Submitted by Anonymous on
As a dutiful cohort, I read the 45 Plays for 45 Presidents‘ script beforehand and wondered how the screenplay I read could be entertaining. At the August 16th readthrough, I watched the actors wake up the text and make it come alive. Those very words I had previously read with mild amusement were now making me laugh out loud. The difference was obviously in the presentation—and this was listening to a first readthrough—before the actors honed their performances and without costumes and staging. Heck, I was this impressed when they were merely sitting and reading. I can’t wait to watch this play evolve.
My biggest takeaway of the morning was I want to be an actor. I spent 30 years working in corporate offices and didn’t have nearly the fun I saw the actors having as they read through the script. I’d like to make it clear up front that I have no intention of becoming an actor due to my considerable lack of talent, time, energy, and guts; but the thought came unbidden to compare my old 9 to 5 grind with the atmosphere in the rehearsal room.
I’m sure that being an actor, albeit being a hoot, comes with lots of personal sacrifices of time away from family, the search for the next job, the hours spent preparing for their roles and much more that I’m unaware of. Courage must be a major requirement too. Maybe these five actors are old hands at their craft, but it must have taken a great deal of courage to first get on a stage and perform before a live audience. My hat goes off to these folks.
-Terri Munson, Cohort
