Burning Bridges...and why I'm glad I don't have any--
So, ironic that this should all happen a day after musing on all the memories I have from the Olympics. I was at the Egyptian Theatre, in Park City, earlier tonight. It was preview night, for The Full Monty. And it was like some bizarre kind of homecoming.
The two places that have the strongest influence on my theater background, as of this moment in time, are Utah State University, and Lagoon. I have friends from both that are in the show. And a friend from Lagoon is the TD (which is why I was there...they called me up to ask if I would give them a hand finishing the set painting. Apparently I made a good impression with my work on Seussical.)
I actually showed up last night, initially...Seth (the TD) called me just after noon on Wednesday to see if I 'wanted to come up and help do some touchups on the set after rehearsal'. My response, basically, was, "Want to? Not especially...Am I willing to? Yeah...I'll be there."
I'm glad I said yes. I got to the theater just as people were leaving...and ran into Arika Schokmel at the back door! That was, in and of itself, opening a floodgate of fond memories. And then Danny Tarasevich came out (I know him from Lagoon, though he hasn't worked there in years). I even got an unintentional ego-stroking when they started play-bickering over just 'whose Curtis' I really was.
So, when I went back up to finish up with touchups today, I was fully expecting to see some familiar faces. Brooklyn Pulver, from USU, was also in the cast...and so was Erin Fair, from Lagoon. But the big surprise happened when people started showing up for the preview.
Actually, that's not accurate. The big surprise was at intermission, because I was so tired (I'd had just over 4 hours sleep since 9:30 the day before) that I didn't pay any attention to who was coming in. But the Coca-Cola I had with dinner was doing its work, and the show was lively (and, I've got to say, pretty well done...from an acting and music standpoint, I think this may be the best show I've seen the Egyptian put together--although the kid who plays Nathan is a glaring weak spot in the cast). So, when the lights came up, and people started mingling, I started looking around.
Well, Phil Lowe was there (he designed the costumes, that was no surprise to see him)...Jeremy Botelho and his wife were there (I actually recognized Mandy first, I could nearly have walked right past Jeremy and missed him because he's put on a few pounds and is wearing his facial hair differently). Danny's wife was there...after the show, I ran into Patrick Rozier, of all people... looking as rakish as ever.
And as I basked in the glow of all the joyful memories throughout the rest of the night (thus far), I thanked the Powers That Be that I had always been on good terms with all of these people. We laugh and say that the theater community in Utah is too small to make enemies...but it's been my experience that faces and names seem to circle around and run past you second, third, even fourth times. And the experience is so much more enjoyable if you're happy to see the face or hear the name.
There's been a lot of that happening to me, lately (the circling). I'm curious who's next, and where I'll catch them. But I'm pleased to say that I'll be happy to see them.
So, ironic that this should all happen a day after musing on all the memories I have from the Olympics. I was at the Egyptian Theatre, in Park City, earlier tonight. It was preview night, for The Full Monty. And it was like some bizarre kind of homecoming.
The two places that have the strongest influence on my theater background, as of this moment in time, are Utah State University, and Lagoon. I have friends from both that are in the show. And a friend from Lagoon is the TD (which is why I was there...they called me up to ask if I would give them a hand finishing the set painting. Apparently I made a good impression with my work on Seussical.)
I actually showed up last night, initially...Seth (the TD) called me just after noon on Wednesday to see if I 'wanted to come up and help do some touchups on the set after rehearsal'. My response, basically, was, "Want to? Not especially...Am I willing to? Yeah...I'll be there."
I'm glad I said yes. I got to the theater just as people were leaving...and ran into Arika Schokmel at the back door! That was, in and of itself, opening a floodgate of fond memories. And then Danny Tarasevich came out (I know him from Lagoon, though he hasn't worked there in years). I even got an unintentional ego-stroking when they started play-bickering over just 'whose Curtis' I really was.
So, when I went back up to finish up with touchups today, I was fully expecting to see some familiar faces. Brooklyn Pulver, from USU, was also in the cast...and so was Erin Fair, from Lagoon. But the big surprise happened when people started showing up for the preview.
Actually, that's not accurate. The big surprise was at intermission, because I was so tired (I'd had just over 4 hours sleep since 9:30 the day before) that I didn't pay any attention to who was coming in. But the Coca-Cola I had with dinner was doing its work, and the show was lively (and, I've got to say, pretty well done...from an acting and music standpoint, I think this may be the best show I've seen the Egyptian put together--although the kid who plays Nathan is a glaring weak spot in the cast). So, when the lights came up, and people started mingling, I started looking around.
Well, Phil Lowe was there (he designed the costumes, that was no surprise to see him)...Jeremy Botelho and his wife were there (I actually recognized Mandy first, I could nearly have walked right past Jeremy and missed him because he's put on a few pounds and is wearing his facial hair differently). Danny's wife was there...after the show, I ran into Patrick Rozier, of all people... looking as rakish as ever.
And as I basked in the glow of all the joyful memories throughout the rest of the night (thus far), I thanked the Powers That Be that I had always been on good terms with all of these people. We laugh and say that the theater community in Utah is too small to make enemies...but it's been my experience that faces and names seem to circle around and run past you second, third, even fourth times. And the experience is so much more enjoyable if you're happy to see the face or hear the name.
There's been a lot of that happening to me, lately (the circling). I'm curious who's next, and where I'll catch them. But I'm pleased to say that I'll be happy to see them.
posted by Curtis at 4:01 AM
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