Life: The Mobius Strip

Oh, boy. I've done it again.  I took a nosedive and am now in the zone of no return.  I have reached the point of being dangerously consumed and backtracking seems impossible.  This paintbrush that I have picked up is none other than...drama.

WAW.

I am speechless. Five months ago, my friends and I, still freshies in the world of Literature, heard about the annual HELP A-Level drama production. We joked how we had never tried our hand in acting, how our thespian endeavours seemed pretty bleak, and how high their standards seemed to be.  But somehow we garnered enough courage to get our butts to the auditions and personally, that was one of the best decisions I've made.

The next thing you know, drama practice filled my Friday evenings - some of them dreaded with the mock exams looming at the back of my mind, some sheer enjoyment laughing at the messed up plot of the play, and other days when it was serious business of perfecting our characters inside out.  A vocal trainer came in once that ended up with us doing bunny positions and massaging each other's backs.  Two cast members had birthdays on the same day and we surprised them with a birthday cake!  It's funny when you get to the point that you want to skip practice for homework or just plain laziness but then, you look at where you're at now - done with the show and wishing for those moments to come back even if it was just exchanging lines in an empty lecture hall with familiar faces.

What started out with just three people became such an amazing picture of the cast! Awww shucks XD

Nico! Also another Lit student and my cast mate in the same play. Enjoyed the company during those long waiting hours and chilling sessions before the show. <3 you!

Love you Callie! My History, Math and Lit classmate who can effortlessly make such a cute character :)

Isabelle - the only person taking the same subject combo as me! Headed the wardrobe department and I salute her dearly for carrying that heavy heavy workload.

With some tears from the pressure on the part of the production crew, we held on to each other forcing ourselves to keep on looking ahead.  The last week.  HECTIC - enough said.

In no way were we prepared for what was in store for us when we 'bumped in'. It was some experience to literally be stuck in the auditorium from 9am to 10pm from Monday to Friday. It amazed me to see the dedication all of us had for this. Our love for the stage. Our hopes of not letting our hard work go down the drain. When I say we weren't prepared, I meant it - sore throats, fever, and flus attacked the flock at the start of the week, cast members had mock EXAMS and rehearsals on the same day, one of my friend's car got banged and she actually had to MISS her mocks, one actor had to quit altogether in the last week due to tonsilitis and his understudy had 24 hours to showtime to MEMORISE the whole play, half the props were MIA during full dress rehearsals, our sound and lighting had two days to perfect the entirety of FIVE plays, and to top it off, we had the thought of pleasing a full house crowd three days straight. No pressure, right?

Warming up in the auditorium. GOSH this reminds me of the heebie-jeebies we had before the show. Dreaded and loved it at the same time - is that even possible?!

You'd think that after the first show, things would get easier. But the cast and crew were in for a surprise the next day when we learnt that we were running over the estimated 2 hours and some people (who were financing us) were not quite happy (as in threatening to STOP the production ENTIRELY) with the slight profanity used in the play. It was saddening to see how narrow-minded people sometimes seemed.  Our intentions were to depict the true essence of life and what it entails - not sugar coating the play with what wasn't reality.  Nonetheless, in 6 hours to showtime, we had to CUT probably 30 minutes worth of scenes in the midst of a cast and crew that just suffered a pretty big blow - energy level was an ultimate low. It didn't matter if our individual character's lines were affected but having envisioned something to be the way you've created it for five months, an abrupt change in rhythm on the day of performance was no help. Road bumps aside, I learnt so much about compromise and reaching an agreement when you don't exactly agree. I shall remember what Ms C, our head Lit lecturer said,

"There will always be fights.  But we have to LEARN to choose the fights WORTH FIGHTING FOR. Guys, I'm telling you now: we let them win THIS battle BUT we fight to WIN THE WAR."

(: I don't know if it makes any sense. But whoever who's been through the whole endeavour, would've definitely gotten what was said.

Alterations were done and what d'ya know? It turned out pretty darn AWESOME in the end. :) The fact that we pushed through TOGETHER despite the obstacles and amidst low spirits shows how much a family we had become.

And I am truly proud to be part of that family.

Getting people addicted to 'Sayang Kinabalu' and knowing more about Sabah even if it started out by talking about the rainforest (we're getting there) has also been what I pride myself with. The chants and before-the-show rituals will forever make me laugh. I will miss warming up with you guys :) If it is what it is, maybe this won't be the last time *wink*

Thank you Lord for letting me stumble upon this pebble I now know to be theatre and encouraging me to turn it over when I almost stepped over it.

I will remember this (': Much love.

Here's to drama being something more than just being in the spotlight, fancy costumes, and pretty make up. Here's to the discovery of the immense blood, tears, sweat, time, and love this wonderful hobby brings.

Loving it (: *empowered*