I was standing on a Broadway stage!

Okay, so the stage was bare, and the house was empty. Nonetheless, I was standing on an actual Broadway stage!

My stepmom, Linda, has a friend, Gordon. Gordon has a friend named Jim, who is a swing for Phantom of the Opera. He understudies all the male roles, except Piangi, and covers the ensemble. Since Jim is a professional actor, and I am here working on my craft (and because both Jim and I originally hail from northeast Ohio), my stepmom and Gordon thought I should get in touch with him. As it turns out, Jim was performing the role of Firmin earlier this week. So, I got a ticket and went to see the show Tuesday evening, and Jim gave me a backstage tour after the performance. That was a very cool experience.

Let me say up front...I am not the world's biggest Andrew Lloyd Webber fan, and Phantom of the Opera is not my favorite musical by any means. However, it was really interesting to experience the show and then have a chance to get up close and personal with some of the sets, costumes, stage, etc. and find out how it all comes together. It was especially fun to see the trap door that Raoul jumps through in the second act, when he jumps off the bridge and into the lake to go save Christine. There is a large mat under the stage that he lands on, and the mat is bordered with rope lighting...so he can aim for the soft landing in the dark and fog. The staircase for the Masquerade scene is actually built to collapse or fold up like bleachers...and it hangs up in the fly space when not in use. Pretty sweet stuff.

As I stood on the stage and peered out into the empty house, it didn't fully dawn on me. I was standing in a theater. Big deal. I've done that on many occasions in my life. It was after I got home that it really sunk in. I was not standing on just any stage. For the first time in my life, I was standing on a Broadway stage! I was not performing on a Broadway stage...(yet)...but I was honest-to-God on a stage in a Broadway theater. Wow!

Thanks Jim!!!!!