Once We Were Perfect Strangers...

Show week was hard for me considering it was also student registration at work. I saw 3 of the 4 performances and helped usher all 4 nights. I was tired a lot, but every night would get a sympathetic rush of adrenaline for all of the actors and actresses in the show.

As promised, some pictures from the show!

"Mister John Jasper!!!" 

Never knew Noah could get so creepy. I hope this isn't what Davia has to put up with.

I heart Bazzard.

I also need to update some of my show superlatives after seeing the show two more times after I saw it with Mike's mother.

Favorite song in the show: Overtaking Perfect Strangers and Writing on the Wall is the dark horse of songs, the creepy "Moonfall". I tried not to listen to the lyrics of Moonfall since they creeped me out, but Moonfall's reprise and Jasper's Confession both had themes of the song. I thought the song was one of the most interesting and beautiful of the show.

Favorite lines of the show: Obviously, I'm biased. But I'm sure you would get similar findings if you polled the audience. Mike's/Bazzard's lines "The goose is cooked" and "Mister John Jasper!!!" were my favorite in the show. No matter how many times I saw it, I always lost it on those lines and the audience loved him! (No wonder Bazzard was voted Detective 3 out of 4 nights.) Other favorite lines, when Goo calls out the Chairman: "It's not normal, it doesn't happen to every guy, and it IS a BIG DEAL." Also Princess Puffer: "I had 'im when 'e was fourteen. You ain't 'ad better since, 'ave you? Oh...'e ain't 'ad any since."

Favorite moment of the show: Goo's dog, Nori, played a role in the show during one of Goo's lines and she was so adorable. Everyone loved her, well, them both.

Best method acting: Noah/John Jasper is a great actor and actually really creepy. He never missed any of his lines and managed to be funny despite his creepiness.

Best cockney accent: Princess Puffer/Meg has had me talking in a British accent still.

Favorite character: DURDLES as played by Josh. Most of the show for me was spent clapping, laughing, or shouting "Durdles!" very loudly and obnoxiously. Josh is the funniest ever.

Some of the best parts of the show were just being able to spend time with friends  and people visiting from out of town. Friday night, Mike's grandma and Brian came to the show and there was also a formal party I got dressed up for. I love having an excuse to dress up.

Mike and I all dress up for the formal party. Before the muttonchops went.

Saturday: The next morning I got breakfast with Mike's grandparents, Brian, and Mike. I ordered the crab eggs benedict while everyone else got the buffet. I'm such a rebel. Saturday Absi arrived and Josh and Brian and Mike and I got to hang out with her until the show. We went to the portrait gallery and got crepes/smoothies. (My avocado, swiss, and tomato crepe was ohmigawdsogood.) Then Absi and I went to meet Ben at the Gibson, a speakeasy in DC that had the ultimate ambience and was like a step back in time. The Gibson is truly an experience worth paying a little extra on drinks for. Absi and I both got champagne cocktails (Unicorn Tears and the Pampered Mousse). My Unicorn Tears had gin in it and I actually liked it! I had to leave early to usher at the show again and Kelly and Alex were waiting there to help me. I had begged them for some help ushering and both agreed instantly and were actually there before me. I have the best friends ever. After the show (the only in which Mike wasn't Detective, but was a Lover instead), the House manager Patrick gave me the sweetest card thanking me for ushering all 4 nights.....so thoughtful of him and I've now pledged my allegiance to house managing. The final party was at Josh and Steph's new place and it felt like junior prom with the lights and decorations, only with really awesome food (per usual anytime Steph is around).

Sunday: You would think the magic of the weekend would have ended after the show, but Sunday I spent a magical afternoon with Netflix and my bed and then Sunday evening  Mike and I also got to have dinner (beef stew and red wine) with Jessie and her boyfriend Duncan.

<3:

I'm mostly a stranger to the theater. The only theater and performance experience I have is from ballet when I was a young girl, church fine arts productions, The Princess Bride in high school, and working the box office one semester in college. I guess that is some experience, but performing is not my thing. I don't like being watched, I get horrible stage-fright, I'm introverted, and I get self-conscious in front of a group of people. But, I have decided that, despite not really being a theater person, theater people are my kind of people.


It is hard to believe that the last time Mike was in a show, I barely knew all of these people. Over the past 3 shows, I've gradually gotten to know everyone better and know my life just wouldn't be complete without them in it. Mike is often referred to (by himself and others) as a "gateway friend". He introduces people who get along wonderfully until the friendship is sustainable on its own without Mike needing to be the glue. I mean, we still let him hang around, though. I feel incredibly blessed to have been able to get closer to the people I've met over the past year. So thanks to everyone who welcomed me into their lives and then decided to keep me.

Heart full.