After 3 months of acting, learning, and practicing, Kari Rodriguez-Cortez (11) and Matthew Korte (11) finally walked on stage to start their 4 day journey as Cinderella and Prince Topher on November 14th. On this day, the cast gathers together to finally show the school the amount of hours they have put into this piece and how hard they have worked. The work begins to come together in unison and they find the fun in putting this piece together.
“While we’re getting ready, I love just like the atmosphere that we have, especially in the dressing room. I think it’s so much fun,” Rodriguez-Cortez said.
The actors have been going to the choir room after school since September to put on a character assigned to them. Closer to the deadline, they begin to become more comfortable within who they are as the character.
Just a few weeks before, the excitement begins and the work finally comes all together after the cast and pit have been working diligently in different rooms.
“We’ve just been playing with the pit recently, and we’re really getting into it now,” Korte said. “So, it’s really fun, and I’m feeling really good about it, and I’m very excited,”
With the excitement of the play beginning, it also comes with nervousness and anxiety. For the actors, getting through this is one of the most important things, especially as a lead.
The actors have an important role of going from fear to being ready to put on a show for the school. Whilst being in the theater department, they have learned how to lead their emotions into the perfect feeling before an opening night.
“I like to channel my nervousness into excitement,” Korte said. “Because I really like the adrenaline, you know, they’re the same thing, excitement and stress. But, I really like to refocus myself.”
Both Juniors this year are first time leads for Grandview. Although working within the program during their freshman and sophomore years, this year was their time to shine as the main characters.
“It’s so cool to be able to say, like, yeah! I’m Cinderella,” Rodriguez-Cortez said.
Although being excited about the lead role, the stress on this performance affected them greatly as the nervousness sank in for being the face of the production. With all the hard work put into their acting, this moment was really big for them and they didn’t want their feelings to affect the performance. They knew they were ready to perform in front of the school for 4 nights, but the anxiety crept in.
“I want to not only prove it to other people, but also prove it to myself that the hard work that I’ve put in is going to create such a beautiful show,” Rodriguez-Cortez said.
Following the performance the feeling of being able to play someone else is a feeling of freedom. The stage is the place where they can be absorbed into their work on stage.
“I get lost in the characters, and something about this form of expression is just something that I love so dearly,” Korte said. “It feels so freeing to play another person on stage and to really get into it.”
The cast and crew are hoping everything will work and that the performance will be perfect on opening night, which is arguably the most stressful. For the actors, the feeling is critical as they begin their rituals to get ready for the big night. The first step on stage is the scariest as a lead.
“My heart drops right down to my stomach and down my feet because I’m just like, oh my gosh, everybody’s gonna be looking at me, you know, and I’m scared,” Rodriguez-Cortez said. “But then I have found that when I start saying my first couple of lines I kind of sink into it. I feel relieved.”
Past opening night is being able to say that the show was a success and that it all worked out in the end. Opening night brings an end to rehearsals, but a beginning to the work that they are ready to unveil the progress that they have put in.
“I think, I mean doing a show gives me a sense of finality,” Korte said. “Obviously, there’s still some, almost probably in every show, where I always have uncertainties, but to say I’m not ready. I don’t think I’ve ever been in that spot.”
The ability to support the people that work in our productions is huge, and the extensive community and support within Grandview theater is what continues to make incredible plays like Cinderella.
“I love knowing that I’m supported by all of my other lead people and my ensemble too,” Rodriguez-Cortez said. “To know that I’m helping support them however I can, and they’re helping support me, you know, so we can all shine.”
