...AND....we're back!

So Happy 2007 Readers and Friends!
It's been awhile since I've reported the news of Wonka! Our 2 weeks at the Kennedy Center were fun and insane and busy and exciting and tiring and all that jazz rolled into one. But I knew I needed to sit down TONIGHT and ease my way back into this whole BLOGGING thing. Our spring portion of the tour will get the same fair and balanced coverage that the last portion did. I promise!
Today, I was thinking about WHAT I could report to ease back into things. I wasn't too sure what to tell you all that wouldn't be TOO laborous. (Remember...I'm EASING back into this...)
And then during out first show today, I had a FLASH of inspiration. WELL...let's be honest. It wasn't really a FLASH. It was more like a quick passing of one's life before their eyes. WHY? Well. Because I fell over. ON STAGE. ON MY OOMPA LOOMPA PUPPET. That's right folks. Oompa ass to the clouds...and me crawling off stage right.
So HOW did it happen? I'd like to report that the CURTAIN stage right jumped out and got me stuck up on it on purpose...but my extensive knowledge of theater curtains leads me to admit that for the most part, normal black curtains just don't JUMP out at anyone. Instead, as I was ROLLING off stage right on my Oompa Loompa stool puppet, I misjudged my exit and my back wheel caught the corner of the curtain....and instead of continuing my rolling motion to the right, I instead STOPPED dead in my tracks. BUT...I still had the momentum built UP...so I was going to keep moving. And in doing so, I ended up tipping over sideways.
NOW - at this point...I panicked. Jodi, off stage right, reports that I IMMEDIATELY wrapped my arms around the body of the Oompa. I like to think it was to protect it. The good part is that the puppet is actually in 2 parts...so the base/stool portion sits on the bottom - and then the body of the Oompa slides down on the top of it. So as I went over, and was holding one of the hands in my hand, I slowly but (probably) gracefully tipped over. And got up, all befuddled looking at Jodi...not sure what to do. I'm here to report that life did ACTUALLY flip into slow motion. The next thing I know, Jodi is grabbing the Oompa from me, whispering (loudly) "I need your robe! Get it off!" and shoving me in the direction I needed to go.
And then, with the BOTTOM half of the Oompa still tipped over sideways ON STAGE (I'm sure with wheels still slowly turning), Jodi slowly moved out as the next scene was starting, and ushered the poor little half-Oompa off the curtain and off the stage into the wings. Talk about needing some SERIOUS puppet therapy!
The show went on...we made it through everything...and time sped back up. Eventually, I even stopped laughing about the events that were involved with my fall. It was a banner day...and a great way to kick off Wonka Spring 2007! And since the LAST time I had an Oompa-tipping-mishap, (catching the curtain and tipping over but this time as I was going ON stage) it was September of 2005 as we were in Indianapolis getting the show ready to go, I'm comfortable in reporting that this WON'T be happening again anytime soon. (UNLESS...of course...it does. Wouldn't that be weird!?)
Tonight we're in Harrisonburg, Virginia...and we are heading to Texas over the next couple of days...via stops in Alabama and Louisiana. And while we travel, I'll finish my coverage of 2006 and get you up to date on our fun at the Kennedy Center...PLUS introduce you all to our new cast for 2007! Like I'm fond of saying here at GoGloop, the magic really NEVER stops!
Happy New Year!
G