So I’m not Leonard Bernstein

I can’t believe this is really happening. When I was 10 years old, I used to pretend to put on a show on our front porch. Just like Ed Sullivan and Steve Allen. Now I’m really doing it in my dotage.

We assembled a great cast for “Guys and Dolls Senior,”, made up of over-55 actors, who all seemed to know each other from the Clarksville Community Players.

As the music director, I’m trying for the first time ever to get people to sing correctly. Who, me? I have never done this before. Which way do my hands move—up and down or sideways? When will someone say, “Who is this impostor from South Boston”? When will I get caught? (I’ll bet you know the feeling!) Complicating things: many of the cast insist that they aren’t singers. We’ll see about that!

At the read-through, we decided the actors should be educated about the underlying theme. What could that be? Oh, gambling. Craps—throwing the dice.

As a Las Vegas veteran, I was asked by the director, Monica Walter, to show everyone how it was played. Only one person already knew.

I took out some Monopoly money and dice and had two actors bet against each other. If you throw a 7 or 11, you win. If you throw a 2, 3 or 12 you lose. Then it gets more complicated. I told everyone to gamble on their break (Not serious.)

At the next rehearsal, seven “crapshooters” assembled, and we went through some music. First, we spoke the songs through, then sang them without the background track.

Some kept speaking the music instead of singing it. But repetition works. I was hearing melody!

Another had trouble finding her first note. An actor not in the scene helped her out. I am not alone! We finished another song. I kept forgetting the words . . . got to work on that!

Everyone seemed discouraged. Except me. Am I missing something? These non-singers are together with a melody. Yay! Lots of practicing ahead.

One said, “Thanks for putting up with me.” I said, “You were great.” I meant it. We’ll do that song over and over.

We’ve got this!

(The show is Feb. 14-15 at 2 p.m. at the Clarksville Fine Arts Center. Free but donations accepted.)