It Come to an End

Just can't get over this weird feeling of weight. I have not been happy at all, well a few brief moments. I think I may be mourning. So I decided to get up and get this all off my chest and finish talking about closing so I can move on and enjoy life.

There is always an almost manic vibe backstage for closings and this show was no exception. People are jazzed and even more crazy than usual. It's great, but also you can't expect to really enjoy and try to capture the essence of a run on the last day, everyone is in emotional overdrive.

The first show went well, I speant it as I usually do--reading and knitting. I did try and pay attention to the points in the show when I knew there would be actors hanging out behind the seats. It's a great view that only I have. Sometimes we catch eachother's eye and wave or they do something silly to make me laugh. I love it. I will miss those small moments.

Then it was over and we had our break. One last time setting up for the show. Good thing because set pieces were literally falling apart.

I love strolling around Glencoe. I know it's full of rich people and snotty teenagers, but everything is close together and this time of year, it's delightful. It helps to take some friends along.

The break seemed to speed by and before I knew it, it was half-hour (that is 30 min before the show will start, and everyone starts getting ready and I get the lights and music ready for the audience to be seated). And one last time seeing the cute boys in their underwear...

...one of the true perks of my job. I will miss it sorely.

The second show had my full attention. So many moments I love in this show. The scene changes are awesome, and they have my attention everynight, as I am running the sound and must be alert during these times. During one of the changes, we had one small silliness, Tiffany turned to leave the stage and stumbled, almost falling into an older gentleman in the front row. Was so funny to see the goofy grin on her face.

The parts of the show that I almost always read through are the quiet ones. There are virtually no sound cues during the scenes of this show, just transitions, so I am free to read ect. And if the actors are doing an intimate quiet scene I am all the more likely to be immersed in my reading.

It was really nice to rediscover those quiet scenes. Especially the scene when the queen is donning all the jewlry in her box and getting drunk. Shannon does an amazing job with this scene and I think it may be my favorite. I am sorry I didn't make an effort to watch it EVERY night.

I don't know who took this pic during the show, but I love it. I can't wait to go to Rawson's myface and see the video they are all watching.

After the show a couple of the boys decided to trim back the facial hair. It's crazy how much it changes their look/face. Glad they do it before leaving, I wouldn't have recognized them on the street otherwise.

A great last show was followed by a wonderful party, out on the patio. It was a beautiful night and we couldn't have asked for more. Beer, wine, champagne, pizza and shrimp. The Writer's theatre classics. According to Jimmy. (Jimmy is an amazing director that also works in the office, he is brilliant and so fun.)

There is one more closing tradition. After the party and most of the people have left, David tries on all the wigs. Brilliant.

But we couldn't let the night end there, so a few of us met up at a bar in Roger's Park.

We even were joined by Jimmy (center) and past understudy and hottie Justine (right).

More drinking and frivolity. (Thanks for the drinks Chris, can't wait to see your ear in the Budweiser commercial!)

And just trying to hold on to the friendship and good times we've had.

But sooner or later you have to say goodnight.

I was glad I rode home with Kipp and Rawson. These two have meant a lot to me over these past months. I can truly be myself around them and know that they appreciate me for it. Thanks guys. I can't wait to hang out with you again.

One Last Day

It's over. The last day has come and gone and it was mostly a blur and yet had great moments that I felt like I could reach out and touch it. I think this happens with any day that is anticipated, weddings (especially your own), exotic vacations, holidays... It is going to take me a few days to process it all. So I am going to talk about my last day in a very sentimental drawn out way. Sorry, but I am sentimental girl.

And I am looking at the pics I took last night and getting a little misty eyed. I counted on crying sometime yesterday, and I did get choked up a couple of times, but Grandma would be proud that I managed to keep it together. Of course now its trapped inside me and I sort of wish I could have gotten it out with my friends around me instead of by myself over my keyboard. Does that have more dignity?

Mostly I am missing the cast. I know I just saw everyone last night, but I know we will not be forced into hanging out together. And I really want to hang out again. I am hoping that I will really really be friends with all these people I want to be friends with. Wanting to call them right now and be like, "Do you really still like me and want to hang out?!?"

Now that I got all that out I can tell you how the day started yesterday. Shannon picked me up and she claimed she wasn't sad at all. She is too excited about her new job, and done with this one. I am done with so many things about this job, but I also have a sinking feeling that it is the best job you can have. The people you work with and the bonds, however temporary are amazing. Theatre is family and every show you work on expands your family.



