The Phantom Menace

No, this is not about Star Wars, and it's hardly menacing.

This week I start what is truly my guiltiest of pleasures -- the annual show at Christ the King High School. This year they're performing "Phantom of the Opera" and I'm playing 1st horn in the pit. That means for a week I'm playing every day. Every day!

I always reminisce back to college when I played constantly. It did wonders for my endurance (which could use a shot in the arm), but it also kept my playing frosty. Luckily the book is not horribly taxing but there is still a lot of good playing, so I don't come out of it each night in pain.

I really live for these pit gigs. With luck I'll get to do "Into the Woods" in the spring, and possibly "The Sound of Music" in the summer. 3 shows this year!

Of course, there's also the pleasure of actually being IN the show. As I watch the kids at CtheK perform, I long to be with them. I still don't have the personal connection to the people when I'm playing music that I do when I'm acting on stage. But that's okay for now.

For what it's worth, I'm not a huge fan of "Phantom," and playing the show doesn't change that. But it's good playing, and I'm there doing it. Woo-hoo!!