Near Or Far...

Our hearts are the very bridges spanning the distances of those we love by keeping us bound together as one;  near, far, wherever we are, please know my hand is forever in yours and yours in mine.

Lenny...

Leonard Bernstein not only was a gifted composer 

but a very brilliant conductor.  Besides being a very passionate person about things that mattered most to him, he also had one hell of a sense of humour. 

When I was in New York for a summer Theatre Scene Design workshop in the 1980's I was very briefly at Lincoln Center during this time where The New York Philharmonic Orchestra also had its home.

As I have shared before, sometimes being a Little Person can throw wide open doors the non-height challenged hoomans may not get to experience.  I was in my usual plunging-forth-walking-very tall rush down a back hallway when who did I collide with as I rounded 

a corner, but dear Mr. Bernstein who suddenly found himself with this Little Person he didn't expect to find down here, who became somewhat tangled in his 

legs.😳

After we disentangled ourselves from each other as 

we both began apologizing, all at once in mid-sentence it dawned on me just WHO I was standing before.  Something dawned on Mr. Bernstein too at the same time.

"Oh crap!  Of all people for me to embarrass myself by colliding into it would be you, Mr. Bernstein.  Someone I have so adored through the years!"

"You're a Little Person!"

"Oh shit!  Is it really THAT noticeable?!!"

Well that sure cracked him up.  He wanted to know if I worked at Lincoln Center.  I quickly explained I was a Theatre Scene Designer attending a summer workshop.

Mr. Bernstein asked if I enjoyed being in New York.  Told him how I loved the Workshop I had been chosen for.  Then briefly told him I couldn't bring my horse with me but how friends with horses in the city had one I was often riding in Central Park and how much I loved this.

"A horse?!!  You have a horse?!!  How DO you get ON them?!!"🙃

So I explained my leaping through the air way of landing on their backs...most of the time.  Then I asked HIM a very important question.

"Mr. Bernstein, I love watching not only how animated you become when you conduct, but how you have a blast doing it.  I even read once for fun you can conduct by using only your eyebrows!"

Then not wanting to take anymore of this dear man's time I thanked Mr. Bernstein expressing how much it meant to become entangled with him.

"How would you like to see me do that?  Conduct with my eyebrows for a few moments?"

"Are you kidding?!!  Oh my, I would LOVE to!"

"We're in rehearsal right now.  Come with me and I'll show you!"

Mr. Bernstein grabbed my hand and off we went!

"Uh, Mr. Bernstein, your legs are waaay longer than mine.  Can you SLOW down just a bit!"😂

He introduced me to the orchestra and had me sit on a empty chair in their midst so I could watch him.

"What's one of your favourite pieces?"

"Fanfare For The Common Man."

There are no words in the Universe to express how      incredible and fun and enthralling it was to be given this brief gift of watching LEONARD BERNSTEIN conduct The New York Philharmonic not using a baton but only his very expressive face.

I had to keep reminding myself I wasn't dreaming!

As The Philharmonic needed to rehearse and I had to be on my way too, I bid farewell to Mr. Bernstein.

"Please, I ask that my friends call me Lenny." 

"Why thank you, Lenny!  I ask that my friends call me Adelaide."

We hugged and I knew this would be a visit I would never forget.

Several years later soon after the Berlin Wall came down, I saw in the news Lenny went over organizing both the East and West German Orchestras to play together in peace for the first time ever with Lenny conducting.

In October of 1990, Leonard Bernstein passed away at the age of seventy-two.😢 

I put on my record album of Leonard Bernstein Conducting The New York Philharmonic performing

"Fanfare For The Common Man."  

Only in honour of Mr. Bernstein, I now think of the piece as "Fanfare For The Very Gifted, Uncommon Man."

Because he was.

Thank you, my dear Lenny.💫

Band-aid Theatre...

Once upon a time not only did a very hilarious incident happen during a children's play, it personified how no matter what, the show MUST go on.  Interestingly, this incident did not happen on Opening Night, but days into the run.😂🎭

Like many children's plays, this was a magical one with beautiful fairies and some trolls.  Our dear Maisie, not much taller than me, was the lead fairy, costumed in bright blue, dripping in glitter with very lovely large transparent wings.

Now many old theatres have what is known as the Crossover at the back of the stage, behind the Theatre Set.  Crossovers are there so actors and others may move from one wing of the stage to the other without being seen by the audience.  

Sometimes a play calls for an actor to exit one side, then reappear on the other as if by magic.  Maisie's role as the leading Fairy called for her to "disappear" in bright Fairy Dust from one side of the stage, only to magically reappear in bright Fairy Dust on the other side, which delightfully astounded the young audiences every time. 

However, I would not be writing about another hilarious theatre story here if everything had gone...RIGHT, now would I?🤣🎭

So the time came for Maisie's grand disappearance from Stage Right for the amazing reappearance on Stage Left.  But you see our beloved theatre was ancient.  

How ancient??

As old as the Thirteen Colonies ancient.  

Sometimes the Crossover doors with the original wood could become warped in Winter and get stuck.  Not only that but all the ancient rusty hardware too could contribute to the Crossover doors becoming STUCK.

And why were these not repaired?

Well, we Children Of Theatre tend to be crazily superstitious in such matters since the birth of theatre.  Especially actors, but do not ever tell any actors you may run into that Adelaide said this.

How superstitious are they/we?

We/they (those actors) are so superstitious if anyone accidentally utters the word "Macbeth" inside a theatre, one must IMMEDIATELY rush outside the theatre.  NOT walking but RUSHING.  Why?  Because uttering THAT word brings doom upon the theatre or performance or actor or scene or lighting designers or even the resident cat of the theatre for untold centuries to come.

So after one has RUSHED out of the theatre upon uttering THAT word, one MUST spin around in a circle THREE times...NOT four or TWO.  You absolutely do NOT want to screw this NEXT part up.  After you spin THREE times you MUST spit.  Do NOT ever forget to spit because this spitting part is very VERY important.  