We get to the theatre and like every closing, it's crazy, you have these small things that you want to do for the cast and eachother, as well as all the normal stuff. And you don't want to miss anything, anyone arriving every moment is precious and jubilant.



And there are gifts. At the very least I know I have come away with a handful of good friends. The best being my two crew buds. But since this is the last show of the season we each had a little something for the others. I love giving gifts best of all.

Shannon and I did Jane's gift together. We shopped for supplies together, each made our own version and then wrapped them together.
I made the wrist pincushion and Shannon the big one. I love how she embroidered Jane's name on it, so if she decided to leave it at the theatre it won't get swiped.
Shannon's gift I did on my own because I had a very specific idea. I have been meaning to make it for months now.
Kinda hard to see in this pic, but that purple crown on her head was something I made for the neices for Christmas and that Shannon LOVED. She said she wanted one, just for when she cleans around the house. So I tried my hand at making a apron fit for a princess to go with it. I think it turned out great and can't wait to make one for myself. Here's a better pic of the crown for itself, you can see all the pretty sequins I sewed on. Oh and that's Margaret in the middle Master Electrician Extroidinare. We like her very much and am sad that her job is confined to tech, so we don't see nearly enough of her. But I think we will be friends outside of the theatre now. Right? he he.
And always a hit is our cast gift. We three on the crew have loved giving a gift to the cast, but just these past two shows have we discovered the myJones. It is such a hoot to see a cast photo on a bottle of soda and the peeps love it. The best is when at first they are like, thanks, I love Jones. But then they see the pic and go "Woa, holy shit, that is so cool, how did you do that?" I think Kipp had the best reaction in this group, although Chris was a close second. It's always a hit, and they can toss it or keep and it's cool, because we didn't make it (always a consideration with the previously hand made gifts) and split three ways not too expensive. Perfect.

Well that's all I have the stomache for today. More about the shows tomarrow.

Funnest Day Ever

Well the not fun part was before and during the first show. Jane was gone for the day and so it was very quiet at the theatre before the actors got there. I never realized how much her silliness and chattiness gets me going, in a good way. I missed her. luckily eventually the crazy actors got here and we had a Very Good Time today.

During the first show we had the Best Audience Quote, overheard by Michael Canavan as he left stage, "I am going to the bathroom as soon as intermission starts!"

Shannon, Rawson, Tiffany and I got Chin's (local Chinese) for dinner and ate together out on the patio. I told them about my marathon video watching to get the discs ready to give everyone. Rawson and all have taken a LOT of videos, some just silly, but some hilarious. So we talked about our favorites from the cicada symphony to "How dare you sir, I am a Lady!" and many others, we entertained each other with reinactments that we even funnier. ahh. Nothing is funnier than an inside joke.

The second show, we were all a little giddy, only THREE MORE!!!

And it's a good thing because Rob sure is sick of peanutbutter and jelly.

The ladies love it when Rawson sticks his head through the curtain.

Best of all Canavan had arranged for a Chinon wine tasting (a region of France mentioned in the play.) Chris was kind enough to give us a littel wine tasting lesson. It was very informative, but let's face it theatre people and wine...There was much silliness. A BBC like reading of the performance reports. Various possible meanings for the abbreviation PDA, legitimate and otherwise. Rawson's appalatian Lion in Winter. Less than an hour and three bottles of wine later, it was time for our last ride of the Metra.

Tonight it was me and these four (LtoR Fagin, Laura, Rawson and Kipp). The train was full of drunken party goers. Singing Kareokee style and causing a ruckus. A loud and entertaining ride home. Laura had a party to get to and did a little makeup touchup, and helped Fagin out with his too. Oh and the pic above is their band photo.

Here I am quite toasty and enjoying my ride home. Thanks Metra for all the rides and thanks friends for keeping me from falling alseep at worst and making it a good time at best.

And now I have a record 40 pictures and videos to sort through before I can hit the sack.

Coutdown to Silliness

It was another exciting night at the theatre tonight. Sarah, from the production office stopped by after getting out of tech for Writers' next show, Nixon's Nixon. We were having drinks after the show, as usual, and tonight people were even sillier than usual.


