On Stage War Stories (My most memorable onstage moment)

Not long ago on Facebook I posted picture of me in two different productions of You're A Good Man Charlie Brown. In the comments section, there were references to the incident I am about to share with you.

There are many things that can go wrong in a live stage production. Props that aren't placed. Sound cues that don't happen. Lights going out. Actors forgetting lines or their entrance. I've experienced all of these things. But the single most memorable moment I ever had on stage was the time I threw up in the middle of a performance of Charlie Brown.

Picture it, New York City, December 1993. I was playing Charlie Brown in You're A good Man Charlie Brown. It was our closing performance, a Sunday matinee just a few days before Christmas. We had a cast party the night before at Brice Lloyd's house, (Bruce played Linus). The next morning I got up early to go downtown to pick up some crew gifts from the cast. As I arrived on the subway platform at 86th and Broadway, my stomach started to bother me. So I bought a pack of Tums from the newsstand and ate a few. My stomach still felt queasy.

I continued on my way. Went downtown to the South Street Seaport to a t-shirt shop and bought a couple of Peanuts themed t-shirts. Then up to the upper East Side to a Hallmark shop on Lex to buy some Peanuts cards and ornaments. Then to the theater at 54th and Lex. The Theatre at St. Peter's at Citicorp, which you enter y taking an elevator down from street level. I was early and the first one there. I went toy dressing room which was locked. I was not feeling well by this time. I curled up on the floor waiting to get in.

My friend Jane Southall showed up first. She was our light board operator. She got maintenance to unlock all the dressing rooms and the green room. I curled up not he couch in the green room as the cast crew began to arrive. I got sicker and sicker. I had someone get me ginger ale and saltines.

Me in my dressing room looking pale

Eventually, I went to the bathroom in my dressing room and threw up. I seemed to get it all out of my system. I still didn't feel great, but better. I went through vocal warmups with the cast. I was still really pale. We started the show. Everything seemed fine.

Me and Melissa during vocal warmups. She looks a little concerned.

I got through the Kite Song but I started felling a little woozy.  After the song, Patty (played by Melissa Broder) comes out on stage with her Valentines. We have an exchange where I mistakenly believe a card with CB on it is for me. My reaction is supposed to "I can't stand it." Through my dialog with Patty, I'm getting sicker and sicker. Finally, I realize I can't hold it any longer and right at the moment when I act to her last line, instead of saying I can't stand it, I run cover my mouth and run behind Snoopy's dog house and get down all fours and, well...spew.

Poor Melissa is standing there alone and ad libs something like Poor Charlie Brow. I hope you feel better and makes her exit. I get up from all fours and go offstage. (The piano player is playing through all of this). The cast is all back stage looking at me like what do we do? There is no crew backstage. We have no headset to the booth. They're all concerned I'm going to be sick again. I remember Jonathan Bennett (Schroeder) looking for something for me to puke in just i case. I leaned against the SR wall with me head down thinking about to blow again. And then the feeling passes.

I stand up straight. I look at the cast. I say, "Let's go on. I'm fine." We're about to go into the Doctor is In scene between me and Lucy (Lizzie Yawitz). So I walk out on stage from SL. I realize that the stage is not set for that scene. So I walk back off SR. (Steve has not stopped playing underscore music this entire time by the way).

Offstage, I instruct the cast what to do. We go onstage change the set pieces around for the next scene and go on. I mange to get through the rest of the first act without incident.

Lizzie an dme in the green room during intermission. Notice my skin color. 

During intermission, our ASM John Henderson as the unenviable task of having to clean up my mess behind the dog house on stage. Fortunately, I had gotten most of it out of my system an hour before the show. So not much came out of me and what did come out was very little, odorless and clear (I'm thinking it was the ginger ale and saltines. That's all that was left in my system.)

We go on to Act Two. I start getting sicker and sicker. Light headed. Not feeling well at all. I can't even stand up by the end of the show. I did the Glee Club sitting on a block in front of the cast rather than standing in the group. I barely made it through the how, but I did.  I went home immediately after the show and spent the next couple of days in bed. It was bad. Really bad.

But the show went on. And the audience never knew. They had no idea. In fact, the kids were crawling around in the dog house right after the show.

And that is my worst on stage mishap or most memorable moment of all-time on stage.

What's yours?

To Eat or To Exercise. The Eternal Holiday Struggle

Its that time of year again. Holidays. Time to go out with friends for drinks. Go to holiday parties and drink and eat food. Lots of of food. Oh, it doesn't look like much because all the foods are small. That's how it gets you. Its not going out for dinner or a meal. Its a cocktail party at a friends house or maybe visiting old college friends or family.

