IT'S HAPPENING

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
2011
Village Theatre
Playing Pontius Pilate
I'm on stage and think
It's happening
That thing all performers fear
Going up on your lines
Not knowing what comes next
Sometimes, on stage, you can take a pause
Other times the music goes on and there is no respite
No moment to collect your thoughts
Bumped up against it once or twice before
But this time
It was HAPPENING!
Lyrics lost
Setup
Pontius Pilate is conflicted to pass judgment
The music is fast
and Pilate is by himself
Not physically
The entire stage is filled...watching
They can't help
They are all there
But they can't...help
and
IT'S HAPPENING!!!!
I don't know what to say
The music is plays
The moment comes
I DO know my subtext
The WHY
So, I think
I'm Pontius Pilate
In charge of this place I don't want to be
They want to kill this
Religious hippy
Petulant wacko
But do I need to kill him?
That's just too much
Don't want to do it
So I open my mouth
"This man is Jesus!
  He is your leader!
  You mumble mumble mumble want me to KILL him?"
I turn up stage and mumble some more then turn back around and shout
"I REFUSE THIS!!!!!!!!"
and with that THE HAPPENING had Happened
We get back on track
The stage is filled with actors
Biting their cheeks
Dropping their heads
and the show goes on