All The World's A Stage

Tonight was my first performance with the Cast Choir for Disney's Candlelight Processional. While not my first entertainment-related performance on-stage at Disney^*, it was certainly the most intimidating. Many participants are downright militant about the whole process, and here I was, one of two Candlelight "virgins." Having never attended a dress rehearsal, I had no idea how to get from Point A to Point B. I remain relieved I was not sacrificed, nor was I expected to be first on stage. Follow-the-leader, and let the guy behind me kick me if I get out of line, OK?

Highlights include being able to add to my list of "known proximity to celebrities." The narrator for the evening was Steven Curtis Chapman, one of my favorite Contemporary Christian artists. He was perhaps 20 feet away — actually, probably 7 riser rows down.

Nice touch previously unbeknownst to me: they have fans blowing cool air on the top-most tiers of performers. Of course, it also tended to dry out the contact lenses, but that's a small price to pay to avoid overheating that close to the lights.

I did find myself nearly verklempt during "Silent Night." Who knew. I wonder why the audience-participation part did that to me?

Most intimidating: finally noticing the microphone hanging very, very closely to me. Ugh. At least I only made one error noticeable by the general public, and hopefully it wasn't directed at the microphone. (Saying an "s" when everyone else is saying a hard "c" is rather noticeable, don't you think?) I understand there may have been witnesses.

Currently: very sore arms and legs. Conculsion: do not do full workout routine and cardio prior to being expected to stand in one place, singing, and holding an electric candle in front of you, for an hour.

Relieved: that I am not tall. The tallest person (a guy, 99.9% of the time) not only gets to wear the green "tree" robe, he gets to wear the tree-topper — a gold flashy thing that scoops up behind his head to a point nearly a full head-height taller. Think "evil Queen from Snow White." (No inferences as to his queeniness. Guy behind me, though, there was no question on that front.

Local readership who missed this outing will have two further chances to witness my participation in the spectacle.

^* In the spirit of Not Getting Fired Because Of Your Blog, suffice it to say that I once spent part of a day being very good friends with Tweedle Dee, and another stretch of time with Eeyore. And I have a greater appreciation for why walk-around Disney Characters can manage to all turn into what little cooling breeze there might be.