Roller Coaster And Foreign Policy

Got a lovely early Skype call from London and talked to all four of the M. family.  While we were so engaged, got a (phone) call from brother Larry, inviting me down to Florida in December.
Welcomed niece and nephew, Joan and Jim R., about 3:30.  It's always such a pleasure to see them.  I think they've come to all my performances (from Suffern, NY!) and I'm so grateful.  They brought a bottle of red wine, made where their daughter-in-law works (she's a vintner) and when Jeanne arrived a half hour or so later, we tested it.  Good!
I excused myself to shower and dress after J. and J. went off to meet the northern dweller and her husband for dinner at Panini Bay.  Jeanne and I then picked up Aline and went to the school.
Here, we got a shocking announcement: Director Tonya assembled everyone in the music room to tell us that Rick, who plays Ed Carmichael, was not going to be there.  It seems his dog was hit by a car and was in surgery.
Mind you, Rick wasn't performing the surgery and he has a wife, who could and probably was, with the dog.  The role of Ed, although not what you'd call a major one in this heavily charactered play, is an important supporting role and the actor is on stage in all three acts.  Incredibly, Jeff G., who has a minor part as an IRS agent, agreed to take over the part.  I was told he did a good job of it, too; was able to remember some of the dialogue and for the rest, was aided by strategically placed open scripts.  He even put on a southern accent--I'm not clear on whose decision that was, or even why, in particular, it was added, but it seems to have gone over big.  (Rick barely remembered the words, let alone did any real acting).
We got through it, though, and even got a respectable number of laughs from the audience, which filled about three quarters of the seats.  Still, it was ragged in parts.
After, I was presented with a beautiful bouquet by my d.d. and congratulated by all, including a few friends, although most had come to the other performances.  I was delighted to be greeted by Kevin B., who smothered me in Night Must Fall (ah, those were the days).  Desi, our founder and artistic director, was also there, leaning on a cane after knee surgery which, unfortunately, he said hadn't gone well.
Jeanne had invited her brother, John, and I was pleased to have him come with us back to the house.  What a neat guy he is and we had a good time over wine and nibbles.  He expressed an interest in being involved in a theatre company and we discussed it a bit.  I'll send him some ideas and suggestions for breaking in, and will ask John P. for same.
The Tokyo Two just skyped and we had a good chat.  Think I'll take Jeanne out for breakfast once she wakes up, although I'm not at all hungry. 
One more performance--matinee this afternoon--then it's all over.  Boy, this one been a roller coaster ride, all right.
WIDER:  This guy tells it like it is:
http://walt.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/10/11/a_strategic_conundrum