It's a very Dalek Christmas!

Okay, that's it.  I give up.  I didn't know how having a Christmas this year was going to be at all possible.  In light of everything that's happened in the past nearly two months, yuletide joy was something that seemed way past feasibility.  Although, I haven't begrudged anyone from having that.  Just feels like I'm on the outside looking in this year, is all.

But then before tonight's performance of It's A Wonderful Life: The Musical two young ladies who I've been working backstage with surprised me with a little something.  And as I told Joy and Makia, this has to be the sweetest thing that has happened to me since Lord knows when.

Look!  Dalek action figures from Doctor Who!

Joy and Makia spotted these in a nearby store and... well, words cannot possibly convey how touched I am to be given these by two such wonderful people.  As you can see that's the classic Dalek seen in "Genesis of the Daleks" from 1975 during the Tom Baker era.  Along with one of the utterly insane variants witnessed two years ago in "Asylum of the Daleks" from the midst of Matt Smith's reign as the Doctor.

I can't help but feel some Christmas cheer now.  It's A Wonderful Life is a story about how every life has meaning.  Your own life too.  Even if you can't see on your own how it could be.  In the end George Bailey discovered that he had riches that he never imagined, and right now - in the midst of where life has led me these past few months - being given these Dalek figures by two friends I've made through this production has let me feel much like George Bailey.

Incidentally, these are the very first anything of the Daleks that I've ever owned.  I've been a fan of them for almost as long as I've been watching Doctor Who (more than thirty years now) but for whatever reason I've never had any to call my own.  They now have a very special place of honor: on my "motivational table" on my computer desk, sitting next to the monitor.  It has things on it that I sometimes look at while I'm writing my book.  Already on it are Emmet and Wyldstyle minifigs from The LEGO Movie, and three expansion packs for the Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures game (which will remain unopened and unplayed-with until my work on the book is finished).  Two Daleks in the fore of it all is going to be the cherry on top, 'cuz hey: it's tough getting more motivational than having two Daleks aiming their guns at you, right?

Thanks again to Joy and Makia for giving me a lot to smile about this holiday season :-)

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"Attention all personnel, INCOMING WOUNDED!"

Last night the Rockingham Community College Foundation held its annual fundraising dinner at Reidsville Country Club. Every year it's a different theme and this time it was the television series M*A*S*H. It also serves as an acronym for More Academic and Scholarship Help. Anyway, they went totally all-out in doing a M*A*S*H theme: right down to having a real jeep, the signpost, Klinger's female wardrobe, the Swamp (complete with still) and "Rosie's Bar" (serving real booze!)...

To add further atmosphere, several members of the Theatre Guild of Rockingham County volunteered to be in costume as various characters from the show. We had Mike Davis as Hawkeye and Eric Smith as Trapper (each carrying around a martini glass), Tyler Walker as Klinger (who went through three costume changes including a wedding dress), and Tanya Rimmer Willis as Hotlips.

And as Corporal "Radar" O'Reilly, it's Yours Truly!

And they even set up Radar's desk complete with period typewriter and radio gear!

We all had a lot of fun helping with a great cause. Although it's now twenty-four hours later and my throat is still a tad sore from all that running around screaming "INCOMING WOUNDED!" :-)

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Theatre Guild of Rockingham County presents CHARLOTTE'S WEB beginning this weekend!

For those who are wondering: I am not involved in this production. Between last April (when we did The King and I) and this past month (when we wrapped Gypsy) I was doing community theatre non-stop across four productions. Just needed a bit of a respite from the stage :-)

That said, I am exceedingly stoked about Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's production of Charlotte's Web, which kicks off a six-performance run this Friday night!

Based on E.B. White's classic novel, Charlotte's Web is the timeless tale of Wilbur: a succulent little pig who should have been destined to become ham and bacon... until an unusually eloquent spider named Charlotte comes to his rescue. It's a great cast, and I've seen some photos of the sets and they look terrific! I'm hoping to catch this on opening night. Maybe even a few more times this weekend, Lord willing.

Anyhoo, Charlotte's Web will be at Rockingham Community College's Advanced Technologies Building Auditorium, in Wentworth, North Carolina. Come enjoy the show!

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GYPSY: Halfway through and more still coming!

