This past weekend has been the best, most exhausting, most terrifying, most stressful, most exciting, and most fun of of any within recent memory.
And if it wasn't the best of my entire life, it sure as hell ranks among the top five.
See, I participated in an event called "24 Hour Theater" this weekend. Many of you may (or may not) have heard of this. For those who haven't, I'll explain the basic concept.
The entire event takes place (as the name suggests) within a 24 hour period, after which an hour long show is performed. There are 5 stages within this 24 hour period, which begins at sunset (or a time which is close to it).
It starts with auditions and casting. Auditions can typically take 2-3 hours, in which actors and actresses cold-read from various lines and/or scenes pre chosen before the event, and can also include random (sometimes embarrassing and/or bizarre) requests by the writers and/or directors. It can (and usually will) take another hour for casting, in which the writers and directors (who have been paired up in teams) will fight over those aspiring actors and actresses to have them cast in whatever plays they will eventually be performing in.
Immediately after performers are chosen, the actors have a chance to meet the writer/director teams they have been selected by, after which the actors and directors get to go home and get a good night's sleep. (They're going to need it.)
After that, the writers have approximately 8 hours to write a good (usually comedic, though that's not necessarily a requirement) stage play that will last at least 10 minutes and can be as long as 15 minutes, depending on the number of plays being written and performed in the one hour period. (I was one of the writers, for those who may be wondering.)
The plays are turned in to the person overseeing the event, who is responsible for organizing, advertising, and setting up for the event. (Not to mention feeding the various members of the event, making sure everything runs smoothly, writing the program for the audience so that everyone participating in the event gets acknowledged, and a whole host of other duties, far too many to list here. Needless to say, the 24 Hour Overseer has the hardest job.)
Once that's been done, a 'dry' read-through of the newly written, completely original plays are done by each cast separately with the writers and directors present to offer tips, advice, or suggestions to the actors, before the writers that were up all night get to go home and sleep away the day to make up for night they just missed. While the writers are sleeping, the actors and directors have just 10 short hours to memorize and perfect their performances, as well as "blocking" (which is 'theater speak' for planning out the movements and actions during the play, and timing the performance to make it flow smoothly).
After that, there's a 2 hour dress rehearsal and "tech' period (which involves setting up light and sound cues, stage setup, and setting up props and costumes).
Once all of that is done (during which the requisite 24 hour period has passed), the show begins, which the performers, directors, and writers together have to have worked at as hard as they could in order to make it look as if the entire series of performances took weeks get together, rather than a single day.
Now, I know what most of you are thinking.
Most (if not all) of you are probably thinking "Oh, sure, I could do that, it doesn't sound so hard!"
The majority of the remainder are most likely thinking, "That's impossible!"
To both groups, let me just say this: if you haven't done it for yourself, you don't know what you are talking about.
That being said, this weekend has been a real eye-opener to me, and it made me realize, I've been remiss in one of the most important duties of a writer: the acknowledgements.
So, without further ado, I would like to give my thanks to the following people.
FIRST and FOREMOST, to the Love of My Life: I know that YOU know who you are, because I sent you a link to this post. Quite a few of the players on this site know her as well, as she both writes and plays here; those that don't, you'll just have to figure it out. You, my love, have been the reason I have carried on, after so many times that I decided I was going to quit, and I'm glad you never once allowed me to stop. You have been my inspiration, my muse, my reason for persisting when I felt I should just quit, and so many other things that I couldn't ever put them all into the words that would befit someone that means so much to me. I never thought I would ever find someone so wonderful and exceptional and talented that I would ever be worthy of. Thank you, and I love you, so very much.
To the player of Wolvinator: Were it not for you and your brilliant idea of proposing and creating the Avengers in Rhy"Din, Edward Batten would not exist. For that matter, neither would Leo Heracleides, Kyle Pontius, and Michael Petrov, along with a few other characters. Dude, you FREAKIN" ROCK, and I for one think we need to see more of you!
To the player of Katt Batten: Without your "nagging", "pushing", "harassing", and 'demanding" (to use all of your own descriptions XD) requests, there's a good chance there would be a lot less seen of some of my characters than there is already (particularly Ed). I promise I'll endeavor to be better that in the future, as much as I can be. Thanks, "little sis"! You're AWESOME, and I don't care what jackasses out there say otherwise!
To the player of Renna the Betrayer: There is no way that Ed Batten would be the phenomenal success he is without you, and I could give a flying f*ck what you or anyone else says about it. And what?s more, I would lay wagers that there's a HUGE number of players on the site who would say that about their characters as well. Thanks for being the main reason that Ed is what he is today (second only to one person, of course).
SPECIAL THANKS goes out to the the players of Issy, Scorpion Wraitharan, Giminicka, and Brian and Jenai Ravenlock. You were the first people I really played with and befriended on Dragonsmark, and were kind enough to acknowledge, accept, and include me in your stories. I can hardly express what that meant (and still means) to me, especially with the contributions that all five of you have made to this forum and setting that I have come to call the "home" where my imagination's heart lies. All of you have my eternal thanks and respect, and have been the closest thing to family outside of real life that I have ever known.
After all of that, I know there are people I have left out that also deserve thanks, a list which is so long that if I were to include them all, this post would most likely never end. Thank you all for your numerous contributions and the inspirations which you have all given to me, both great and small, throughout the several years I have been writing on Dragonsmark's various settings, throughout the past, present, and future. You may not be listed here, but never think you have been forgotten.
