Time to Play

My (slightly worn) script.

I know it has been three weeks since I last posted. Let me explain.

I mentioned at the end of the last blog that I was in rehearsals for The Play That Goes Wrong at Winston Salem Theatre Alliance. This is the first play I have been in since 2014, and I was not quite prepared for the shift in my sleep schedule. Instead of winding down and heading to bed around 10, the nights I had rehearsal I’d be getting home around 10:45, then winding down and trying to sleep. 

Not a huge difference, but enough to throw me off for a week or so. Sleep is one of those important parts of our routines that can very easily be derailed. Waking up 30 minutes earlier or going to sleep 30 minutes later can throw off your entire system. Once is not that big a deal, but repeat the pattern and it takes a few days to acclimate. 

I finally got used to it, but then had another fun sleep-related issue pop up: I started grinding my teeth. Apparently this is rare among adults but can occur when stress or other factors mess with sleep cycles. I cut way back on caffeine, got a mouth guard and tried to completely calm myself before sleep. It seems to be working, thankfully.

The play, meanwhile, goes up in three weeks (November 11 weekend).  As we get closer, rehearsals will get longer and more energetic. I’m hoping my current mental prep will help me maintain good sleep during that.

Now, in the play itself I get to perform a few slapstick stunts! I’m very excited about this. It is an extremely funny show about a community theater cast trying to perform a murder-mystery play while everything that can go wrong does go wrong. I play the “dead guy” but have an awful lot to do for a corpse. 

My martial arts and fitness background will come in very handy as I navigate the show. At the last rehearsal someone was watching for the first time and gasped when I did my simplest stunt. That was very encouraging! It meant I was selling it properly, and it was the first time I did it effortlessly.

If you want to see for yourself, follow this link to get tickets. This show will sell out, so get tickets early!