7 years ago....
My 911 memory :
I was woken up at 5 am by my then roommate Ben. Saying that a missile or plane had flown into the towers. And as we watched, channel after channel of the televised replays in disbelief. We witnessed live, the other jet hit the second tower. Stunned by the experience and with little sleep I walked down the street ( which was,cold war disaster movie, empty. Garbage from the night before still in the streets. Vacant and abandoned save for the bums staring at the T.V.'s in the Sony Store across from the Theatre. )
I'd just the night before set up The Vagina Monologues show at the Vogue Theatre. We were that morning, supposed to start with a cast sound check and cue to cue. All with a brand new cast ( Who had flown in from NYC that day. The star seat was going to be occupied by, none other than, Margot Kidder ( Superman 's Girl Friend Who was a friend to many of the crew - Her Brother is one of our local's sound engineers ) for a sold out, opening night, September 11th. When the scared, sad, red eyed VM cast arrived. We just sat there, around the tall bar stools on the basic red carpet set, and waited for Margot. Who was going to be the third deciding vote as to if we did the show. When she arrived on stage she just said, we have to. People are going to need us.
She was right... they did. The place was packed. Standing room only because, people visiting from the US who were stuck in town came to the theatre's doors asking for tickets. And, even though the show was sold out, the FOH staff just let them in. I remember when the house lights faded and people began to hush. We could hear a lone sobbing in the audience. And it got louder in the dark as more people began to take it on. I and the Stage Manager walked the actors on to the dark stage. And when we returned to the wings we found we were teary eyed as well. ( I still to this day can't relate that moment without tearing up. ) The lights came up and Margot said a few words. And then, the three women in the square of light centre stage, went right into the show.
The actors told us later that they'd never before had such a living, breathing, reacting, audience. People laughed.. often in small, odd places. But mostly they wept and cried throughout the show. They cried for the world, outside the theatre all in one small place. When Geneva did the monologue of the young woman who was raped. She and the audience were so overcome, when she stopped. Gritted her jaw and faltered in tiny early tears. The audience, all breathed in collectively like when people watch a tightrope walker stumble on the wire. But, Geneva found her centre and the strength to finish the monologue.
Right at the very last blackout. The audience leaped to their feet for a standing ovation that went on for three bows. At the end of the show all the girls were backstage crying and holding each other in a crushed ring.
I do this job out of the cathartic belief in the spirit of theatre. And that night proved it's existence to myself and an audience of 1300 people. It was an amazing night that followed a horrific day. And it's true that every day since that has been shifted different.
My 911 memory :
I was woken up at 5 am by my then roommate Ben. Saying that a missile or plane had flown into the towers. And as we watched, channel after channel of the televised replays in disbelief. We witnessed live, the other jet hit the second tower. Stunned by the experience and with little sleep I walked down the street ( which was,cold war disaster movie, empty. Garbage from the night before still in the streets. Vacant and abandoned save for the bums staring at the T.V.'s in the Sony Store across from the Theatre. )
I'd just the night before set up The Vagina Monologues show at the Vogue Theatre. We were that morning, supposed to start with a cast sound check and cue to cue. All with a brand new cast ( Who had flown in from NYC that day. The star seat was going to be occupied by, none other than, Margot Kidder ( Superman 's Girl Friend Who was a friend to many of the crew - Her Brother is one of our local's sound engineers ) for a sold out, opening night, September 11th. When the scared, sad, red eyed VM cast arrived. We just sat there, around the tall bar stools on the basic red carpet set, and waited for Margot. Who was going to be the third deciding vote as to if we did the show. When she arrived on stage she just said, we have to. People are going to need us.
She was right... they did. The place was packed. Standing room only because, people visiting from the US who were stuck in town came to the theatre's doors asking for tickets. And, even though the show was sold out, the FOH staff just let them in. I remember when the house lights faded and people began to hush. We could hear a lone sobbing in the audience. And it got louder in the dark as more people began to take it on. I and the Stage Manager walked the actors on to the dark stage. And when we returned to the wings we found we were teary eyed as well. ( I still to this day can't relate that moment without tearing up. ) The lights came up and Margot said a few words. And then, the three women in the square of light centre stage, went right into the show.
The actors told us later that they'd never before had such a living, breathing, reacting, audience. People laughed.. often in small, odd places. But mostly they wept and cried throughout the show. They cried for the world, outside the theatre all in one small place. When Geneva did the monologue of the young woman who was raped. She and the audience were so overcome, when she stopped. Gritted her jaw and faltered in tiny early tears. The audience, all breathed in collectively like when people watch a tightrope walker stumble on the wire. But, Geneva found her centre and the strength to finish the monologue.
Right at the very last blackout. The audience leaped to their feet for a standing ovation that went on for three bows. At the end of the show all the girls were backstage crying and holding each other in a crushed ring.
I do this job out of the cathartic belief in the spirit of theatre. And that night proved it's existence to myself and an audience of 1300 people. It was an amazing night that followed a horrific day. And it's true that every day since that has been shifted different.
I hope that we will also remember the strength that people showed the days following. It always amazes me how people can persevere in such horrible times.