Two seconds?  God, that IS forever.  Was it a line memorization issue, or did they really think that people wait that long between "lines" in real life?  Or did they just not know they were doing it?

I got a really nice little crystal ball for directing The Shawl, and a plaque for ADing Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.  (AD gifts are rare, but this was a unique situation.)

I moved to a country town, to work at their Performing Arts Centre.
Within a few days there. I was invite to direct a show at the local Musical theatre group,
Apparently he director who was to do the show, had suddenly evaporated never to be seen again!
Wanting to make a good impression & get to know they locals. I had agreed, I think, before I asked any of the details.
Later that evening having been invited to a production meeting, I realised that I was in ?IT? up to my eye balls, with out knowing what ?IT? was?
Rather than appear to be a complete ?Nanna? all together! I fronted up only to be swept along in gushy goo of a ?Blue Rinse set? amdram feeding frenzy! Trying desperately to remain the pseudo profesionalism they assumed me to be. I stuck on a fixed smile & attempted to glean tit bits, that might add up to what this production was about?
When I realised some time later, after being briefed for 3 hours, on the unabridged version of groups  35 year  history & achievements. Supported of course by a library of photo albums & memorabilia. It hit me when they pointed out a program & picy?s from the 1970?s & said "These are from our the first time we did this  musical, that we are doing now"!
Bingo!
Curtain warmer floats lit, the house rag went up & the Limes snapped on in my head!
Gawd no no not ? ?Briga?Briga,,dun!
No I?m ?Done? & ?Doon? the tube!
So after contemplating something redundant like slashing my wrists, with an electric shaver! I realised my face was numb & still smiling!
I tried to think quickly how to get out of ?IT? plausibly! But the brain cell was just as frozen as my smile!
Didn?t these people realise that Brigadoon is just a myth & they still had 180 of the 200 years to reappear out of the highland mist!
Back to the topic before anyone leaves to have a cup of tea, an aspirin & a lay down!
Everyone enjoyed ?IT? including me! After I attacked IT with a screwdriver, pliers & a big hammer!
I took their wickets with a few LBW?s, by not allowing the full pristine highland dress for the male chorus & got rid of the chorus books & their choir attitude. Recast the principals & choose the less politicly acceptable, mainly from the never chosen members of the group. I had problems with the committee because of the lass I got to play Meg, who had a powerful voice but just kept missing the tune! Until I coached her to speak/sing.
The company gave me a large white teddy bear, dressed in my clan tartan, playing a set of bagpipes with an engraved plate of the show details on it?s sporran. A black T shirt & pair of underdaks, with a silk screened bagpipes & the words ?It?s disappeared? on the front of them. Further a framed poster with photographs of the cast & crew - not only but also another one of the programme cover & signed with comments from all of them.
So I think I did fairly well out of something I didn?t want to do & I have framed the underpants to hang on the wall, along with other framed production pressies!
 


 
  

 

My favorite director's gift was one I received for a nothing little show called Bathroom Humor. It's an oak toilet seat creating a frame for a mirror with an etching of the show logo. Attached to my wall, you have to lift the seat to see the mirror... great conversation piece. I also think I'm the only person in the state with a toilet seat hanging on my wall.