That moment before the show starts.
When I was 10, I was the understudy for Alice in Alice in Wonderland, a big deal in my life. Television director Binny Rabinowitz adapted the book and directed the show for the Antrim Players.
I never miss a chance to tell people that future star of stage, screen, and television René Auberjonois was the Gryphon. The girl who played Alice grew up to be an architect. She actually follows this blog.
Years later, John was also in a production of Alice, not to mention a variety of cool shows after that. He’s still a natural.
Theater stayed a big part of my life after that first Antrim Players show and included a few years with the Teenage Play in Ocean Beach, Fire Island, creating with other theater-loving kids, some of whom went on to fame and fortune (e.g., Tony Roberts, Michael Pressman, Lynn Lavner).
So of course I got a kick out of last night’s living-room production orchestrated by my youngest grandchild, a 7-1/2-year old writer/director. Having commandeered her older brother plus Suzanne, Erik, and me, she rehearsed each of us individually.
I was the Announcer and received a script featuring red marker and curious spellings. I was instructed to pause after each line introducing a performer and to press a button for that person’s specially composed and recorded song.
The show was called The Fantastic Tribes. It went without a hitch until the last minute, when we would have taken our bows together (in the hand-holding, swing-your-arms-up prescribed style) if I could have figured out how to continue recording while also getting myself in the frame. The dismayed director at first wanted a retake, but her brother convinced her that the look on her face when she realized the show was over was actually a perfect ending.
The iPad video evidence has been preserved for posterity and is sure to get someone in big trouble if they ever run for public office.
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
I have a painting my Dad made of my Sister Caroline, studying the script for her role as Alice in that Alice in Wonderland play at Antrim. Your brother and I had “bit-parts” as the soldiers guarding the royal party. I actually had a speaking part! I had to say,” Hup! Hup!” to time the movements of the four guard we played.
Fantastic! I forgot that. During Alice’s trial, after the King of Hearts says of some irrelevant testimony, “That’s very important!” my brother had to say, “Very unimportant, Your Majesty means, of course.” Then the King says, “Very unimportant, I meant, of course!” (I’d love a photo of that painting!)
When we get home I’ll see if I have a photo of the painting. I think my sister has it in Colorado or Utah now.
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Hurrah for this latest theatrical undertaking!!!
It was pretty funny. Laughter is so very welcome!
We kids made plays growing up. I still do for fun 😉 Cool you were the understudy!
I also had a part as Card Five painting the roses red.
Wow, that’s cool! She’s painting the roses red!