"Cuckoo" hatches

Opening night for “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” at the Ashtabula Arts Center went pretty well last night…the production was ready for it’s debut, something that’s not necessarily been true of other recent Arts Center productions with which I’ve been involved.

The smallish audience appeared to appreciate the play, though I did hear reports of an elderly couple leaving early (we warned you there was bad language and mature subject matter.) An actor playing a minor character had the misfortune to dislocate his shoulder yesterday at school, but took the stage like a trouper at curtain, albeit with a slightly modified role.

The show was being recorded last night (which I knew), but the videographer was also waiting in the hall outside the dressing rooms to record the actors when we left the backstage area after the show (which I didn’t know.) There was also a gauntlet of cheering people to run through after leaving the backstage area for the lobby of the Arts Center, all the while being filmed.

This wigged me out.

Coming off stage from Cuckoo’s Nest, I’m already very wired up and jangly and the thing I want most at that time is some peace and quiet for a little while to wind down. When I’m onstage, I’m performing…offstage, I just want to be able to disappear. I want to go off into a quiet place for a couple minutes and ramp down…last night I was just trying to get to the parking area, and my truck, for some solitude.

I’m afraid I probably looked a little deranged coming out of the backstage area and being faced with the camera and cheering audience members. Thankfully, two of my relatives came to see the show last night and I was able to say a few words to them before bolting to my truck.

*****

The preview article for the play was in the local paper’s weekend edition here. The play runs tonight, Friday, Saturday and Sunday next weekend and Thursday, Friday and Saturday the following weekend.