January 18, 2014

"We Go Together"

Dear Reader,

Last night, our school put on its third and final performance of the musical "Grease". In the past, I've had experiences as a performer that are hard to beat. I've danced with the Houston Ballet, shimmied on the stage at Miller Outdoor Theatre, and broken it down in various school-related venues. But being a part of "Grease" was a singular experience.

I find it funny that I can't name all of the nationalities of my fellow cast and crew members. (German, Ecuadorian, Swedish, Russian, Lebanese, Italian, Korean, Swiss, Danish, Irish, etc.) Spending time with kids from all over the world was more entertaining than the show itself. I learned some basic Swedish when we had downtime during rehearsals from Maria, Emma, and Felicia, incorrectly complained about my cough in Spanish to Vicky, and repeatedly reminded Alex that the only German I know is "Ich bin eine Kartoffel!"

There were also location-specific difficulties that we overcame. Obtaining props for a show that takes place in the late 1950's in America is not easy when you're in the Middle East. Also, we couldn't rehearse at all during winter break because almost everyone had flown back to their home countries. So, when we all came back, we had only a few final rehearsals before the show itself. The funniest moment of all for me took place each night of the show, when the call to prayer could be heard faintly in the background just before "Freddy My Love."

At the end of it all, I have to smile at the absurdity and beauty of what we pulled off. I just want to say, truly, in all sincerity, that I love the people that I've had the privilege of working with these past few months. I guess this whole experience goes to show that whether you're in the USA or the UAE, you can still be part of something greater than yourself.

"Ohhh yeah!!!" NM


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