VILLAGE

"You crawl that way," Bob said pointing to a hole in the wall
"Oh God something chewed up my costume," someone exclaims
"Damn rats!"
I climb through the hole with saxophone in hand to accompany Cornet Man from Funny Girl
Once I get through the hole to the band in the pit I'm greeted with smiles
They're good
Really good
They also look like Muppets
Living underground in this dank dark space
And I love it

VILLAGE THEATRE

My first audition
I was scared
Intimidated
Everyone else knew each other and hugs were a plenty
I sat in the corner
I'd spent months listening to the sound track
Making part after part
at Component Products Corporation
My Dad's aerospace machine shop
Part after part
But I had a discman
and the CD to the Australian recording of Jesus Christ Superstar
So I listened
and listened
and made part after part
and listened
and then I saw an audition advertisement in the paper
Village Theatre
Seeking: Jesus
Well,
I spent hours and hours pulling that lathe in the shop
and singing the music in my head
When it was my time I let it out
After the audition
Steve pulls me aside

Steve: So Steitzer wants you to play Mr. Snow. Do you want to play Mr. Snow or Jesus?
Me: Jesus
Steve: Well Jesus didn't look like a farm boy, you're going to be in a loincloth on a cross for Christ's sake
I lost 30 pounds to play that role

Then there was Hearbeats and Funny Girl
and then
Like a dandelion blown into the wind
I was off
and floating around the country

A funny Hearbeats story
We were in previews
at the original space on Front Street
You probably don't know that show
Probably
It was written by Amanda Mcbroom
She wrote the song
The Rose
It's in the show
You do know that song
Probably
The opening number has us hitting our marks
and
standing in our spots singing
Thing is
This day
is molting/mating season for termites
Most people don't know that termites can fly
They can
For like a day
Then they lose their wings and start chomping on wood
Well this was termite day!
And we were on stage
Termites like the warm light
Like it a lot
So as we stood there on and in our spots
The termites were drawn to us
Singing
They flitted around our heads
Landed on us
Crawled across our bodies
Till Judy cried out,
"I can't take it!"
And ran off the stage
Crew came on the stage with spray cans
Steve took the stage
"We're still working out the bugs"

After 15 years I came back
My first show was
   
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
This time as Pontius Pilate
It's a pretty cool thing to play a role
and then years later see it from a different angle
and though the theater was now bigger and newer with less bugs and rats
It was the same family
It was home
Issaquah, Wa
I don't know how you got so lucky to be home to one of
the best theaters in the country
Well
Actually I do
Rob and Steve
and the whole cast of characters that make Village a family
The crew
and
a band of  Muppets

BILLY ELLIOT

Every show I started
Stage Left!
With Kate Takata!
and Brian and Quinn
Brian and Quinn shared the role of Michael
a tap dancing
cross dressing
fabulous character
They were so good
and such nice engaging young men
I loved doing this show
Belting
WE WALK PROUDLY AND WE WALK STRONG
ALL TOGETHER WE WILL GO AS ONE
The moment that sticks with me the most though
was the final show for each of these young men
"See ya  Billy'" says Michael
I watched from the wings
The emotion was visceral
They both knew it was goodbye and they said it on stage
It ended the show
It was powerful
Here they are saying goodbye to their friend
At the same time saying goodbye to their youth
Both of them brought me to tears


NEWSIES

Those boys
check that
Those men
They were so dedicated
and delivered every day
There is something magic
about seeing a group of people give their all
Their All
Every Damn Day


LES MISERABLES
I really don't know what to say
I just feel blessed to have played
Jean Valjean
at my favorite theater in the world
thanks
VILLAGE