SPITOOWEEE!😂🎭

Anyway at our theatre built before The Revolutionary War it apparently had been passed down through the centuries by actors, if those Crossover doors ever were messed with all kinds of bad juju would surely happen during a performance or even the play, thus one must NEVER tamper with those doors.  And so nobody did for all those centuries.

That is until our dear Maisie's grand disappearance from Stage Right for the amazing reappearance on Stage Left.  

Poor Maisie.  The Crossover door to reappear on Stage Left was stuck and I mean STUCK.  Because the performance was happening on the other side of it, she could not bang on it.  Or yell for help either.

So being quick thinking Maisie did the only thing she could do in order to not miss her cue.  She tore back down the Crossover to the Stage Right Backstage Exit Door to do the Roadrunner to the Stage Left Backstage Exit Door to reenter the performance.

Only Maisie encountered this unforeseeable problem.  It was Winter.  The asphalt was slick with ice.  She told us she hit the ice flying.

As a Senior Staff member it was my turn to be at the theatre to make sure all went well and to lock up the theatre afterwards.  The Stage Manager no sooner told me Maisie had not come through the Crossover yet when there was poor Maisie, her leotards shredded at both knees as she was bleeding.  Her palms and upper arms were bleeding too.  She was not about to miss her cue though.

"But Maisie, you're hurt!"

"I will be okay Adelaide!  You do not know how hard I worked to get this part.  PLEASE let me continue?"

"All right but..."

Jeff, The Stage Manager read my mind and had retrieved the Backstage First Aid Kit.

"Sit down, Maisie!"

"Yes, Adelaide!"

In a race against time I cleaned up her wounds with antibacterial wipes.  There was a huge box of bandaids.

"Jeff!  Help me get these on Maisie fast!"

In a rush we put a ton of band-aids on her! 

It was a bloody miracle too.  We were just able to get Maisie ready in time.

And then...AND THEN...

From the Stage Right wing Jeff urgently called me to come see what he was seeing.

"Ohhh crap, Jeff!"

Those Band-aids happened to be for children.  We are talking bright BRIGHT Glow In The Dark Band-aids.  For EVERY movement Maisie was making she had what appeared to be huge glowing gangs of little fairies moving with her.🙄

"Adelaide, what if the kids get frightened seeing..."

Before Jeff could finish we could hear kids excitedly in sheer wonder point out all those Little Fairies flying around the pretty bright blue fairy!

We high-fived each other.

Following the multiple standing ovations and curtain calls this performance received, I had Jeff take Maisie to the ER to be sure her wounds were treated properly. 

They both thanked me MANY times later because this trip to the ER was the beginning of their romance and wedding later.🥰🎭

That was not all.

A local critic happened to be in the audience that night with his children.  Wrote such a glowing review the play was extended for weeks!

I did have some explaining to do for our Lighting Designer and Artistic Director about the "extraordinary special effects" never seen in a theatre performance before though, the critic raved about.🤣🎭

And for the rest of the play's run Maisie was loaded up with glow in the dark band-aids.

There just is no business like our beloved Show Business. 

In The Distance...

I have always loved T.S. Eliot's quote, "What we call the beginning is often the end.  And to make an end is to make a beginning."

Oh how my life has been filled with a thousand ends to beginnings!  Many scattered throughout this blog.

I have shared my friends Lacy, her brother Rob with you, and how we soared upon our horses to escape the horrors of violence with alcoholism we had to live with, making us adults way before we were supposed to be adults.  The bond we three shared was deep, wrapped in our even deeper loving devotion to our horses.

One day beneath the same tree where we found all that change after swimming with our horses a year earlier, we spread out a map of the United States on the ground in desperation.  We had decided to take our horses and ride to a place far away in the distance where we could finally be free of the violence and hate.

I will never forget this moment beneath our comfort tree.  

"Adelaide, look," said Rob.  "There are too many towns jammed close to each other all the way till Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Nevada!  We've gotta go where there aren't any people around for miles."

"I know, but we have to make sure we choose a green area on the map in those states so we have grass for the horses, and water for us all to drink."

"I wonder how many miles we'll travel on our horses each day," thought Lacy outloud.

Rob enthusiastically said, "Well at least fifty or even a hundred!"

Suddenly, on the map I noticed a huge wide open area with lots of green in east central Wyoming.  "Hey look!  The ONLY little town in all THAT space is this tiny Sweetwater Lake!"

Lacy and Rob really liked the sound of the place too, and we decided with a name like that it just had to be our shining light in the distance.  So Sweetwater Lake, Wyoming would soon be our new home...our beginning of the ending we sought hard to free ourselves from.

With an ink pen we mapped out our route for riding our horses on backroads to keep anyone from finding us.  

Oh, did we ever come close to leaving too!  

How close?  At 3am one morning we met at our comfort tree on our horses carrying everything we could in backpacks.  We were DOING it.  Only none of us had considered checking the weather first.  

Just as we were ready to leave on our beginning, a very intense thunderstorm with high winds struck.  Out of concern for our horses we realized for their sake we had to get them back to their stalls.  Sadly, we had to return.  No one even knew we had ever left.

Eventually, it was due to the deep abiding love for our horses we reluctantly decided the long journey may bring harm to them, and this was just something we would ever risk doing.  Sadly we had to cast our dreams for our beginnings aside.

Often as we rode together, we wondered if the distance beyond our shared sorrows could ever shine a light into our lives.  Would we each ever attain peace, love, and happiness?

Regardless what happened to us though, we promised to stay close and be best friends forever.  Only all our beginnings and ends soon took us far away from each other, yet never can take away the shining treasured memories of what we shared in the very dark midst of hell.  

When I was staying at the Orphanage, my fellow kids in adult bodies and I would lay in our beds imagining if the distance beyond the living hell our adults kept us in would ever mean one day love could be ours to actually hold in our grasp and keep.  We younger kids even dared to believe in finding that love and happiness.

