the ghost of christmas plays past, and present

it's almost christmas... that makes me think of a song from a christmas play we used to do at church back in the day. "whoa-whoa it's almost christmas, and i'm feeling so excited that i just can't be denying it, whoa-whoa it's almost christmas, oh i just can't wait until it's christmastime (da da da dun dun dada dun dun da)" the play was Christmas with Colby. Colby was a computer that all these kids were friends with. we danced and sang and had a grand ol' time. i was in it for 2 years when i was 11 and 12, i think. my uncle frank played Colby, and my dearest wish was to sing a duet with my favorite uncle! ...but i never got my wish. i'm still a bit sad about it, really.

we always had huge, wonderful christmas productions at church in those days, and quite talented people acting and singing in them, too. after the Colby years i got the lead in The Christmas Post. i shared it with a girl named shaina. 2 performances for her and 2 for me. it was great though. we were newsies. and we both had a crush on this young guy that was in it (of course we were like 13-14, and he was probably 18-19 at the time), and shaina dated him, and my little heart was broken. no, i guess not really broken, just a little disappointed. :)

speaking of young love and broken hearts, there are three weddings coming up next weekend... not to mention all the people getting... engaged and stuff... and i am once again faced with the lonely thought that it will never happen for me. i'm almost glad that i am unable to make it to the sunday wedding because of a double rehearsal. two on saturday is going to be more than enough, especially - well... i feel almost like sybil, asking, what is wrong with me? why am i not good enough? why do [other people] get to find romance and happiness and i am left alone with my pain?

enough with the pity.

so, tonight is the christmas play at church, and what a change it is from the plays of old. let's just say the quality of performance has decreased significantly over the years. yet, i happen to be in this one - playing a poor distraught young wife whose mother-in-law hates her. i only have about 7 lines near the end of the show. i hope it goes well for the sake of the people involved, and the audience - i am praying for a miracle. ;) maybe someday i'll go to a church that does amazing dramas - like mosaic (their dances are awesome - search youtube for mosaic church) - but for now i'll just have to look back and recall, with bittersweet fondness, the days of yore, when music and fine arts were upheld with excellence at pleasant valley. perhaps, one day, those days will return... an unlikely dream. then again, i do know a God who does impossible things.