Two firsts today for both Serafina and me: striking the show and a cast party. The strike is basically putting the theatre back the way we found it three months ago before all this started (auditions were mid-March and the first reading was March 25). On our way out the door from last night's show, Serafina cleared her dressing room desk of all the "decorations" she had brought from home. It was no big deal to her. It was all I could do to hold it together. It's been such a great experience.
There is no way we can say thank you enough to the SLO Little Theatre and all the people who made this show happen. Accu-awesome bunch, they are! Lynn and I have enjoyed theatre all our lives, and Lynn has had her share of on-stage experiences (though, interestingly enough, I never saw any of them). Until now, I had no idea what it took to put on a production. Oh sure, we can all imagine what it takes, enjoying theatre from the seats and knowing that somehow you owe a debt of gratitude to the folks who brought you this look into the human experience. I submit, however, that until you do it, until you become a member of a family hell-bent on putting up the best show possible and working tirelessly for months to do just that, you just don't get it. I get it now.
Well, I get some of it. We may never know just how far our show family went out of their way to guide and assist their 7-year-old Gretl and their novice geezer, Franz. They've had to cope with all manner of happenings, from mic transmitters being dropped in the toilet to "what's a spike?".
I'm not sure how saying auf wiedersehen tonight will go.
Circle up one last time, on three... "Sound of Music!"
Later, after the closing show:
Striking... with light sabers?!
So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, good-bye...