And just like that, Hairspray has come to a close. This production has been unlike anything I have ever experienced before. My heart is so full of love for everyone that made it possible.
Before our final performance, the entire cast and creative team got together one last time. I have truly enjoyed having green room talks 15 minutes before each show, to check in on everyone’s day, take some collective deep breaths, and pass an energy pulse. On closing, this time was dedicated to the seniors, who each shared some final thoughts with the room before they stepped onstage one final time. I also led the actors through an exercise that consisted of giving anonymous shoulder taps to those who fit different descriptions.
I had never led this exercise before, but it went so much better than anything I could have hoped for. Groups of actors stood in the center of a circle made up by the rest of the cast, and walked around, tapping shoulders, in line with the prompts I read. To read something like “Tap someone’s shoulder who could always brighten your day” and watch the manifestation of the community come alive through endless shoulder taps was truly beautiful. Needless to say, there were a lot of laughs and tears. The love that was held in the room was so evident and watching this family that formed throughout the past few months share these moments together was so special. I will hold that final green room meeting in my heart forever.
Photo by Jim Carmody
One of my favorite forms of daily check-ins that we developed over time was “thorns and roses.” A thorn is something that was not so great about your day; a rose is your highlight. There have inevitably been thorns throughout this process. My Fitbit has raised concerns more than once about my terrible sleep schedule. Thursday of Tech Week was stressful and tiring, just as we predicted. The quarter system meant we all had to balance endless papers, midterms, and 8 AM lectures with nightly 4 hour rehearsals. Putting up a full-scale musical, with stakes as high as we faced, was not easy.
Photo by Jim Carmody
But, the roses made it all worth it. We developed a community that was full of love, energy, and dedication. Outside of rehearsal, we had movie nights, Jackbox TV tournaments, surprise birthday parties, and endless inside jokes. We put in blood (thank you Michael, the super stage manager for always having your safety kit on hand), sweat, and tears to put a monster of a show on its feet. We had 6 amazing performances, to houses of over 700 people. Every person involved in bringing this show to life is my rose. I love them all so much and appreciate every ounce of heart and work they put into making something so much larger than ourselves.
I know that I graduate in only a few weeks, and that Muir Musical has been the single most important part of my college experience, but it does not feel real to know I’m going to be moving away from this incredible organization. Over the years, Muir Musical taught me to be a leader, an artist, a friend, and a student with purpose. I learned how to form business relationships, contribute to production meetings, and hang 100 posters around campus like it was nothing. I felt a sense of belonging that I couldn’t find anywhere else on campus and learned about myself in so many ways. I would not trade my experience with Muir Musical for the world. I am so grateful, and can’t wait to see all of the incredible work that this organization will continue to produce for years and years to come.
Photo by Jim Carmody