Of course the older kids said we younger ones were filled with shit because THEIR hearts had been shattered so they no longer held hope anymore.  Soon we all were shattered when the kids were all sent to foster homes, and the Orphanage...our separate peace...closed forever as all were scattered away forever with the wind.

Thankfully I came packaged with an indomitable spirit and an irrepressible sense of hope my intense losses could really one day be my beginning.  

Like Gibran said so well, "The deeper sorrow carves into our soul the more joy we attain."

And trust me, this is true.

The ends were my beginning, for I found my mentor friends who poured their sweet love into me and I began my surviva-soaring, loving and being loved.  I had at last reached the bright shining distance beyond the darkness.

Fast forward about sixteen years to Aiden.  Oh did we two ever find a beginning in each other when our horses brought us together and we fell in love!  Though Aiden died a month before our wedding, we thankfully did have nearly seven years of bliss together, and I cherish each moment.

Yet ending was to be in our beginning.  We had plans and dreams.  We had even bought land to build a house and barn on.  We played music together...Aiden on his guitar and I, my piano.  Friends loved us.  Dr. Kopits affectionately teased us because we were having so much fun being together.

Then both Dr. Kopits and Aiden's lives suddenly ended.  I struggled to find my way in this shattering new beginning.  How could joy ever be attained out of such sorrow?

And yet it has.  The sorrow of losing my soul mate is always there, but I embrace the joy we shared...the hope we may be reunited one day somewhere beyond the stars.

The same with everyone I have loved...love, and all my horses.

My end will be a beginning beyond the distance too one day.  For I will at last be free of all the pain and suffering of my physical challenges...and who knows?  I may even have a new beginning being waaay taller than I have ever known.

Our lives are many beginnings and endings, with love, sorrow, happiness, and laughter interwoven throughout, like a rich, wonderful tapestry, weaving the threads into something beautiful on top.  But the chaotic sorrows of our many beginnings and ends woven beneath make it all happen...life.

So keep your head held high, my dear ones, and hold onto hope and optimism, for you see, there is always, ALWAYS...a bright shining distance to reach beyond the darkness.  And you know what?  It's beautiful.

The stars shine bright because darkness is what makes stars shine bright.

The chaos of the beginnings and ends of our most shattering challenges is what makes living the tapestry of our lives such beautiful creations.  Just as long as we are out there living love, surviva-soaring, and perhaps even galloping upon the barebacks of horses, shining like all the brightest 

stars.  In the distance... 

Theatre Road Trip Across Michigan...

Again I hope you may find another Theatre road trip to be as funny as we did following the passage of time.  That is assuming lawyer fees were finally paid off, the various restitutions made and all that good stuff.😂🎭

As shared in previous blog sometimes a theatre will either offer for sale or even give away items which may be quite useful to Scene Designers, Prop Managers, and even Artistic Directors of other theatres.  Of course these items were far too many or far too large to be shipped by normal means thus necessitating the need for a road trip.  And with the right people the journey could be a blast.🤣

This funny story again unfolded during my stint when I was Scene Designer for the theatre in Michigan where

my young Intern Scott was just beginning his career.

One day our Executive Director Michelle, burst into the Scene Shop so loudly Scott nearly shot a nail from the nail gun into my hand as we two were constructing a new set.

"Michelle!  Please don't burst in on the Scene Shop staff like that again or one of us could get decapitated, lose a hand, or piss all over ourselves!"

"Sorry Adelaide...Scott, but I'm so excited!"

"No shit!"

"You both are going to be so happy when I tell you what we're finally getting!"

"Really?!!  Are we finally getting the new toilet for backstage staff?!!"

"Or the new coffee machine?!! asked Scott.

"Wait a minute!  Are we finally getting the new hydraulic lift we desperately need to do our work?!!"

"Well sort of."

"Uh, what exactly do you mean by, 'sort of?'"

"Here's the news!  That brand new theatre in Madison, Wisconsin has a brand new toilet they don't need, AND a new hydraulic lift, new equipment Sean (our Lighting Designer) needs!  They don't have the new coffee machine though but we're getting one."

"Better add toilet paper to the list while you're at it Michelle, because it will be needed once we finally get the coffee machine and toilet!"

"You're right, Adelaide!"

"So how are we getting the stuff here?"

I should have known a roadtrip was about to happen.

"Well you see Adelaide, in exchange for these items 

we need, they need to borrow the sets you did for 

"Annie," and "Hair," but they can keep the "Children Of A Lesser God," "'Broadway Bound," and the "Romeo And Juliet" sets."

"Michelle, that's a huge amount of theatre sets.  How are we transporting them?"

"We're going to rent a new pickup truck to pull your horse trailer, rent the largest U-Haul truck available, and also rent a huge RV too because you all will need to be in Madison overnight.  Sean is going.  Oh and Scott, can your partner Dustin go too?  We'll pay him."

"I believe so, but I'll have to ask him."

"Oh and Jason (Stage Manager) will be going."

"Oh this is going to be a blast!  Adelaide on the road with four guys..."

"Six!  I forgot, Julien (Box Office Manager) and his partner Bobby are going too!"

"Adelaide on the road AND sleeping with six guys!"

Then Scott and I in unison, "THIS WILL BE A BLAST!"

"Michelle, are you sure this won't need to take TWO nights?!!"🤣

"Actually it will."

"Really?!!"

"Yes, I just realized it will take seven hours besides ferry time crossing Lake Michigan!  Then it will take hours to unload then load what you're bringing back!"

"So TWO nights away!"

Since Scott and I couldn't possibly pull out the sets we needed on our own all hands were there to take this on.

The "Hair" set alone filled the horse trailer, the pickup truck bed, and half the backseat of the truck cab.

Thankfully parts of both "Hair" and "Annie" were shared between the two, so that helped.  The same with the remaining three.  Nevertheless, theatre sets filled the 

U-Haul truck and the roof of the RV.  This was going to be some caravan!