One of the audience members was overheard today saying that this production of Gypsy by Theatre Guild of Rockingham County is one of the best musicals she has ever seen around here. And apparently she wasn't alone.

Last night's performance played to an almost solidly sold-out house! And normally there's a much smaller crowd for Sunday. Well, considering that this is a Super Bowl Sunday at that, I'd say it was about three-quarters full... which was impressive business.

It wouldn't surprise me if Gypsy sold out for this coming Friday and Saturday. And who knows: maybe even the final performance next Sunday. 'Twould be sweet!

So if this might be your first time enjoying the tale of the legendary Gypsy Rose Lee and her outrageous mother, or if you've seen the show many times (I met a lady today who saw the original Broadway run with Ethel Merman) you are in for a crazy good time! Gypsy runs for three more performances. Click here for more information.

(And I must say: I am exuberantly relishing the fact that I have the best line of the entire show :-P)

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Opening Night of GYPSY was a riotous good time!

Just got back from Opening Night of Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's production of Gypsy and it was a scream! The house had a good crowd and everyone was laughing harder than I've seen in this county in a way long time!

I must admit: I wasn't sure about being in this show at first. But now I'm glad that I'm doing it. This has been some of the most fun that I've had in quite awhile.

Well, can ya blame me?

Cigar (played by Yours Truly) and the talent of the Wichita House of Burlesque!
Left to Right: Tessie Tura (Ashley Pearson), Electra (Beverly Burke), and Mazeppa (Anne-Marie Castillo)

And here's me in my Cigar getup holding the real star of the show: Tebow Wasmund!

Now, I can't post any video from the show itself, 'cuz that would be some bigtime copyright violation (and in spite of my reputation that is something I have never approved of). But during rehearsal on Wednesday night we did make a few fun clips of myself in character as Cigar...

And here's the wildly talented Peggy Wasmund (yes, she's Tebow's owner) doing a completely surprise ad-libbed... performance.

I'm already looking forward to tomorrow night's show! Gypsy plays five more times between now and next Sunday. Click here for Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's website for more information. Hope to see you there and... "let us entertain you!" :-)

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Meet the proprietor of the Wichita House of Burlesque!

He's cheap! He's sleazy! He's loud!

He's... Cigar!

Just got back from another technical rehearsal for Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's production of Gypsy. This was my first in costume as Cigar: the owner of the burlesque joint that Louise and her crazy mother (and Herbie, can't forget poor Herbie) wind up at. And I am having a fantabulously great time in the role! Cigar is one of the most fun characters that I've played yet!

By the way, that entire costume is something that I put together. The fedora is one I've had for a few years now. And that bow-tie: I remembered that bow-tie very well 'cuz for this fourth grade program we did at Community Baptist School many years ago, Dad for whatever reason thought it would be classy if I wore a bow-tie. That thing was positively humungous when I was nine years old! Everyone in the sanctuary - students and teachers alike - were giggling at it. And that made me start giggling when it came time for me to speak my part! Ahhh, where do our fathers come up with such things...

Anyway, for some reason that tie just popped into mind and Dad found it sure 'nuff. And between that and the fedora and the cigar and all... yeah, that looks like a burlesque owner from the 1930s :-)

Gypsy opens this coming Friday night! Come if you can. This threatenspromises to be the most outrageous production in Rockingham County history!

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GYPSY: 10 days until Opening Night!

Y'know, it's incorrect to refer to this ethnic group as "Gypsy". The real term is "Romani". The reason they got tagged with the name "Gypsy" is 'cuz as they spread into Europe from their original home in the Indian subcontinent, the locals thought wrongly that they were Egyptian.

So don't you think that "Roma Rose Lee" has a better ring to it? Or is that just me?

Well anyhoo...

Next Friday night, February 4th, is Opening Night for Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's production of Gypsy! Rehearsals have been going great. Everyone was roaring with laughter last night during the run-through of "You Gotta Get A Gimmick". And I am having an absolute blast playing Cigar. He is completely sleazy and, well I just can't help but have fun with this character: he is the manager of a burlesque house, after all. Expect lots of yelling and waving my stogie around. And expect lots of other stuff that probably couldn't have been done in Rockingham County twenty years ago :-P

Gypsy runs for six shows from February 4th through the 13th. Hit here to go to the Theatre Guild website for ticket information.

