Saturday, March 04, 2006
A Life on the Stage
Last night I saw a high school production of "The King & I" in the suburbs. I have always been a huge fan of amateur theatricals (I think awkwardness is fun) and musical testaments to polygamy (I even penned a rock opera entitled "Mormon!"), and this was no exception. The show featured tons of white people hopefully painting on "Egyptian eyes" in an attempt to look like they're from Thailand and child actors who frequently scanned the audience mid-song to look for their parents, which really added to my experience. Oh, and there was a florist set up in the lobby in case you felt an urge to congratulate someone. You've got to love capitalism in action!
Of course, I have my own checkered high school theatrical past. I specialized in playing people named Billy who tap danced without provocation and members of destitute and/or downtrodden classes; generally, these roles did not coincide. I think the highlight of my career was when one of my directors accidentally left me and several cast members stranded at an area grade school wearing 1940s costumes. My straw boater and bow tie really made the long walk back much more comfortable. I also completed a week-long run of Anything Goes with a horrendous case of bronchitis. At times, I feared that that particular Billy would end up dueting with an iron lung.
If only life could be more like the drama club. As it is, people hardly ever applaud me when I finish an appellate brief.
Last night I saw a high school production of "The King & I" in the suburbs. I have always been a huge fan of amateur theatricals (I think awkwardness is fun) and musical testaments to polygamy (I even penned a rock opera entitled "Mormon!"), and this was no exception. The show featured tons of white people hopefully painting on "Egyptian eyes" in an attempt to look like they're from Thailand and child actors who frequently scanned the audience mid-song to look for their parents, which really added to my experience. Oh, and there was a florist set up in the lobby in case you felt an urge to congratulate someone. You've got to love capitalism in action!
Of course, I have my own checkered high school theatrical past. I specialized in playing people named Billy who tap danced without provocation and members of destitute and/or downtrodden classes; generally, these roles did not coincide. I think the highlight of my career was when one of my directors accidentally left me and several cast members stranded at an area grade school wearing 1940s costumes. My straw boater and bow tie really made the long walk back much more comfortable. I also completed a week-long run of Anything Goes with a horrendous case of bronchitis. At times, I feared that that particular Billy would end up dueting with an iron lung.
If only life could be more like the drama club. As it is, people hardly ever applaud me when I finish an appellate brief.
