The show was a smash hit! Had a few opening night jitters--we all did--but nothing I couldn't manage. It went very, very well, with just an occasional flub, but no dropped lines or memory losses that were evident to the audience and that's all that counts. I must remember to keep up my volume--that's always been a problem for me, as I don't have a "big" voice--but I improved after the first act.
My good friend, Mary Ellen, who plays M'Lynn, gave every cast member a beautiful bracelet she had made herself. They were unique, each inspired by the actor's part in the play. At one point, I say I'm wearing "beige lace to the knee" to Shelby's wedding, and she made mine with beige stones interspersed with pink ones. (Shelby says pink is her "signature color.") It's beautiful and I wore it throughout.
The audience, comprising a packed house, was wonderfully receptive and engaged. They laughed heartily in the right places and were quietly absorbed otherwise. After, we mingled with them outside and oh, what fabulous fun to hear their congratulations, to receive their hugs and kisses, to see their appreciation. Susan and Walter were there and so were Ray and Barbara, plus Lois, Val, Anita, their respective spouses, and many others from Sunrise Bay. Frank, who is front-end manager, gave me a beautiful bouquet of pink carnations and we all chattered and laughed and commented on the play.
The negatives? Well, the conditions under which we perform are dismal. The backstage area is oppressively tight, cluttered, and dirty; we can't go to the bathroom until intermission, more than an hour into the show; we have to mount and descend steps that are of different heights and depths to get on and off the set; and the place gets so hot, especially with the bright lights, that we sweat through our clothes.
It's heaven.