My Pre-Show Routine

It's 6am on a Friday morning, the one day each school year you almost don't mind waking up early. It's opening night. After surviving what feels like the longest school day of your life, the time has come. You arrive at your house while it's still light outside for the first time in months and- well, what then?

1. Get the scary stuff out of the way

You have time, plenty of it. Although it may feel like there's so much to do and so little time, you're fine. So do some homework and take your time with it. Once it's done, if you're feeling a bit nervous, run the big dance number once in your backyard, or recite your monologue into a mirror. But don't overdo it. If you keep doing it again and again, you'll psych yourself out, and that's not good. 

2. Take some time to relax

Choose a good soap, tie your hair up, and take a bubble bath while listening to your favorite songs. Once the water turns cold, wrap yourself in a fluffy robe and brew some tea (personally, I love mint medley with 2 Splenda packets and some honey) while you just relax and enjoy calm before the storm. 

3. Prepare for the worst

It's time to get ready for everything and anything that could happen. Check your tights for any runs in them. Throw some sudafed and ibuprofen in your bag. Plug in the vaporizer or boil some water in a large pot. Take deep breaths and inhale the steam. Suck on a cough drop, it doesn't matter if you feel sick or not. Be ready for anything and everything to go wrong.

4. Get ready to leave

Before you leave, get some things out of the way. I always do my hair before I leave, just because of the lack of space in an average dressing room. Before I go I always slip on my tights and leotard, just to make things easier on myself. Slip on some spandex shorts and a t-shirt and you're ready to go. 

5. Make your way to the theater

Go for it. Stop at Star

bucks. Make sure your drink has no dairy in it. Hold the whipped cream, and no lattes. Go for a tea or refresher. Go ahead and blast your show's songs from the stereo, and always make sure you're there before call time. 

6. Makeup

Plug in your earbuds and try to stay calm while you do your makeup. Your first step should always be to moisturize your face. Personally, I use a CC cream instead of foundation. After you've done blush and any bronzer you'd like, remember to use setting powder to keep the makeup in place and stop your face from shining. Next, use some eyeliner on your lower lash line and mascara top and bottom. Use eyeshadow if appropriate for the show. Finally, on the lips, use more of a lipstick than a lip gloss, just to keep it more matte and less shiny under the lights. 

7. Warm up

Step into the hallway and do whatever stretches work for you. Make sure you're as flexible as you need to be for whatever you need to do in the show. Don't forget to warm up your voice, too. If your music director doesn't lead warm ups or doesn't go high enough for you, download a piano app on your phone and do your own. Make sure you're as ready as you need to be to put on this show. 

8. Zip up

Put on your costume. Make sure there are no rips or loose buttons. Make sure you are wearing it correctly and then make sure everything you need for the show is set. Put on your shoes and apply hairspray to the bottoms to avoid slipping onstage. Grab your mic and have someone help you with the tape. 

9. Perform

Dance like no one is watching, sing like no one is listening, and most of all, have fun no matter what happens. 

10. After the show

Go out to eat with your cast and enjoy yourself. When you get home, take a nice long shower, wash your face and hair well, and get plenty of sleep. You get to sleep in as late as you need to. Get yourself ready for another fantastic show!

•do theatre, not drama•

-Sierra 

The view from here is pretty

What is it about an empty stage that calls a desperate performer? The energy an actor feels when standing on the apron of a stage is enough to overcome anything else. No matter how bad your show may be, or how stressed you are from tech week, or how evil your dance captain is being about nailing that stupid left pirouette that you fall out of every night, that's why you do it. For the adrenaline you feel when you stand there onstage. 

There's two different, but equally beautiful circumstances for the perfect view onstage. The first- a full house. Personally, I love the moment when you first walk onstage and can steal a glimpse of the audience for only a moment. You look at all those faces and just think, wow, all these people are here to watch me. Yeah, maybe not particularly you, but look at all the people who paid money to come see you onstage.

