Joyful, Joyful

Since I last updated you all we have closed out Detroit and performed in Elmira, NY where Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain lived the last years of his life with his wife who was from Elmira.  Detroit was great.  The audiences were large and excited to have us there.  I was somewhat surprised that we had such large crowds with the economic troubles this area has seen.  I visited the Henry Ford Museum while I was there.  I would recommend it to anyone who ever visits the area.  It would take a good two days to see all that it has to offer.

Here in Elmira the crowds have also been wonderful.  I am really enjoying performing right now.  I had a realization the final night in Detroit that I have applied here in Elmira and it is making all the difference in the world.  I often get asked what is the difference between what you did at home with the theatre you started and doing theatre in this professional setting?  The stock answer includes the abundance of talent.  Everyone here is amazingly talented as there is a much larger talent pool to draw from.  Steeple Players has wonderful talent but we will never have the 400+ auditionee's to select from that they do for these tours.  Another big difference is the money.  I could do an entire musical for Steeple Players on the money they spent building my costumes for this production.  

But there is another difference that bears mentioning.  After a while on the road with these professional productions it does become a JOB.  People reach a point where they are here for the paycheck.  With Steeple Players the performers perform simply for the JOY of performing.  I realized last week I was losing the joy.  Upon realizing this I have made it a point to reclaim that JOY regardless of what is happening around me.

I am married to the most "joyful" person I have ever known and I am drawing on her example of finding JOY in seemingly hopeless and joyless situations.  Our JOY is not dependent on others but only on our outlook, attitude and willingness to accept and relish in the gifts God gives us each and every day.

So, tonight I am filled with joy after having performed for an amazingly appreciative crowd.  I am overjoyed to be able to go to work every day doing something that I love.  And I am looking forward to completing the next four and a half weeks of "Annie" and then returning to Hendersonville to work with Cay, the church, and Steeple Players.