Well, it ended today.
Theatre is somewhat unique in the world of art in that the lifetime of a piece is unavoidably finite. A show opens, it has a run, maybe it tours for while, then it inevitably closes. Sometimes the lifespan of a theatrical production is only one night. Others live for decades. But eventually, all theatrical productions die.
I think every actor, director, playwright, stage manager, etc. has her or his own way of finding closure at the end of a run. Some have superstitions or rituals that give them comfort. Others like to document their experiences of the run in a notebook or journal. Almost all enjoy closing-night parties to celebrate the production's conclusion.
Today, South Camden Theatre Company's production of Waiting for Lefty by Clifford Odets ceased to be. We had a sold-out audience today. The energy moved well, the commitment was high, and the audience seemed engaged. From my perspective, it was one of our better shows and I was incredibly proud of everyone's unwavering dedication to the work.
I'm looking forward to my next project and I'm ready to continue my progress. But I had a whole bunch of fun working on this show, and I hope I get the chance to play with Odets' words again. I am grateful to Joe Paprzycki for casting me and allowing me the freedom to do my work.
So, as Jay says, "On to the next one."
peace.
