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Adventures at Flat Rock Playhouse…

Guest blog by Caroline Quinn

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I missed being in Town’s summer show with my theatre family this year – but I had an exciting summer adventure in Flat Rock, NC performing at Flat Rock Playhouse – the Theatre of North Carolina.  Flat Rock is a really neat mountain town founded by people from Charleston looking for a place to cool off during the summer.  Did I mention that it’s at least 10 degrees cooler there?

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Caroline as the toothless Molly at Town Theatre; Photo courtesy of Amy Quinn.

I first appeared at Town Theatre five years ago in Annie.  Shannon, the director, cast me as the youngest orphan, Molly, and she didn’t even complain when I showed up for the first read through with a terrible lisp from losing six teeth AFTER she had cast the show.  Since that show, I’ve considered Town Theatre to be my home, and I’ve been addicted to the stage.

At Flat Rock Playhouse this summer, I performed in Gypsy as Young Louise, the oldest daughter of the “stage mom” Rose Hovick.  Young Louise only appears in the first act of the show before being replaced by an adult actress.

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Caroline as a belting Susan Waverly in Town’s White Christmas; Photo courtesy of Amy Quinn

At the start of the show, Young Louise’s mother focuses all of her attention on turning her younger sister Baby June into a star, which makes Louise feel pushed aside by her mother.  It was a very different role than anything I’ve ever played because I was supposed to be quiet and not very confident, and most of my past roles have been feisty characters.  My family and friends thought that one of Mama Rose’s first lines where she had to yell at me, “Sing out Louise!” was very funny.  Anyone who’s heard me belt will understand why that was so amusing to them. After June runs away to get married, Mama Rose wants to turn Louise into a star.  Louise became known as Gypsy Lee Rose, a very famous burlesque star.

I hope to have a successful career in musical theatre, so this opportunity to perform with professional actors, directors and crew who are actively working in the industry was amazing!  I made great friends and learned so much more than I thought possible.  My favorite things about being at Flat Rock Playhouse were working with professional actors like Klea Blackhurst, making new friends, and watching as tour buses line up on “the Rock” to bring groups in from neighboring states to see our show.  That would never get old!  On my days off, my favorite things to do in Flat Rock were hiking to the water falls, swimming in the river, and spending time with my biggest fan, my brother Trace.

I completed 32nd performances, including 2 on my 12th birthday last week, and started back to school the next day!  I was sad when the show closed, but will always remember this experience.  I know I’ve made some great life-long friends, but I’m also happy to come back to my Town family.

Stepping in Time at Town

Guest blog by Christy Shealy Mills

I only intended to do the one show — Annie — in hopes of enabling my twenty-something- year-old son to meet new age appropriate friends. While his position as dance instructor/Tumblebus teacher had provided a multitude of new acquaintances, most of them were under the age of five.

I was delighted to make it into the ensemble, along with aforementioned son, as well as 12-year-old daughter, after the nerve-wracking audition with a theatre full of hopefuls of all ages. That spark set off a wildfire and we have been constantly making that one hour drive since walking into that sea full of theatrical strangers, many who have since become great friends.

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Christy Shealy Mills as the Birdwoman poses with Agnes Babb. Photo courtesy of Mills.

I have watched with great and ever-growing admiration as one of those friends worked her magic on many cast mates during rehearsals for the ten musicals I have taken part in alongside her. Truth be told, at first it was with just a tinge of uppity-ness when I learned that SHE was the dance captain. I wondered what made her so special. It didn’t take long to figure it out. I have seen other new-to-Town Theatre dancers (especially dance teachers, who are used to being in charge) exhibit the same misguided attitude, although not outright and openly. One has to be tuned in to notice it.

As a dance teacher, I know how hard it is to correct a student without squashing their confidence or causing a bit of defensiveness. It takes just the right amount of gentleness combined with firmness, which is why Ag is the perfect dance captain.