And if it wasn't the best of my entire life, it sure as hell ranks among the top five.
See, I participated in an event called "24 Hour Theater" this weekend. Many of you may (or may not) have heard of this. For those who haven't, I'll explain the basic concept.
The entire event takes place (as the name suggests) within a 24 hour period, after which an hour long show is performed. There are 5 stages within this 24 hour period, which begins at sunset (or a time which is close to it).
It starts with auditions and casting. Auditions can typically take 2-3 hours, in which actors and actresses cold-read from various lines and/or scenes pre chosen before the event, and can also include random (sometimes embarrassing and/or bizarre) requests by the writers and/or directors. It can (and usually will) take another hour for casting, in which the writers and directors (who have been paired up in teams) will fight over those aspiring actors and actresses to have them cast in whatever plays they will eventually be performing in.
Immediately after performers are chosen, the actors have a chance to meet the writer/director teams they have been selected by, after which the actors and directors get to go home and get a good night's sleep. (They're going to need it.)
After that, the writers have approximately 8 hours to write a good (usually comedic, though that's not necessarily a requirement) stage play that will last at least 10 minutes and can be as long as 15 minutes, depending on the number of plays being written and performed in the one hour period. (I was one of the writers, for those who may be wondering.)
The plays are turned in to the person overseeing the event, who is responsible for organizing, advertising, and setting up for the event. (Not to mention feeding the various members of the event, making sure everything runs smoothly, writing the program for the audience so that everyone participating in the event gets acknowledged, and a whole host of other duties, far too many to list here. Needless to say, the 24 Hour Overseer has the hardest job.)
Once that's been done, a 'dry' read-through of the newly written, completely original plays are done by each cast separately with the writers and directors present to offer tips, advice, or suggestions to the actors, before the writers that were up all night get to go home and sleep away the day to make up for night they just missed. While the writers are sleeping, the actors and directors have just 10 short hours to memorize and perfect their performances, as well as "blocking" (which is 'theater speak' for planning out the movements and actions during the play, and timing the performance to make it flow smoothly).
After that, there's a 2 hour dress rehearsal and "tech' period (which involves setting up light and sound cues, stage setup, and setting up props and costumes).
Once all of that is done (during which the requisite 24 hour period has passed), the show begins, which the performers, directors, and writers together have to have worked at as hard as they could in order to make it look as if the entire series of performances took weeks get together, rather than a single day.
Now, I know what most of you are thinking.
Most (if not all) of you are probably thinking "Oh, sure, I could do that, it doesn't sound so hard!"
The majority of the remainder are most likely thinking, "That's impossible!"
To both groups, let me just say this: if you haven't done it for yourself, you don't know what you are talking about.
That being said, this weekend has been a real eye-opener to me, and it made me realize, I've been remiss in one of the most important duties of a writer: the acknowledgements.
So, without further ado, I would like to give my thanks to the following people.
FIRST and FOREMOST, to the Love of My Life: I know that YOU know who you are, because I sent you a link to this post. Quite a few of the players on this site know her as well, as she both writes and plays here; those that don't, you'll just have to figure it out. You, my love, have been the reason I have carried on, after so many times that I decided I was going to quit, and I'm glad you never once allowed me to stop. You have been my inspiration, my muse, my reason for persisting when I felt I should just quit, and so many other things that I couldn't ever put them all into the words that would befit someone that means so much to me. I never thought I would ever find someone so wonderful and exceptional and talented that I would ever be worthy of. Thank you, and I love you, so very much.
To the player of Wolvinator: Were it not for you and your brilliant idea of proposing and creating the Avengers in Rhy"Din, Edward Batten would not exist. For that matter, neither would Leo Heracleides, Kyle Pontius, and Michael Petrov, along with a few other characters. Dude, you FREAKIN" ROCK, and I for one think we need to see more of you!
To the player of Katt Batten: Without your "nagging", "pushing", "harassing", and 'demanding" (to use all of your own descriptions XD) requests, there's a good chance there would be a lot less seen of some of my characters than there is already (particularly Ed). I promise I'll endeavor to be better that in the future, as much as I can be. Thanks, "little sis"! You're AWESOME, and I don't care what jackasses out there say otherwise!
To the player of Renna the Betrayer: There is no way that Ed Batten would be the phenomenal success he is without you, and I could give a flying f*ck what you or anyone else says about it. And what?s more, I would lay wagers that there's a HUGE number of players on the site who would say that about their characters as well. Thanks for being the main reason that Ed is what he is today (second only to one person, of course).
SPECIAL THANKS goes out to the the players of Issy, Scorpion Wraitharan, Giminicka, and Brian and Jenai Ravenlock. You were the first people I really played with and befriended on Dragonsmark, and were kind enough to acknowledge, accept, and include me in your stories. I can hardly express what that meant (and still means) to me, especially with the contributions that all five of you have made to this forum and setting that I have come to call the "home" where my imagination's heart lies. All of you have my eternal thanks and respect, and have been the closest thing to family outside of real life that I have ever known.
After all of that, I know there are people I have left out that also deserve thanks, a list which is so long that if I were to include them all, this post would most likely never end. Thank you all for your numerous contributions and the inspirations which you have all given to me, both great and small, throughout the several years I have been writing on Dragonsmark's various settings, throughout the past, present, and future. You may not be listed here, but never think you have been forgotten.