Tuesday, February 23, 2010

How to Respond?

I am currently in a benefit show that is a revue of songs that have been on Broadway in the past 10 years.  One of the songs I sing is "As We Stumble Along" from The Drowsy Chaperone.  It's a rousing anthem that really shows off my belting.  (I don't belt very often, but I'm placing it well in this song and doing alright.)  Anyway...coincidentally, a tour of TDC has been in town this past week.  I have had several people (including a theatre reviewer who's opinion I greatly value) tell me that I did better than the lady on the tour.  I'm a little bit in shock and at a loss as to how to respond.  I feel very sorry for this lady!  Here she is, a professional on a national tour, and here I am...a virtual nobody in a community production.  I shouldn't say virtual nobody, but I'm really not known outside of Northern Colorado.  How should I react to this, though?  I've been saying "Wow, thank you!" but I feel like it's a slam to the other lady.  The tour is long gone now, and I still have 2 more shows left.  But this is just weighing on me a bit.  I'm not one of those catty performers who thrives on being superior to her competition.  I always want to think the best of everyone. 

It's times like this that make me wonder if I've made the right decision to keep theatre as a hobby (a very time-consuming hobby) and not do it professionally.