This is a poem that Paw 'Prent Noelene Clark wrote about what theatre means to us. She read it to the Fiddler on the Roof cast on opening night. It made us all cry. LOL. It makes me cry every time I read it, because it is so true, and it brings back memories of the plays that I've done that have come and gone, but still remain in my heart...

Every performance is different.
Sometimes you may be zoned,
            hearing only your heartbeat
            and the voice of character
            and you blink and realize you're backstage
            and the show is over.
Other times your hands are clammy
            and your fingers trembling
            and you dig your mind and memory for cuelines
            and you keep telling yourself
            don't screw up... don't screw up...
            and if you're human, you'll screw up.
And then sometimes the curtain falls
before you're ready
            to take your bows and read your review,
before you're ready to leave it all behind-
            the late night rehearsals
            the Betty Botters and Ragged Rascals
            the crazy laughter and burning tears.
Sometimes the curtain falls
before you're ready
            for that last we believe in us,
            and before long, the show is history,
            the magic is just a memory.
The trick is to realize that the joy is in the journey
            the together
            the circle.
After all, when the curtain drops,
           the ingénue and the extra stand side by side
           the hero and the villain join hands,
           all the actors line up because
W hen the makeup and masks are off,
W hen the spotlights dim,
            we're all just people.

- Noelene Clark

This is a prayer that my friend Josh taught me about a year ago. I share it with theatre groups everywhere I go. It means a lot to me; enjoy.

Your talent is your gift from God.
What you do with that talent is your gift back to God.
There is magic in the theatre.
The theatre is magic.
Blessed are those who create that magic.

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