Theatre Buff

    

      I'm a theatre person.  Not that I've been on stage myself, with the exception of The Statue of Liberty in the 3rd grade and Elf #6 in my elementary school Christmas play.  I think my fear of speaking too fast in public kept me from being in the limelight, but not from the behind the scenes.  In fact, for a college drama class I had to direct a One-Act play.  I remember it was called, "The Loveliest Afternoon" and I had two of the best actors who needed little directing from me.
      That little experience and my love of Rodgers and Hammerstein is probably was sent me to Discoveryland! one summer to be the stage manager for a large, nightly, outdoor production of OKLAHOMA! I was in charge of the preparing the set, props, loading rifles, riding the horses, and giving the actors and dancers their 15-10-5 min. countdown till showtime.  It was a totally new experience hanging out with drama people.
     These days, I am purely a spectator who enjoys it all - from kid productions, small community productions to Broadway musicals.  And I'm lucky enough to have a husband who indulges this and is willing to sit through an odd Billy Joel ballet, an R-rated puppet production, a scary version of Chitty, Chitty, Bang Bang and many, many, many musicals.   And since Kenny is along for the ride, you can guess that the kids are too.  If a play is cheap or better yet, free, I'll find a way to take them. 
     Lanie and I took advantage of a free performance today of Cinderella.  It was at the Miller Outdoor Theatre, one of my favorite Houston places to go.  In the area you'll find museums, a great park, train rides, the zoo, ducks at the lake, paddle boats and a great big hill to roll down.  Even better, the play was performed by the A.D. Players which is a touring company near and dear to my heart.  They certainly don't have the largest group, using the same 5-10 actors in almost every production, at least that I've seen.  And they aren't the showiest company, using as few props as possible. And they aren't the edgiest of companies, sticking to family-friendly, comedic, or inspirational productions. But, they have lots of heart.
     A Christian woman named Jeannette Clift George, who I've heard is an outstanding Bible Study teacher, started the volunteer acting troupe in 1967 and its grown to what it is today offering both adult and children's productions along with drama classes for kids.  I'm totally plugging them so go to their website and check out the plays this season.
    Cinderella was a fun production - a little silly, with men dressed up as the ugly step-sisters, and lots of bigger-than-life antics, but Lanie took it all in.  She told me later she really liked when Cinderella changed into her white ball gown.  This coming from the girl who wanted so desperately to wear her princess dress to the park.  I was able to talk her down to a frilly skirt. 
     When the play was over, she and her friend Ella wanted a picture with Cinderella.  They certainly didn't care that the set changed only once or that the same 6 actors played the duration of the play, they just wanted to see Cinderella at the ball.  Totally pleased.
     And I was pleased just to be in the theatre again.