Agnes Babb has exactly that right amount. She is the epitome of grace and tact, which she puts to good use when assisting actors, many with fragile egos. I have often observed how she says “hey, can we go over this step?” (yes, to me from time to time), when she really means “hey, you are doing this step wrong.”

Agnes would never utter those words, or anything that could be offensive, even if true, to a cast member. She accomplishes what needs to be accomplished and always leaves the subjects feeling more confident and certainly appearing more polished. Of course, I wasn’t there for the first 60-something shows she did at Town, so this ability to “fix” without offending could be a learned trait, but I believe it is an innate quality. Even when calling us to review before going onstage, it is never with an air of bossiness, which folks in any degree of leadership positions tend to possess.

To my way of thinking, a dance captain is like a drum major in a marching band. The job is to keep the morale high, keep them instep and often to run interference. Agnes does all this as if by second nature. She is one of the many reasons I think so highly of Town Theatre. Agnes Babb is just as gracious offstage as she is graceful onstage. I am thankful to Ag for helping us to always “Step in Time.”

Go and Chase Your Dreams

Guest blog by Kerri Roberts

On the stage, the music begins, the story ignites with melody and lyrics, movement and nuances of character. The energy of the others there with me and those engaged from the audience thrills and drives me.  It fills me with a passion and satisfaction like absolutely nothing else.  I had almost forgotten.  It’s been a long time.  Like riding a bike it all came back to me, and I realized once again that this is what I was made to do.  But there’s been quite a journey since the last time I was here and I have quite a different perspective.

I can relate to George Banks when he sings, “A man has dreams of walking with giants; to carve his niche in the edifice of time.”  I know that feeling.  I had dreams of New York City.  I had a husband with a heart to go with me anywhere, to support my dreams.  We had a plan to pursue it.  And then we were surprised with our first sweet baby boy.  I knew in an instant that my dreams were changing, growing. That maybe in this life we get to chase many dreams – not just one.  And different dreams must take priority in different seasons of our lives.  And though I was still able to do a good deal of singing during that time and two shows at Town Theatre, (The Sound of Music and Beauty and the Beast), my priority was growing into my new role and experiencing new dreams as a mother.

In 2008, another new dream took our family to Zambia, Africa.  And we spent the next 7 years living and working there.  The things we saw, the people we served, the experiences we lived changed us for the better, forever.  For 6 of the 7 years we were there I didn’t sing at all.  I wrestled with who I was, with the significance of my life and my passion for music in light of the things I now knew about the world.  Then last year I had the opportunity to put together a series of opera and musical theater programs with 3 other American friends who were also living in Zambia.  For the first time in years I felt alive doing what I love the most.  And I realized the significance of it.  Joy.  In the faces of those who watched, privileged upper class and the destitute poor.  What I was doing brought joy, to me and to others.  In addition, doors opened for relationships to be formed that otherwise would not have been.  Those performances may not have changed the world, but they changed the atmosphere for those groups of people for that space of time, and I was so grateful.

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Kerri and her family pose after opening night of Mary Poppins. Photo provided by Kerri Roberts.

Over this last year our dreams have expanded yet again and brought us back to the States.  In this new season in my life, I feel the overwhelming desire to pursue things that make me feel alive.  Not simply for my own joy, but because I get to help shape the dreams of the 5 little people entrusted to me.  This is why I decided to audition for Mary Poppins and why I’m so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this stellar production!  Not only have I had the chance to rediscover the absolute joy of being on the stage, but my husband and kids get to watch me do the thing I love most.  And because my 3 daughters are also in the show I’ve had a front row seat to watch them try something new, and love it too!  This is why our community theater is so important.  We need places like Town Theatre that give people like me the chance and the space to chase our dreams and to bring joy to the lives of others, right here in our own hometown!  I feel so blessed to be a part of Town’s family.

