The past couple of months have had a lot of good times and hard times, but at this moment I can look back on these past months and honestly say the good outweighs the bad by far. Not many people can say that after having weeks of unchanging stress and frustration but what made those months bearable is being a part of the production that we put on last night. My stake relief society president, Mariana, called me in December saying that she knew I played piano but didn't know if I sang. Of course not thinking about it I said yes. She told me that in March she was putting on a play of the 10 Virgins and would like me to take a roll in the production. I told her I was an alto and that I would love to prepare for the roll she would provide for me. A few minutes after hanging up I started to feel panic and a little bit of regret. I've never been on a stage delivering lines and singing solos to an audience before. What did I get myself into!?
After receiving a CD with songs from the production on it and my own music, I got a call from Laurie, our director, that we were going to have our first practice to learn our parts a little bit. The first time meeting the other women in the production was a little awkward to me. I didn't really know any of them and didn't know how to connect, but as we came to practice with one another more and more over the next couple of months I really started growing closer to these women. They always made me leave practice laughing or with a smile on my face. Finally it came time to get props, costumes, etc... and panic really started to sink in. I didn't have my lines or my song memorized! But somehow they all seemed to make me feel that I would be great and just to pray; things will come to you as you diligently prepare (One of my lines).
With each passing practice I began to feel closer and closer to my character. She knows that there are greater and more important things in life, she's just a little absent minded. She would have brought the oil if she would've taken the time to think it through first. As I fell more and more into my character and see the others come to life as well I really did start feeling that these women were my sisters. I cried at Jessa's song. The way Shirley sang and put her heart into each word, moved me very much. I was really happy to be picked to be a part of this production.
As dress rehearsal came and went the pressures of the larger performance seemed to pile on. Everyone was nervous and we had touch-ups to make. I think we were all ready for it to be over. So when the night of the performance came we all sang greater than I've heard us all sing before. We all had more feeling behind our lines and I could tell the audience was feeling the sincerity that we had displayed. As the performance came to a close we were all relieved, yet sad at the same time. We wanted to continue to see each of us and bond with one another as we had over the past couple of months. I know that I can't stop thinking about how well we did; the songs are still stuck in my head. I felt overwhelmed with joy, that I had 12+ new friendships from something that I thought I would regret. Looking back on it now I could never regret being in that production and getting to know such wonderful women. Thank you Laurie and Mariana!
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