Theater Experience

               “Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to this year’s tryout for The Princess and the Frog! Today you will go through an extensive tryout process that is both physically and mentally demanding” said the play director. I assumed he was the one in charge, mainly because he was the one doing all the talking. As he went on he talked about how we would have to introduce ourselves the way actors and actresses did with feeling and emotion.

                “Okay” said the director, “Now I want you guys to line up around the gym according to your size. Then I will give you the next set of directions” The gym became insanely crazy. There were people everywhere, it was like we were playing bumper cars, but without the cars, and they just got to watch us run into each other. I think it was a plot for their own personal amusement.

We finally got situated after a little bit of help from the director and his minions. I personally don’t see why they don’t just line you up in alphabetical order, it’s a way faster and easier process than having children ages six through thirteen running around in a tiny area. 

“Now we will have you introduce yourselves, be sure to include you grade and age. The first time around we will have you introduce yourselves with an insane amount of enthusiasm.” And with that the tryout procedure began, starting with the little kindergartners all the way up to the big bad eighth graders. My turn rolled around and I tried my hardest to impress them so I could be in the play. “My name is Shelby Arant” I said with enormous amounts of excitement “I’m in the eighth grade and I am 13 years old!” I figured yelling it with a smile would do the trick. I was feeling pretty confident with myself. For the next part of the tryout we had to go around saying which part we wanted in the play if we knew. Most of the people knew, but there were a few that didn’t.

“Thank you students. That is the end of the tryout procedure. Give us just a few minutes to make our decisions and we will let you know.” Most of the students were feeling pretty confident with their tryout; it wasn’t often that someone got rejected from the Missoula Children’s Theater plays program. The director and his minions came out once again and had us all sit in the middle of the gym. They then began to call out the names of the students who made the play. “Thank you to all who tried out” said the director.

As it turns out my name wasn’t chosen. Of course I was humiliated because I was trying out to be a stage hand. I mean who doesn’t get chosen to be a stage hand! I am sure they could have used all the help they could get with scenes, and keeping control of the little children. That was the first and last time I ever called my mother after school and told her I was going to try out for a Missoula Children’s Theater play. I always thought it would be fun to participate in one, but I never got the chance. So I guess I just have to assume that it sucks and is a horrible time to make myself feel better. The theater has been forever ruined for me and that’s all thanks to the Missoula Children’s Theater.