I was driving the pickup truck with Scott and Dustin riding with me.  Jason, Sean and his friend Keith who joined us too were in the U-Haul.  Julien and Bobby, in the RV.

Early on a Wednesday morning The Theatre Caravan set off.  To save money we stocked the RV with a ton of food and drinks.  We also had Walkie Talkies to keep in touch with each vehicle.

To pass time on the road Julien and Bobby in the RV devised a way to play Charades by making use of the RV's large back window.  Bobby first performed a round 

for the U-Haul crew.  Then the same for us in the pickup truck.  Whichever vehicle had the highest score won.

This really did make the hours crossing Michigan fly by, besides causing hysterical laughter listening in on the guessing of Bobby's Charades through a moving window while flying down the interstate.😂

At rest stops we took coffee breaks with the coffee Bobby kept going.  By the time we reached Muskegon where the Lake Express Ferry was located we were tied in Charades.

While waiting for the next ferry to board we ate soup and sandwiches Bobby fixed after Charades.

Of course our caravan began drawing attention.

ESPECIALLY when seeing a Little Person get out of the driver's seat of a large pickup truck pulling a horse van, traveling with SEVEN men!!!  We were really having fun with the obvious reactions we were getting.  For you see I wasn't the only one of the group who had to deal with rudeness.

This was the mid-eighties.  Four of my dear friends and traveling companions were gay.  They no more saw me as a Little Person as I did their sexual preference.  But some of the strangers around us did nothing to hide their rudeness to me or their obvious disgust of my friends.  Some of my guys were ready to tear into them but I quickly reminded them I had dealt with this shit longer than them to learn a few things...and one of the most important is how WE have to be better than they are and stronger than they are because we ARE.  We must not ever allow them to take OUR power away.

My guys listened.  None of our power got taken.

The time came to board the ferry.  The Theatre Caravan had to load last in the rear section out in the open as our vehicles were so large.  No problem.

Seagulls were flying everywhere.  This is when Bobby had the bright idea of putting lunch scraps and other tidbits on the bright roof of the U-Haul.  In a moment it was like a scene from Hitchcock's "The Birds."  Not just a flock folks...more like TEN FLOCKS!😂

Thankfully since we were the rear nobody else was affected but us.  Just before we dived into the RV we could hear the Captain laughing on the intercom as he said NASA was reporting a huge dark spot over Lake Michigan!  Thus it was best not to feed seagulls.🙄

NO SHIT!🤣

Aside from this incident the crossing was uneventful.

We disembarked in Milwaukee, traveling around it heading to Madison for the last leg of our journey.

Though Madison isn't large at all compared to Milwaukee, Chicago, or Detroit, Julien and Bobby leading us all had a hell of a time finding the theatre.  Now you've got to keep in mind we were a huge RV, 

the largest truck U-HAUL carried, followed by this large extended cab pickup truck pulling a large horse van all trying to navigate these narrow streets with trees! 

The walkie-talkies came alive!

"Bobby!  What the hell is going on up there?!!

"I can't find the theatre!"

"NO SHIT!  Why not?!!"

"I think it moved."

"It couldn't have!  You haven't gotten into the Kentucky Bourbon have you?!!" asked Sean.

"Uh Bobby, are you holding the map upside down?!!"

Silence.

"Bobby!  Are you holding the map upside down?!!  It's okay if you're not so please tell us before one of these trees won't let go of us back here!"

"Yes."

"YES WHAT?!!"

"I was holding the map upside down."

"Okaaay, now take a deep breath and figure out where the hell we are so WE CAN GET OUT OF THIS MESS!"

Thankfully The Theatre Caravan finally arrived at the theatre before the staff left.😂

It was decided everything would be unloaded the next day.  Then all the brand new theatre lights with the latest colour frames and colour gels at the time, besides all the vast wiring and electrical components loaded into the U-HAUL.  The wonderful brand new hydraulic lift we so needed and the new toilet would be loaded into my horse van.

The guys brought a large grill for the steaks.  We came prepared you see.  Though it was early spring we sat near the burning coals after dinner sipping whiskey and wine telling theatre stories both funny and sad.  Sean brought his guitar so after we all had a bit of alcohol in us we sang songs...everything from "Imagine" to "Country Roads Take Me Home" to "Teach Your Children to "Everybody's Talkin'" to "My Girl" and on.  Since no one was close to hear us we sang our hearts out and laughed till the fire died.

It had been decided since I took up so little room in the bed, I would sleep with Julien and Bobby.  So there was plenty of room for all.

Because I was so used to getting up early to feed my horses throughout my life I would be the one getting seven guys awake.  I came prepared for I brought a peacock feather with me.🤣

And it worked too.  But first I made the coffee before unleashing my feather upon their dreams.🤩

The new theatre had several showers which helped us tremendously.  And they had a large crew on hand to help with the unloading.  By late afternoon each of the sets were unloaded.  Each section was checked off by me and gone over with their Scene Designer.  The theatre crew were absolutely thrilled because these sets enabled them to kick off their opening season far sooner than expected.

The theatre staff ordered a huge feast of German foods and beer with music provided by local musicians.  We all had a blast!  I was only asked five questions a thousand times:

A.  You have a horse?!!  How DO you get ON it?!!

B.  How did you become a Theatre Scene Designer?!!

C.  What's it like traveling with seven guys?!!

D.  Where are or who are you sleeping with?!!

The next morning for some reason most of the guys woke up early before getting the peacock feather awakening.😂

By mid-morning we were on our way.  Sort of...

"Bobby!  What the hell is going on up there?!!"

"I can't find the way to get on the interstate to Milwaukee!"

"NO SHIT!  Are you holding the map upside down again?!!"

Silence.

"BOBBY!"🤣

 

 

 

Theatre Road Trip...

