two
More nights it is, and they leave the quiet
Theatre with their heart all a flutter.

I think this is why I love my acting.