I don’t know how my dreams may develop, but here is what I’ve learned.  Maybe my life’s ambition is not to carve one niche in the edifice of time, but to use the gifts given to me to make at least small imprints on the lives of those I touch – my family, my friends, or audiences in a theater.  Perhaps the pursuit of one dream doesn’t have to mean death to all other dreams, but there are ways for one dream to actually fortify and strengthen other dreams!  We are all gifted in various ways.  May we all learn to look for the joy and be willing to expand and grow as our dreams change and take shape.  The smallest gift, when used to change the atmosphere of one life, for even a moment, creates a ripple that can change the world.

All It Takes is a Spark… Chasing Dreams… Anything Can Happen if You Let It

Guest blog by Betsy Jackson

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Betsy and her son Nathan getting ready to fly a kite! Photo courtesy of Facebook.

Last summer my family was introduced to the theatre experience when my youngest child Nathan was cast as Michael Darling in Town’s production of Peter Pan.  Not knowing what we had gotten ourselves into is quite an understatement.  Right before our eyes something magical happened! I will never forget the way my heart felt, or the tear that dripped down my face when I saw the first full run of the show.  It is a feeling as a mother that will stay with me forever.  There Nathan was chasing his dreams without any fear of what was to come, and loving every minute of it!  I’ll have to admit watching the show made me a little jealous! I had always wanted to do something like that, but unlike Nathan I was afraid.  

It was in the production of White Christmas, that the news had spread that this year’s summer show would be Mary Poppins.  There was immediate excitement among our household.  It’s practically all that was talked about for months.  Even during a family trip to Disney back in March, no one wanted to leave Magic Kingdom until we found Mary Poppins and got her autograph.  I think it was then that a tiny little spark welled up in me that maybe I too wanted to be a part of something this fantastic.  I remember telling family and friends that I was thinking of auditioning myself.  To be honest I got some differed responses. From, “YOU? What are you going to do?” (to which I responded, I don’t know, maybe I’ll ‘Fly a Kite’) to “Oh my gosh that’s awesome, you should!”  Still I had not completely made up my mind.  But then the night came for auditions and with the help of a friend, I chased away my fears and I did it!  I remember driving home that night thinking, no matter what, I was so proud that I had overcome my fear and auditioned for a show! Something I had always dreamed of doing.  

So here I am.  A member of the Mary Poppins cast.  And Guess What?  I get to “Go Fly a Kite” with my sweet Nathan right beside me! Ha! There are no words to describe the feelings inside of me.  My heart is so full!  Not only do I get to share this experience with my child and the rest of the cast, but I get to share this experience with everyone who walks through the doors.  What a Feeling! To know that I was a part of something so great, that for a moment, even if just for a few hours, everyone in the audience can forget their troubles, worries, or fears and feel the excitement that Mary Poppins brings to life!


From the lighting, the sets, the music,and choreography to the cast and crew, this show is one you don’t want to miss!  You can have a “Jolly Holiday” with Mary or “Step in Time” with Bert and his sweeps, but one thing’s for sure… You will leave feeling SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS!

Mary Poppins a Practically Perfect Family Experience

Guest blog by Hans Boeschen

After revisiting aspects of my bachelor life while my wife, Lou (Warth) Boeschen, worked on Town’s last show Spamalot, I decided, “if you can’t beat them, join them.” And that is precisely what I did. 

Working on Mary Poppins these past few months have not only provided an opportunity to meet new people and collaborate on a great work of art, it has also given my wife and I a common experience we will always remember together. As I look around at my cast mates, I realize that Lou and I are not the only family creating summer memories. By my count, there are 11 families with at least two members in our cast and crew.

What an experience to share the stage with mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, brothers and sisters, and friends who might as well be family. After all, bringing families together is precisely what this experience is about.

Hollywood has recently presented a convincing argument that the story of Mary Poppins is really the salvation of George Banks. Based on the stage version, however, I would disagree. I will not pretend to know P. L. Travers’s true intent with this iconic story nor have I read any of the books beyond the first volume, but I feel the true spirit of the musical is about the entire Banks family. While George definitely has the most drastic growth, each of the family members learn their role in the survival and support of the family unit.