I daresay you may find this and other busy Theatre road trips to be as funny as we did following the passages of time.  That is, after lawyer fees were all paid off, the various restitutions made and all that good stuff...😂🎭

Sometimes a theatre will either offer for sale or even give away items which are deemed quite useful to Scene Designers, Prop Managers, and even Artistic Directors of other theatres.  Of course these items were far too many or far too large to be shipped by normal means thus necessitating the need for a road trip.  And not always the people one would normally choose to take a road trip...with.🤣

When I was Scene Designer for a theatre in Michigan 

I had a young Intern named Scott who was just beginning his career.  The theatre also had a very pompous not too fondly thought of Artistic Director whose name was actually Edward, but he insisted everyone call him EduARD instead.

One day right smack in the midst of preparing theatre sets for the new season Eduard came bursting into the Scene Shop all excited.

"I have the most wonderful news!"

This tended to always be "wonderful news" only for Eduard and not the remainder of the world and certainly not for the Scene Designer and her Intern.  But since Eduard came to us this meant he had already failed to illicit any enthusiasm from the Prop Manager Alyssa, or Michelle the Executive Director who really couldn't stand Eduard anyway.

"Okay Eduarrrd, Scott and I give up.  What's your wonderful news and how come you're telling us?"

"I am SO excited!  A department store going out of business in Chicago is getting rid of their mannequins!"

"And?"

"Well I successfully bid on them!"

"That's lovely.  Uh Eduarrrd, could you move please so I can paint this section?"

"But Adelaide, I need to go pick them up!"

Since mannequins clearly fell under the Props Department I had a sickening feeling where this was going.  For believe it or not I owned a pickup truck then which is how some of my horses went where I did pulling them in the horse van behind me.  And often when one drives a pickup truck others tend to have uses for it.

"Adelaide we need your truck!"

"No problem, it's automatic."

"But I just won't drive a truck!"

"Well get Alyssa to go with you.  Mannequins do fall under her department anyway."

"After the Detroit fiasco Alyssa refuses to travel anywhere with me ever again."

"We don't blame her.  And let me guess, you expect me..."

"Actually Scott and you..."

"Uh Scott...I'll be right back.  I need to urgently see Michelle a moment."

It turned out Michelle had been convinced having five mannequins on hand could possibly be quite useful for the theatre to have.  Only there were six to pickup as Eduarrrd wanted one for himself for which purpose we did NOT want to know.

Michelle promised if Scott and I did this with Eduarrrd we would be well compensated.

"Oh crap!  You mean Scott and I must take Eduarrrd with us?!!"

So this is how Adelaide, Scott, and Eduarrrd were forced to be on a road trip together the next day.  Assuming all went well we could get there and back by the end of the day.

But it didn't quite go as planned you see, otherwise I wouldn't be telling you this story.🙃

In Chicago Eduarrrd just couldn't have the mannequins lying down with a tarp tied tightly over them, oh no.  Eduarrrd insisted that the two men and four women be in the sitting position.  As if mannequins (with no clothes) are seen everyday riding in the back of a pickup truck flying down an interstate while seemingly having a tea party?!!

Scott and I knew something had to go wrong.

It did.

As we were flying down the interstate I suddenly felt the truck begin listing which could only mean one thing...a flat tire.  I pulled over.

Sure enough.  A flat tire.

To get to the spare the mannequins had to all be unloaded onto the side of the busy interstate.  With Eduarrrd.  

Thankfully I had Scott with me.  Unfortunately the spare did not look good but we had to put it on.  There was a town a few miles further up the interstate so I decided Scott and I would take the flat and if it couldn't be fixed have a new one put on.  

Suddenly it hit Eduarrrd he was going to be left alone with the six mannequins.  Knowing how distracting it would appear to drivers suddenly seeing a bunch of mannequins we moved them down a little hill before 

we left.

"You're not leaving me alone are you?!!"

"Uh yes, Eduarrrd.  We must leave you alone otherwise someone could take your mannequins you spent a huge amount of money for.  And I need Scott's help with these tires."

"Adelaide?"

"What?"

"Can you bring me a coffee and pastry or maybe a sandwich with..."

"Eduarrrd!  We're going!"

Before we took off I must say the sight of Eduarrrd sitting in the grass along with six sitting clothesless mannequins was quite a funny sight to see.  But not like the sight Scott and I came upon when we returned two hours later!

You see, while we were waiting for the guy at the service station to put a new tire on the truck, Scott and 

I began hearing a police exchange over the CB Radio the guy had.  It seems reports were pouring in about some crazy dude surrounded by a group of nudists carrying out a ritual!  Nudists!  By the interstate?!!😱

As Scott and I soon were westbound coming back we could see a whole bunch of blue lights blazing on the eastbound side.  When we slowed with the traffic we caught sight of the mannequins.

Only the mannequins were no longer sitting as we left them.  Oh no.  Eduarrrd decided to get creative while he waited.  And what did the idiot do but position the mannequins in various stages of having sex!  By the side of a busy interstate!🙄

For a brief moment Scott and I considered leaving Eduarrrd behind to extricate himself from his own predicament but being the decent hoomans we both were we just couldn't.😂

Once we got ourselves to the next exit we got back on the interstate heading eastbound again.  Slowly we approached the scene.  Unfortunately we added to it somewhat after a Little Person...THE LITTLE PERSON DRIVING A PICKUP TRUCK(?!!) appeared who was connected with the nudist colony all having sex on the side of the interstate!🤔 

By now Eduarrrd was handcuffed and seated in the back of a police cruiser.  We learned Eduarrrd had been busy doing something else too while we were gone, for Eduarrrd had been drinking!  DRINKING?!!

Obviously unbeknownst to Scott and myself Eduarrrd brought along one very full flask of whiskey with him which he always carried.  Then as soon as we left he began drinking away!  

