American Pastorela Struggle

I haven't gotten a chance to talk about American Pastorela much, so here is a blog to feel you in.

I'm going to start by saying I've never been in a production quite like this.

My first rehearsal I walk into the Wells Fargo Arena greeenroom to a long table. I'm excited but nervous. I'm always nervous when I have to walk into a room of people who I don't know. I don't know my part. I don't even really known much about the play. All I know are the sides I read at the audition between God and Angel, and between Faustina and Diablo. I remember at the audition getting excited after asking the writer if the play was a Christian themed play and he said "kinda."

It felt really good to imagine myself in a play, that was outwardly calling light to people... doing what I've always wanted to do for the One who gave me my passion.

But after the first read through, my feelings were a bit different.

There are some things about the script that I'm still struggling with and trying to work through. Before I read the play I thought of it as lifting up His name and after reading, I feel it might even be sacrilege. 

The play sort of has two story lines in one play. One of them being the story of a family from Sonora making their way to "Bethlehem" to meet the new born Christ. Although the cousin of the family, Faustina, has sold her soul to the devil (Diabla) and is sent to stop them. But she's also confronted by the Angel to assist them... There's also a lot of sexual tension between the Angle and Diabla.

It seemed as though the play was not "kinda" Christian-based, but that religion was being used as a tool to portray the evils of local politicians and political acts.

So it was apparent that I had to answer The Question. The Question is something that I have set as a standard for myself to help me pick which parts to take and which parts to decline. I hope that this will be my standard no matter how far or how long I do this. The Question: Is this part going to lead people away from Christ?

With this play, obviously my definite answer was "no" because I am still in it, but it was certainly not an easy answer.

I don't think the parts I am play (Sotomayor, Michelle Obama, and Gaddafi) lead anyone away from Him, but I'm not sure about the play. They play doesn't blatantly speak against God or religion but the behavior of some of the characters may portray it as a joke. I've decided that I don't feel that the show will lead anyone away from Christ but there are a couple things I won't do. Including the devil-horns hand symbol they asked me to do.

That's all I have to say about it for now. It may seem like I have been bashing the show, but it is truly very funny. I think the play has a strong purpose and the writer is teaching so much through comedy.

I really hope you can see the show. It's the number one way to support me on my journey :)

Popular posts from this blog

That Funk

Honestly, I feel like it's too early in the game to be writing this type of blog, but I felt compelled to do it. I am currently in a "funk". Nothing makes you doubt your acting abilities like not getting into a show... or several shows. I think, including this last show I just had a callback for, I have auditioned for six different shows in the past 2 months and have been cast in one. Another thing that is difficult is comparing your journey to someone else's journey. Those of you who don't know, my best friend is a very talented actor named Nate. He has been acting for just over a year now (not including the acting class he took a few years ago) and he is already acting at Phoenix Theatre. (He's currently in Spamalot which you should totally go see!) Well for me it's hard not to look at him and not feel like there is something wrong with me. I have had some training and have been doing this for a few years now so I feel like I should be somewhere hi
Read more

Success

Being a new, young actor a lot of the times doesn't produce a whole lot of "success" so when it starts happening, an actor can feel many things. Though I haven't had any substantial success, here is my insight: 1. They can feel overwhelmed. This is a bit of what I'm feeling right now. How does one handle recognition? It's funny because it's what I've wanted and have been working towards it for so long but now that it's starting to creep up I'm feeling nervous. I think the overwhelming feeling I'm getting is: 1) People are going to wonder how I achieved any of this because I'm not very good. 2) People aren't going to care, and think that I'm blowing up something small that doesn't really deserve attention. Amongst these things that have been going on: photo-shoots, radio interviews, and magazine ads, as well as teaching drama at camps, drama at elementary schools, and private acting lessons I am almost embarrassed to t
Read more

Sometimes Callbacks take a while!

Image
So I was sort of in another funk this weekend. I had just been receiving bad news after bad news. I was not cast into my school play which was my last chance to go to festival and I was getting down on myself because I had a great audition the other day outside of school and, yet again, had not received a callback. I hung out with my sister, met some friends from school at the Art Walk and did my best not to pout. But I was really bumming out on the inside. When suddenly! My phone rings and it's the director of the show I auditioned for! He called offering me a role in his show and asked about some of my talents so he could write them into the script :) I try not to base my happiness on whether I get cast in something or not, but I gotta say it feels great! So my life lesson for the day was: Sometimes callbacks take a while. Don't give up hope, but don't hold your breath as well. As actors we have to find that balance between putting it all on the line and not caring at
Read more