Tour Guiding is an Act

After giving my fifth tour today, I started to realize that being a tour guide is probably the best training that an actor could hope for. The reason is because I give nearly the exact same 3 hour schpiel every day on my tours, but each time I have to act like this is new to me. Energy and passion has to permeate every fact that I give to the tourists (is that what you call people on the tour? Maybe I am the tour-er and they are the tour-ee? Anywho...). The stories I tell have to be delivered with the same gusto each time. And let me tell you... it's taxing!
In reality, it is no different than a theater production. I have a set of lines that I deliever only with slight variation every time (and I have only blanked out completely once on stage. For those of you who witnessed this spectacle of stage, it was quite the memorable moment. God I love alliteration. Anyway, it was during the world famous production of "Money" at Conn College, during a scene where I portrayed a slightly stupid and arrogant doctor. In the scene, Abbie turns to me and seductively says, "Spoooonnnngggeeee." [I am laughing out loud while writing this. I am in the middle of my hostel, and people are definitely looking at me funny. Wow, I am currently in a double parenthetical aside. Have you lost your way in this post yet? I have! Let's get back to my previous parenthetical aside...] So, once Abbie turned around and said "sponge" to me, I totally blanked. I could see the script in my head, but for some reason the words were not coming to me. I just stared back at Abbie, at a complete loss of words. I don't quite remember what I said, except that I made it abundantly clear that Pat had to save me and that I was totally lost. After an eternity, Pity picked up the peices and the scene continued. I still don't remember what I was supposed to say. Close parenthesis.)

Ummm.... what was I saying?
Oh yeah!

So I have rehearsed lines as a tour guide, and I also have choreography. Perhaps more specifically, as we call it in the biz: "movement." My choreography consists of usually hopping about, trying to demonstrate jousts, Cooper's Dances (don't ask), and other Munich things.

I lost interest in writing this post just now. I keep thinking about "Money." For what it is worth, I will never forget that show. What shall I leave you with? Hmmm...
Oh! For all you Ward Melville-ites out there, Mrs. Cusamano (the Spanish teacher) just had another baby boy! Congrats Cus!

With that, I am going to go back to apartment hunting. I have a few leads. We shall see.
-Matt