First he moved the mannequins back up the little hill.  Then the more he drank the more creative he became with the mannequins.  On the side of the interstate!  It's funny now but none of us were laughing then.  He could have caused an accident!😱

The officers were very intrigued to meet a Little Person who not only drove a pickup truck but had a horse and was a Theatre Scene Designer!  So they decided to release Eduarrrd.  Also the mannequins, but on their own recognizance.  However, Eduarrrd would have to return to appear in court charged with disorderly conduct and a whole slew of other things.

After we were back on our way Scott gave the very less animated Eduarrrd the cold by now coffee and pastry we had gotten him.

"Are you going to tell Michelle about this?"

"Eduarrrd, YOU are.  If you don't, I will.  There is no way she will not hear of this."

And oh was I right too.  

For you see a bunch of "nudists making love alongside an interstate" brought out the local newspaper photographers.  Then those pictures found their ways into all the other local newspapers too.🤔

Let's just say Eduarrrd and his mannequin moved on to places unknown thereafter!😂

Sweet Bubbles And Horses...

God took a handful of southerly wind, blew His breath over it, and created the horse.

                                         ~Bedouin Legend

Years before Patches came along I boarded my beloved horse Selah at the same farm.  Selah was a beautiful bay horse with black mane, tail, and lower legs, as well as having a white blaze.

One of the other boarders had a yearling colt pony they were trying to decide if they should have gelded or not.  [Ahem...for those unfamiliar with equine terminology, a gelded horse is the same as a neutered cat or dog.😄]

When those of us who owned mares expressed concern to Pete about how much longer was he going to wait, he of course insisted there was no way Rocky could impregnate the mares.  Was way too young he said.  Couldn't possibly reach them anyway he said.

By Fall it was obvious to those of us with mares to see we had EXPECTING mares thanks to Rocky, "the way too young who couldn't possibly reach the mares" yearling pony colt who was then very quickly removed from the farm after all the fun he managed to have.😂

In Spring the foals began coming.  Selah gave birth to a lovely little filly I named Rachel.  I was there when she was born and we immediately bonded.

Since I could not afford to keep two horses I knew I would need to sell Rachel and it wasn't going to be easy.  Nevertheless, when she was old enough to be weaned I had her moved to another farm.  After she was almost two, like with Patches later I simply began riding her because of the sweet bond we had.

This farm was located near trails reached by various backroads.

One Summer day riding bareback in my bare feet blowing huge bubblegum bubbles, I was riding Rachel down one of the backroads to reach the trails.

A man in a car slowly passed us.  He turned around 

and passed us again slowly.  

Then he turned around yet again and came back towards us.  By this point I was obviously very uneasy in the middle of nowhere.  On my horse.  Suddenly the man stopped and got out of his car.

By the look on my face he quickly reassured me and showed me his newspaper I.D. and camera explaining he was a photographer for the newspaper.  He LOVED the image of Rachel and I riding her bareback in my bare feet blowing bubbles.  He asked for permission to take our photo.  

The next day there we were Rachel and I on the front page with my face mostly obscured by this gigantic bubble I was asked to please, PLEASE blow for the proper effect.  The dear photo (I am trying to locate) was titled, "Blowing Bubbles On Horseback."

Being a Little Person had nothing to even do with it and I absolutely loved this!

And do you know what else?  The newspaper received several calls from people wanting to know if Rachel was for sale!

I interviewed each one then checked them out first before deciding on the one who would buy Rachel.  She went on to have a much loved happy life all because one bright Summer day we were on a backroad in the middle of nowhere with me blowing big bubblegum bubbles while riding bareback and barefoot...🐎😃🐎💫

A Day To Hold Forever...

All I seek is Heaven above me, and a horse beneath me.

"Hey Adelaide!  Let's swim across on our horses!"

"Oh Rob," said Lacy to her brother, "do you think we should?  It could be deep."

"Yeah," I responded, "but it would be fun!  And besides, it's SO hot today!" 

"Aww common, Lacy!  Let's do it for the horses!" said Rob, as we both looked at Lacy with our pleading eyes which always worked.

Now this was not just any pond.  This was a HUGE pond, about the equivalent of a soccer/football field!  On my Shetland pony, Sadie.  With my best friends Lacy and her brother Rob and their horses I wrote about in my "Mustang Show Ring" blog.

Sadie was a dear, sweet black and white pinto, and she absolutely LOVED water!  We could not just cross a creek, you see.  Sadie had to splash in it until she got us both drenched...which is exactly why I never went anywhere NEAR a creek during winters.

Lacy's horse was a beautiful black Quarter Horse mare named Vandalla, and Rob's horse Havoc was a large black and white pinto pony.  Like me they rode bareback and often barefoot too during the summer months.  And there was not a trail or field for miles we had not galloped on with our beloved horses.  

As I touched on before we three lived with alcoholism and violence in our homes, which not only made us profoundly grateful for our horses but for each other too.

One bright summer day we discovered this amazing long trail that went through a forest and then suddenly opened up into these vast fields with this HUGE pond.  It was when we took our horse and ponies to let them drink and Sadie began splashing that Rob thought it would be great fun for us to swim across.  Something none of us had ever done before. 

All we did was give the three each a little nudge and they plunged in with no hesitation!  Since Sadie was a small pony we began swimming immediately!  Rather she swam and I swam beside her holding onto her mane and the reins.  Vandalla with Lacy, and Havoc with Rob, were soon swimming next to us doing the same.

We hadn't exactly planned the best way we should exit the pond though which would have been a very good thing to have planned first.  Like should we try to be on their backs when we came out? 

As we neared the shore we instinctively floated over their backs so when they came out we would be on them.  Hopefully.  Only horses become very slippery when soaking wet.  And I am talking SLIPPERY.  VERY SLIPPERY.

We made a grand exit beneath a grove of trees when we came out of the pond.  Immediately our horses shook off the water and then each of us too.  Laughing our heads off.  

AND THAT IS WHEN WE SAW IT.

