The Loop...

Though Kentucky is not considered to be a deep south state we nevertheless share some of the unique traits of the south.  Three of the most important things here are charm, saving face, and loyalty.  Gossip absolutely does not EVER apply to southern loyalty you see, for one can gossip like crazy without shame from one end of Kentucky to the other and yet STILL be considered as VERY loyal.

It is also very highly important to know this region is quite hilly.  For our Muldraugh Hills throughout Horse Country Kentucky are not JUST hills BUT are actually noble MOUNTAINS worn down by age.  

Also here in the south, especially on many of our horse farms, the main houses have huge verandas where families gather on nice Sunday afternoons.  Another very charming thing about the south is the fact ladies here are often addressed as "Miss" with their first name, only it tends to get pronounced as "Miz" instead, such as Miz Adelaide.

My just-a-friend Danny exemplified southern charm and as I soon discovered, saving face which means tenaciously holding onto one's dignity no matter how much one is losing one's dignity, which by the way Danny took to extremes.  Danny also tinkered on cars, yet I assure you he wasn't at all as good on them as he thought he was.  In fact Danny failed miserably when it came to cars (and horses too), BUT he boarded a horse at the same farm I did which is how we knew each other.  

After I had to learn to walk again the second time following my second spine surgery, but hadn't been allowed to drive yet, Danny very kindly drove me out to the farm with him.  But for some reason he was always driving a different car though.🙃

Have I said how hilly it is here yet?  Believe me it really IS very VERY hilly here.🤣

So one bright Sunday afternoon after Danny and I had been out at the farm and were heading back to town, we were speeding down a very steep former mountain when Danny calmly said to me, "Uh oh, Miz Adelaide, the brakes went out again."

Not so calmly I replied, "WHAT?!!  WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE BRAKES WENT OUT?!!"😱

"We have no brakes."🙄 

"OHHH SHIT!"

Then as we were careening down this very steep hill which used to be a mountain, Danny suddenly turned the speeding car into the driveway of the Higgins Mansion.  On the veranda were gathered all the generations of Higginses with all of their iced teas.😳

The driveway had a loop which proceeded right in front of the verandah (southern spelling).  Danny wanted to drive around this loop a few times till we hopefully slowed down enough to proceed on our way.  But you see, we were not in a position to TELL the Higgins family what was happening BECAUSE WE COULDN'T STOP TO TELL THEM!  Danny was flat out determined to save any remaining shreds of his dignity at all cost, while his passenger was wondering if SHE should save her life by making a leap from the speeding car and to hell with dignity.

"Now Miz Adelaide each time we drive past the Higginses veranDAH politely wave and smile to them so they think what we're doing is normal."

"WHAT?!!  THIS ISN'T NORMAL."🤣

"Please just do it?  I don't want the Higgins to think

I've screwed up another car."🙃

SO...we ended up making not one, not four, but FIVE loops all around the Higgins' driveway loop very politely waving and smiling to all the Higginses each loop we went around like not a thing was wrong, as all the Higginses very politely waved and smiled back to us each loop we made with the most startled looks upon their faces.🥴

"Uh Danny, aren't they all wondering WHY WE'RE NOT STOPPING?!!"🤣

"Probably.  But southern charm means if somebody comes down your driveway making loops around your loop one Sunday while very politely waving and smiling as they go by in front of your verandah each time without stopping, you respond with sincere politeness back without questioning their reasons."🙄

"BUT DANNY, THEIR FACES HAVE 'QUESTIONING OUR REASONS' WRITTEN ALL OVER THEM!"😂

"Yeah, well maybe being a little mysterious about exactly why we're making these loops around their loop is a good thing."

"Danny, you know they're going to be talking about this for decades right?"

"Maybe."

By the time we made five loops and headed safely on our way with the brakes miraculously working again somehow, Danny and I left all the Higginses and their ice teas with one final series of our well executed very polite smiles with waving and then even a toot on the car horn too, after a very charmingly successful saving dignity event.👍

And yes, nearly everyone in the whole region soon heard about the Sunday the charming Danny and Miz Adelaide made a social call FROM A MOVING CAR TEN LOOPS (it became exaggerated in the MANY retellings through the decades you see) while happily waving and smiling at the Higgins family as they all sat on their veranDAH with their ice teas very happily waving and smiling back.

I began driving again immediately afterwards...🤣

This Boldness Factor Of Mine...

Despite my talent I was nearly not accepted into the Theatre Scene Design Program of the University I had applied to.  The Department Chairman expressed concerns I may not be able to paint the massive canvas or wood backdrops in the days long before the amazing computer graphics took over towards the end of my career.  

