Opening Night

I can say that I was happy with my individual performance. As our director often says, a performance is just a repeat of your best rehearsal, with more people watching. So in that regard I did well. I think everyone else did well too.

The audience however, despite being large (170) was not overtly responsive until the last 10 minutes.

No doubt, there were times when they laughed quite a bit. But overall they were a bit cold, in my humble opinion. Not hostile by any means. Just....quiet. Even duringtimes I thought for sure they would not be.

I suppose that is rather common. Rare is the play that has one of it's best audiences on opening night. Don't ask me why.

I do not come on until about 20 minutes after curtain, so there was not as much open nervousness on my part before the show. Some nervousness did show up rightbefore my first entrance, as well as before my monologue. But overall I felt calm, and totally ready to perform.

I noted no mistakes by anyone.

So an adequate, if not exhilirating opening. (Notable mostlyfor me having forgot to take my traditional walk to the Mother Mary statue..the firstopening night I ever forgot to do so.) But the opening is under our belts. We have performed the show. Ergo we should be more comfortable, and I feel tonight is when things will really pick up.

Saturday night shows constitute about 2/3 of the "best night of the run" performances I haveever been in. Let's see if tonight continues that pattern.