My senior year of college, Joan Darling came to do a workshop with the theatre department on acting. She was a fabulous character; huge round glasses, bright red lipstick and a personality to match. At the end of the session she turned to us and said, "We owe them who we are and what happens to us." To this day, even as I type those words, I have to take a pause. They have so much weight. So much truth.
At the time, I didn't fully comprehend what they meant. I just remember nodding my head and thinking, "Wow. Yes." And now, almost four years later, I am finally beginning to grasp the weight of those words.
Picnic is such a beautiful play for so many reasons. It is beautiful in it's hope, in it's despair, it's humor and it's sadness. Mostly, though, it is beautiful in it's characters and it's story. Who we are. What happens to us. I have to say, as an actress, it doesn't get much better than this. Every day I come to rehearsal and revel in what I get to do. I have the privilege of being with this young girl on her journey into womanhood. I have the privilege of living her firsts. The kind of firsts we dream about.
And as I spend time reveling and playing every day, Joan Darling keeps coming to mind. Because this story is so incredible, so beautiful, so real. Because I believe in this story and these characters, I now understand just how much we owe you. Just how important this is not only because theatre is our passion and we love to share it, but because this story must be told. It must be shared.
I hope you will join us for our journey. I hope you will fall in love with us, fall out of love with us. Hope for us, cry for us, live and breathe with us. I think I can speak on behalf of everyone and say, we can't wait!
emily
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