Before I wanted to be a writer, I wanted to be an actress. When I was 15, I starred in a one-act play for a Crocus 80 production. Then I played a young girl vying for Jethro's affection in the Comp's production of 'The Beverly Hillbillies.' As I got more into music and writing, I strayed from acting for some time....okay, for twenty years.
This fall, I had the honour of being cast in the role of Judith Randolph, one of three ghosts in the Crocus 80 production of the Nikki Harmon play 'Murder Most Fouled Up,' which ran last weekend.
Everybody knows I am a homebody. So, who would have thought that committing six to ten hours per week to rehearsals would do the opposite of stress me out? The creative process was so satisfying!
I couldn't have done it without my husband's support. My parents were a big help as well, as were my friends. Lana Szabo-Cleveland provided the beginnings of a character-based Victorian 'boudoir' costume that Heather van der Breggen helped me to redesign and then my mom helped me to sew!
Speaking of teamwork, if any of my readers have ever had the privilege of working with any of my fellow cast and crew, you know what a great example each of them are of real team players. I've had much to learn from all of them. I always looked so forward to rehearsals and I went home energized every time. We all gave our time so willingly, because we had non-stop FUN! By the time we performed, we were giddy, silly and unabashedly comfortably around one another.
It's funny how our nerves were higher at dress rehearsal than they were by the second live performance. We got better and better... I am so proud of our entire ensemble!
Everyone was a delight to work with and our casting could not have been more perfect.
I can't imagine a better estate lawyer than Bob Linnell - who I listed first because he told me he reads my column. It was such a pleasure to work with Freda Lautner, whose comedic sensibility was a true gift to the role of the scheming housekeeper. Pastor Doug Loden was hilarious as well, as the bumbling old butler. Lois Watts - who, although she told me that it had been 50 years since she'd acted prior to doing 'On Golden Pond' last spring - was a real professional, fully inhabiting her ghostly jailbird character at the first script reading.
The lovely Susan Adderly, as one of the conspiring Randolph heirs, also brought her seasoned skill to the mix. Austin Shauf was absolutely wonderful as my killer husband in the play, the sniffling ghost Ridgeley. As the young heirs to a substantial fortune, Marshall Schettler's talent for slapstick and Emera Meganbir's comedic timing added a youthful dimension that truly entertained us all!
Our dedicated Crocus 80 president, Sabrina Kraft, was the voice of our Raven, but she was also the backbone of our production. She logged as many, or more, hours than the actors and crew, being supportive to no end for any need we may have had. She truly went above and beyond!
Gwen Wright, our director, was so encouraging and creatively-empowering, I could not imagine how we would have pulled off such a complex play - complete with revolving panels and floating props - without her patience and vision.
Our offstage crew were always cheerful and resourceful, which included Rae Keefe, Tracy Nikkel, Sandy Wright, Barry Lautner, Neal Keefe, Connie Nightingale and more whose names I did not catch. The set design, however, was remarkable!
I am humbled by the morale that can be upheld by a group of individuals who gather together in the name of creativity and, of course, humour. What would life be without a good laugh?
I am very grateful for those who came out to support our efforts. Seeing all of those smiling faces in the crowd reminded me of my purpose in life.
Overall, entertaining is just so much fun! Whether it is through my writing, music, acting or public speaking, I look forward to entertaining my community for a long time. I am an infinite mama... so my possibilities as an entertainer are endless!