Apparently older teenagers or young adults used the secluded place to have fun and romance.  And they were carrying huge amounts of loose change on them too which had escaped their pockets unawares for before us bright shining change was everywhere!

By the time we gathered it all up and counted it there was exactly $12.30, which back in those days and to three kids who earned our own money to care for our horses it was a hell of a lot of money to find!  Dividing it we each had $4.10 and were absolutely thrilled!

In those days there was a country store not far from where we were called The Hitching Post with an actual hitching post in front for their horseback riding clientele.  Only when WE three were lucky enough to have Coke money we took turns going in because we were so protective of our horses.

Immediately we rode to The Hitching Post.  We could have bought comic books and a bunch of candy but we didn't.  We did each buy a Coke, candy bar, and a carrot and apple for each of our horses.  As we sat beneath a tree enjoying these with our horses we were still marveling at both the swimming and finding treasure we would not have found had we not gone swimming with our horses in the first place.

Soon it was time to go our separate ways and head to whatever would be waiting for us at our homes.  Yet we all three decided that no matter what happened or where our lives would take us we had just shared the best day young friends may have that neither time, distance, or circumstance could ever take from our grasp.

"If the hands of time could be held, I would keep them warm within my grasp and never let them go."

                                             ~Brian's Song

 

A Powerful Theatre Moment...

Thankfully THIS theatre moment was one that did NOT unfold before an audience, but during Dress Rehearsal.  For those who may be unfamiliar with theatre lingo, Dress Rehearsal is when the actors wear their actual costumes or clothing for a play for the final rehearsal before Opening Night.

This particular play, "Calvalcade" by Noel Coward was about a very loving couple over a period of time who weathered changes in the world around them including losses.  The two main leads acting in this production, Martina and Simon were actually married to each other.

The rehearsals leading up to Dress Rehearsal went quite well.  However a storm was forming below the surface.  It appeared the young actress playing the lady in love with the "Calvalcade" couple's son, apparently was brazenly being flirtatious with Simon.  Martina, well aware of this didn't appear to be concerned.  At least on the surface.  

Yet there is this very surreal calm where NOTHING stirs just before a tornado wipes a town off the map too!

When Simon and Martina arrived on Dress Rehearsal night, not only were they obviously fighting, they had been drinking!  Not good, not good.😱

So it would be an understatement to say that 

Dan, the play Director suddenly became about as nervous as a cat with a long tail in a room full 

of rocking chairs rocking.🤣

Act I came off well considering everything.

Then...came...Act...II.  When Miss Flirtatious enters.

Now I happened to be in the Scene Shop painting a set for a play the following season.  Way back there I usually couldn't hear what was happening on stage.  But I sure did hear a huge crash!  MY first thought was the unthinkable happened:  that part of my set failed somehow, so I went flying to Stage Right.😱  

I arrived just in time to see Martina hurl a large vase prop at Simon which shattered to pieces as she yelled, "Simon, you son of a b***h!"

"Marty I wasn't being flirtatious back," said Simon, as he dodged a large book.

"I saw you wink at her!"

"I wasn't winking at her!"

"Like hell!"

"Calvalcade" had clearly just descended into "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?" here.😂

"Marty, do you REALLY think I could fall for HER?!!"

Oh my, Simon was in for it now, because this is when Miss Flirtatious suddenly came out from under the desk she was cowering beneath grabbing a whiskey bottle prop on her way.  As she hurled it at Simon he ducked and the bottle shattered my multiple glass window panes I had painstakingly put in for each of the large windows.😱

At this point Marty turned on Miss Flirtatious.  

"How DARE you!"  As she hurled the coffee table at her and missed, but took out MORE of my windows besides breaking a leg on the coffee table!🥴

"STOP!  ALL THREE OF YOU SIT DOWN NOW!"  

If you're wondering WHO said this, I can assure you it was not Dan the Director cowering behind the seats in Row F, nor was it the Stage Manager hiding behind the curtains, or Props, or the Executive Director and Artistic Director both hiding in the wings. 

It...was...ME...standing to my 4'3" full height.💥  

You see, when Adelaide's theatre set gets destroyed the night before Opening Night, she becomes a force to be reckoned with!!!😂

All three promptly seated themselves on the couch together when I ordered them to sit down NOW, even appearing to tremble a bit in fear as I stood before them.

"Simon, apologize to Miss Flirtat...I mean, Denise!"

"But I didn't..."

"I don't give a shit.  Apologize."

"Marty, you apologize to Simon and Denise."

"But Adelaide, I...uh...uh...okaaay, I'll apologize."

"Denise, it's your turn."

"Yes mam!  I'm apologizing!"

"Okay, all three of you are setting aside your differences NOW.  You have a show to do tomorrow and you're going to do it well and you're going to be sober doing it.  Right now you're going to finish Dress Rehearsal while I repair the windows and coffee table you broke.  If you're done rehearsing before I get done, you're going to help me finish.  Got it?"

They eagerly nodded in unison.

Simon then announced he had a confession.

"Now?"

"Yes Adelaide, please, because I'm not afraid saying this as long as you are here to protect me."🙄

"Marty honey, I was winking at Dan, not Denise.  I've been too afraid to come out.  No more.  I'm gay Marty.  Dan and I are in love.  This doesn't mean I won't continue to love you...it just means things will be different.  We will be happier.  Please, I need to know my sweet angel, if you will support me in this."

At first she was silent.  For an eternity. 

"Simon, honey, I think deep down inside I've always known this.  We haven't been happy or fulfilled for years, you know?  I really want you to be happy, I sincerely do.  I will be happy too.  I believe this change will be good for us both.  And you know what else?  I'm very proud of you!"💖

"I am too, Simon." I said.

After everyone felt it was safe enough to venture out of their hiding places, we gave them a rousing round of applause as tears filled our eyes, because we were all profoundly touched by what just happened. 

Then everyone suddenly turned toward me and gave me a standing ovation.  Even now all these years later my eyes are filled with heartwarming tears by what happened on stage that night.  

