Two weeks to go!

Today marks two weeks until we open the third Broadway and Beyond production. The first show I ever directed at ECC was the first B&B and I still remember bring afraid that no one would come and audition!! I got the idea from watching students at VCU (my graduate school) perform in the basement of the Theatre building- there was no musical theatre program at VCU (then) and we had quite a few very talented singers- so the students created their own show. The program was handwritten and xeroxed, the room was just a basement- but I still remember some of the performances (a students named Angel singing from Wild Party really sticks in my head). When i came to ECC, the season consisted of only 2 shows- one play and one musical. I wanted to increase that and I knew that a musical theatre cabaret was easier (and cheaper!) than a full musical, so I started out like that. Some of the folks that auditioned for that very first show of mine are still with me today (Patty, Keith, Cheryl, John Craig) and I'm so happy that they've stuck it out with me! I had never directed a musical before that show- it was my very first and I was TERRIFIED! We were going to try a totally different style (audience on the stage) and a little part of me thought that I would fall flat on my face and be run out of town. Turns out, we had a ton of people audition and we had a great time. Every time I start a show, I still feel a little bit of that fear- who will audition? What if it doesn't work? Will this be the time that I can't pull it off? Every time that voice in my head starts up though- I remind myself of what an amazing group of people always come to my rescue- the ECC Theatre family. Every show brings us new people- I'm always so excited to start auditions because I always make new 'finds' - people who often become permanent fixtures on our stage! Each new show is an adventure- who knows what will happen next?
The picture is from that very first show- who do you recognize?