Libre Magazine

The Bard once said that all the world is but a stage and we are merely actors, players and portrayers… and as such, we all have an entrance, we read our lines, we play out our parts and then exit… some triumphant, some not… sometimes we receive applause, sometimes we get booed off the stage… but whatever the case, the show always goes on - with or without us.

We should not be afraid of stepping into the limelight once in a while… I know I am not! In fact, when it’s my turn to perform, I’ll perform the best way I know how… I’ll give it everything I have and then some… Granted, I may not the greatest performer in history and I’ll admit my range is somewhat limited… but, hey, I’ve gotten a standing ovation once or twice before, and that should definitely account for something.

However, I guess when it comes down to the nitty-gritty; I really prefer to work behind the scenes… maybe as a playwright, producer or director. You see, my shows just happen to be great shows… in any given day, the underdog, and not the hero, saves the day… the ending is always unforeseen and unexpected… deux-ex-machinas burst around every corner… there is always a great soundtrack, and breathtaking special effects… my audiences laugh, cry and sometimes even dance in the aisles… there’s no greatest thrill than producing the perfect show… and being handsomely rewarded for it…

Still, I’m also a face in the crowd… unfortunately, now and then, I am tempted to stop being just a spectator, take over the show and fix it my way… I hate it when good shows go to the dogs… but at the end of the day, show business is still a business… and you got to make a living, which means I can only get involved with profitable productions… sure, a low-budget off Broadway show is commendable every once in a while, but it can also choke you to death financially if you commit to a long run… and my fixed costs run high… so very often I have no choice but to remain in the wings, even when every pore of my body is dying not to.

Ahhh… but the show must go on, and you should understand that there will always be actors who will out-act you… but some will also under-act you… still, no actor is irreplaceable… and no show can run forever… not even Cats… there will always be another great show just waiting to have a run, so that the showroom never goes dark… and the funny thing is that when you get on the road, performance after performance, all the cities look exactly the same… history is not supposed to repeat itself… oh, but it does… over and over again… and it’s scary, and maybe just a bit flattering, when you see your part, the part you wrote for yourself, being played by another actor… I guess the road does go on forever and when it does, you definitely learn to appreciate rest areas.