From the Rehearsal Room: Let the Good Times Roll

From Hillary, Casting Intern

What’s it like to be in a rehearsal room with fabulous and fabulously armed comedians? It’s exciting, enjoyable, and professional. But comedy is comedy, and sometimes we do have too much fun.

As I suggested in my last entry, I tend to get sucked into the fights and inevitably believe the actors. So while watching the fight between the Musketeers and the Cardinal’s Guards (a 10-person fight!), you can imagine my reaction when I heard a moan and the sound of head hitting metal from upstage. Terror. I am confused and nervous as I see actors breaking out of the sequence to crowd around their fellow actor who is on his knees, quivering. “I’m fine, I’m ok” he quietly assures us, but he’s covering his mouth with his hand, and he looks anything but. Is he bleeding from the mouth? We spring into action as he opens up his hand and shows us a tooth. Oh my gosh, he lost a tooth!?!?! Stage management rushes to the first aid kit, actors get glasses of water, and I, not always at my best in medical crisis, start wildly grabbing tissues.

I hear laughter. Which cruel person thinks that losing a tooth while rehearsing fight choreography is funny? Who on earth has the stomach to laugh at our poor actor’s misfortune? The actor who got hurt apparently. He stands up smiling, showing us the hole in his teeth. Is he in shock? He puts the tooth from his hand into the empty spot and says, “Gotcha!” Turns out, our actor has a prosthetic tooth and great comedic timing.

I should have known. He’s an actor, and his craft is clearly well-honed. I won’t fall for it again, I resolve then and there but, between you and me, I know that's not true. I’ll fall for it every time. Now the only question is, How can I get him back?