So I'm in rehearsals for this play. I haven't been in a for-reals play since, lordy, lemme think... Bare did Sketchfest two years ago with something I'd call a one-act play, but that was words we had written, so no one could yell at me if I got them wrong. Sketches here and there, but I'd have to go back to the Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette (and thus, the Nineties) for some straight-up written-down play-action.

Which is to say that stretching the muscles of 'saying and doing the same thing every time' is a skill set I'm having to remember. I was going to post something yesterday about how easily it was all coming back to me, but I guess that was hubris because at last night's rehearsal I panicked on a line and blew that scene to hell and then I flubbed the order of the 'phrases' of my fight. Oops. But hey, I've got a whole week to get back on track.

And yeah, I have a fight -- with fight choreography and everything -- because I'm a ninja. Pretty cool. I don't have my costume all together yet, but as soon as I do I'll be sure to share how badass (or ridiculous) I look.

The play is the third 'episode' of a serial super-hero story, so most everyone else has been working together for half-a-year. For one, that means that they're all really comfortable in their characters, but fortunately I'm playing a ninja, which means that the cool comfort of cliche envelopes me like a second skin. For another, it could have meant that they'd be all cliquish, but fortunately, again, they are not and have been very nice to this bearded man in their midst.

Apropos of nothing, our director is also our sound designer and in a rehearsal the other day he tossed out the term 'Wilhelm Scream' which piqued everyone's interest. Chip managed to find this YouTube clip that traces this classic sound from the 50s to the 90s:

Come see Rogue 8, opening February 9, and see if you can spot the Wilhelm Scream in the show.