Editor’s Note: This column originally appeared in the May 15, 2015.
The nerves — that’s what I remember the most. The feeling of being backstage before stepping out in front of a live audience to perform the work you have spent the past few months perfecting.
Yet you know in the back of your mind there is no way it will go perfectly. Someone will say a line out of order or forget it completely. You might trip during a dance scene. Maybe a set piece will fall in the middle of a scene.
But that’s live theater.
Now granted, my high school plays and musicals were not ready for the Broadway scene. However, I am proud my small school put together two quality productions every school year.
I often mention the sports I was involved in while in my high school days, but I didn’t limit myself to athletics. I loved the fine arts as well. I played clarinet in concert band, tenor saxophone in jazz band, sang soprano in choir, participated in both group and individual speech and, yes, acted in the fall plays and spring musicals. Being involved in so many things is one of the major advantages of going to a small school.
I loved the musicals the best. Don’t get me wrong, the plays were fun too, but there was something extra exciting about the song and dance component I really enjoyed.
I regret not trying out for a part my freshman year. But the choir director roped me in by asking me to pull curtain for the show. I knew all the songs to “Carousel” by heart when opening night came around. I knew sitting in my chair just off stage I was going to be involved the next year.
I played Sister Margaretta in “The Sound of Music,” one of my favorite musicals of all time. I wore a full nun’s habit, which was interesting to say the least. My fellow nuns and I stayed in character until the end, blessing the audience before taking our bows.
I had never heard of “Once Upon a Mattress,” until my vocal teacher told us that was the musical we would be taking on my junior year. It’s the story of “The Princess and the Pea” with a comical twist. My sister and I split the role of the Minstrel. It’s actually a part written for a man, but it was easily adapted for a female, or in this case, two females. The costume was actually pretty cool, despite the tights. I sported a black and gold tunic with a matching cape. The gold trimmed hat, complete with a feather plume, really brought it all together. I had such a blast in that role.
Scoring the lead role my senior year was a proud day. The first time I saw “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” I fell in love with the part of Milly. It was an honor to take on the part for the Green Mountain-Garwin High School production.
I got to yell at rowdy customers, hit a guy with a ladle, meet and marry a man in one day, teach backwoodsmen how to court women and teach them how to polka. That last one was scary.
My stage husband, Sonny Cutler (who played Adam in , is still making music in Nashville with his band, Syndrome of Fire. I’m happy to say I shared the stage with him, and I’m so proud he’s following his dream that all started in the little town of Garwin.
So as I look back on those performances, and I remember the butterflies just before curtain time with fondness. I also have never been able to duplicate the moment you step on stage and the spotlight hits you — the nerves translate into excitement and joy. Belting out show tunes in the car just doesn’t have the same rush.
Contact Pam Rodgers at
prodgers@newtondailynews.com