I’ve never had to triple down in my life. Sure I’ve doubled down on countless occasions, but going a step beyond that has never been in the cards for me. Or at least it wasn’t, up until I got involved in this year’s “The Rocky Horror Show.”

Much like last year’s production, I auditioned for the musical first, just in case I could get into the cast. When that didn’t work, I pivoted right back to my usual spot: the band.

I had been talking with the music director for about a month by the time I had auditioned, and after much deliberation I finally found my spot: synthesizer.

So, after the cast list was posted, I grabbed the sheet music, dusted off my trusty keyboard, and got to work learning the music.

I wasn’t just learning the score, I was showing myself how to play piano. It was quite the process of trial-and-error, but over the next month I had learned enough of the show to where I could struggle my way through the whole thing.

Now that I had learned enough of the synth part, I was ready to start practicing with my fellow musicians inside of the theater … is what I would be saying if it wasn’t for a little change.

A couple of days before we started practicing, I got a text from the music director: suddenly, the guitarist had backed out of the show. There was a vacancy in the band, one which I was able to fill based on me playing guitar for last year’s Rocky Horror.

So right before we started practicing as a unit, I started playing guitar for the show instead. Everything’s going fine, I’m getting by with a minimal setup and my knowledge from last year.

In fact, I’ve already started changing up my playing. Sure it’s only been a few days since I started playing guitar again, but I’m already finding ways to adapt to the new and changing score we’ve been provided.

So, I keep practicing with the band, and I bring it inside of the theater itself for tech week … is what I would say had it not been for another change-up. As the band director gives me a ride home one night, they tell me something: no drummers are reliably picking up show dates. We run the risk of performing the show without a part of the crucial rhythm section.

I’m a guitarist at heart, but I’ll do what needs to be done to fill out the band. So I volunteer myself to get behind the kit, to switch out my guitar for a set of drumsticks.

This is where I stay. While the lights and sound are prepared for show time, I swap out my role yet again to be the resident drummer for Rocky Horror 2025. Using my knowledge from last year’s Rocky and my musical improv skills, I make my way through the score for one week.

Before I know it, the date is Sept. 19: opening night. We are now playing to a live, paying audience. And it goes over well! My improvising carries me through the score, though with an obvious hiccup here and there. Now I have until Nov. 1 to revise and refine my playing the best I can.

I really like music. Even if I have to switch everything up on a dime, I’ll still be playing to play what I can. The same most definitely goes for Rocky Horror. Some people may think that learning that music is overkill, but honestly I’m just glad to be contributing anything.