Do you "do" theater?

If there is a community theater near you, have you gone to see one of their shows? Community theaters often have some of the best actors around, and also allows those who've always wanted to try it but were afraid to, a chance!

The holiday season will find community theaters doing all kinds of amazing productions, with directors saving their best tricks for these shows! Seats are much cheaper than big stage productions (usually somewhere around $15-$20). Going to a show is a great holiday tradition to start with your family! Years ago, every year for Christmas my parents would bring us all the a local theater. (It happens to be an expensive one, which is supposed to be code for very high quality acting. ) I LOVED doing this, and always wanted to be on that stage.

In high school I was far too shy, and far too unpopular to try out for any of the plays. Finally, when I was 27 I did my first show. I WAS HOOKED! Not only did I have the guts to audition, but I got the lead! And then I got the lead in the next 3 productions I was in as well! I went several years where I just didn't have the time to do any plays, and then one day I heard there were auditions being held for "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." The best part? They were less than a block from my house! I played several roles in that play: One of the wives, an egyptian dancer (in the jail scene), and a shepard. I loved doing that play, but then again, musicals are my favorites!

Angela's favorites are the musicals, but she really loves to watch all plays. When I did Seussical last year she came to over 1/2 the rehearsals with me, and by performance time knew ALL the music, and ALL the lines. During breaks or after rehearsal she could often be found on the stage doing her favorite parts. (By the way, if Seussical ever shows near you, the music is WONDERFUL and every director has a different but very intresting interpretation of the script. It's a fantastic family show!)

So look up your local community theater, and see what's on stage this holiday season!