Opening in Two Days

Poster Design: Felix Lau

I’m freaking out. The opening is in two days and I’m freaking out. I’m freaking out and I’m not even going to be on stage. I can’t imagine what amount of stress the others are going through. I actually got the chance to drop into a couple of rehearsals in the past week. I didn’t know what to expect when I walked in for the first time but what I did get was complete and total professionalism.

Our stage manager, Sarah, is completely on the ball. She’s so on the ball, she created the ball. No, she created the material and machine in which the ball was created from. She scares me. Just like Nina Lee Aquino scares me.

Our director, Jeff, who I was expecting to be in shambles over my writing since I’m the worst with writing in intentions or stage directions, was incredibly composed.

Our actors, lovely. I think the worst thing I could do at this point was change anything on them but…being me…there were some words that just popped out during the first run. I wanted to cut them. It’s hard, however, to ask an actor to change anything with their lines this late in the game. They accepted.

A few more runs down the road, I did another bad thing. I asked to cut…just a little bit more. Just a little bit, I swear! (I’m a jerk.) They still accepted.

And I think this is why I love this collective. We accept and nurture each other.

Sylvia Vuong