The One Where I Play Ponyboy

Date: 7/6/2024

I’m walking into an auditorium somewhere when I realize I’ve interrupted the opening number of a play and messed up the lead (a woman I recognize but can’t remember) who’s performing “They Say It’s Wonderful” in the audience. I listen as she sings and realize I’ve completely thrown off her timing. I end up backstage. I open a door and two crew members look at me in horror as I’ve apparently unplugged something and messed up the performance even more. They panic as they try to fix it and I stand there feeling terrible. Suddenly, someone is trying to get me ready as the opening of “Tulsa ‘67” starts. I remember that I’m playing Ponyboy and start to sing, but I don’t have a mic on. Someone shoves a head mic — which just looks like a large pair of headphones — on me and the crowd goes wild. At some point this malfunctions, and Josh René comes and gives me a more normal-looking head mic. I accidentally skip the verses that say, “My brother could’ve been a football star” and immediately go into, “My name is Ponyboy, the youngest of the three.” I’m glad that people don’t seem to notice, but then start to forget the lyrics and just make quick sounds that I hope will be hidden by the instrumentation. I think about how this whole show couldn’t be any more chaotic and that I’m glad we have a few more shows to get it right.