shedding my blue jeans

These past couple of days were uber-busy. Last Saturday, we had an earlier call time than usual so we can have our space adjustment in the Batute theater. Miss Tess and Ian's Beginning Acting class had to extend a little longer in the venue for their own rehearsal, so we had to wait a little more. We got to watch them run through their entire play, called Metamorphoses or Banguhay (Mga Pagbabagong-Anyo). In fairness, their class had a lot of strong actors.

Then it was our turn next. Space adjustment along with the technicals. Tricky tricky. I missed the Batute stage, but it gets crazy. And with this group, it was tough, because some don't even know backstage discipline. Some were talking a little too loudly, and some were even peeking through the curtains. Holy kamote. Oh well. Anyway, we ran through everything, entrances and exits, songs with Sir Harold, and then the entire play. We ended at almost midnight, but a bunch of us were starving so we made a little stopover at Chowking, hahaha.

Another early call time on Sunday, so we can run-through again. Yay, I was so glad about this, because I still felt sloppy. Argh. I even ran into Bea and Kuya Ramil in the buffeteria, because they alos had a show that day at the Main Theater. Anyway, to my dismay, we only had a sort of paper tech. Entrances and exits and light changes, then that was it. We then moved to the Conference Hall, which was our holding area. The BA class was there, prepping up, dressing up and having their makeup done. We stayed at the other side of the room and did our own thing. When the BA class finally headed off to the theater to begin, we began prepping up. Slipped on our costumes, had our makeup done (thank you, Sir Roeder), while going through some songs with Sir Harold, talking, joking around, taking photos, vocalizing along with Sir Nazer's CD and all that.

Everything was just fine except for one disturbing incident that involved a phone call that Jella got. My golly banana.

Amazing, I thought that it would be just like last year that I wouldn't have the time to feel nervous. What was weird was that I didn't feel it at all. Huwaw.

When we all headed into the theater, we were raring to go. One glitch, though. Our AVP wasn't shown because the laptop that was used was different, and it wasn't compatible with the projector, I think. Darn. Because of that, the audience didn't get to see our "yearbook photos." Anyway, we were off and running. Paulo began with high energy, and it was so catching that everyone went with it. Never mind the little goofs; everyone could feel that we were all having fun. I never thought that people would laugh at certain lines and how some would segue into songs.

Anyway, by the time we were into "Lumang Tugtugin," we were raring to end the whole thing with a bang in "Blue Jeans." Woohoo! I just love that number.

One thing I can't believe I managed to pull off was that darn "Yakap Sa Dilim" scene. Hehehe. I never thought I could dare to bare in front of all these people.

Holy kamote, by the time Sir Roeder and Sir Nazer were giving out the certificates, I was so surprised that I actually had my own cheering section in the bleachers, HAHAHAHA! To Iam, Ge, Aris, Mike, Ate Shang (sorry, I forgot the name of your boyfriend!), Mimay, Nikki, Remus, Betty, Tin, Peachy, Carms, Nicco, Zee, Carlo, Teena, Mia, Sundee, and Ariel, thank you loads!

Chitchat, mingling, photo ops, videos and even an interview in the lobby after the show. It was crazy, hahaha. I loved every moment of it. After quite some time, a huge bunch of us headed to Dencio's Harbour Square with Sir Roeder and Sir Nazer for dinner. Paul R got his friend to videotape our entire show, so before, during and after stuffing ourselves silly, we watched and mocked the entire show. I looked like Minnie Mouse in my hot pink costume, hahahaha!

Sir Roeder was talking to me during the walk to Dencio's, and gave a little note on my performance. After that, he then asked me the same question a lot of people ask, the one about why won't I try auditioning for shows. And I said the same thing I always say, that I do not want to give a mediocre performance, I'm not prepared (ugh, what a lame excuse), and I'm my number one critic. So he told me that I should just keep trying, all that stuff, and stop all these inhibitions that keep hindering me from doing a good job. He repeated the same thing again after dinner, while we were watching Paul's video of the show, adding that I should go try out for TP shows, and stop hiding behind production work and backstage "ninja stints," specially with that "pretty face" that I have (huh?) that can take control, or something like that. I forgot his words, actually, hahaha. As long as I just improve on my focus and keeping still (malikot pa rin daw kasi ang mga mata ko), I can do it. Huwaw, inspiring.

Arvin remembered what Sir Roeder had said when we had changed venues. He just had to bring it up, and when Minette heard that, she also commented what she had noticed in me, hahaha! Kinda makes me think, really.

We may had shed off those old 80s blue jeans tonight, but we will never get tired of wearing them again. We have yet to find another venue for our outlet, because this will not end here.