A Sunny Second Show

Another fun show last night. Not much variety in my posts the last few days, hmmm? No one seems to be reading them, so I suppose it doesn't matter. (I'll just be over here.)

If anything, it was hotter, or at least muggier, than the day before. I thought that the wig would be the worst part of my ensemble, but really, it was all the fake jewels. They slid around on my sweaty neck, cold and slimy on my hot skin. Just delightful. Hannah and the others laughed at the sight of me driving in full regalia. My wig touched the ceiling of my car. Parking was hard again, but eventually Eva and I found a space and hiked. Unfortunately, the distance precluded my going back for the wedding veil once I realized I'd forgotten it. Oops.

I was excited to see I had peeps in the audience. Lots of them. Mary and Paul and Joy, Robyn and Jared and Joshua, and David and Jarrah, of course. Jen S. was there for the first time at one of my shows, sitting with Steph. And a big surprise was seeing my Nia students Bonnie and Beth out there, front-row center. Our theater peeps Mary, Liz, Lisa and Kenny turned out for all of us. It's extra-fun to have loved ones present.

The night was inevitably more frantic than Saturday, due to my multiple costume changes, but no comparison to last Thursday, when I was trying to dress alone. This time, I had the inimitable Patty--frequent stage manager and all-around babe--to handle every last detail for me, even hanging up my previous costumes when I was ready (well-before expectation, I might add.) And I think the audience got a kick out of the quick-change--a few people mentioned it to me.

I kind of lost it on the 15-year-old cast member who shall remain nameless who is supposed to hold my train during my first entrance. For some reason, she decided I needed to be shoved with two fists in the small of my back in order to remember my cue. I was not down with that, and told her so, in a voice like I had just discovered Jarrah cutting up my knitting. And I got told off myself for being off the beat in the final dance number--just when I thought I had totally nailed it. That may or may not be, to quote another character. And there was a rather amusing moment when a very cute spaniel barked his head off at me while I was doing my menacing crawl towards the audience in the gypsy scene. I guess the menacing part was a little too believable. Good doggie!

But I had a great time out there, and for the first time, my illicit lovers tryst with Eva (did I mention she's in drag?) was lively and playful without me feeling like I needed an oxygen tank (in the past, the costume change and the gypsy dance right before took all I had.) Despite the heat, I felt good and we got some laughs. And it is really fun just walking around Shelter Island in that dress and wig. Everyone stares. I don't mind that a bit. I even stayed in costume after so the youngsters could get some photos with me, just like at the Junior Theater. Whee!

Afterward, Hannah said we were invited to a restaurant where the previous show used to go every night. That made me happy--I always felt left out of that little perk. We shut the place down, as usual. They just don't have restaurants in San Diego that stay open late enough to suit us. But I really enjoyed getting a little warm and fuzzy drinking a Cosmo on the patio, feeling the air (especially since I had forgotten my carefully chosen apres-show, non-soaking-wet outfit--I found it on the bed when I got home) and doing what I do best--talking. I was thrilled to learn that after-parties are already in the works for both nights next weekend, no prompting from me (the self-appointed Cruise Director) necessary.

It's going to be hard to wait for next weekend. Harder still for it all to end after that.