It was powerful.  It was shared.  And oh, was it 

ever magic.🎭💫

The One And Only...

First, for those of you who may not know who the legendary actor Joel Grey is, he with Liza Minelli starred in the Academy Award winning 1972 film "Cabaret," has been a Broadway star for decades, and yes, is even the beloved father of the "Dirty Dancing" star Jennifer Grey.  He is also somebody who has meant a great deal to me too.

                                Joel Grey in Cabaret

For you see Mr. Grey not only shares the SAME birthday as mine but...BUT...he is only 5' TALL!  NOT much taller than myself so he has been a hero to me as well as being one hell of a talented man, and someone I have looked up to for many years.  In fact it was Mr. Grey in part, who helped fan into flames🔥the heart of a very young Adelaide's already burning🔥desire of becoming a Theatre Scene Designer despite the Scene Designer Profession being dominated by men and the daunting height challenges to be faced. 

 

Even wrote Mr. Grey a letter telling him all this too.  He  was so kind to respond by telling me how whenever 

we theatre people have that burning fire🔥of ambition 

in our heart, no matter how height lacking we may be nothing...NOTHING will keep us from reaching our dream and making it our reality.

Though I certainly had the boldness, determination, 

and fire🔥in my heart with ambition to plunge forth to reaching my dream, Mr. Grey's words ignited me even more.🔥 

As you know by reading this blog I successfully attained the ambition in my heart, even with height challenges.  For you see anyone crazy enough to gallop across fields upon the barebacks of all her horses at speeds nearly exceeding Secretariat's, is crazy enough to follow her heart into a challenging profession and not only do it thirty-six years in between many surgeries but do it well. 

Now should you be wondering if Mr. Grey and I ever met since I have a tendency to run into some very famous people along the way as shared here, do please keep reading.🤔

First though, more about some of Joel Grey's other well known roles.  In 1968 Mr. Grey originated the role of George M. Cohan in the musical "George M."  He later was in "Normal Heart" about Aids, "Wicked," the very long running "Chicago," and the very successful revival of "Anything Goes." 

Joel Grey and Sutton Foster, "Anything Goes" Rehearsal 

Though he would still currently be performing at the young age of eighty-nine, the virus has closed theatres.

Yet Mr. Grey keeps busy with photography and art.

Now then...did we ever meet?!!

Remember in my two blogs describing the summer Theatre Scene Designer Workshop I was honoured to participate in when through an amazing set of circumstances I had a horse to ride in Central Park during those four months?  And literally running right smack into Leonard Bernstein as we both rounded a corner in a backstage hallway at Lincoln Center one day?

Another day while near the Minkoff Theatre where a revival of "Cabaret" was running, I was rushing to go meet my friends at the stable where our horses were for a ride in Central Park that afternoon.  As often happens busy people tend not to expect a Little Person to be way down here.  Even a dear hooman who may be a bit height deficient as Joel Grey.🤣

As I was very preoccupied with dodging people on the crowded sidewalk unaware a hooman was down below here, one plowed right into me.  A short one.

In my typical Adelaide very dignified fashion after seeing WHO had plowed into me I blurted out, "Awww hell, it's YOU!"

Whereupon Mr. Grey responded, "AWWW HELL, IT'S YOUUUUU!"😂

By the way, at this point he had NO IDEA who the hell I was except for the very rare fact he nearly ran over an adult hooman who was actually shorter than he was!

As I extended my hand out to Mr. Grey I warmly said to him, "Oh how wonderful it is to meet you and did you know how much you inspired me with the letter you wrote and we both have the same birthday too?!!"

You see I have this tendency to cram LOTS into one sentence whenever meeting somebody famous in person I adore on a very busy NYC sidewalk who just plowed into me whose letter inspired me.🤩

For the whole eternity it took after he warmly grasped my hand, Mr. Grey finally responded, "Is it YOU?  Are YOU that person?!!"

"YES!"

We then had to move over by a tree because crowds of hoomans taller than us were having difficulties getting around us once discovering we were both down here.

"How incredible!  I do vaguely remember your sweet letter!  You told me of your🔥burning desire to follow your heart into Scene Design despite any height challenges.  There was something special about your letter that touched me.  Did you become a Scene Designer?"

"I did!  I AM!  You were...ARE...someone special I look up to and yes I know I look up to everyone.  But you cared enough to take the time to encourage me.  Your letter made a difference."

"Your name...does it not begin with an "A?"  

"Yes, Mr. Grey...Adelaide."

"Adelaide, do you live here?"

"No Mr. Grey, I ha..."

"Please...call me Joel."

"Aww, thank you, Joel!  I have been here since May for a four month Scene Design Workshop wrapping up in two weeks."

"Have you had a good stay here?"

"Oh yes!  It wasn't possible for me to bring my horse with me, but my frien..."

"You have a horse?!!"

"Yes, I'm one of these craz..."

"How DO you ever get ON it?!!"

"At home I usually climb onto the hood of my car then launch myself through the air and most of the time I land on their backs.  Here I use a mounting block next to a stall door, then balance myself standing precariously on the stall door and from there land on Mugwamp's back and yes, that's his name and no, I did not name him that."😂

Suddenly, probably because we're Aries...at the same moment we both remembered we had been rushing to get some place before Mr. Grey plowed into me.

"Oh crap, Joel, I'm supposed to meet my friends for a ride on our horses to Central Park!"

"And I need to be at the theatre!  My dear Adelaide, it's not everyday I get to plow into somebody here I like who is a delight to speak with!"

"I know!  Of all the thousands to plow into me I am so thrilled it was you!  Thank you for this gift!"

"No, thank YOU Adelaide for making my day a gift!"

At that we hugged then each disappeared into the mass of humanity carrying the treasure of one very special bright encounter with us.

My one lasting regret?  This was in the days before cellphones and selfies!🙃