As our families continue to work on this production, we hope you and yours will join us as on this magical journey as we learn more about what it means to be a family.

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Hans performs as the Park Keeper in Mary Poppins. Photo by Helen Hood Porth.

Personal & Professional Development…the Poppins Way!

Guest blog by Jennifer Simmons (aka Mrs. Brill)

What does professional development have to do with Mary Poppins?

Well, when you are a theatre teacher it has a lot to do with it! During the school year I teach theatre to middle school students.  Every day, I get to talk theatre with budding young actors, actresses, stage technicians, and playwrights.  I am teaching, coaching, and directing these students constantly.  At the school level, you often do literally everything for the show EXCEPT perform.  That’s where this summer’s production of Mary Poppins comes in to play (pardon the pun).

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Jennifer rehearses for her role as Mrs. Brill, the housekeeper. Photo courtesy of Christy Shealy Mills.

Aside from directing many different productions for the school year, I am a mother and a wife.  Finding time to be able to do anything outside of my current obligations is often hard.   It had been a while since my last show (a couple of years, in fact) and I had gotten that “itch” again to perform.  I saw the auditions for Mary Poppins and was pleased to see that most of the rehearsal times and all the shows would be held during the summer months.

I actually hadn’t auditioned for anything since I officially started teaching two years ago.  Being back on that side of the casting table, so to speak, was a wonderful opportunity for me to remind myself of what my students go through.  While I am often discussing the mechanics and logistics of auditions, I had lost sight of the nerves and the butterflies that come from the unknown.

The rehearsal process has also yielded a great deal of self-reflection.  When you are the director, you are looking at the big picture – the overall story that you are telling.  However, as an actor, I had forgotten how much fun it can be to focus on a singular character arc.  Even when Mrs. Brill isn’t on stage, I find myself during the rehearsals wondering what it is that she would be doing at that moment during the show.  While I often have my students create a character profile and think about their character beyond the script, this process has sparked some new ideas and enthusiasm for how to tackle this topic in the classroom.

I’m also eager to be behind the scenes for the flying process.  I’ve never had the opportunity to be in a show where an actor has been flown, and so learning more about that process first-hand is exciting.

I cannot wait for this show to open.  The entire cast is incredibly talented.  (Side note:  It is a test of my acting for me to NOT break out into uproarious cheer after Ruth Ann McKee sings “Brimstone and Treacle”.)  Shannon Scruggs’ choreography and staging are excellent.  In fact, I dare you not to smile during “Step in Time.”  Bring your family and friends for a night of jolly good fun!

Practically Perfect Poppins Preview Party!

Join USA National Miss South Carolina Breanna Scurry, magician John Tudor and members of the cast of Mary Poppins for a Practically Perfect Poppins Preview Party on Saturday, July 11 at 10 AM.

After hearing from our special guests, party goers will get a sneak preview of our upcoming show, Mary Poppins. But that’s not all! You can join in on the fun and learn a few steps from our cheerful chimney sweeps, make your very own Spoonful of Sugar and try your hand at Feeding the Birds. Throw in a photo op with Mary, Bert, Michael and Jane and a few other goodies, and it’s sure to be a Super-cali-fragi-listic kind of day!

Tickets are $10 (ages 15 and below) and a $5 contribution from everyone else. Proceeds from the party will benefit research for those with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome — an extremely rare genetic disease affecting the life of one of our very own cast members. Hear what she has to say:

Call 803-799-2510 to purchase your tickets for a fun-filled event and to be a part of another Town Gives Back moment!

I have found my grail…

Justin with fellow sound board operator, Amanda Hines.

Guest blog by J.S. Lee

I have found my grail.

