We're done! We did a whole boatload of shows and I'm really happy with the end result. Some of our crowds were super into it, others not as much, but I think overall we had a solid production with a solid cast. It feels great to be proud of my work. It's interesting to see how much we discover and how much things tend to change as we continued with the run. I found a lot of good motivation for Egeus, and I think my ferocity went up every performance. Quince and the mechanicals were a joy and so much fun to play. The audiences' laughter and reactions were priceless.

There's only a few minor things I wish I had done differently. I wish I had prepared better for rehearsals to begin, I wish I had loosened up sooner, and I wish I had a slightly more positive mindset at times. I think my biggest takeaway from this production is that I really need to breathe, focus, relax, and carry myself with status. Subconsciously I haven't considered myself high-status in the past, and I think that directly impacts my ability to be confident in myself and my skills. I was trying too hard, and trying in the wrong ways. I have to trust myself, and trust what I know. Once we got the run underway I really felt like I was able to open up, I just wish it came sooner. Similarly, I found that breathing deeply and using that breath to propel myself really went a long way. It helped me stay focused and in the moment, and also helped my voice. I'll be taking these things with me into the future: breathe, use the breath as a ground and as a launchpad to stay focused. Be yourself and have fun! You don't have to pretend, onstage or off. I also noticed that I tend to smile a lot on stage... I notice this a lot in others, particularly those I think are less experienced, which was kind of a wake-up call for me. So I made an effort to be more in control of my face while performing and I think it worked out for me. Overall some very good lessons learned, but I think what will really help me grow the most in the craft is to keep doing it consistently, and to always strive to do good work.

So, what comes next? Well I have a week off before rehearsals for the next show begin, and I'm moving in early March. I'm finally getting End of an Era to a place where I want to share it with others and read it out loud. In the longer term, I'm going to spend some time doing research into intensive programs and grad schools and see if anything catches my eye. I want to be doing theatre all the time, but that's tough to accomplish in Arizona. Though maybe that means I ought to be the change I want to see... I'm not just gonna found another theatre company just 'cause, but there's plenty of ways I can contribute to the theatre scene in Phoenix.