Dr. Ravenall was also very concerned my height challenge could hinder me from using the power saws and the other tools needed in set construction too, yet

I wasn't.😃💫

In my blog piece on Boldness I shared what happened immediately after Dr. Ravenall expressed his concerns in the excerpt below about what can happen when we either learn boldness or must be bold due to the unique way we were created...🤣👇

[Even though I am about the same size standing as I am sitting, I suddenly stood up in front of Dr. Ravenall to my full height of my very tall 4'3" and boldly let him know a few things about myself.  That it was because of my height I would be an asset as I had more to prove, and I would.  Not only that I had far more courage than the average person.  Furthermore, I was very talented too which he strongly agreed.  And one more thing I blurted out to Dr. Ravenall was I owned and galloped my horse bareback across fields asking him how many people he knew who could!

At this his jaw dropped.  And he was speechless.  He never had ANYONE talk to him before in such a way.  Especially such a young person!

He was silent.  For a brief moment I thought to myself, "Oh shit.  I blew it."

Finally Dr. Ravenall spoke.  "Adelaide, I am not only going to admit you to the program but our renown Prof. Emeritus of Scene Painting, Dr. Sonderling, takes only eleven students every other year who have extraordinary talent and character.  Because you have just shown me both in spades I am putting you in his final class this semester."   

WOW.  Being one of the few chosen for THAT class was BIG.  Really big.  So was being admitted to the Theatre Scene Design Program too.  Boldness threw the door wide open for me.]

Dr. Sonderling was a beloved Scene Design professor dear to all.  I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to be one of the few chosen for the last class of his long career.  He created this class for Design students who met certain requirements.  For me to be a first year student chosen to be in this, the last class, was really something special.  And believe me, quite an honour.

In the beginning of the class we prepared the series of huge canvas flats we would need for the Scene Painting assignments Dr. Sonderling would be giving us.

Obviously this was one class where we couldn't take our work home so the ten of my fellow students and I became very close friends, often painting through the nights on our huge assignments.

This class is where I learned I had a very special gift.  Normally artists transferring an image from a photo or page from a book divide the page into grids, then enlarge the grids to the flat, transferring the image.  I had a mental block with the grid system yet could freely reproduce a small image in its exact proportions onto a massive flat requiring tall ladders.  This proved to be quite a special gift on my career journey. 

It blew Dr. Sonderling away!  "Adelaide!  How do you DO that?!!"

"I don't know!  I just DO IT!  I can't explain how!  Is it a bad thing I can't do the grid system?"

"Hell no!  You really have a gift there!"

Dr. Sonderling wondered if the gift I had was because EVERYTHING from MY perspective is obviously much larger than I am anyway.  So as a Scene Design artist this afforded me the ability to easily recreate small into huge.😃

We had begun our first assignment on 4'x4' flats.  For this Dr. Sonderling gave us each a page from a very wonderful, colorful children's book called, "Tuesday," by David Wiesner, which was a funny book about a Tuesday when frogs could suddenly fly.  My page had the frogs on their flying lilypads high above the rooftops as you may see below which I had to recreate onto a canvas flat my height.😂

In High School I had already painted on huge 6'x6' canvas flats for various school productions which contributed to the reasons I was accepted into the Design Program when my portfolio was reviewed.

As Dr. Sonderling observed our individual drawing and painting techniques he discovered another amazing technique I did not know I had.🤔

I was so engrossed in my work I did not realize he was standing behind me watching me work.  All of a sudden Dr. Sonderling loudly blurted out, "ADELAIDE!"

In quick succession he so startled me I spilled half a can of green paint down my front from the frogs I was painting.😂🐸

"OH CRAP!  Did I do something wrong?!!"😱

Laughing, he said, "NO!  But YOU paint from dark to light!"

"Ohhkaaay...uh...doesn't...everyone?"😳

"No, that's just it!  Everyone usually draws and paints from light TO dark!"

"OH.  Is this something I need to change?"😱

"DON'T EVER TOUCH IT!"

When I told my dear mentor friends this they were not surprised.  They reminded me how my very challenging life and indomitable spirit meant I was always striving to overcome the dark to remain in the positive light I held onto in living my life.  And it was coming out in my creative technique of dark to light.  This made sense to ME.😃🖌🎨

The time came for Dr. Sonderling's final assignment on the massive 12'x12' canvas flats.  We were anxious to see what we would be painting on this one.  This is when he handed each of us a large sealed envelope with our names written on it.  Inside was the Edward Hopper painting he had chosen for each of us.  Mine was the Empty Storefront seen below.