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Stumbling toward GYPSY

Tonight we had the first "stumble-through" of Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's production of Gypsy. A stumble-through, I learned tonight, is an extreme "rough cut" of the show. Which I assume is like what the preview performances of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark have been about so far... but without all the injuries.

So since getting involved with community theatre three years ago I have been, in chronological order: a biblical patriarch, an undertaker, a pirate, a firefighter, a Siamese court eunuch, a plainclothes detective, a firefighter again (both times for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever)...

...but only tonight did I discover that of the two roles that I'm playing in Gypsy, that the part of Cigar is, for all intents and purposes, the manager of a strip club.

(Somebody tell me HOW is it that we can do a show like this but we CAN'T mount a production of Sweeney Todd...?!?)

And if you come you're gonna get to see Yours Truly not only with quite a lot of lines but also being a total sleazebag. And I get to yell most of my lines too! Yes: REAL SCRIPTED LINES!! Which'll be a change from the ad-libbed stuff I've done as Fireman #1 these past two seasons for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever :-)

Well anyhoo, Gypsy is actually quite a decent - and fun - show! Considered one of the greatest musicals ever, Gypsy is based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee and her life during the Great Depression, with particular emphasis on her outrageously overbearing mother: the ultimate showbiz parent!

We'll be doing three performances of Gypsy from February 4th through the 13th. Click here to visit the Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's website for more information. And we're looking forward to entertaining you!

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Final show of TGRC's production of THE KING AND I is today!

Last night was the second performance of The King and I and by all accounts it was the best yet of the series! And I'm happy to report that there were no costume mishaps this time. Not even my ninja pants for the ballet scene, which I went in extra early to work on. If they can stay that way for today's show, I will leave this production a happy actor :-)

Final performance is this afternoon at 2:30, at Rockingham County High School. What better way to celebrate Father's Day than with a performance of The King and I? So bring dear ol' Dad along too! Click here for more information.

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THE KING AND I: After-action report from Opening Night!

In spite of the technical gaffes, strange occurrences and - dare we say it? - "wardrobe malfunctions" that manifested both off stage and on it, the first night of Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's production of The King and I was a smashing success that wowed a nearly sold-out house!

(By the way, if you were at last night's show, I was not supposed to have banged my forehead that hard into the stage when I came running on in Act II, Scene 1. But if the real-life Phra Alack had to demonstrate such fealty on a routine basis then it was probably something he had to regularly endure... and hey the audience thought it was funny :-)

Second performance is tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Rockingham County High School in Wentworth, North Carolina. Third and final show is tomorrow afternoon, same place at 2:30 p.m. Mash here for more information and hope to see y'all there!

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THE KING AND I: What do I look like in full makeup?

Last night was our first rehearsal in full costume and makeup for The King and I! The night before was the first time we had the costumes on and thankfully yesterday's practice was bereft (mostly) of most of the "wardrobe malfunctions" that bedeviled Monday's run-through. Mostly though this was to give us a feel for the makeup that we'll be wearing. For those of us playing Siamese characters this means full-body spray-on paint and then about 20-30 minutes in the makeup chair.

So... what does your friend and humble narrator look like as Phra Alack, the King's secretary?

This will give you an idea of what to expect...

Nice work on the eyes, aye? :-)

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THE KING AND I: 5 days until opening night (I've got a new role!)

We spent seven hours almost nonstop (braking only for a dinner break) on the technical rehearsal for The King and I this afternoon and evening! Considering that we had been told this could have gone into 10 p.m. and beyond, it went better than expected. This was sort of a "rough cut" of the full performance: with the exception of costumes and makeup, we go through everything in the show with all the props and set pieces etc. It's mostly to get the lighting and sound all right, but also to make fine adjustments on actors' blocking and such. So we scheduled for plenty of time today to get it all straightened out.

One thing that was a new experience for me is that today was the first time in four shows that I was fitted for a wireless microphone. Feels like I'm in the real big leagues now!

