I must start this post with a thank you.  Thank you to the cast of Upstate Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.  Last Thursday night’s performance began just like any other - threatening storm clouds looming overhead, backstage whispers of the weather reports, actors drenched in sweat, and a stage manager reminding all of us that at any moment something could change.  And indeed, in a moment things change.  I was feeling fine at the beginning of the show, however in the middle of Act One something hit me.  I fell victim to outdoor theatre - heat exhaustion and dehydration.  I want to thank everyone, who in the middle of a show, sprang to my rescue with orange juice, bananas, Gatorade, ice, and fans.  A cast truly is a community and it is easy to forget this.  It is easy to get caught up in the show, in your character(s), in the audience, in the (occasional) drama.  But it is wonderful to come back to the fact that we are all in this together.  When you need something, you can rely on the fact that you have a community to fall back on.  Thank you.

Performing live theatre requires the skills of a survivor.  You have to constantly be on your toes, ready to strike or save at just the right moment.  You must be ready for the unexpected, whether its a line drop or a duck coming up to share the stage with you.  You are required to roll with the punches and should something slip past you, you had better make a lightening quick save.  And the most interesting thing is that you yourself do not need to survive, but rather you must keep the show alive.  No matter the cost, it cannot die; you are expected to sacrifice yourself (swallow tinfoil, perform with a migraine, etc) before the show falls. 

There is never a dull moment in live theatre, or at least there shouldn’t be.  The company of Upstate Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet learned this hands-on tonight.  It was the second night in a row of rain pace, and while some of us were anticipating a night like last night, we couldn’t have been more wrong.  The obstacles we were presented with tonight were overwhelming (an incoming thunder storm, a wedding reception, and laser beams to name a few) and I can happily say the company came to a better understanding of live outdoor theatre because of it.  And it is because we are survivors and our first concern was the survival of the show.

And after all, at least for me, this is the reason I perform - to tell a worthy story.  Since the story is worthy of being told, it demands my focus, my loyalty, my commitment.  Art is said to reflect life, and in life there is always something occurring.  I hope I can continue to be involved with theatre that is never dull.

My affiliation with The Warehouse Theatre began in the winter of 2007, though I was not to become a part of the greatness until a few months later. During the holiday season, I had a job at one of the restaurants downtown. Among the many interesting people I worked with, one really stood out: his name is Steve Scionti. At the time, he was preparing his show, “Hear what is in the Heart: A Shoemaker’s Tale” for stage production, but I knew as I got to know him that I HAD to see this!

My employment at the restaurant was seasonal, but as I went to work elsewhere, I kept my eyes out for his show—and one day, posters appeared on the glass windows of several restaurants downtown. I immediately bought tickets, showed up early and laughed, cried, giggled and sighed through all the different characters that Mr. Scionti presented in his one man show dedicated to the memory of his grandfather.

It only took one show to get me “hooked” on the greatness that is The Warehouse Theatre. Last time I ushered, for a performance of “The 13^th of Paris” I tried to recall all of the shows I had seen in the theatre—it is virtually impossible, but I can readily recall the shows that I missed when presented with a schedule—I do know I have seen “Hear what is in the Heart” at least five times and K2 at least twice.

The Greenville GAFF contingent, lead by “Tim TV” has performed there, using ribbons for fire (due to fire codes) though Tim still insisted on eating REAL shards of glass and lying on a very sharp bed of nails. Tim is one of the people in Greenville who everyone seems to know, “The guy with multi-colored dreads—you know him too, right?” After the performance, in an attempt to please the interests of the audience, the fire spinning was relocated outside-to Falls Park.

These are some highlights, certainly of my involvement with the Warehouse Theatre—and I look forward to attending many more events and performances. Lately, I have begun to see people I know outside of the theatre coming in for their first show—one in particular came to see “Sada” after reading a review and made sure to forward his rave reviews about “The 13^th of Paris as well” saying it was “The best show I have seen in a long while” and “I can’t wait to see the next show!”

In my opinion, the best thing about the Warehouse Theatre is the accessibility. Here you can see creative, inspirational shows, interact with the community—artistic and otherwise, all while getting quite the deal on tickets and concessions. The beauty of live theater that it is LIVE, leaving room for anything to happen. Sure, there are scripts—and there are certainly forces of nature that cannot be edited out. During the last two main stage performances I have attended on a Sunday afternoon, the cast had to compete with loud rain and thunder, but they always did manage to perform their roles with grace and style, no matter what.

 Who needs the movies?! By the time you buy your ticket, and the twenty dollar concessions at the nearest movie theatre you could be sitting in the comfort of The Warehouse Theatre—having already strolled through the lobby witnessing the artwork of the featured artist and contributed to the fund by buying some refreshments and wine or beer. I will assure you that your cultural appetite will be satisfied EVERY.SINGLE. TIME! With the new show, “Amadeus” starting soon, I suggest you check it out—most of the recent performances have been sold out—I guess people are finally starting to discover what I love about the Warehouse Theatre, but surely there are others who haven’t been informed.

This weekend we struck our second to last show of the season: 13th of Paris. A wonderfully witty and deeply romantic play I sincerely hope you had a chance to see. A huge thank you to the wonderful cast, crew and to director Adam Knight for coming down from New York to work on this play with us! To read a review please visit Greenville Online or Ubertati.