I'd like to thank the Academy

Oh my goodness! Was Halloween really that last time I posted?  That seems like it was more recent than that.  I have been in a play.  That's why I've been away.  I mean it's no excuse.  I should have continued posting anyway.  If I wanted it bad enough, I would have.  I just...ugh. So the play is over now, and you know what?  I'm sad about it.

Li'l Abner.  It's a musical based on the comic strip by Al Capp.  I, like many of my fellow cast members, was more than one role.  I had two: a general citizen of the town known as "Dogpatch" and a "refugee from justice" know as "Evil Eye Fleagle."

I want to write all about this but I've done that in an email to my fellow cast and so I'll share it with you here.  The only thing I'd like to add (and probably reiterate) is that through this experience I've met some of the greatest people I've ever met.

"I'd like to thank the Academy"

Teddy, here :)

Somehow, I miraculously got away without being dragged up to give a speech at the cast party.  And I was initially relieved by this fact.  But as I began to ponder this, I also slightly felt left out, no fault of anyone but myself of course.  I should have leaped and hollered "MY TURN! MY TURN!" But alas, I did not.  Also, I came to the conclusion that I was doing everyone a disservice for not contributing to the consensus that this play that we did, this awesome amazing wonderful beautiful thing, was all of that and more.  In lieu of a spoken speech, I'd like to write to you all.  I'm really better at writing than I am at speaking anyway so I'm actually doing everyone a favor by communicating this way rather than flapping my jaws in front of you all like the blubbering idiot I really am.

Before anything more is said, I want to state that this whole thing really was amazing.  But that word doesn't even do it justice.  It's only a meager attempt at explaining what this experience was.  So I guess there are no words to do it proper justice except to say that it was priceless.

Now, for my tale of how I came to join this merry band of curious characters.  It may not be "exactly accurate" but it's how I remember it.  I was in the Midtown Mall one day with my mother and happened into Book World.  I perused the shelves, for what I don't know (I never do).  I honestly could walk around in there for hours which is impressive given the size of the place.  Anyways. I was perusing the shelves as I was saying, and happened to spot an individual that I vaguely recognized.  I thought for a moment or two and then, with a revelatory yet quizzical tone I said "Tanith?"  We'd met long ago, you see, through a mutual friend. 

So, we rather quickly caught up and then I don't remember exactly how it came up but she told me about this play and how some characters were "missing".  She then spouted off a few names that I don't remember of those missing characters.  She then told me when and where to show up.

And I did.

I met Fred, and John and Julie, and a few others. And re-met some, such as John Wilkinson. I found out about the Halloween fun house, where I met some more interesting individuals. Among others I remember Gage in a Count Chocula suit, Marti as Harry Potter and Fred as, I'm guessing, himself when no one is around to see him dress that way (just kidding Fred).

Somehow, all THAT didn't scare me away.

So I kept coming to rehearsal though I missed some due to Community Chorus. At first, I was really excited to maybe get a medium-big part,  because I had mostly gotten smaller parts in the past.  Except for my senior year of high school where I played Maxwell Smart, Agent 86. 

No matter what part I was given in Li'l Abner, however, I was going to be happy with it as there are truly no small parts.  Everyone's performance is equal in importance. (whoa, I rhymed!)  And besides, I was just happy to be a part of theater again.  It had been TOO long.

"You'll be an extra."  Fred actually said crony or scrag or something but all I heard was "extra."  I was initially sad.  But, but but, I thought to myself. And then I let my ego deflate.  Turns out you can move your head around a lot easier when it isn't the size of a hot air balloon. (an appropriate analogy for more than one reason.

So I settled into the idea of a smaller roll.  Again, I was just excited to be back in theater.

Then there was the next meeting.  At the end of which, I was victim...ahem..."privileged participate" to the infamous "second talk" from Fred.  I don't remember exactly what was said, other than "Can you do a Jersey accent?"  but it was here that I was given the part of Double E F (as John Estes affectionately called me).

Several months later, as Fred counted what gray hair he had left (and discovered that it was grayer than when he started planning for the play), on the weekends of January 11th and 18th, for six nights, we sang and acted our way into 2013.  But more than that, we performed magic.  We took what Fred was going to almost nearly give up on, what people said he couldn't do, and made it shine.  And we couldn't have done it without him.

Over those months, I didn't make acquaintances, I didn't even make friends.  No.  My family grew.  I know this has been said already but I really do love you all.  If anyone of you had been missing, it wouldn't have been the same.  Even the three stooges who I lovingly referred to as "the urchins."  They ate all the snacks and made a taco explode in the lobby, but they, the little siblings of the group, along with the little girls whose names I can't all remember but who were some of the best actors I've ever seen, made it complete. 

Thank you, everyone.  It was an experience that I will always remember.  And before I flood my computer with tears of joy and a fondness that will never go away, I'm going to end this email/speech with two things.  One, is that this isn't "goodbye".  It's "until we meet again" (and the "after after party" as Becky put it.)  The second is a quote by John Estes at the end of the second Saturday night's performance. It was in reference to that particular performance but I believe it is a sentiment that rings true for all of it. The laughs. The late nights. The ups. The downs.  All of it. 

He said this:

"That was a freakin' blast!"