Stop by for a bit. And there's always cookies and snacks and cheese and crackers and appetizers.  Small stuff. Finger foods as they say. How innocent sounding...finger foods. Light snacking. I'll just have a couple of these. Oh! So good. Let me have another. Oh! And what are these. OK. I'm done. No more.   So I'm good. I don't eat anything for a bit. But now, Oh look! Shrimp! I got to get me some of those! Yes! Mmm. Oh! And look Aunt Wendy just showed up with three platters of fresh baked Christmas cookies!

Before you know it, you're feeling bloated. Because at the same time, you had some drinks and you need something to absorb the alcohol. So now you've been noshing for over three hours. And none of it is health food. Yes, you didn't gorge yourself on a meal. Because that's being served in 5 minutes! What!?

See? That's how they get you. Your tricked into thinking you're not cheating because its all just small foods. But its all fattening and sweet and bad for you but soooo good! Personally, I can't stay away from cheese and crackers. And shrimp! Which I really need to steer clear of because of my cholesterol. And then cookies. Oh boy! I have a HUUUUGE sweet tooth. Seriously HUUUGE! I eat chocolate every day. Can't get enough of it.

Oh God, just hoist me on the couch in front of the TV and play the old Christmas specials. I am done.

And just this past couple of weeks I was being better about getting to the gym more and increasing my cardio. I've been trying to get to the gym at least one night during the week in addition to my Saturday and Sunday workouts. But now, well Friday night have drinks with the girls and then Sunday I'm going to Disneyland followed by a cocktail party. Maybe I should skip the cocktail party and go to the gym instead since I won't be able to go in the morning cause I'll be in Disneyland.

Oh shoot! I just remembered theres a work luncheon Friday and then Monday my team guest for lunch and then the company party is on Thursday. Yeah, keep it coming. Don't even give me chance to work out. Maybe if I take a couple of weeks off from work, I can get to the gym every day. Yeah, that sounds like a plan.

Or, I could just be motivated enough to make the time to go in between work and sleep and parties. Nah! I'll just go after New Years.

Too Early for the Christmas Tree?

It's November 30. Thanksgiving Weekend has come to an end. Black Friday has come and gone. It is now Cyber Monday.  It is officially the Holiday Season. The Christmas decorations are out in all the malls and stores. People are decorating their homes.

Before I get on the main topic of house decorations, I 'd like to sidestep for a moment and address retail holiday decorations. Every year I hear people complain that the stores are putting the Christmas decorations out earlier and earlier every year. No. They are not. In 1978, I got my first job working in the garden shop and toy departments at Sears. In the fall, the garden shop because the Trim A Tree Shop.  When did we set it up? Labor Day Weekend. That was in 1978 to 1981 folks.  From 1985 to 1987 I worked at Filene's Department Store. The deadline for putting up the Christmas Holiday Shop was Labor Day. That was in the 1980s. So, in fact, the stores are NOT putting out the holiday goods any earlier than they have in the last few decades. As for the store decorations, those did not go up until November. Some stores out them out earlier in November than others. But for the most part its mid-November before yo start seeing the holiday decor all over.

Now on to our main topic...

Is it too soon for the Christmas tree? Its a yearly dilemma for me. I mean. I personally think its too soon to put up the Christmas tree. I know many people, including friends do. It's Thanksgiving Weekend, the start if the holiday season, it's time to put up my tree. I get it. You're excited. You love the holidays. The sooner, the better and the longer you can celebrate Christmas in your home.

I like to wait...at least a week or two. I mean, if I put up the tree now, it will be up for over a month. And how special is the actual holiday if I have it up all month? I know. Its fun to have it up. It makes the house a little special. And why not spread the holiday cheer throughout the whole month? I get it. I do. I just prefer to wait at least a week after Christmas.

Growing up, we usually didn't get our tree until maybe two weekends before Christmas.  If I got a live tree, I would probably wait so it will stay fresh longer. But since I have a fake tree, I can put it up sooner. But not yet. Its not even December yet.

Maybe I will start by putting out some decorations this week. My holiday table runner. Some pine scented holiday candles. Maybe couple of nutcrackers, and I'll hand the Christmas tree dish towels on the oven handle. Oh! And maybe the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree statue on the table as a centerpiece. And my Santa. And the snow globe.

Oh, who am I kidding? Everything is out now. But not the tree. The tree can wait...until next weekend. Thats' what? Six days. No, maybe five. I'll put up Friday. If I can wait that long!

When do you put your tree up?