Not only were we given three weeks to produce this final assignment, it accounted for half our grade.  A lot was riding on this project.

Since we each had three or four other classes besides this one we had to really burn the midnight oil to complete this project.  And do a darn good job.  The last two days we hardly left the Scene Shop.  Our massive flats, ladders, and paint were everywhere.  Besides having a steady stream of Theatre Department students and faculty who kept coming to observe our progress.😱

Finally it was time for both Dr. Sonderling as well as Dr. Ravenall to critique our work.  One by one in the Theatre our massive flats were set up on the stage.  

We were being assessed on accuracy and our painting ability of the Hopper painting we each had been given. 

Actually we all did well for we wouldn't have been chosen for the class if we each didn't have talent to begin with.  Nevertheless, a LOT still was depending upon this assignment.  We would only be given our actual grade when both professors sat down with each of us privately. 

I nailed an A+ the highest possible grade and was well on my way.

We knew our flats became the property of the Theatre Department, yet often through the years I have thought how cool keeping my Hopper flat and the flying frogs would have been...😂👏🖌🎨💫

From "Tuesday"

👇"The Empty Storefront"

The Gift Of "WOW"

I first am going to share the story about two seeds with you.  One seed boldly determined she wanted to grow tall and get off the ground doing it.  And she did.  You see it was very stormy where she was so with her courage she soared with the wind to a grove of trees where she made friends right away with the other trees and squirrels too.  Not only did she grow she lived a very full, colorful life.  She was admired for having the courage to live her dreams.  Often she had to surmount many tough challenges of stormy weather but she realized the challenges were actually what grew her into the amazing, wonderful tree she became.  

Now the other seed instead lived in fear and insecurity.  Rather than soar with the wind to new places filled with wonders and a place to grow tall, she remained exactly where she was.  She worried about everything...especially if she left the ground like the other seed had done.  No way would SHE do THAT!  So she chose...NOT...to...go...anywhere.

Not good...not good.

For you see, one day a hungry crow came along 

and devoured this very unhappy seed who chose to live in fear and self-pity.

I am here to tell all of you about a really kind of mind blowing profound discovery I made recently.  This must be similar to when people suddenly have one of those moments of seeing their life pass before them as they have a near death experience, otherwise we would never know these events are possible for one to have.  Which is a good thing.  Though I have been extremely close to dying several times along the way I have not had yet, nor am I having one of those.  Besides, since I bought an expensive wild horse calendar as I do each year for this very purpose, I assure you my going anywhere definitely is not happening anytime soon because I invested in that calendar.😂

Though being height challenged you may have found by now I still managed to live a life of WOW (a life of WOW is another one of those many endearing...so I am told, "Adelaideism" things hoomans who know me either love or laugh hysterically about) by boldly surviva-soaring my way along and carving out one hell of a WOW life anyway despite a lifetime of horrendous challenges.

Only I did not realize quite how much a life of WOW I had until I FINALLY arrived at this place in my life where I am at last writing things here many have begged me to please do for years.  The reason why it took me so long to do this is because I was so darn busy pouring myself into living in-between all my hospital living.

Another "Adelaideism" you are now about to have the privilege of discovering here is, "The Adelaide IF Threads."  These are when one thing needs to happen for another to happen in life.  We ALL have an "IF Thread Of Gratitude" running through our lives.  Should you be unaware such a vital life treasure exists, please know that it does and embrace it.

I believe there is far more to our existence than these amazing bodies made up of billions of cells as we  dwell upon this miraculous tiny speck of Earth found in a unbelievably wonderful VAST Universe.  Just think about it! 

In all that VASTNESS there must be reasons why some of us come into this world with a huge Mt. Everest of horrendous challenges.  I believe this is why some then come packaged with treasure, because I was blessed to come packaged with the soul of a horse, a sense of humour, the powerful gift of having love in the midst of a childhood without love, an indomitable spirit, a gratitude attitude, determination in spades, lots of creative talent, and an innate sense of positivity. 

Now...to my amazing "Adelaide's IF Thread."

