“A Strange Turn of Events” Part 10

My Adventures and Short Brush with Fame in Community Theater continued…

“This is where it All Ends”  Ian Astbury. Lead Singer. “Sun King” – The Cult, Sonic Temple Album 1989

And Just Like That the Opening night was upon me bringing all the butterflies and in my case “Terrors” that come with a first performance before a live audience.  Despite my anxieties- I felt assured that the first Audience was going to be consisting of friends and family members so I figured even if I really blew it – the Audience wouldn’t be demanding my severed head after the performance. 

The anxiety was high and I was nervous as heck. Hell, there were People out There!  These were friends who come from up from the Bay Area – and they wanted to see a show or ahem…a reasonable facsimile. I kept thinking G. was going to come backstage to give me a nudge or in my case a shove to get my ass on stage when my scene started …So there was no high tailing it or hiding for me backstage. 

So as I was sweating backstage waiting for my scene to begin when I suddenly flashed back to when I was 8 years old and I had been cast as “The Christmas Mouse” in Louise Van Meter’s 1963 “The Night Before  Christmas” Christmas Play. My mom, when she had been acting as a “Mom” had made me this elaborate costume as the Mouse. I had a mouse mask complete with ears and a large snout with whiskers. Sleeper like jumpers with tail completed the costume.  Anyway “Santa” played by Teddy Bear (he was the fattest kid in 3rd grade) was running late. Our little pageant was supposed to start but no Santa.  So my now hysterical homeroom teacher and her assistant (a girl my age!) began tearing my clothes off and begin to stuff me into my costume.  Since the show was supposed to start and with no Santa I was told to stall the impatient Moms and Pop PTA Audience with some improvised capers across the stage. So without further ado, I was CATAPULTED onto the stage. I sailed through the curtains and it took me a moment to regain my footing as I nearly bounced neatly on my ass in front of the entire PTA. 

Not knowing what ” improvised capers” were I waved at the audience and began to skip back and forth across the stage. Waving and skipping, waving and skipping. OK, my improvisational skills were limited back then – but I was only eight years old! I probably did some other “Mouse” stuff for laughs (unless you don’t count me lifting my leg like a dog peeing on a mock fireplace!) but  I really don’t remember much more than doing that. 

Anyhoo, the audience loved it and they laughed and applauded my adolescent antics. Finally, Teddy arrived and the Teacher stopped hissing at me off stage to knock it off!!! 

Then I was back waiting to go on… 

“Well Hopefully they’ll love me again” I prayed as my scene was getting closer and closer to starting and Tartuffe was supposed to make his villainous entrance.

And soon my opening scene was up. There was my cue and off I lumbered onto the stage.

End of Part 10

To be continued…