#022 Dreamtime Feature PresentaShawn

Every once in a while I have a dream that so entertains me that I can't stop thinking about it after the fact...

Last night I had one of those dreams.

It took place at McGill University. Why? - dunno.

The Theatre Department was putting on a production of The Sound of Music. I was helping out as a consultant... since in reality, it is my all-time, number one, most favourite movie/musical in the world. It all began when I was a young boy. 

(As we know, TSoM plays each year on american network television over the Christmas holidays. But living in the Maritimes we were an hour ahead of the American feed on the TV. So instead of starting at 8PM it would start at 9PM and because I was young my bed-time conflicted with the broadcast. As a child I was never allowed to stay up to watch the whole telecast. Each year I was progressively allowed to stay up from 30 minutes to an hour later.  I think I only saw the entire movie, from start to finish when I was 12 or 13. This delayed completion created an obsessive interest in the movie that increased every year. Even though I have 2 edits of the movie on DVD I find it near impossible not to watch it when it is on TV.)

Anyhoo, back to the dream.  Since I was very knowledgeable of the show they asked me to help them with everything from sets and blocking, to marketing and promotion.

One week before the curtain was to go up, the lead, some first year student / protégé fell ill and was not able to continue on. Her understudy came down with H1N1 and was therefore unable to take over the role.

Time was running out and there was no one who knew all the dialogue and songs, as well could portray the emotion to make a convincing Maria.

Two days before opening night, the directors came to me and said that I was their only hope. I was flattered of course, but said I'd have to decline. They would hear nothing of the sort and after a couple of hours of discussing the finer points I relented and went to the costume dept. for a fitting. 

Opening night was a success. While at first the audience was not having anything to do with a man in the roll of Maria, by the time I belted out...
♪ ♫ I have confidence, in confidence alone.
Besides which you see, I have confidence in me. ♫ ♪
...they were mine!

Due to popular demand we had to add an extra week's worth of performances and there was talk of taking the production on the road. Articles and reviews of my "Maria" were all over the place.  The casting of a bearded man, while controversial, opened the doors for the Theatre Dept's next production of Hamlet, with a female actress. New equality for Men and Women in theatre was truly born. Casting would focus on who could best portray a particular role, with no thought given any more to gender.

Sadly I woke up just before my appearance at the Tony's with my co-star. We were to have sung "Something Good."

Judge all you want.  I was FLAWLESS as Maria!