My Mirth...

There isn't a lot in Cedar City, so I wasn't expecting anything more than a good time. I knew it would be fun and that I would get to know the people in the class really well...But I didn't expect our trip down there to have such and impact on me.

For advanced theater, we went down to Southern Utah University for the annual high school Shakespeare Festival. There, we competed with with our ensemble scene, supported those classmates who would be competing individually, watched other performances, learned a ton about Shakespeare, and most importantly, made more friends than you could have in a whole year. I didn't think it was possible to get to know, and become so close, to so many people in 48 short hours. The memories we created will never be forgotten. It was the expierience of a lifetime.

A few weeks before we presented our Night of Shakespeare, Mr Oram, one of the teachers at our school, and a highly educated man in many aspects including Shakespeare literature, came to talk to us. He began by asking us to write down the definition of the word mirth: gaiety or jollity, especially when accompanied by laughter. Our ensemble scene was comedic, so he continued to tell us that we should stand on that stage, and present our mirth. From then on, mirth kind of just stuck with us. It was, in a way, our theme for our performances.

Right before our ensemble scene performance in Cedar City, we got together for circle time. We did our usual pump up activities and then Andra took over. She asked us to close our eyes and imagine our mirth; what makes us happy. She then instructed us to hold out our hand and she came around and placed a small container in one hand. When we opened our eyes, there was a glass bowl in the middle of the circle, and everyone was holding a small container of glitter. Andra then began to talk about mirth, and how we needed to present our mirth in our last performance of this scene we had worked so hard on. We went around the circle and each shared our mirth and what made us happy, and as we did so, we poured our glitter into the bowl. The glitter began to pile up as everyone shared the things that they lived for. When everyone had finished, and every last sparkle of glitter filled the glass, everyone held a small bit of everyone's combined glitter in their hands. Andra then said: "Now spread everyone's mirth on yourself." She sprinkled the mixed colors over her head. "Now you have a piece of everyone's mirth and you. Spread it around as you perform this scene. Make it cover that whole auditorium....every corner and inch of it, and don't come off stage until you have."

What an amazing feeling it was. To be united with everyone in that circle, and to be able to spread everyone's 'mirth' about, was truely incredible. I am so glad to be part of such an amazing group of people, and to get to work with such an amazing director. This is my Mirth!!