Injuries, white-outs, and other acts of God

Weekend number two has come and gone, and man, what a ride.

I was only there on Saturday night, before which, I had Bill McKinlay (the director) snap a couple of photos of me with the cast.  Partly, this was for posterity, and partly, to prove to skeptics that a play can, indeed, be performed in a twelve-foot-diameter circle.  That’s Mandy to the left, “pwning” me, and that’s Charlotte on the right, showcasing my skull in a Price-is-Right sort of pose.  The hats, mittens, and scarves were knitted by my wife, Aurora.  The set was constructed by Chris Madden and Rick Miller, though I happen to know that the house and trees were Bill’s doing, only because I was subjected to more than one profanity-laced rant regarding spray paint and heaters.  I think the set looks terrific, particularly since our budget often couldn’t be measured until we dumped all the nickels into the change counter at the bank.

We’ve passed the mid-point of the production, which is that magical part in any show where the weird stuff happens.  I understand that on Friday, one of the props made its way into the audience, which is problematic in a play that is supposed to take place entirely within a self-contained snowglobe.  According to the actors, they had to rewrite large chunks of my play on the fly to make it work without the prop, and I’m really sorry I missed it.

Then, I got word last night that Mandy had hurt her foot somehow, and the show had to be canceled, which actually wasn’t the worst thing, since it was Superbowl Sunday.

And now, I’m looking outside at the three inches of snow that’s fallen and contemplating the five inches that has yet to fall, and I’m thinking that the Industry Night planned for tonight might be endangered.  I can’t help recalling my initial discussions with Bill last summer, and agreeing that January would be the ideal time to stage a play that’s set inside a snowglobe.  (Note to self…set my next play inside a Jacuzzi.)

One weekend left, and I’m enjoying the adventure.  Thanks to everyone who braved the elements to see this thing.