i'm the understudy to the mother in a christmas story, which means that if she ever gets sick or hurt then i have to go on. it's my job to know all of her lines and blocking and basically do the role exactly as she does it--it's not my job to create my own character. so i've been watching all of the rehearsals and writing everything down and memorizing my lines. it's a lot of work; the apprenti call it "rehearsing for that play you're not in". i would hope that jessie (the woman who plays the mother) would get sick, but she's so sweet and kind (and a former apprentice!) that i can't do that.
for a christmas carol, i got cast as the part of fan! you might remember me playing this role in 7th and 8th grade. the version of christmas carol that actors does is very similar to the version at the kc rep, but they both have added different songs over the years and tell the story slightly differently. there isn't a dickens narrator in this one; the narration is done by all of the members of the company.
so from now until i see ya'll on december 24th, i'll be steeped in christmas!
xoxo, ellen
