Tonight's the Night!

Tonight is Opening Night.

The Boy is appearing as "Utterson" in his college's production of Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical. We won't be there tonight. But we will see it next weekend. Twice.

His dad, however, will be there this weekend with a slew of relatives from his side of the family. I'm glad for that.

When I was IM'ing with The Boy yesterday, he was totally wired.

Wired is a typical state for him during tech week. Tech week is when all the different facets of a show are brought together: actors, costumes, lights, set changes, orchestra, etc. It requires longer than usual rehearsals as they iron out any wrinkles in the show and get the timing down.

(And sure, he's getting plenty of other schoolwork done this week. Not. But he is doing what he loves. It's not a bad thing.)

I've been listening to the CD this week, getting familiar with the music. In terms of musicals, the score seems a bit more repetitive than the norm. There are several major melodic themes and choruses that are carried through in a majority of the songs. My favorite (which happens to feature The Boy---shocking, I know) is entitled "Your Work--And Nothing More". It combines four voices and melodic themes from other songs which come together in wonderful soaring harmonies as the song climaxes.

If he were still in high school, I'd be apprehensive. Not of The Boy's performance, but others in the cast. High school theatre can be amazingly good but it can also be amazingly bad. We've seen much of both. But since he's in college and the pool of talent is significantly larger... actually, the talent pool actually is a pool instead of a mere puddle... I'm excited. Almost as excited as The Boy.

When he was at home, he'd sing all the time. We'd hear him in the shower or just puttering around the house. He'd play his guitar. He'd sing. He'd share his music with us. Wendy and I both miss all of that. (I won't even touch on the amount of time we spent supporting the theatre program at his high school. And yes, I miss that too. I am obviously part masochist.)

But I miss hearing his voice the most.

There was a song by the band Dispatch which he played and sang often during his senior year in high school: The General. As ridiculous as it may be, whenever I think of that song I cry. At least few tears.

"Take a shower and shine your shoes.
You've got no time to lose.
You are young men, you must be living."

And so he is. Living!

Here's to The Boy.
Break a leg tonight, my dear.
We're with you in spirit.