thoughts on a first day...

i should be asleep...but something is keeping me from it. it's that feeling of excitement and nervousness and anticipation and wonder that used to embrace me the night before the first day of school. and that only stands to reason because in less than 10 hours (from time or writing at 12:22am), i will embark on the rehearsal process for my next show here in the washington dc area...BUSY TOWN the musical. with imagination stage. just like the night before school starts, i find myself excited, unable to sleep, looking at my supplies sitting on my desk (script, pencil, highlighter, etc), just waiting for me to slip them into my backpack tomorrow morning and head out the door for the bus (#32 or 36, heading up wisconsin ave to the tenleytown metro stop on the red line...riding up to bethesda.)

since embarking on this quest of 'LTD' a little over 3 years ago, i have had this 'feeling' a handful of times - and it's an experience that i sit here thinking about and finding myself very thankful for tonight. it's a welcome reminder to me that i am so blessed to have this chance to do what i love. i may complain about the money, or lack thereof, and i may get bogged down in having 2 or 3 part-time jobs that keep me afloat, and being too busy to think at times...but in the end, i do it all because i want to be able to come to a point in my life and say 'you know what....i took a chance and did what i loved. and boy was it scary and a little bit draining...but it was exhilarating and exciting, too.'

tomorrow, i'll meet a new cast and a creative team, and we'll read through the show and we'll look at sketches of the set and costumes - and we'll talk about schedules and rehearsals and staging and choreography and everything that comes with a new show and then, before you know it...we'll be putting the show on it's feet for it's first preview on sept 23rd.

but for now...i lay here with a temporary pit in my stomach (that goes away the first day), a fullness in my heart and a smile on my face, as i look at the pile of supplies sitting on my desk, being lit by the computer glow, and remind myself that i'm here because i chose to be...and i'm one of the luckiest kids in the class.

first day of school pics/stories to come soon....