And I've wound up with one additional role - albeit one that will go uncredited - for this performance. What is it? Hmmm... don't wanna say here, but for those of you who know me fairly well and who might remember how long it took for me to learn how to whistle, you might appreciate this especially :-P

Five more days 'til the curtain opens for the first time. Tomorrow night: our first dress rehearsal! And having seen what some of the actors look like in makeup already, I am becoming increasingly curious about what I'll look like as a man of Siam :-)

The King and I plays this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Rockingham County High School. Click here to visit Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's website for more information.

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THE KING AND I: 7 days until opening night

Exactly seven days from now, Yours Truly and dozens of others will be going through a five-step makeup process to make us look Asian. An hour and a half later the curtain opens on Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's production of The King and I.

Between now and then lies "Tech Week": where all the wires and cables and lights and plugs and whatnot get set about and we run through this show full-strength a few times, on the lookout for "wardrobe malfunctions" and any other problems that might present themselves in the run-up to Opening Night.

Here's some of the set that the crew has put together...

Looks like something out of a Persian bordello, aye? That's the King's dais (which if you come to the show, you will see me perched on in Act I, Scene 2 :-)

Costume fittings were this morning. I got to try on my attire for the role of Phra Alack. I'm gonna look like either a Scottish Liberace, or the glitziest royal court eunuch ever. The getup that I'll be wearing for the "Small House of Uncle Thomas" ballet scene was still... ummm... being worked upon. All I really know for sure is that I'll look like a ninja. Make of that what you will.

Everyone is totally jazzed about this show! Lots of good people have been working for the past two months and more to make this happen and it's really been something to see it all come together during the past couple of weeks. We know it's gonna be awesome and we hope that you'll be able to come and enjoy the show! Click here to visit the Theatre Guild website for more information.

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THE KING AND I: 15 days until opening night

Another rehearsal this evening. This one focused on the "Small House of Uncle Thomas" scene early in Act II. I keep thinking that the Uncle Thomas mask looks exactly like Chief Wiggum from The Simpsons and the mask for Simon of Legree resembles Gollum from Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings movies.

"Wiggum and Gollum". Sounds like a law firm, aye?

I have to say, it's so weird doing this show at Rockingham County Senior High where I was once a student. We're using the J. Allan Lewis Auditorium (named after my late friend Allan "Doc" Lewis), on the same stage where I used to have drama class with Gene Saunders. Everything backstage even still looks exactly the same as it did all those years ago. It's almost enough to make me feel like a high school kid again :-)

The rehearsals will start to ramp up bigtime come Saturday. That's also when we'll be having our costume fittings and go through the makeup procedure for the first time. And speaking of that, I'm having a very hard time envisioning myself with Oriental features! Guess we'll find out what Chris Knight looks like as a man of Siam this weekend.

The King and I opens on June 18th. Visit the website for Theatre Guild of Rockingham County for more information. Hope to see y'all there!

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THE KING AND I: 33 days until opening night

Having now rehearsed the "Uncle Tom's Cabin" scene for the first time, my mind is far more at rest about being a "ballet ninja" in that part of the show.

(I could also say something about how it turns out that Phra Alack - the character that I'm playing - was in real life a eunuch. Seems that was a common requirement for employment in a royal household in the Far East up 'til the early twentieth century. The things some people will do for a paycheck...)

The disparate parts of the show are coming together into a cohesive unit. It's really something: one group will be practicing dance while another is going over singing, and still another at the same time could be the principles going over lines. And they're not necessarily at the same location either: our rehearsals have been at Rockingham County Senior High School (where the performances will be held next month) and in two buildings at Rockingham Community College, and there'll be rehearsals at an area church later this week. Not to mention all the work that's going on at the Theatre Guild's warehouse on set construction, plus props and costumes.

It's certainly turning into a more massive production than Children of Eden two years ago, and some have said that it's becoming even bigger than Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat last year. Which is exciting, 'cuz Joseph was far and away the glitziest show that I've seen anywhere around here, ever. If people come away from this show telling us that we should take it on the road, then I'll consider that one of the highest praises imaginable.

The King and I opens on June 18th. Click here to visit the Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's website for more information. And stay tuned to this blog for future updates. Who knows: I might even have a photo or two of Yours Truly as a man of Siam sooner than later :-)

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Very strange update on THE KING AND I

Rose Cutuli Wray, our abundantly effervescent director for Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's production of The King and I, has just informed me that in addition to playing Phra Alack (the King's secretary), that I have been given another role as well.

