Rehearsals - a learning environment

Today I looked at my calender and realized that we have 3 1/2 weeks left of rehearsal until we start tech. First of all I can't believe how fast this semester is going. Second of all I can't believe how fast this rehearsal process is going. And thirdly, I still can't believe that all of this is really happening. This process has been extremely rewarding and I'm so grateful to have been a part of it. I leave rehearsals feeling like an actor, an artist, a person with ideas and an endless amount of possibilities in front of me. I have learned so much throughout this process so far. And I don't just mean learning music, choreography, and blocking. It's been like an acting class, with a different method of acting than what I'm used to and I love it. I feel important, even though I'm not a lead in the show. I feel like my participation matters. Sometimes it's easy to get lost in the ensemble, but I've been creating a really interesting character for myself. I love playing with her during every rehearsal, tweaking things, making discoveries, and exploring parts of her that I didn't even know where there. It's such a great feeling to be able to create something from scratch and have the freedom to expand on my ideas. Not all directors allow their actors to have such freedom. So I feel extremely blessed to have this experience.