Born Natural?

One generally has a lot of catching up to do after running into a friend who’s been away for a while. So it is with anyone who reads this blog - I need to fill you in on my life at present.

            When I was little and I went to the theatre, I thought they were naturals. I was under the impression that the actors were born with this amazing talent that they dazzled audiences with effortlessly. Turns out I was wrong. Whether it’s preparing for a race, or rehearsing for a show, a lot of work is put into it behind the scenes.

            During rehearsals, the actors obviously have a substantial amount of work to do. Memorizing lines, blocking scenes, learning choreography, developing a character, etcetera.  The production crew also dedicates themselves and spends hours on designing and creating things like costumes, set, lighting, sound, program, advertisement, etcetera. All the work that either cast or crew member put into a show are not just done during rehearsals, each and every member of the team spends umpteen hours at home every week towards the production on their own time.

            A lot of time and effort is also required when preparing for a race. A runner and their coach carefully plan for races in advance in order to create an appropriate schedule to train properly. A schedule is a bit of a challenge for me, since I generally don’t have a lot of spare time on my hands. However, thanks to the support of my coach and teammates conflicts are worked around- which I am extremely grateful for. An athlete must keep in shape and stay healthy when in training. That means proper, healthy meals, regular sleep, taking care of all injuries and taking your daily dose of vitamin C. Same goes for performers- they must be rested and be eating properly in order to have enough energy on stage, as well as stocking up on vitamins to avoid colds and sickness.

            At the moment, I am in production for Musical Theatre Production (MTP)’s Follies as well as training for cross country nationals (Canadian Championships) a week tomorrow. I zoned out during a conversation with my parents yesterday. When they asked why they had to repeat what they had just said, I explained it was because I’ve haven’t had enough sleep to be fully charged, and that I was running on low battery. But no matter how tired I am, or how little time I have to stand still, I always seem to snap out of it when I’m doing what I love best.

            So are all talented athletes or performers born with impressive talent? Perhaps. But even if this is true, no one is perfect. Behind all greatness is preparation and dedication.

            A week tomorrow I put my juggling skills to the test as I attempt to run nationals and perform a matinee performance of Follies in the same afternoon. It’ll be quite the adventure, and one I’ll be sure to blog about. Stay tuned!