I heard something on the radio yesterday that reminded me of my college days. When I first started college, I was a Performing Arts Major. Then I wised up and switched to a more boring, but more marketable Computer Science Major. The lady on the radio was in some kind of outdoor theater production and was upstaged by a raccoon. Can you imagine? Yes, well I could, but my nemesis was a mouse.

I was in my very first production with an actual speaking part. I had been in the chorus on a couple of productions, and done a lot of behind the scenes work as a Stage Manager and a Lighting Designer, but I had finally auditioned for a show and had been accepted. It was a different kind of show - 80's experimental theater at it's best. One of our student teachers pulled the show together using a series of monologues from our actual childhoods - some serious, some funny, some pretty off-the-wall. It was called The Circle Game and I was one of eight people in the show.

My first monologue was one of the serious ones and it was early in the show. I forget what it was about, but as I was delivering this big speech, the audience just started laughing! I was freaking out. I'm trying to maintain my character and remember my lines, all the while sneaking peeks at the audience, including my parents who were both laughing, but trying not to. I had a feeling that something was going on, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out what was going on. Was my zipper down? Were my boobs showing through my costume? Was someone behind me making faces at me? I had NO clue!

I finished up my speech and the audience settled down. Because we were all on stage in full view of the audience for the whole show, no one could clue me in on what was going on. I made it through the rest of the show, but my confidence was shot and I was terrified that people would start laughing again, but everything went fine. Finally, when the show was over, someone was able to clue me in on what was going on.

While I was doing my monologue, a little mouse came out and perched on a piece of scenery behind me in full view of the audience. Apparently, he was quite the theater buff, because he sat up on his little hindquarters and cocked his head and just sat there listening to me through my whole speech. It was hilarious - to everyone but me!



By TwitterButtons.com