BWW Blog: Allison Rambler - Come Look At the Freaks: Taking Down the Tent

The green room of The Belmont Theatre on August 21st, 2016 would have been a sight familiar to any actor who can recall the day their show closed. The cast and crew was gathered in a tight circle, clutching hands as the stage manager, Judi Miller, called places for the final time. Her announcement brought forth an eruption of cheers, a sound that mixed with the bittersweet feeling that had overcome us all at the thought of bringing our production of Side Show to life one last time.

We gathered around the backstage microphone and waited in a heavy yet contented silence as the pre-recorded announcer introduced our show to the audience. There was a generous amount of applause from the crowd, and the orchestra plucked out the first few eerie notes of "Come Look at the Freaks." While everything seemed to be business as usual, there was particular sense of finality that hung over the cast. We had been putting off the inevitable for as long as we were able, but we could no longer deny the fact that this show would be our last.

Throughout the performance, there were several moments that touched us as a cast more than they ever had. Side Show on a normal day is filled to the brim with emotional punches, but that night, they hit us with more profound meaning. For example, each line of "Say Goodbye to the Side Show" seemed unfairly personal that night, and many of us teared up on the stage as we fought through each note. In some ways, the dual meaning of the song perhaps helped us to connect to our characters more than ever before.

It is my personal belief that we sounded more unified during this number, as our voices all reflected the process of coming to terms with the impending farewell that we were sharing with our characters. An actor's golden rule may be to never let their personal life affect their stage presence, but it can be argued that our own emotions strengthened this scene. It was a number that I will carry with me for years to come.

The show seemed to pass by in a blur of backstage tears and onstage excellence. While our time between scenes were filled with giving hugs, laughing at old memories, and occasionally drying our eyes, we refused to let our own sadness reflect the quality of our show. As we were reminded by our director, Aaron Dalton, our audience that night had never seen our Side Show. They deserved us at our best, and we made sure to give it to them.

Each number was charged with our determination to bring everything we had to this last performance, and I know that our efforts were not in vain. The audience seemed enraptured by the story, and was incredibly receptive to what we were presenting to them. Each previous group of patrons had behaved similarly, but there was something different about this audience. Of course, there was something different about this show.

Before we had even realized how much time had passed, we found ourselves gathered below Daisy and Violet in our final scene, the reprise of "Come Look at the Freaks" where the twins prepare for their first feature film role in the movie "Freaks." Standing among my castmates and belting out the final chord almost seemed surreal. I had imagined how this moment would feel, but nothing compared to the reality of the situation. The music filled my ears, but my brain was consumed with the thought that Side Show had come to an end. Simply put, I was not ready.

I am no stranger to theatre. I have been a part of many different productions, each one of them unique and memorable in their own right. However, no other show has provided me with the exprience that Side Show at The Belmont Theatre has given me. Not only was it my first show as a high school graduate, it was the first time that I had been somewhat typecast in a role. I played one of the World's Tiniest Cossacks, a fitting part as my height only measures to 5'1". But aside from those more trivial details, Side Show introduced me to a group of people that I can no longer imagine my life without. There were cast members from all different walks of life, all with their own special traits and personalities and contributions to our show. I was "adopted" by several cast members as their surrogate child, and started a group with the other two minors in the show as the "Under 21 Club."

I created relationships with people that I met never have gotten to meet otherwise, and I am grateful beyond belief. I honed my skills in singing, acting, and (especially) dancing, pushed my limits, and challenged my own expectations of what I could accomplish. And, perhaps most importantly, I learned just what can happen when a group of people put their entire heart and soul into a production.

Side Show sold out its entire run.

Every actor has one show that holds a permanent in their heart. It's the show that changed them, or the show that affirmed their love for theatre. In my case, Side Show was the show that made me realize what it truly means to be dedicated to a production, to always put the needs and interests of the group ahead of yourself. I saw first-hand how love and support shapes a production, and transforms it from a musical into an experience unlike any other.

There are certain shows that leave a lasting impression on not only the audience, but on the actors themselves. I truly believe that Side Show was that production in my own life, and I know that it will never leave me.