Woe is me!

Urinetown (the musical) has finally reached its opening. After a record two, very hefty tech weeks we are apparently ready for opening night, scheduled for Thursday. Unfortunately I seem to be missing an essential part of musical theater (and, in my case, life), that is, my voice. Because of this lack of sound production in the vocal folds, I have been sentenced to a day of complete vocal rest, and thus, I am sitting restlessly at home today. For those unfamiliar with this dreaded condemnation, vocal rest is exactly what it sounds like, not using your voice at all, no singing, no talking to whispering, no humming. It is much more terrible than it sounds. My voice is not only my primaty means of communication to the world, it is also my instrument and basic key to artistic happiness. Being voiceless today is frustrating me on so many levels. Primarily, I am worried about the show, as ridiculous and trivial as musicals can be, I have spent so much time this semester on it that it has become basically the center of my universe. I am also worried about the health of my vocal chords (strange that this comes second), but I am in pain! Pain like i've never felt before, not just the emotional pain of not being able to communicate and share my art with the world or whatever, but PHYSICAL PAIN. This is not a bronchitis or laryngitisy pain this is something completely different. I've heard terrible stories of vocal injuries and it really really scares me that this could be one. BUT at the same time I know that stressing out about this and other things is only going to make it more difficult to get my voice back, something that HAS to happen by Thursday. So I am stressed out about trying to relax. Basically. Oh well, at least I have something to blog about.