Saturday, October 28, 2006

Tonight I am standing at the subway on the corner of 8th and 44th saying goodbye to the Wiz. Wiz has a personal obligation that must be attended tomorrow and alternate Wiz will be running the shows. We have known about this since we started the show. It is a good thing, but it will be strange doing a show in New York without the Wiz calling the shots.

There is a delicate dance in this show between the Stage Manager and Me. Lighting cues, and sound cues happen on certain words and movements. The Wiz keeps Joe (on the lights) and Bobby (on the sound) ready for anything. The Wiz can sense the cue even when I say something I have never said before that moment.

Once the show begins, the Wiz is my only connection to the stage and we have to communicate without saying a word. It is a psychic connection. No one knows the amount of work it takes just to listen to what I am saying and keep the show moving technically.. If it works right it is seamless and no one is ever aware, except me. I don’t take the talents of the Wiz for granted.

So it is not without concern that I am saying bye to the Wiz at the subway stop, not thinking of much except how I will get through two shows tomorrow. As we are going over the last details, a man comes up behind me, grabs me and says,

“Don’t move buddy, just give it up”. He has a grip on me that I won’t be able to break. He grabbed me so tightly I can tell he is wearing a bullet -proof vest, and there is a gun in his waistband. This only happens in the movies. I wait for him to release me so I can hand over my wallet and cash.

That is when the man starts laughing. It is Officer Don, my friend, the beat cop of 44th Street.

“Happy Halloween!” he tells me. He is off on vacation next week and won’t be able to give me a scare on October 31st. I will remember that long after Halloween.
As you were,
Jay

4 comments:

Linda said...

I must have been checking this just after you posted. See, I'm not up at 4am (not that anyone is spying on me).

That Officer Don, he's a joker! I should tell you some other stories....

I know the Wiz is the best but you will do just fine with alternative Wiz. I have the utmost faith in the both of you.

Was it the Teddy Bear music? I was going back and forth between the Wizard of Oz and the Teddy Bear song. When you think about it, there is a similarity. Now I'm not so sure which one it was.

TOO

Anonymous said...

Hi to Christopher and Robert. They were at the matinee on Saturday. Christopher said it was his third time seeing the show. i know I'll be seeing him again!

Linda

Anonymous said...

TOO-
You and I are on the same wavelength. Teddy Bear and Wizard of Oz ARE very close. Please try to convince Jay of this while I'm gone.
Wiz

Linda said...

Wait a minute....it just came back to me. The monkey song was neither the Wiz of Oz or the Teddy Bear song. It was actually the theme to the old tv series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." Yep, that's it! Yes it is!!
TOO