Toil and Trouble - 11/03/05

West Hartford, CT - OK, it's time to 'fess up and come clean. Not every day on tour is a fun day. Yesterday was one of those days. It started out well enough, but the omens of the evening before should have tipped us off.

The show at Framingham State was Much Ado, and it went well enough, but the space itself, while new and totally refurbished according to the troupe vets, was not so hot. We were located in a room in the college's student center which is designed for small lectures and performances, but not really for theatre. The first thing we learn is that we cannot use the "backstage" area (such as it was) because the room contained ductwork and therefore was a health hazard. So there was only one entrance into and out of the space. The green room backstage was designed to hold no more than two people maximum, so we also dressed in the hallway outside. The stage was wrapped with steps, so we had to play some parts of scenes on the stage and some parts of scenes on the floor, removing the first rows of seats. It got me to wondering why a venue would pay the amount of money they do and then place us in this type of space. Hmmmm.....

But as usual, due to our incredible flexibility, we got through the show. It was the one my daughter and her boyfriend came to see, and they enjoyed themselves. It was the first Shakespeare that Gabriel had ever seen, and he loved my little Third Watch kamikaze character. He said he'll never be able to picture me in fatigues again, and that my snorting sounds were just like those when I snore. We went out to a microbrew pub called Johnny Harvard's after the show, and then said goodbye.

Next morning the fat hit the fire. We had a 7:15 AM call for what we knew would be a busy day: drive to Cape Cod, put on our 90-minute Much Ado, and then drive to West Hartford CT. Two members were a bit late for call, but we got rolling soon enough. I was taking the first driving shift, and we were cruising well enough along Route 9, slowly but surely flowing with the traffic. Carie and Jessica had noted how well the passenger van was driving with the addition of some transmission fluid, and I noticed it as well. But all of a sudden I was getting no power from the engine at all. Press on the gas, and nothing. Nada. Zip. I pulled over into a side street, and we discussed the issue. Guessing that it was the transmission, we decided to try to use what little power remained to get to an Aamco station. Try as I might, crawling along the side of the road on Route 9, we did not make it. Pulled into another cul-de-sac and - breakdown.

So we had to call the Aamco station and get towed over there. We waited on the side street for about an hour, as other troupe members went to get breakfast at a nearby Dunkin Donuts (thanks, Kevin, for the use of your network!). Carie rented a minivan, stayed with the passenger van in Framingham, and off we went along with the cargo van, heading for the Cape, hoping to get there on time.

We just barely made the gig at Nasuet Regional High School in Orleans, arriving at about 11:25 for a 12:00 curtain. We loaded everything, changed, and went on. We did a quick Q&A, loaded out, took the graciously offered food, and left. We went to a beach about half a mile from the high school and ate the sandwiches there. Kevin and Sarah, the West Coast dudes, stripped down to their skivvies and went in for the quickest of swims. The water was reported to be pretty cold, but the beach was sunny and beautiful. We grumbled a bit about what a tease it was to be on Cape Cod for only three hours (last year they stayed for a few days! WTF! We wuz robbed!) After about 30 minutes of beach time we loaded up again and drove to West Hartford, making it to St. Joseph's College about 10 minutes before the dining hall closed down. Carie met us there, having rented a car to get to W. Hartford because the passenger van's catalytic converter had died and it wouldn't be ready until probably Friday. I dropped down onto my bed about 10PM and crashed.

We got up this morning for our 10 AM performance of Much Ado (it seems to be the only show we're doing this week. We have a Richard III this evening). One of my brothers came down from MA to see this show, and another one is coming down tomorrow morning (if he gets up,that is). Nice to have family come check out your work. But I was still pretty tired, so rather than go back to the motel I crashed in the green room, and here I am writing this entry. The Carol Ortolino Center here at St. Joseph's (which is an all-female college) is pretty nice; a very typical theatre space and backstage.

So yesterday was one of those days you'd just rather pack it all in and go home. We kid ourselves every so often by saying we are a cursed troupe, what with broken toes and torn ligaments and chickenpox and liver ailments and broken-down vans, but sometimes you just have to wonder. Keeping it together when all these little trials and tribulations come up can be challenging and vexing. I have to say that this troupe, in spite of all that seems to tweak at us and try our collective souls, has a resiliency which is just this short of miraculous. Perhaps all these little things make us a bit stronger as we go along. Generally speaking, we retain our humor and keep everything in some perspective. Once in awhile nerves get frayed and people sort of lose it one way or another, but apologies are made and accepted, energy is renewed, and we continue on. I sure wish I could get theatre students at Fredonia or anywhere for that matter to witness on a daily basis how this collection of actors lives and works. I'm pretty proud of them and proud to be part of the troupe, as much because of the grace and patience they have shown under fire and under straining circumstances as their talent and their work on stage. They rock! -TWL