.

And so, after watching the final performance of today’s Rimers of Elderige, the Drama Series of Exam Plays came to a close. The applause that followed the show was not only a testament to the cast (who breathed life into a confusing-as-hell first Act of a show) but to the entire grade, who was present in the room – cheerful that the Drama Series was over, and excited about the beginning of Comedies.

As soon as the play let out, a huge crowd began forming around the bulletin board… despite the fact that the list hadn’t been posted as of yet. As a matter of fact, it was quite the task for Dino to break through the crowd in order to post it. Luckily, I was toward the front of the pack, and was able to get my assignments within the first five minutes of it being up there. Unlike during the drama series, where I was quite upset with the casting, I think I scored big time on this one.

The first play I found my name in was Once A Catholic, by Mary O’Malley… under the character “Father Mullarkey.” This was most exciting to me because, hell, it’s a Catholic character. I was quite scared for a while because all of the characters I seemed to be getting toward the end of the year were Jewish (Freud, Eugene in Broadway Bound) and I certainly don’t want to be typecast as anything, especially not anything too Fiddler on the Roof. The second reason I was happy was because the director was Pam Scott, whom was the director of A Far Country. I was also quite happy that I’m in the play with Christy Corcoran and Leila Moore (from Section 5), and Kyle S. Beaver (whom I loved in both The Crucible and Rivers and Ravines). Stephanie Smith also said I’m in another play with her, and I think this one might be it.

The next play was The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard. First off, that’s exciting because it’s a Stoppard play. Second, it sounds like a mystery. Third, both Joel Brady and Cary Ward are in it with me, so that’s pretty exciting (I’ve been itching to do something with Joel since Commedia finished). Also, T. Ryder Scott is directing, and I hear the guy’s a delightful nut – someone great to work with! So, yet again, I’m happy as hell! And finally, both these shows perform in the MM Theatre, so that means that (a) I get to work on that different kind of stage, which I’ve been pining for, and (b) they perform on different days. Excellent!

I head up to the 6th Floor, where I run in to Cary and Kira. I talk excitedly with Cary for a while until Christy shows up. After a little bit of small talk, we all go to Dino to purchase our plays. Unfortunately, they don’t have Once A Catholic today (the shipment didn’t come), so I became determined to head to the Drama Book Shop to see if they had it (in my mind, I had also planned on visiting Shakespeare & Co. down in the village if it wasn’t there. Christy Corcoran and I head over there, only stopping to notice Eva da Cruz (a member of this year’s AADA 3rd Year Company) on the cover of this month’s Penthouse at a newsstand. Fortunately, they had the play at DBS, and I headed home with both scripts in hand.

After a quick dinner at The Bread Factory Café with my dad, I hopped back to the hotel to tear into the scripts. I started off with The Real Inspector Hound, because it’s a one-act play. I absolutely love it. It is, indeed, a murder mystery comedy… but it’s got a twist to it that’s quite hard to explain. In short, my character, Magnus, is the wheelchair-bound half-brother of a man named Albert, who died several years earlier. Magnus is one of many suspects in a recent double-murder. After a long and complicated plot twist, it is revealed that Magnus is not whom he appears to be, yet he is the *real* Inspector Hound, who has solved the mystery. It should be hilarious… and I get to work with more character stuff, but this time in a comedic context, so play-acting might be more acceptable.

I skim through the first act of Once A Catholic, and whereas my part isn’t as large, it’s abso-frickin’-lutely amazing. I get to sing in the first scene (which I admittedly really want to do), and I have one of the best comedic two page monologues that I’ve ever had the privilege of reading… and I can’t wait to sink my teeth in to this one.

I’m giddy, folks. Giddy.

Looks like I’m off for some chocolate milk to calm my nerves, and then it’s sleep time.

Here’s to a happy three weeks… and a good end for a good year.