My earliest introduction to any form of onstage entertainment was through Phantom of the Opera. I was being driven by a neighbor to Vacation Bible School and he had just been to see it in New York. He had the music on … wait for it … a cassette tape. We listened to it every day for a week. I subsequently became the only kid in a small school to have fallen in love with this form of entertainment. Consider for a moment, being the kid where you’re already made fun of for the glasses and braces you just got (at the same time BTW), your outspoken love of Star Trek, a lack of understanding of ‘social norms’, and a myriad of other things. Then show up one day and talk about your love for something called Phantom of the Opera without the ability to articulate why you love it and see what happens. I was already a sensitive kid and cried about most things. Then one day a teacher said something to me that more or less informed who I’ve become. To paraphrase (because the original version was a little harsh), “Those people just want to upset you and you’re giving them what they want. Stop letting them and they’ll move on.”

Twenty years later I still find myself learning and growing from that one profoundly simple idea. I found myself, over time, embracing things that the ‘cool’ kids didn’t like. I unabashedly admitted to being weird and generally embraced that other people’s version of weird was my version of normal. Then something amazing happened. I found other people who shared these concepts. It was like a small slice of heaven to find out that I could be me and people would genuinely like being around me. Through this process, I forged friendships with people that would change my life even more. I started acting in plays in high school. I started a small theatre group with a good friend from high school. We produced our own plays, many of which were written by us. It was during this time that I started seeing video tapes of myself on stage and realized that I wasn’t doing what I thought I was doing up there and recognized that acting was most definitely not my forte. Then our company got invited to be a group of people running a haunted house. From there, they allowed us to basically take over with concepts, story, design, acting, etc. Suddenly I was thrust into the technical side of things and recognized my love of being behind the scenes and my ability to handle the very specific stress of what that entails. Now, pair all that up with my side project of running lights and sound for a great friend of mine in a local band (my music/sound mentor) and blamo, here I am.

I worked a few shows here and there, but it was Harbison Theatre that gave me a chance to be the sound guy full time. I worked that road house for about 2 ½ years. I got to work with everyone from local theatres and organizations, various church groups, stand-up comics, and even a few international folks. I kept learning my craft (something I’ll never stop doing) and kept meeting more and more amazing people from all walks of life. All with different skill sets, talents, and ideas about life. Each of these people have had some impact on my life. After I left Harbison, something else amazing happened. And if you want to know what it is, you’ll have to read the next paragraph. Let’s all be honest, I get a little wordy and you may have given up by now, but I’ve basically been setting you up for the next part, so don’t crap out on me now.

One day, I get a phone call from a friend telling me that Danny Harrington is looking for a sound guy to do a show. I thought, “Sure, I’ve worked with Danny before, should be fun”. What I didn’t know was the whirlwind of crazy was about to occur. Town Theatre has a long and rich history. Walking into my first show I had the feeling of excitement, with a side of trepidation. I know enough theatre people to know that there’s a family element with Town and I didn’t know what to expect being the new guy. I wasn’t even sure I’d be able to work more than one show. In fact, the only show I technically committed to was Spamalot. I told Danny that I would do what I could, but I’d do Spamalot even if my arm was off. The next thing I know, I’m rearranging my schedule to do every show Town could throw at me. Even the rentals. What I found since I’ve been there is exactly what I didn’t know I was looking for when I was a kid. The ability to come in and do what I love, be myself, work with incredibly talented people, and have some of the most fun I’ve had since my haunted house years. That trepidation I felt? It melted away immediately after working one show. That family I spoke of? I learned quickly that it’s a family with arms wide open. (You’re welcome for getting Creed stuck in your head now.)

The long and short of it is; I love what I do. I’m there early, I stay late. I love the challenge of not knowing what will happen from night to night with live theatre. I love basking in the crazy, different, wonderful group of people who I’ve come to love and respect. Instead of saying “I have to go to work”, I say “I get to go to work”. And I’ve come to very much love working through it with the people of Town Theatre. Every cast and crew I’ve worked with has been amazing. Working on this show has reminded me of why I love theatre so much. It really is a family. We bind together and bolster each other up no matter what happens. I’m honored to be a small cog in a giant wheel.

