Theater guest blog: Cherish each moment

Theater guest blog by Braxton Perry, cast member for Our Town

Ah… Christmas is in the air. Even as I write this, I’m listening to a techno remix of the Nutcracker’s ‘Sugar Plum Fairy’ theme. It looks like it’s going to be a good holiday season.

Before writing this post, I looked over each of the past blogs I’ve written. It’s odd keeping a blog like this because you see yourself changing. Almost four months have passed, but it seems like such a short time since I started.

Now for the bittersweet: the production that I was in of Our Town is over. The opening day was actually two weeks ago and we did four shows, but I didn’t get a chance to write this blog until now because of Thanksgiving break. I’m happy and I had a great time learning some great things. I’m glad I managed to finish the production, but at the same time I’m having a play withdrawal. I’m so used to meeting everyone almost every night that it’s odd not seeing them.

Since I’m obsessed with dance (though I’m not that great of a dancer yet), I’m starting to realize how important acting is the more I go to the Nutcracker rehearsals. I understand why Ms. Susan Downey suggested I take theater to help with dance. When you have to dance and act, being able to do both and focus is sometimes hard.

Looking back on Patel Conservatory’s production of Our Town, from day one our director, Kerry Glamsch tried to stress the moral of the play. The idea is to realize what’s around you “every minute...To look at one another as if we really saw each other.” I know I haven’t completely grasped it, because it’s such a deep idea. Nevertheless, it’s slowly bringing me to appreciate everything that is around me, and to cherish each moment. Whether of fun or pain, joy or sorrow, each moment makes us who we are, and within that, human. So it’s interesting. All of it.

Besides learning invaluable skills on how the whole process of how acting works, from lighting to blocking, and from acting to makeup application, I think I’ve learned something I’ll keep with me for the rest of my life. I’m sure some plays you can’t apply what you play on stage to real life, but I’m glad I had the chance to be in this play.

If you’re considering joining the theater program, I would say go for it. The next production is coming this spring, and the training process starts in just a month. Whether for recreation or to improve your skills for a career in acting, taking theater classes here at the Patel Conservatory is definitely a great idea.

And lastly, the farewell: This is the last blog I’ll be writing about the play Our Town. Thanks for following me along on one of my adventures. Even if I don’t write another blog about something else in the future, I’m sure you’ll hear about me sooner or later (maybe a vlog hint hint). If not, I’m almost always hanging around the Patel Conservatory’s campus taking classes.

Adieu,

Braxton

Things I like:

The ability we have to change ourselves.