From her e-mail...

Also you have been chosen to be one of our 5 ballet ninja's for Small House of Uncle Thomas. No dancing is necessary, but you will be doing numerous things in the ballet.

A "ballet ninja".

A "ballet ninja"?!

What the...?!?!?

I have no idea what this means exactly, and with a name like "ballet ninja" I'm rather scared to contemplate upon it.

But hey, this is art. The potential silliness is temporary but the show is forever!

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THE KING AND I: Back from the first cast meeting

I have been explicitly commanded by the director and head costumer that I shall not get that haircut that I had planned for next week. And that I am not to get it until perhaps after the show is finished in mid June.

Other than that (which I can live with, I suppose) it was a great first meeting for the full cast and crew of Theatre Guild of Rockingham County's production of The King and I. There's something like nearly sixty people in this cast, a huge technical crew, over 400 costumes (or costume pieces, one or the other, either way it's pretty darned big for a community theatre production), few more stats about this show that blew some minds. It's gonna be positivalutely gigantic! Maybe one of the biggest productions ever in these parts.

And oh yeah, this is one neat cast and crew. Lots of familiar faces from past productions, along with some new ones that it's gonna be fun to work with for the first time. I forged some very good friendships during Children of Eden two years ago, and have during every show that I've been involved with since. Looking forward to making even more during The King and I.

As always, watch this space every now and then for reports as we prepare to bring y'all the timeless tale of Anna Leonowens and the King of Siam :-)

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THE KING AND I and... me!

After a weekend of what one cast member has called "the most fun audition experience I've ever had" the Theatre Guild of Rockingham County has got the cast for its production of The King and I a little more than two months from now.

And... I'm playing Phra Alack! He's the secretary to the King, and gets to throw his authority around a lot. Unless the King is in the room, and then Phra Alack throws himself down on the floor a lot. Gonna be a fun lil' role! That's also a terrific cast playing the characters... and given that I personally know many of the cast are complete characters, is gonna make it that much more of a hoot of a show :-)

The King and I runs from June 18th through June 20th at Rockingham County Senior High School. Click on the Theatre Guild's website for more information. Hope to see you there!

And as always happens whenever I get involved in something like this, I'll be posting about the experience from here on out :-)

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Congratulations are in order tonight!!!

Good news from a couple of my Theatre Guild peeps this evening!

First of all, there is good friend Jessica Gray, who is now engaged! Her boyfriend last night proposed to her in front of about 500 of their close personal friends :-)

And also bigtime congratulations to Marlo Nall, another friend, who just announced that there will be no doubt another happy member of our troupe as she will be a mother later this year!

Funny: I was telling Marlo just two months ago that she was going to make a great mommy someday. And last night for no obvious reason it popped into my head "It's almost time for Jessica to get engaged."

If someone else in the Theatre Guild has another great announcement tonight, it'll be a trifecta!

Seriously though: Congratulations Jessica and Marlo! And God be with you and yours as you begin y'all's next scenes in the drama of life :-)

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THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER is done... for now

Eight shows in four days.

Whew...

This was my third productions with Theatre Guild of Rockingham County and I can see how it's true, that each show has its own vibe, dynamic, spirit, whatever that the cast and crew imbue it with. This one... was certainly unique in that right, but there was also something else at work that I'm at a loss to find words for. Our final show this afternoon once again played to a sold-out house and no doubt as with the rest, there were more than a few people in the audience that were brought to tears as much as they were laughing out loud.

Darn. I'm gonna miss doing this. Yeah, even the fireman's gear and heavy oxygen pack that I wore while running up the aisle and onto the stage :-)

But this might not be quite as final as we are usually conditioned to believe. There are whispers... whispers mind ya... that The Best Christmas Pageant Ever could be in production again and sooner rather than later. If that happens, I would gladly don the firefighter getup again... if only just to once again bellow out "HEEEELLLPPP!!!" at the top of my lungs :-)

To everyone who came and enjoyed our show: Thank you for your patronage! We are glad you got to see it :-)

And to everyone that I have worked with during the past seven weeks: I thank God for the opportunity to have collaborated with good friends once again, and to have met and made many new friendships along the way as well. Looking forward to doing another show with y'all ;-)

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