Thank you Town Theatre for reminding me of what my grail is.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again…

Guest blog by Emily Hinely-Clelland

By now, I am sure that you have heard the old saying, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”  Well, I am here to tell you that it’s true!  As a child, I begged my mom to let me dance.  After a lot of thought, she enrolled me in the nearest dance school she could find in our rural town.  I was hooked by the first sound that came from my feet.  I wanted to be a dancer!  But there was one small problem… I had no rhythm.  Without the ability to keep time, I would probably never amount to a very good dancer.  Lucky for me, one dance teacher, Barbara James, saw my passion for dance and the spirit I had to learn.  So, she pulled me aside, spent several hours making me shuffle and cramp-roll until my feet hurt to work on rhythm and timing.  I never gave up.  In fact, I practiced so hard, I broke a tap shoe. By the time she was finished with me, I had the rhythm and the drive to be great! I’m forever grateful to Ms. James for believing in me and my passion to dance. 

I loved tap, but started trying other styles to see if I “had what it takes” to succeed.  By the third grade, I was into ballet, jazz and clogging, where I excelled.  I danced my way through elementary school and middle school.  By middle school, I had worked my way to the Palmetto State Cloggers, an award winning State team.  At 14, I was the youngest member!  Then, the greatest thing happened… Our team was invited to perform at a local theatre for a Country and Western segment.  Excitedly, I jumped at the opportunity and never looked back!  You see, that theatre was Town Theatre, and the show was Showstoppers VIIII.  I instantly fell in love with theatre, much like that feeling in my first pair of tap shoes.  There was such “family” vibe with the cast, and a mesmerizing feeling when I saw them sing and dance at the same time.  I knew, at that moment, I NEEDED to be involved in theatre; and, Town Theatre was a great place to start. 

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Emily — then and now!

I spent the remainder of middle and high school performing at Town.  It was such a wonderful place to spend my free time doing two things I loved… singing AND dancing!  After my first show, I was invited to join the prestigious company known as Young Town Players where I met wonderful people that shared the same passion I had for being on stage.  We had routines that encompassed the greatest Broadway shows and decades of music from the 1920s to the 1960s.  It was more fun than I could ever imagine until I had to become a member of the “real world.”  Unfortunately, I had to grow up and with that, came responsibilities like jobs and college.  Sadly, I didn’t have as much time to do the things I wanted to do. 

I ended up at the University of South Carolina and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.  Then I fell in love and got married.  Many years (and many visits to Broadway) later, Chase, my husband, and I were talking about my theater years, when he suggested that I get back on stage. Because I like a challenge, I did.

I was quite ambitious, out of the gate, and tried out for Chicago in Camden… and I got in!  All those feelings from the past came back.  As it turns out, dance is like riding a bicycle.  I could still do it! Once I walked out on that stage, I knew I needed to do more shows.  I tried out at Town, but just wasn’t quite right for that show.  I tried my hand at dinner theater and other theaters to gain experience in hopes of being able to get to that coveted stage where I fell in love.  Two more tries, but no such luck.  There are simply so many talented people in Columbia and only so many roles available.  But as I said in the beginning… “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” 

Two friends convinced me that I should try my luck at Town again with Spamalot. To be honest, I wasn’t really familiar with the show or Monty Python humor and was reluctant to try again.  After all, auditions were in TWO hours! However, I grabbed my tap shoes, threw a song together and gave it a go. 

A few weeks later, I got an email congratulating me on being cast as a Laker Girl.  I am THRILLED to have an opportunity to sing and dance on the stage where it all began.  I believe everything in life happens for a reason; and, Spamalot was the right show for my return to the Town stage.  I have never laughed so hard or had so much fun at rehearsals.   I am truly grateful to Shannon and Lou for this awesome opportunity to do what I love so much.  I invite you to come to the “Bright Side” with a cast of “multi-talented people” who have, made me one of the “luckiest people” in Columbia.