IF Adelaide did not have her loving babysitter at three and the other kids who adored her, she would not have known how much she mattered to others at such a tender age...the beginning of her journey.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide had not learned that love she wouldn't have begun boldly knocking on doors by age five in yet another new town as her parents kept moving so much.  Because she did this she immediately found new friends and their parents who loved and accepted her and who stood by her when needed the most.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide's parents hadn't moved again she would not have known the bonds of friendship she found in kids living in the Orphanage, who like Adelaide were adults 

in kid's bodies because our adults failed us.  With Adelaide's innate courage and her new friends she learned to be stronger than all the ridicule and hurt hurled at her.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide had not written a sad yet powerful poem about losing hope read by a teacher who embraced Adelaide with her compassion by taking Adelaide into her home and heart, Adelaide wouldn't have had her first mentor friend who restored her hope.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide's wounds from yet more violence in her home had not been so severe the next morning, her parents feared the teacher would notice and they get arrested and suddenly Adelaide's dream of finally having a horse in her life happened.  Adelaide would not have known her first experience of being set free by her horses throughout her life without having endured the violence first.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide had not been set free with her horse, she would not have had the ability to paint and draw horses the way she could by making them free, and an art gallery who saw her work would not have discovered and represented her at seventeen.  Because of this...

IF the art gallery had not represented her and the local newspaper had not done a story about Adelaide and her art, four very special people touched by something they saw in Adelaide would never have known Adelaide or each other.  They would not have become Adelaide's dear mentor friends who loved her on the journey Adelaide began soaring upon.  Because of this...

IF these four had not taught Adelaide so well and nurtured her innate gifts she would not have pushed so hard to follow her heart into theatre, believing she had what it took to become a Scene Designer.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide did not believe she had what it took to follow her heart to become a Theatre Scene Designer she could not have blown away the Theatre Department Chairman with her boldness who accepted her into the Theatre Scene Design Program when he almost didn't. 

Because of this...

IF Adelaide's indomitable spirit following her first spine surgery had not come shining forth as she fought to walk again against the impossible she would not have inspired others who needed to be inspired.  Because of this...

IF one of Adelaide's mentor friends had not recognized Adelaide's gift to inspire others this mentor friend 

would not have gotten Adelaide into becoming a powerful speaker.  When she did, Adelaide touched many lives by incredibly inspiring them.  Then the ripple effects of Adelaide's words they shared with others spread further and further touching even more lives.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide never shared the gift for humour she had been given, doors of acceptance would not have been opened.  Most of all, many hearts may not have been opened too.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide did not have the courage and optimism including some insanity to take a HUGE plunge to raise the funding needed for a move to Maryland for more surgery and treatment with a new bone marrow drug, by riding her horse ten miles with the media along on the ride too, thousands would never have taken Adelaide and Patches into their hearts.  They never would have embraced the inspiration they said Adelaide gave them.  And the laughter.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide had not plunged forth to Maryland she never would have found the love of her life and become the love of his life.  Though tragedy took his life, Adelaide would never have known how deeply one could love and be loved by another and this is a treasure she will forever cherish.  Because of this...

IF Adelaide had not learned the profound gift and meaning of having friends so young, she would not have been able to nail this down so young.  Because of this her gratitude knows no bounds for all the friends she loves and holds so dearly.

You see, despite all my challenges what a fun, creative, filled with a huge cast of characters, love, horses, cats, adventurous, wonderful life I have had.  I have poured more living into my journey with all my severe challenges than many do without physical challenges. 

I have been very blessed to live a life of WOW.  And because of that...

The Day We Soared Higher Than Birds...

WHOO HOO HOOOOOOOO," all twelve of us yelled after cramming ourselves together onto a large slick section of vinyl flooring we borrowed from the Scene Design Shop to plunge down the Mt. Everest of hills with perfect packed down snow.

Only there was a slight problem though.  Near the bottom one had to be very careful (assuming one had any control of what one was riding on) to aim going stage left because you see if one went stage right one would plow into a creek.  Plunging into a creek during winter is something most of us try very hard to avoid if possible. 

The other friends I was plunging down this huge Mt. Everest hill with were the ones I wrote about in my blog describing Dr. Sonderling's last ever elite Scene Painting class we had the honor of having been chosen for.

Since we had to spend so much of our time together painting assignments on MASSIVE canvas flats we nine young men and two young ladies became very close. Actually Dr. Sonderling was profoundly touched by just how supportive and close a group we were.  

The last day of his last class Dr. Sonderling said to us as he kept choking back tears, "All of you have formed 

a very touching deep bond always looking out for each other, helping each other, having fun, laughing and hugging.  A camaraderie I have not seen like this ever before.  The eleven of you have become very special to me.  I could not have asked to end my teaching career with a finer group.  And all talented as hell too.  I feel so proud and privileged to know you.  Please keep in touch with me!  By the way, what in the world are you going to do with the vinyl you asked to borrow?  I'm curious."

