The Place That Brings People to Life

There is no place I would have rather spent

the anniversary of my “coming to life” – the

day I was born.

I carried a table into the costume room

with Chelsea, one of my beloved cast members

for “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress”. 

She said, “It’s your birthday! You should take

off… really. What are you doing to celebrate?”

I didn’t skip a beat.  I said, “I am here.”

Chelsea

didn’t see the celebration in this

moment – but to me, the theatre – in any

state – is a place of celebration and creation,

a place where I feel the most

connected and whole. 

I thought I was being so smart.  I wore a

dressy outfit to the theatre and wore it

through intermission.

I also had a “Strike” basket. It was actually

a picnic basket I bought for “Sunday in the

Park with George.” It was large – and I

wanted to have a tool to quickly gather my

personal stuff off the stage as soon

as the show was over.

I figured I could leave the booth and get

onstage and take everything down and then

get to my other “end of show” jobs. 

I also had a change of clothes – from my nice,

dressed up outfit into a T-shirt and Sweat

Pants. I actually changed in the darkened

booth during Act 2 between sound cues.

Brilliant! I thought.

The Women took their final bow and I

stepped into the audience to whoop

and holler.

I saw

Chelsea

asking the audience to

quiet down and in that moment

I knew.

“Julie, where are you, Julie?!”

Oh, no. I was going to have to go on stage

in all my Strike-Finery.  The only thing worse

would have been going on stage in my Painting

clothes or perhaps, one worse, my

Fame-Dance-Rehearsal Look.

It was exactly a year ago-to the day- that

the “Play it Again, Sam” cast called me on

stage to present me with gifts to express their

thanksgiving for my work. They didn’t

know it was my birthday.

This cast, the Five Women times Two

plus a couple men for good measure,

they knew.

Jenn plopped

Frances

’ crown on my head

as the cast and the audience sang a spirited

version of “Happy Birthday” accentuated,

naturally, with “Cha Cha Cha Cheez Whiz”.

The audience held lots of people who have

been important to my artistic life both as

An Actor and as a Director.  I reveled

in the moment.

My favorite moment, though, was quietly walking

past groups of people talking about the show,

listening unseen to their observations and witness. 

I received several “Congratulations” before I sat

at the desk in the office to complete some paperwork.

It was among the fastest strikes I have ever

experienced. I wasn’t surprised – this team

proved repeatedly how well they worked together.

Folks from “The Tavern” pitched in to help

as did Jeremiah’s wife, Julie and Jenn’s “22 day,

some hours and another set of minutes” beau,

Seth – who came to see the show every time she

was on stage and many times he came as

a Reception Guest.

I was moving furniture in the shop when I heard

Michelle’s voice.  “Where is my leader?”

she called. 

“You mean me?” I responded.

“Yes… you.” I looked up and saw Michelle

walking towards me.

“I have everyone assembled for you.”

Our final circle – our final time holding hands as

a cast.  The circle looked differently now than

when we started. We had a couple different cast

members, we had the wisdom of success in our

hearts and the connection of love in our spirits.

The theatre emptied and last moment hugs

were offered.

I breathed Halli’s words into my heart, an

echo of my own to significant Directors in my past. 

“Thank you for casting me,” she said as she hugged

me.  We both trembled as we let the tears come. “I

will remember this for the rest of my life.”

Yes. It is true.

There is no place I would rather spend the

anniversary of my “coming to life” – the day I was

born.  This place where my soul was reawakened,

my art enlivened, my heart to depths unknown and

to many mysterious places which continue call to

me – hopefully for a long, long time.

The theatre.

It brings people to life.

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