Keeping it in the Family (and other thoughts from a first time blogger)

Guest blog by Bill DeWitt

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Bill during his Citadel days

It’s Tuesday morning, and we officially open Spamalot on Friday, so there is some reflection going on here during a few quiet moments before I start on today’s honey-do list. First, how and why did I ever get involved in theatre in the first place? I never “acted” on stage or even considered the theatre in my teen age or early adult years. A graduate of The Citadel, a high school history teacher, administrator, and coach, I thought of myself as a jock, and my free time was spent either with family, golfing or traveling. My younger, taller, smarter and infinitely more talented brother, David, had been a double major in journalism and theatre in college and grad school. He has always been heavily involved in theatre, so maybe there was something hidden in my DNA after all? Then one night I took my 11-year old daughter, Laura, to audition for a children’s play. The director, Larry Hembree, told me that since I would be bringing Laura to rehearsals anyway, I might as well do a small part in the show. I said, why not, and was hooked. Just 25 years and some 61 stage productions, a movie and some commercials later, and I’m still hooked. My wife has shown infinite patience and has indulged my passion over the years; she is my biggest supporter and harshest critic. So my daughter and brother got me started, my wife has sustained me, and the countless friends I have made have inspired me. I’ve done Willie and the Cowardly Lion, musicals and dramas, and still feel that adrenaline rush every single time I step on stage. I am immensely thankful for every chance that comes along.

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Sir Bedevere, the strangely flatulent; photo by David Barber.

That brings me back to Spamalot – and, yes, I do tend to ramble a bit. I saw Monty Python and the Holy Grail many years ago, and loved it. Then I heard that it was going to become a Broadway-style musical. Now, I live doing comedies and dramas, but have always been a bit nervous about doing musical theatre. Bottom line, when Town Theatre announced that Spamalot would be part of its 96th season, I decided to give it a shot. Part of being an actor is being willing to step outside of your comfort zone (or so directors keep telling me), so I auditioned and got cast, and am having an absolute blast. The show is hilarious, and we are having so much fun every night during rehearsals. I get the chance to work with some old friends with whom I have worked before (like Frank Thompson,  George  Dinsmore,  Bob Blencowe,  Agnes Babb, and others), with old friends with whom I haven’t worked before (Tracy Steele, Chip Collins,  among others), and new friends (like Rebecca Goodrich Seezen, Chris Cook, and Daniel Niati and others). Some of these folks are Town regulars, some have been seen in other theaters around Columbia, and for some, it is their first time on stage. I could list everyone in the show, but don’t have that much room. Besides, that’s what your program is for. Watching everyone bring their total commitment to their roles, to put all their skill, talent, time, effort, and enthusiasm on the line, to “give it their all”– I love it. Just being a part of this has been a thrill. A quick aside – observing Shannon Willis Scruggs blend this collection together (ask me later about how she can blush), Lou Warth Boeschen fusing together this amalgamation of voices (even mine), Danny Harrington’s set/lighting, Lori Stepp’s costumes, and Toni Sheridan’s magic with our hard-working crew – that is a special treat all on its own. And a topic for another blog.

Some of you know the show, or the movie, or you know the highlights or main characters, but you have to see the Laker Girls, the Knights of Ni, the French Taunters, Herbert and his lovable father, Brother Maynard, Sir Bors, the citizens of Finland – a true feast for the eyes and ears.

If you come to see Spamalot, and I hope you do, you’ll see and hear singing and dancing, hear jokes aplenty, see the sets and costumes, hear the music, and see some really good people pour themselves onto their roles. If the audience has anywhere near as much fun watching the show as the cast has had doing the show, well, a good time will be had by all.

And to answer the earlier question about why I do theatre, I can’t speak for others, but for myself – well, it’s partly the adrenaline rush, partly the challenge of trying something new, partly the “roar of the grease paint and smell of the crowd” – but mostly the friendships, the people I’ve come to know over the years that have become so important in my life. You guys are my family. And a little DNA as well. ‘Nuff said.