Sooo, this is how seventy-two year old Dr. Sonderling wound up on this large piece of slick vinyl flooring with his eleven students careening down Mt. Everest at high speed.  From the top of this hill none of us could see how at stage left where we HAD to go if we wanted to avoid plowing into the creek, a very unexpected rise had been built in the snow for the purpose of becoming very airborne. 

Now I have a feeling my dear readers are wondering what happened, are you not?  I daresay you would really like to know how our flight landed.  So please hold on tight and keep reading to the end...the...very...end.😃 

All of my other ten friends in dear Dr. Sonderling's final 

Scene Painting class and I kept in touch with each other through the years (well now you at least know WE survived Mt. Everest anyway...sort of...😂).  And we all kept our promise to keep in touch with Dr. Sonderling the remainder of his life too (yes, he too survived Mt. Everest...kind of🙃).

Although my other ten friends and I kept in touch the last time we all were ever together was that plunge we made down Mt. Everest.  For as life often does when one's heart is in theatre, the roads we travel and places theatre takes us are many.  Two of my friends landed Scene Design positions at prestigious theatres in New York and Seattle.  Another in LA.  One continued his Scene Design studies all the way to Oxford in England.  Loved England so much he remained there many years (and where have those years gone so fast?).

Two of my other friends found living in many different places not what they really wanted yet to remain in theatre landed Scene Design jobs at a university because they married each other.  Another friend of 

the ten began teaching Theatre Scene Design at a performing arts high school.

One of our ten died in a theatre shop accident.  And one we have no idea what happened to or where he is.

And finally the last you have been following her journey here.

Our dear Dr. Sonderling lived to the young age of 

ninety-one.  I was able to see him one final time when he was eighty-six.  He was thrilled to see me and though he was having trouble remembering people he had no problem with knowing who I was.  

"Adelaide!  My amazing little Scene Painter who draws and paints from dark to light instead of light to dark!  And who dances with horses!"  

So assuming you have made it this far without giving 

up to see how Mt. Everest ended I will not keep you in suspense any longer.

I left you hanging as we were careening down Mt. Everest at high speed unaware a snow rise was built at stage left, the only way for us to go without flying into the creek at stage right.  And we had a seventy-two year old Dr. Sonderling who had been keen to join us but by now was probably wishing he hadn't. 

In very quick succession we suddenly saw the friggin rise built in the snow, then we reached heights no one else riding on a piece of floor vinyl with twelve people have surely ever attained before in all the history of hoomans. 

The guys thought we had to hit that rise doing 40mph but it had to be at least 90mph.  We hit that sucker and we went flying waaay high.

How high?  

Well Dr. Sonderling swore he saw a flock of birds flying below us, however I cannot attest to that.  I know we 

did pass through some clouds though.

Somehow after we returned to earth again we landed and for a brief moment it appeared our destiny was to take a plunge in the icy creek.  Though we never told Dr. Sonderling this fact we think his weight on the stage left portion of the vinyl miraculously shifted us away from those icy waters, and most of all, sparing him from that fate because we cared so much about him.

We still kept speeding down the rest of Mt. Everest 

until we at last hit a series of snowdrifts before finally coming to a stop.

All twelve of us cheered, jumped up and down and hugged each other.  Dr. Sonderling said this was the most fun he had in years!  It was indeed a thrill for us all.  The serendipitous spur of the moment events in our lives always are.  That's why we all need them.

During my visit with Dr. Sonderling when he was eighty-six, there was something else he remembered because it was one of the best moments of his life.

Dr. Sonderling asked, "Adelaide, do you remember that moment when we hit the snow rise and we became airborne so high I saw a flock of birds flying below us?"

"Oh yes, Dr. Sonderling.  If I remember correctly I believe you saw those right after we passed through all those clouds in the sky."😂💫🎭

 

Theatre First Aid...

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 play with beautiful fairies and some trolls.  Our dear Maisie, not much taller than me, had the lead fairy role, costumed in bright blue with 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 please do not ever tell any actors you run into that Adelaide said this.

How superstitious?

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 forget to spit because this spitting part is very VERY important, you see.  So 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.

Now where was I?  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.  Nor could she 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 when there was Maisie, her leotards shredded at both knees as she was bleeding.  Her palms 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.  Then there was a big box of bandaids in the kit.

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

Oh did we ever put a ton of band-aids on her! 

It was a miracle.  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 these 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!

However, I did have to explain to our Lighting Designer and Artistic Director about the "extraordinary special effects" the critic raved about he had never seen in a theatre performance before.🤣🎭

So 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.