There's always a moment in each show. You know the moment, the one you've been waiting for. The impressive synchronized dance sequence in the opening number, the tight harmonies by the ensemble during the main ballad, the cool dynamic full cast involvement in the act one closer. That moment where you're just hoping that the audience will love. You wonder what they're thinking. You think the critics will love this. Or my friends will think this is so cool. That moment you look forward to in a show, and, even though from where you're standing, you can't make out faces, you can just picture 500 wide eyed smiles sitting in front of you. 

If that doesn't just excite you, I don't know what does. 

Of course, although us extroverted theatre people love the energy we get from a full house, a completely empty theater can be one of the most beautiful things in the world. There's so much potential sitting on an empty stage in an empty house. I can't help but think of all the people who have been so happy sitting in those chairs and how many people will be made happy there later. The amount of eternal happiness in one room is overwhelming. 

If you ever find yourself alone in a theater, pause, breathe, take a moment to feel the energy in the room, the positivity that lies behind and ahead. Appreciate the amazing art that has happened in one place, and think of the beautiful magic that has yet to happen on the stage you're standing on. 

The places I've performed never cease to amaze me. I'm still in awe of the history I where I've stood. Next time you're in a theater, just stop, breathe, and appreciate. 

The view from onstage at the National Theatre in Washington DC, which I visited during theater week DC. The stage is home to pre-broadway runs such as If/Then. 

I hope you all liked my first post here as an actor problems blogger! My name is Sierra and I'm psyched to be part of the team. Find me on twitter @SoundOfSierra and please let me know if there's anything you'd like me to blog about. Have a great day! 

•do theatre, not drama•

-Sierra 

Why I Hate Wicked

Wicked is probably one of the most popular shows that has ever been preformed. Not only is the original cast legendary, but there are instagram accounts dedicated to them. I find the whole notion ridiculous. So here are more reason for my explanation of why I hate Wicked.

I didn't always hate the show. I was like every other little theatre kid who one day wanted to be Elphaba/Galinda/Fiyero. But that's just it. Wicked is a kid show. The target audience are those little ones who have just read or seen The Wizard of Oz and want to show this prequel to their children. So these kids grow up thinking that they too can be one of the characters one day. Cough cough, sorry kids, cough cough.

Let me take a second to discuss the book before going back to the musical. The book by the same name is most likely the most repulsive thing I have ever read. I advise any Wicked fan or theatre geek or anyone in general to never read this book. The book is dull, disgusting, and all together poorly written. How anyone read it and thought to make a musical out of it is beyond me.

Okay, back to the musical. Everyone has a show that they just don't like. Some don't like straight plays, some don't like anything by Webber, and some don't like shows with film or tv celebrities in them. Wicked happens to be the show that I just dislike, among a few others.

Let's get on to the technical aspects I don't like. The show is all spectacle and no substance. The plot line is shallow and so common. There never seems to be that much heart in the show besides the basic themes of love and friendship that is in nearly all shows.

Nessarose. If there is a character I hate more, they are not coming to mind. Just an udder of her name makes me mad. Who does she think she is? Why is she so special? I'm glad everyone hates her in the end. She's just a spoiled brat in my opinion.

At every audition, there is always someone who wants to sing something from Wicked. The music is so overdone that nobody wants to hear it anymore, which is a shame. Even though I find the music generic and too dramatic, it goes along with the show.

My heart belongs to old Broadway (Bring in Cosmo and the ensemble). The 20's was a time rich with fantastic pieces that capture my soul every time. I think that Wicked is just too contemporary for me. I would rather have to wait through two intermissions than too much of pop-y type music. I'm in all my glory right now as I'm currently in You Can't Take It With You as Mrs. Kirby.

The show may seem all frilly and cutesy, but it lacks real life connection that show needs now of days to continue to be popular. I feel like in ten years, Wicked won't be all that amazing as people now think it is. But that's just me.

Tell me what you think? Do you like Wicked, or do you agree? Comment below or ask us on Twitter.

Break legs,
Kendall

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