Since October of 2018, Practically Well has been primarily focused on wellness, from the perspective of a middle-aged, or upper middle-aged guy from the midwest. But in the years since, there has been a slow but perceptible shift. First, the occasional piece that was more “me” focused. In the last several years, as my life situation has changed, so has the focus of the P.W. content. I think now is as good a time as any to claim that shift.
I think “Practically Well” is still a good title. I think it has relevance to my life and times, Which, by the way, is where I think the focus of this blog has shifted to.
Wow, way to bury the lead, Bob.
But lets just claim it now, shall we? The bulk of what I have been blogging has been more focused on the what, where, when and why of my goings on, so now I’m just claiming it. Will there still be a focus on fitness? Absolutely. I don’t think I could separate that from my life if I tried. It’s just that from now on, I just won’t feel like I’m cheating when I do a mostly auto-biographical piece. I mean, hell, I wrote a whole book about me, didn’t I?
( Which, BTW, is titled “Price Hill Boy” and is available on Amazon. And with the holiday season coming up… ya know.)
So, to open this new PW focus, I want to share my……. superstitions.
In general, I’m a pretty practical dude. But when it comes to theatre, and to this show in general, I seem to have accumulated a series of actions that I repeat for every performance.
Why?
I think that it is partially because of the age thing. One of the gifts that 66 years on the planet has given me is to make learning and retaining information is more of a challenge. I used to memorize things just to prove that I could. I learned the entire Ringling Bros. show phonetically, in Spanish. Which I then had to perform in front of 20,000 Mexican patrons in Mexico City. I learned my part as the “Akuma” ( demon) in the Japanese show I did in Japanese because the marvelous director I had in Japan made me speak the role, in Japanese, during all rehearsals . They had a native voice over track for all non-Japanese actors, so no, I didn’t get to perform that live. I memorized a 10-minute poem, “The Ballad of Sam Magee” and performed it on cruise ships when we toured Alaska. And I volunteered to do that one…
…but I digress…
Part of the superstition thing is that in my opinion, stringing together actions helps to keep you on track. Distractions can pull you out of what you are doing, which can lead to what a friend and co-worker describes as “the White Room”, a place where you lose your lines, the thread of what comes next, etc. Not a fun place to be. But I also think it’s a connection to other people. And when you are doing 8 shows a week, week after week, these little interactions can form a bond. A bond with fellow actors, crew and also local support.
OK, enough set up. What are my “every show” superstitions? Here goes…
Right after I arrive and sign in, a cup of Throat Coat tea with honey.
At 1/2 hour before curtain, run the first scene with my vocal cue files on my phone. BTW, I actually run every scene that I am in before I do them, You’d think that after 325-ish performances I shouldn’t have to do that. Maybe I don’t. But now it’s a part of my show. And I’m not into “ let’s see what happens if…? That’s a FAAFO proposition.
Right before the curtain goes up;
Shake hands with Conor
Hug Bradley
Hug Jose
“Snap up with Yves, after he does a walkover. No, I don’t
Point at the spike mark on stage I walk to when the curtain opens. I walked to the wrong one in one of our 1st performances,
Just before my 2nd entrance, I stretch out my ankles on the edge of the “deck”, the stage floor we put over the permanent floor, Right foot, left foot, right foot….
Any time I go past Shannon backstage during the show, we trow our hands up as she whisper shouts “Bob Tully!!”.
Right before my 3rd entrance, Bradley and I faux “ almost collide”.
For my 4th entrance, Javier “helps” me up onto the scaffold. Basically, we shake hands.
During one of our songs, “Just our Luck”, I mirror whatever Tyler does during a cross left.
An intermission snack.
High 5 Zakeiya.
A “showdown at the OK corral” with Grant & Zach before I push Hellen out on the bed for her song.
A thank you to Sean every night as he lights my exit after the “scary bark” scene.
A reminder to “just be honest” before the last section, where I talk. A lot.
A “Don Cornelius” during the bows. IYKYK.
A scaffold salute with Conor and a jump off the scaffold as we leave the stage.
I know.
It’s a lot.
But that’s the list. If you ask me again after another 100 shows, it may have grown. But that’s it for the moment.
It makes me happy.
It makes me comfortable.
It’s gotten me through a year, and about 320 performances, so far,
Talk Later,
Bob