These sunglasses are stellar on Rawson, I believe they belong to Laura. He's looking rather manly in that pose, although I must say the shirt is not helping him any, is it?

Side Note: I am devestated that a great picture of Laura and Rawson has disappeared off my camera!!! Curses! This has never happened to me before...

"If I find out who is responsible they shall pay!"--that's Super Manly Rawson coming to my rescue. hehe.

Michael was a little disturbed by this note left to him by Nixon's Nixon star Larry Yando saying he tried on Micheal crown, loves Shannon more, and kiss Lea Coco for him.

One of my running jokes with Michael here is that I'm a bit of a drunk. I have made a very small number of mistakes, but they are always due to my drunkeness. And now it is just something he says when I head up to the booth, "try not to drink too much and f#ck up tonight!" or something. Tonight I lost balance trying to get a picture and almost stumbled into him, and it was "again, with the drinking! You could have taken my eye out with you elbow, but at least you got it all on film!" He cracks me up.

Shannon on the right was feeling extra caustic today and Shannon on the left was her usual cheery self, so here we have Bitter Shannon and Sunshine Shannon.
Or is it Myrtle?

Shannon's series of performance report artwork continues, todays is of Lake Shore Drive and is complete with a moving van for Mike and me and a parachuting Bill Murray (apparantly really did parachute into downtown today.)


And a rare appearance of me. Today was my wedding anniversary. You can't see all that well, but I am wearing my great-grandmother's earrings that I wore that day three short years ago. We just had a small celebration, I got us a piece of cake with lemon curd filling, like we had at our wedding and Mike brought me flowers. In a few weeks, we will be going up to Wisconsin for a couple nights for a real celebration. Can't wait. But right now I need all my energy to get through this weekend. Four more shows left in my theatre career. Crazy.

Dreaming of Rings, Palm Trees and Awake Spouses

Have I told y'all that one of our cast got engaged?!? CONGRATS TIFFANY!!!!

Yes, on Monday night, champagne on the rooftop and a diamond ring proposal.

You can just make out that she has a ring on her left hand in pic here...I'll try and get a good shot of it. Tiffany has been with her man for six months and two months ago she told me she knew he was it, so I am totally thrilled for her. I met him briefly at opening and he seems like a nice guy. Rawson has chatted with him a couple of times and thinks he's one cool dude. And Tiffany is like the cutest, sweetest, funniest chick around. So I am sure they will be very happy together.

Of course my mind goes straight to invitations, locations, bands...ahh weddings. The best excuse for the best party of your life...

Meanwhile Shannon was dreaming of a tropical getaway during the show, all over her performance report. he he.
And Mike was just dreaming. Yes this is what I come home to most nights. I am really looking forward to having an awake husband EVERY time I come home from work.

And now on Shannon's request, this video of Rawson.

In case you are wondering that is one of those musical birthday cards that plays the chick dance song. It was given to David by Writers' business maven Kate.

There was quite the dessert spread last night. I tried out a new apple bread recipe and Micheal brought chocolate cookies, and peanut m&m's. Love having a sweet in the booth. It makes the show go by so much faster. Unfortunately it has become almost pavlovian, I get to the theatre and I am hungry for sugar.

Up in the booth tonight it was all about the ladies.

This is Adrian, she understudies our queen. She comes to watch the show up in the booth once a week and we chat before and after the show.

And here is Shannon, at the helm.

It was raining a little during and after the play, but it didn't dampen our spirits, especially when the bell signalling the arrival of our train starts to ding.

sorry it's sidways, i can't figure out how to get it right way up.

Shannon Rules the Theatre

Shannon has been running the backstage for two years now, making everyone feel at home, organizing scene changes, resetting for shows, taking care of props and all manner of things that need getting done. She even had to go on for one of the supernumeraries.

Isn't she cute in her costume?!?

And of course she knits.

But last night she took over the stage management from David here. And she is taking it very seriously. It is a complecated job that involves a lot of responsibility, if anything goes wrong the buck stops with the stage manager. They are also the bridge between the front of house and the performing company. She has taken on all these aspects and more with confidence and vigor. Especially his love of the cheesy bread (peeking out of his back pocket above and she's modeling below).

She is did a great job. And she has seven more times to get it perfect.
She hasn't quite gotten to the supportive conversation with the actors point...
...maybe once she loses the deer in the headlights look. he he.
Silly photo of the day.