Working it

I can’t remember when I’ve worked so hard to so little effect. There were times in the trenches of this production when I thought I’d died and gone to Hell.

All of a sudden, I’m getting work as an actor. Four shows in 12 months. Colonel Mustard in Clue (Oct. 17-Nov. 5, 2017), Vinnie in The Odd Couple (Feb. 1-18, 2018), Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing (April 19-May 6, 2018), and James Wilson in 1776 (Sept. 13-30, 2018). Secondary, ensemble, and supporting roles, yes, but I’ve never cared about that. The process is the process from any vantage point, and line load is by no means a reliable indicator of difficulty or reward.

All the productions were reasonably well done, too, and all the people involved, almost without exception, good to work with. Clue was exhausting, Odd Couple a straight-up paid vacation, Much Ado a rare opportunity to chew scenery down center, and 1776, when it goes into rehearsal August 21, will be, if nothing else, a reunion with friends.