Blog 5

So, I saw the full show for the first time yesterday and I must say that it was by far the most powerful show that I have seen on the main stage yet. Even if it went up yesterday, with all the sound difficulty that everyone was having and the few mistakes that were caught the show would have been worth the money spent. The best thing about it by far is the high energy mixed in with culture, history, and the artistic presence of the actors. It was obvious that everyone was into their characters and that the entire cast knew what they were doing and were doing it to the best of their ability. I especially enjoyed the hip hops scene and must say that I was unprepared for some of the cast coming into the audience, extending all the energy on stage to the seats in which those watching were sitting. It was a fantastic touch to the entire scene and I felt not only a part of what was happening on stage but also was greater affected by the already profound energy in which the show had progressed with. Both the end of Act 1 and the end of Act 2 left me deeply emotionally touched and left me begging for more, the one thing which any audience member wants when paying money for a show is not wanting to leave and for the performance to never end. I was left feeling that sensation during both of these parts of the show, something I have never felt before when watching a main stage performance at William and Mary. In fact, usually I find myself looking at my watch wondering when the show will end. This is not the fact with "when the purple settles". The costumes, the dancing, the actors, and the energy kept me begging for more, and when it was all finished I was sad that it was over. So congratulations to all the cast members, Leah, Jen, Jason, Joey, and especially you Guru for creating a show that creates such a profound experience. While I am not on stage with the cast, and greatly saddened because of this, I am happy to do work behind the scenes if it means that this is the show you were able to produce, and by being able to continue helping with the show I truly feel apart of something great, and am extremely thankful for it.