I Miss Exit Applause

Back in my Broadway The-a-tuh days, I was lucky to be in the very talented and generous company of Beauty and the Beast.  I played Silly Girl #1.  There were three "Sillies" and we were the desperate yet comedic tramps who swooned for Gaston's attention.  Our part wasn't huge.  We didn't even get our own bow at the curtain call. Boo! But it was really fun.  The three of us  had to work closely and feel and feed off each other to create anything remotely funny. We were a bit like the Three Stooges with great cleavage.  Lots of bumps, faints, trips, etc.  Every now and then, as we would exit from our scene, we could here some gratitude from the audience in the the beautiful form of exit applause.  Exit applause, in my opinion, is quite different from entrance applause, or end of the show applause.  Entrance applause often is bestowed upon celebrities or well-known theatre royalty, as a way of saying, "Yay!  We are glad to see you."  But it is not always given because  the actor is an outstanding talent, though there are many who are.  End of the show applause is polite.  Even at the worst show I have ever seen, which shall remain nameless, I still applauded, because I am nice.  Exit applause says, "Man, that was so good I want you to know right now, even if it slows down the next entrance."  At least that's what it said to me.

To be honest, I miss it.  I have a small circle of people that I see each day. My husband, my daughter, my boss, and various customers in the boutique where I work part-time.  They are all great and supportive people, don't get me wrong.  I am lucky to have them.  My life right now just doesn't have many exit applause worthy moments.  And I will admit, I am needier for this validation than others.

So for now, I will relish in my memories of multiple hands clapping together for  me and my other two Sillies,  and manifest more exit applause worthy moments in my new life.