FRIDAY-- SHOWTIME!

Weight report: at home, I gained a smidgen (.02) to 129.8; stayed the same at T.O.P.S.. The meeting was the usual rambling and ran long, but I was reasonably patient. Leader Lennie asked me to be co-leader, so conduct when she can't come and I agreed. There were only four there, i.e., we two, Cheryl and Sharon.

Home at 10:15, had breakfast, put in a white wash, then called SCAN to book an Uber ride for my audiologist appointment on Monday. I have a "wellness" check at Primary Medical the next day, so I'm hoping--and assuming--we don't meet for "Backstage Bedlam" those days.

Ellen sent me a darling text: "Have a wonderful opening night, Mom! Love you! See you tonight!" She and other family are coming.

I got a message from Noreen that she and Gary are going on Sunday, and could they pay at the door? I said they could, but there are no guarantees there will be seats. I called her and said I'll buy them and they can reimburse me after. Showered and washed my hair, took a nap, washed my hair, prepared my take-along supplies, Rowena picked me up at 6:15 and off we went to opening night.

It was a hit! I'm not going to detail all the (many) triumphs and (few) blips--after all, we have eight more shows to go--but here's just a sampling in pictures.    

Our resident artist, Meredith, designed the program; her bio is third down from mine on the left:

                                                           

My "Heart's Desire" was the first monologue piece and here are my props:

Backstage (the real backstage) and between acts hangout:

The cowgirl with co-director, Brian.

Incredibly, director Erica is ironing a large napkin prop--with a hair-straightener!

Bob and Mandy

Mandy flanked by two aliens, stage directors, Amy and Rowena

Mandy and me

Keke, Dolores, and Sheri

(I'll surely be posting more pics tomorrow.)

After, I found Ellen and Robyn (whom I introduced as "my niece," as it seemed too complicated to explain otherwise) and introduced them to a number of the gang. My former cast mates, Anthony and Alphonse, were there and we hugged and chatted. Jeff, Shannon's ex (or soon to be ex) and founder of Fractured Actors, came up to say hello; he remembered Ellen from other productions.

Anyhoo, I didn't get home until after 11:00 and of course, was starved, so I made myself a sandwich, opened up a cold IPA, and ate it watching some quickly forgettable something on T.V., then fell into bed. It was after midnight, fer cryin' out loud--was being in the show worth it? In a word: yes.