The insanely boring life…

School holiday has finally started, and I have loads of work for the holiday because I made it into the school’s famous one act play. The one that tours around the country… I am not an actor in it, though, but because of a good reason.

The reason I am not an actor is because I am having an operation on my face in June which is when the competitions become really rough. So, for me to have an operation then would be very bad. But I am exited about the operation, because that means I will finally be able to smile normally.

So, what am I doing in the one act play, you may ask. Simple: I am the Musical Director. Now, that title means the following: I have to write the entire musical score of the play and I have to put two poems into music and teach the kids all the songs (which I have to write). When I first heard exactly what I will be doing I almost got a heart attack. It is a daunting task to say the least. On the script are several indicators of when and what music should play. For instance, in the first few minutes I have to write (and I quote) “rape music” because the girl is being raped in that particular scene. That is just one example of the awkward music which I have to write.

The play is about 30 minutes long, so that is a lot of music to write.

I am worried because these plays are always national competitors and have won the national competitions on several occasions. The school spends up to R100 000 (about $12500) on these plays, so if my music flops, the entire performance will flop.

But it gets better: I have to perform the music live during every performance. I will actually be on the stage playing the music. Now if you don’t call that the epitome of stress, then I don’t know. This is probably the most stressful thing someone could ask me to do. But I am happy.

But besides that, my Sweeney Todd sheet music book has arrived. I paid $100 for this book (not including international delivery and taxes). The book was worth every cent, though. It is the entire script of Sweeney Todd and includes all the choir parts, all the music (for piano [and sometimes organ], but can be split into an entire orchestration) and all the lyrics. I am having a blast with it.

But that is all that is happening in my life. Thanks for reading this!