Wednesday, December 19, 2007

A Christmas Carol - Blog 4 - David Barker (Christmas Present)

We now enter our final week of performances and I can genuinely say, as I always do at this time, I am very sad to see the production approach closing night. This is my 3rd season playing the Ghost of Christmas Presnt along with ensemble roles and this project is unlike any other I have ever done. When I enter the dressing room area each day I have the feeling that I am among family. I like to turn the corner after passing through secuity, face thee long hallway of dressing rooms and beegin singing aloud "You will get a sentimental feeling when you hear, voices singing lets be jolly...," and someone somewhere in one of the rooms finishes the lyric. Its hard to believe but with a cast and a crew of this size, there is not one person I don't know on a first name basis, nor is there one person I don't feel comfortable being around! (I'm not sure they all can say the same for me, because I tend to be loud and goofy.) There is a true sense of warmth and friendship. But beyond that, this is a production that literally spreads cheer to hundreds of people every time we take the stage. And yet, with all its color, song, dance and special effects, the show transcends mere entertainment. I know each night when we gather behind the grand curtain for the opening tableau (which provides an opportunity to repeat a beautiful, bonding series of traditions as each cast member settles into the tableau often with the same sequence of behaviors which range from waves to hugs to high fives), that we begin bringing a classic story to life; an epic tale of redemption, forgiveness and hope.

God bless us everyone!

1 comment:

David said...

ARG...I should have used spell cheque!