"Beyond" My Expectations

In March, the student-written work I was involved in, Beyond Imagination, was put up at a local student bar called the Bristol Pear. They have an upstairs bar that is often closed off for private parties, open mic nights, and performances.

I was a little worried about how it was all going to turn out because everything was put off to the last minute with run throughs, etc. Some people were even struggling with lines up until the very last minute.

The weekend before the performance we had dress rehearsals and my Oleanna director, James, came in cuz he's the head of the society through which Beyond was being put on. I was really nervous, but he had good things to say in the end and he said that I did a good job of making a graceful last moment with a rather sudden and awkward ending where it is revealed that the imaginary friend of the main boy, my son, is (arguably) the ghost of his miscarried older brother;

Psychiatrist: It's just that Josh seems so attached to Ryan...
Mother: Ryan? Ryan?!
Psychiatrist: Yes, that's his friend's name, didn't he mention-- are you alright, Mrs. Brannigan? You don't look very well.
Mother: You said that Josh's friend was older than him.
Psychiatrist: Yes that's right.
Mother: How much older?
Psychiatrist: Well it wasn't a large amount. Two years, I think. Yes, I believe that's right. Is there something wrong Mrs. Brannigan?
Mother: But-- But how it was two years before Josh was born.
Psychiatrist: What was?
Mother: I-- I had a stillborn baby...and we named him Ryan.

*dun dun DUUUUN*

March 10-12th, 2008

Tech rehearsal action shots:

The School Kids

Mr. and Mrs. Brannigan (Pat Lenny and Me) try to stir up conversation with son, Josh, (Ben Darlington) after his first day of school while Ryan (William Martin) looks on.

By the time tech rolled around (the day OF our opening night), everyone was really anxious and worried, but I got this sudden feeling of calm optimism. "Everything is going to be okay" I thought. And surprisingly enough, it turned out okay.

Here's some behind the scenes footage Will and I decided to make on our final tech before opening night:




Grabbing some grub before the show

Our opening night audience were very responsive (granted they were mostly theatre kids, but you know).
From then on our performances weren't as strong but not bad.
I think the popular consensus was that everyone wished we had more rehearsals or socials together as an entire cast because we only really got to know people we didn't share scenes with that week.

Backstage on closing night:



Penny and Steve Brannigan...with their best "dead inside" smiles (we were a very unhappy family)


The only foundation the makeup artist had was orange so I insisted that I do Pat's makeup the last night (I wanted my husband looking his best)


With a black turtleneck on and a few wrinkles I realized I looked like my mom...

After the show, the bar gave us free cocktails....

I was excited.

So there are my Beyond Imagination chronicles- just wanted to get you up to date before I start writing about the more recent/exciting stuff!

Beyond Imagination Cast