Closing the Show

Closing shows never used to be difficult for me. Usually by the time the final bows happen I'm exhausted and in desperate need to get back into some semblance of a normal routine. I would be willing to bet I posted a year ago about how hard it was for me to put Motherhood Out Loud to bed. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is also difficult for me. I don't know if it's because I'm getting older and more sentimental, or if I have just had the undeniable pleasure of directing 2 great ensembles in a row. I think at the end of the day what's difficult for me is the realization that no matter how hard I try I will not get these exact same people in the exact same spot at the exact same time again. And that's what is bittersweet about theatre. The beautiful creation that happens between a cast and crew with exemplary chemistry and when the curtain falls on closing night it's time to move on. It's done. My sincere thanks to my collaborators Amy Wilkinson and Autumn Robinson. Gratitude also to my cast. I was not the easiest director to work with, I know, but know that I truly appreciate your hard work and dedication. No thanks would be complete without acknowledging my technical crew. Jud Harmon, Aly O'dell, Taia Stevens and Taylor Twitchell all worked tirelessly to bring me the exact look and sound I wanted. We all crafted something special and beautiful together. Finally thank you to our loyal patrons. Without you we would just be a group of weirdos acting like other people for 2 hours. You make what we do worth every minute. You give us your applause and we want you to know that we glean incredible amounts of pleasure and personal satisfaction from entertaining you. We hope you come see what else we can accomplish.