I was watching The Matrix the other day.  If you haven't seen the movie, there's a scene where Keanu Reeve's character is walking through a building and he see's a cat.  Then there's a glitch, and he sees the cat again, and says in a very K.Reeves way:  "Déjà vu." Another character freaks out because, as they explain it, déjà vu happens when there's been a change in the matrix.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, there's been a change in the matrix.  Here we are about to open The Wedding (again) and I keep having these feelings of déjà vu.  Except everything is just a little bit different.  Our esteemed director, Zeljko Djukic, let us know at the start of our rehearsal process - a mere 2 ½ weeks ago - that this Wedding would not be the same as the last Wedding.  That even though we were renewing our vows, we wanted to keep the marriage exciting.  The codfish wouldn't be a cold, dead, lifeless fish.  For us, or the audience. 

And how could it?  With three new cast members having three different energies than the three departed cast members there would be some intrinsic changes.  Obviously.  But additionally, Z (as us westerners like to call him) insisted on some changes he thought were necessary after viewing the original run of The Wedding.  Now I'm sure you'd like me to tell you what those changes are, but what fun would that be? :) 

Inevitably, when you perform a show over and over again, things can become, well, stale.  You don't want it to happen, and you do your best to not allow it to happen, but sometimes it just "been there done that."  You wouldn't believe the amount of energy and focus it takes to "be in the moment."  It's actually quite a contradiction to make something be like it's the first time you did it.  The human  brain is an amazing storage mechanism.  Try going into your kitchen and washing a dish ten times the same way and making it seem fresh.

But that's why this remount, with the new cast members and the small changes, is so effortless.  Even though you've been there before, you haven't.  I turn to my new boyfriend and get a new response.  I dance with The Husband and it's a different waltz.  The Groom's Mother's disapproving gazes are disapproving for a different reason.    You can't help but find new motivations and reactions for things.  You are really "in the moment" because this time you really don't know what someone will do.  I mean, you know, but you don't know howsomething is going to be thrown at you.  It's exciting.

And don't forget fun.  This show is still the blast we want it to be.  If you've seen it before, come again to see how it's different.  If you haven't seen it, come because you should feel ashamed you didn't see it the first time.  Kidding.

At the very least, come to see my shiny new headband.

-Jaimelyn Grey, Bride's Sister