ALEX RICHARDS’14 | Staff Writer

As an orchestra member considering a professional career in music the most common phrase I’ll ever hear from teachers and mentors is “The money is where the pit is.”

Knowing that if I wanted to be a successful musician I would need experience playing in a pit, when I heard South was performing “Phantom Of the Opera” I not only jumped at the chance but threw myself head first into a schedule that would end up taking over my life and slowly driving me to the point of insanity.

Signing up for Phantom, I knew that I would be pushed to my limits as a viola-playing “Orch Dork” but at the same time improve my skills immensely.

Showing up to the first rehearsal on Monday, March 19 — more than a month after the actors had begun practicing — I already had the well-known Phantom theme song running through my head thinking,”this won’t be too bad, I already know the music!” That was until Richard Wolf handed me an eighty-five page packet of music that needed to be learned in a little under a month. The expression on my face was nothing short of shock.

I left the first rehearsal blushing thinking that choir director Ellen Bowen saw every fumble of my fingers and every wrong note. Out of embarrassment and determination I went home and practiced my part for three hours straight.

But even that wasn’t enough. I still came back the next week fumbling for some fingering and wrong notes. The music was hard, but I was stubborn and planning to do my best. I got my music up to par and was prepared for anything.

There were rehearsals everyday, some lasting seven to eight hours with little or no breaks. Sure, I complained about the insane schedule just like everyone else, but secretly I loved it. To be part of something this big and know that I had an important part solidified my love of music.

The stress of not getting home until 11 p.m. every night took a major toll on my schoolwork. There was always the option of bringing homework to rehearsal but the reality of being able to get it done in the ten minute bathroom break was just not happening. I fell behind and as much as I loved Phantom, I needed it to be over with so i could get my focus back on my school work.

Overall Phantom was a great success, but a stressful one. I look forward to my next opportunity to play in a musical, but nothing could compare to my very first Phantom Of the Opera.