Wow, sounds like a lot of fun. :) Your story reminds me of some stuff from my high school drama days...

> We elves were actually on stage tons more than some of the more minor characters.
>

In the first (and best, I would say) play I was in - Edmond Rostand's classic Cyrano de Bergerac - I was quadruple-cast. I had maybe 20 lines, but I had over an hour and a half of stage time. (The play was about 3 hours long.) It was cool, even though I couldn't really see - my glasses were anachronistic, you see, so I couldn't wear them! It worked okay though.


> But I really thought that curtain call was awesome; it had been something I was excitedly anticipating with a wonder as to what it would be like. It's so incredible to run out onstage and have people clap for you and all the hard work you've done. And every night, I was amazed at how fast it happened, both how quickly we had to find the people we were going out with after the last scene and how quickly we were actually getting through the process, and also amazed at how I could see nothing but the lights.
>

Curtain calls are fun. :) Getting more than one curtain call is even better. Getting a standing ovation is TEH BETS. We got several of those during the run of Cyrano... in fact, the play was held over an extra 2 nights because of popular demand. That was COOL. :)

Oh, and try seeing nothing but glare, not even any distinct lights. Hooray for blind-as-a-bat curtain calls! ;)

> Because our cast was so large, we were mostly responsible for our own makeup.

Oddly enough, pretty much the only time I've ever worn makeup was for drama. (I don't wear it normally, you see.) It was pretty interesting to watch the guys try and put on lipstick! ;) The makeup in Cyrano wasn't too bad... however in the SECOND play I was in, I played an old woman. That meant that I had to do heavier makeup - we all did our own, as well - and I also had to spray color my hair grey. That was a pain in the neck. :p

> I knew I couldn't get sick. I just couldn't. I wouldn't make it. Please, please, don't let me get sick...

In the last weeks of rehearsal leading up to the performance of my second play, the flu started around. The drama teacher made it a requirement for us to eat Vitamin C at each rehearsal. I guess it worked, because nobody got sick. Good thing, too, because we didn't have the luxury of something like understudies.

> Since this was my first time doing theater, I had a few expectations -- a few things that I thought "belonged" to drama and really wanted to experience. (No, I really don't know how to explain. Sorry.) Two of these were flowers and a cast party. (How, exactly, does one experience flowers? But never mind.)
>

Flowers are very nice. :) I got flowers from my family and friends after my plays, because they rule. :)

I went to the cast party for Cyrano, and I remember it pretty well. It was at the house of one of the cast guys... well, it was at his MANSION. This place was HUGE. And it had a heated pool, too. Unfortunately, everyone there scorned me and I ended up alone most of the evening. :p Oh well.

Sounds like you had a lot of fun. It makes me want to go get back into something like community theater. :) If only I had the time...

Sosi"rambler of things"qui