The best is yet to come.
It's two days till my show and I am a ball of nerves. I am soooo nervous. Yesterday was the first play: Number one out of eight groups vying for the Best Performance prize in the state theatre festival. I just want to have some fun. I just want to do my best. I have nothing, so I ain't got nothing to lose---as Jack said in Titanic.
A word about myself. I acted in a play during secondary school, and twice during university. I took Acting and Improvisation as an elective in university. After graduating I took another acting class with a very good theatre director. Many people who were in my class went on to become stars-- two of them have starred in Yasmin Ahmad movies . Several others went on to act in plays and short films - One of them is still a famous TV host/actor. Kesimpulannya, they went on to do very good work.
My life changed a lot after taking that class. I received a job offer a few months after that and I stopped being involved in theatre or acting ever since. For years, I longed to get back to theatre. I just love the process, the discussion of ideas, the rehearsals.
I had always arrived early for acting class - it helped that I had so much time on my hand because I was jobless. I wouldtake a 50-minute bus ride from Kajang to KL but I never once complained--because frankly, I loved doing theatre.
Now I drive 45 minutes from Hangar Town to Star City to attend my nightly practices. I don't mind it either because I chose to play this role. Early on, I told my group leader that I wanted to act. I had played a supporting role last year, and I once was behind the scenes as Stage Manager- a job that I enjoyed a lot.
This year, I told myself that I wanted a challenge. I wanted to get back into the game. I've been itching to act again, so here is the opportunity, I told myself. And boy, what a tremendous opportunity it was! Unlike my other plays with the group, this one is a competition. And mind you, we are competing with experienced groups -- two of them have gone on to the national-level competition, and one of them won the grand prize. They have a troop of 'kaw' and 'terrer' actors and a top-notch technical crew.
My group is making its maiden performance in the state-level competition. We are totally psyched, not just to be in it but also because we will perform during the closing ceremony. We are the last group!
After saying all that, performing on a stage is a nerve-wracking experience, regardless of how experienced you are. The best you can do is just breathe, acknowledge your nervousness, and go out and just do it. Give it your all. Make sure you satisfy yourself, and dazzle the audience. Sheesh. All this sounds easy on paper, but it is bloody hard to do in real life, believe me.
My greatest fear is fucking up. That's all. If I can refrain from doing that, then I'm a happy camper. So, to take my mind of thinking that, I'm just gonna give it my all.
It's two days till my show and I am a ball of nerves. I am soooo nervous. Yesterday was the first play: Number one out of eight groups vying for the Best Performance prize in the state theatre festival. I just want to have some fun. I just want to do my best. I have nothing, so I ain't got nothing to lose---as Jack said in Titanic.
A word about myself. I acted in a play during secondary school, and twice during university. I took Acting and Improvisation as an elective in university. After graduating I took another acting class with a very good theatre director. Many people who were in my class went on to become stars-- two of them have starred in Yasmin Ahmad movies . Several others went on to act in plays and short films - One of them is still a famous TV host/actor. Kesimpulannya, they went on to do very good work.
My life changed a lot after taking that class. I received a job offer a few months after that and I stopped being involved in theatre or acting ever since. For years, I longed to get back to theatre. I just love the process, the discussion of ideas, the rehearsals.
I had always arrived early for acting class - it helped that I had so much time on my hand because I was jobless. I wouldtake a 50-minute bus ride from Kajang to KL but I never once complained--because frankly, I loved doing theatre.
Now I drive 45 minutes from Hangar Town to Star City to attend my nightly practices. I don't mind it either because I chose to play this role. Early on, I told my group leader that I wanted to act. I had played a supporting role last year, and I once was behind the scenes as Stage Manager- a job that I enjoyed a lot.
This year, I told myself that I wanted a challenge. I wanted to get back into the game. I've been itching to act again, so here is the opportunity, I told myself. And boy, what a tremendous opportunity it was! Unlike my other plays with the group, this one is a competition. And mind you, we are competing with experienced groups -- two of them have gone on to the national-level competition, and one of them won the grand prize. They have a troop of 'kaw' and 'terrer' actors and a top-notch technical crew.
My group is making its maiden performance in the state-level competition. We are totally psyched, not just to be in it but also because we will perform during the closing ceremony. We are the last group!
After saying all that, performing on a stage is a nerve-wracking experience, regardless of how experienced you are. The best you can do is just breathe, acknowledge your nervousness, and go out and just do it. Give it your all. Make sure you satisfy yourself, and dazzle the audience. Sheesh. All this sounds easy on paper, but it is bloody hard to do in real life, believe me.
My greatest fear is fucking up. That's all. If I can refrain from doing that, then I'm a happy camper. So, to take my mind of thinking that, I'm just gonna give it my all.
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