That's a Wrap!

  Well, after about a dozen rehearsals and twenty performances, it is done. Our sometimes-controversial, sometimes heralded as the "best children's show at our school ever" show is over. And I apologize if that last sentence didn't make sense, I had to squeeze that compliment in.

  Because I love lists, and because it would be a shame to forget some of these, here are a couple of my favorite moments from the show:

• At one point in the show, Nick Tickle is looking for a "weapon" to use against Father Bear, and a box of porridge is magically chucked at him from backstage. As the box flew at Nick Tickle, one little boy in the audience called out ecstatically, "It's CHILI!".
• At the end of the show (after my character is "de-hooded" and revealed as the villain), I hold up a very large squirt gun of the Nerf variety to use against Nick Tickle. My line is "I know YOU don't carry a gun. . . But I do!". One show, the gun was hiding in the wolf boiling pot on my Wheelbarrow of Evil, and I couldn't find it, so the line became, "I know YOU don't carry a gun, but I . . . Usually do!". I then used my hand as a gun.
• Same scene, different day, as I was holding the gun up to Nick, a child in the audience yelled out, "It's not loaded!" to comfort the hero.
• The cast had many interesting comments spewed at us while grinning and bearing it, otherwise known as "greeting the children". Some of the best I got were that I was "weird", "crazy", "evil", a "witch" (for the record, my character is NOT a witch) and "mean". Luckily, I had enough "pretties" to make the others less depressing. A fourth grader also winked at me as he left, doing a finger-gun at me, saying, "I'll call you later."
• Laura, who actually DOES play a witch, got asked, "How did you do your spells?", to which Laura replied, "I have magic! I'm a witch!". The child's eyes became about 200% wider, and she backed away saying, "Really?". It took a bit of coaxing to convince her Laura was not truly a witch.
 

 Here's also some of the fan mail I got. I know, I've pretty much made it to the big time now.

  In case you can't read this, it says (all original spelling and grammar intact), "Dear LBCC Actors, I liked every actor and you guys are fast too. Oh my favorite character was Nick Tickle and Goldilocks. Goldilockes' acting was awesome. Your friend Michelle"

 "What do you remember most about the play? The part where the witch of the gingerbread house says her curse. Why do you remember this part? The scene was cool. Who was your favorite character? I like Goldilocks. Why is this your favorite character? I like the trick she did. " [?]

 "What do you remember most about the play? When Goldi Locks acts out the witch. Why do you remember this part? It was well acted.Who is your favorite character from the play? Goldie Locks. Why is this your favorite character? I think she was the best actor. What part of the stage did you find most interesting? The hole log with the possum."

  "What do you remember most about the play? The grandma possum telling fairy tales most. Why do you remember this part? She was so "grandmay" and she was first after the stage manager. Who is your favorite character from the play? Goldie Locks. Why is this your favorite character? Because she is pretty and she pretends to be a witch. What part of the stage did you find most interesting? I found the lighting most interesting."

  Now, lest you think that I'm getting a big head about this fan mail, some children's favorite actor was also the disco ball that comes down while the witch is doing her spells. It was quite a popular character, actually. I'm also glad that children who see someone in a dark hood automatically assume said person is a "witch". Or maybe it's more of a "fairytale + female character + villain = witch" kind of thing, who knows? In any case, I was one heck of a witch according to these children. And that just warms the cold recesses of my heart.