BWW Blog: Tara Folio - A Cast That Sneezes Together, Stays Together

Do you know the saying, "sharing is caring"? Well, here at Auburn the cast of Assassins has taken this idea to the extreme. It seems that in the past two weeks, the entire cast (except for about three extremely lucky people) has come down with a bad case of what seems like the plague. With all this sickness and lagging energy running rampant backstage, it sometimes seems impossible to keep the show running smoothly. So how does a cast with an abundance of sneezing and coughing still manage to project their voices to the last row and sing high notes until their ears ring? (That was a real question; sometimes I really don't know how we keep going.) Somehow, thanks to steamers, tea, cough drops, Dayquil, and shots of olive oil, we have all managed to power through rehearsals, but our ability to keep going comes from more than just our mass amount of pharmaceutical products; it comes from our ability to work as a team.

In my experience, it is pretty rare to be a part of a cast that is free from drama and rivalries; it always seems that there is some kind of upset or tension between cast mates that keeps the show from being all that it can be (Black Swan, anyone?). Here at Assassins, I am happy to report that that is not the case. I have been amazed and overjoyed to see how much support we can offer each other when the going gets rough. Whether it's bringing someone food if they didn't have time to eat before rehearsal, lending each other medicine if our plague is acting up, running lines to help a scene partner, or even just giving out quick pep-talks before a nerve-wracking entrance, this cast is more than happy to offer their time and support. I feel like this kind of energy is what can truly make a show unique; sure, the music can sound like it's being sung by angels, and the acting could be award-worthy, but if the chemistry and connection between the actors is lacking, it can really dull a show's sparkle. So this post is dedicated to the fabulous people that I get to play pretend with every night. Thank you for the pep talks, the dance parties in the wings, the crazy antics, but most of all, thank you for your endless support and dedication to this show. "This Bud's for you babe!"

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