Well done? Ha! The set looks . . . Magnificent!
Today, we make history. We use the Green Room for the first time. My Guild training paid off when I was in college. When I first saw the big green room below the stage at Fontbonne, I couldn’t wait to be able to sit and relax between scenes. But I couldn’t do it. I was so used to being in the wings when not on, I was afraid that I’d “lose” something being in a bright, comfortable, climate-controlled room, listening to the play over crackling speakers. For one thing, I talk a lot. For another, I like to horse around. Being in the wings instills a discipline in the actor: he must be quiet so the audience can’t hear him; he must respect the sight lines; he must pay attention to what’s going on and yield to other actors entering or exiting the stage. Most importantly, though, he must remain IN THE PLAY. While his character may relax, he may not. And the character remains close at hand.
I’m sure that, with Mr. L’s permission, I’ll take advantage of the green room during the my long break in scenes six and seven. But I’ll be on high alert against “losing” whatever it is I pick up by stepping onto that stage in the dark and hearing the murmuring audience behind my back.