November 21, 2010
Dear Fellow Austrians (And some Germans…),
Tonight we come to the grand finale of what I hope has been the most exciting, thrilling; and, most importantly, fun experiences that each and every one of us here has had. Tonight’s celebration is a bittersweet one: We’re proud and happy that all our efforts have successfully carried us to this point, yet we’re saddened at the sudden and abrupt end of it all. It always seems as if it were way too soon. I’m sure that I’m not the only person in this room that wishes we could go at least just one more weekend, just so we don’t have to part ways so soon. This is both the best and worst thing about theatre: It’s always temporary, and no matter what has to be done onstage, be it extremely difficult or simple, saying goodbye is always the hardest part.
Just like a journey that includes “climbing every mountain” or “fording every stream,” on September 25 we all embarked on our own unique journey as an ensemble together. It began small with just a simple read-through of the show with our scripts, and it slowly “blossomed and grew” into what we ended up with just hours ago on the Altarena stage. Looking back, I think I speak for everyone here that we are extremely proud and, in a way, surprised at how far we were able to go in such little time. It’s still extremely hard for me to believe that all this happened in just under two months, despite having experienced it many times before. None of this could have happened without the effort put in by each and every one of us in this room. To have had the honor to work with such a strong cast, crew, and production staff has really been a treat to me. This is easily no doubt the best cast that I have ever performed in and will always hold a special place in my heart. This production is definitely one of my “favorite things,” thanks to everyone’s effort here. And there is no doubt in my mind that each and every one of us has grown in some way because of our involvement in this show.
Tomorrow, as we continue on with our regular lives, we’ll probably still have on our mind our experiences from this show, and the post-show sadness will more likely than not be on our minds still (I know it will be on mine!). Just remember that the sadness will disappear over time, but the pleasant memories will always remain with us. Based off of these memories alone, I am eagerly looking forward to being cast in a show with every one of you again, and the cycle will once again start. To speak for myself, I’m going to miss you guys dearly and sorely when I wake up tomorrow.
Until then, “So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu.”
“But only for now,” of course.
Miguel “Captain von Trapp” Gamalinda
