Yow, I let a whole week slide by there…I don’t think I’ve EVER let a week go by on the blog without posting SOMEthing.  Well, maybe that grim few weeks in August, I’d have to check.  But that can wait, as I apparently have a ton of catching up to do!  Sort of.

I mean, it’s not like I really have much to TELL exactly…week two of my front-of-house managing for Evolution Theatre‘s LAVENDER RAILROAD show wasn’t exactly brimming with the kind of seat-edgy thrills today’s hip young audiences are used to.  The show, okay, but my seat in the lobby of Studio Leonard-Beaulne is pretty far from that action, symbolically speaking.  But I still managed to have me a swell time during week two.

Got back to work on Tuesday nite, with the awesome Jen Vallance as my volunteer for the evening.  We had good chatter about the acting bizness (ok, I let her do most of the talking), a pretty decent house, and a few famous people sightings, which by this point I was recording on my shift reports, because that’s the kind of rubbernecking geek I am, apparently.

Missed Wednesday’s show due to class (and yes, I STILL owe some posting for the last few…I’ll get there, I’ll get there!), but was back and raring to go on Thursday, with two student volunteers, Robin and Aidan, kicking in to help out.  they were fine company, and I got a treat when Tania Levy, Brad Long and Katie Bunting from the recently closed HAMLET 2011 showed up to enjoy the show, and Tania especially kept me company in the lobby, arriving early like a good little soldier.  It was another very solid house, and I was getting my lobby-boredom routine down pat by now…finished Tom Robbins’ B IS FOR BEER, did a little brainstorming on my theoretically upcoming play/s, and even had some snacks.  although that was nothing compared to Friday’s show.

Friday was another two-volunteer night for me, although in what surely must have brought a sigh of relief to my Evolution bosses, only one of them was actually heading in to watch the show (leaving, of course, 1 more seat open for the payin’ public, dont’cha know).  My classmate Rachel joined me as volunteer #1, and along for the ride was the Adorkable ™ Nadine Thornhill.  She’d seen the show a week earlier, but now was jumping in front of house and stayed with me after the house closed (pretty much a sellout) and we enjoyed a good few rounds of Trivial Pursuit  during the performance.  Sadly, the show was occasionally marred by another group who decided to rehearse their 15-member musical theatre piece directly above our show DURING the performance, because some people are just occasionally, and perhaps accidentally, dicks.  But our gang made it through, and I said my g’byes to Nadine et al to speed over to the Mi Casa fundraiser…but that’s another story.

And then, all too fast, Saturday was ‘pon us.  Closing night.  I’d barely begun to make myself actually useful for something, and here it was speeding to a close!  And just when I was getting the hang of all this stuff….foofarah.  But I’d have a good closing night, by gum, and my two volunteers from the Ottawa Theatre School, Henry Austin Shikongo and Jodi Morden, would see to that.  I got them set up with their duties amidst some pleasant theatrical palaver, and a final show visit from Nancy Kenny, come to give me some in-your-face fretting as only she can.  Chris and Linda Bedford joined us as the show, another packed house, settled in to start.  It passed all too quickly, just like my time as FOH Manager for this amazing show.  Lawrence Aronovitch joined us just afore the house let out, and there was much chatter and glee as the crowd spilled out.  I said goodbye to my OTS gangsters (tho you can and should watch out for Jodi in the upcoming YICHUD at Magnetic North and at her upcoming Fringe show with the OTS), then did my final-final duties with Evolution.  Signs were taken down, headshots stashed out of sight, chairs glumly stacked into a corner…striking is a BITCH, for sure.  It was all sad and stuff.

After that…well, nothing, really.  Nancy K and I caught a bus outta Dodge, leaving Chris and Linda to finish up the finishing up.  Grand thanks to them all for giving me this very cool opportunity to help out…I’ve now volunteered for Evolution Theatre, GCTC AND the Fringe Festival so far this year.  Not bad for a crumb like me.

Thanks also to the killer cast and crew, who I hope to see again soon (especially now that I’ve FINALLY remembered where I know our stage manager from!)…and, as my final duty as Front of House Manager (yes, I still love calling myself that), a gigantic final batch of thanks to our all-star volunteer squad.  Roll Call!

Emily Pearlman

Stefan Smida

Catherine Mills

Jess Preece

Jan Paskovitch

Jen Vallance

Michael Fontaine

Robin Thomas

Aidan Reed

Rachel Segal

Nadine Thornhill

Jodi Morden

Henry Austin Shikongo

…You get all my love, folks, the thanks of both myself and Evolution Theatre (I’ll take the liberty of speaking for them here, by gum), and the well wishes of the God of your choice.  Cause you done good.  And now, suddenly free from that cold, lonely, wonderful lobby in SLB, I have to get back to it and remember what it is this chud is for before the first anniversary comes up in a few weeks (and yes…I’m thinking party.  Who’s in?).  Fortunately, YOUTH INFRINGEMENT starts this tuesday, perfect fucking timing if ever I seen it.  Just what I need right now, and I’d better see some of you kids there!  all right, I’m out…pardon being away for so long.  No more breaks.  Peace, love and soul,

the Visitor (and Winston)