Smoke 'em if you got 'em!

So it was the second preview. Solid show with some of those 2nd show wonkies sprinkled in. The sold-out crowd was eating out of Uncle Jokey's hand and falling in love with the Heidster and all the rest of the junk that goes on during the show. I slipped over to Hard Rock at intermission for a Heineken (Hey, I don't have a problem, YOU'VE got a problem, man!) And the second act cruised right along.

Now the last scene in the show has a fog effect that is super cool and we've been trying to get just right. Well...that night I was thinking it was pretty darn cool...sort of like a cemetery scene in Buffy when, at the worst possible moment, the theatre's fire alarm goes off. Halogen lights flashed as a pre-recorded voice instructed everyone to clear the theatre.

No one could believe it.

The actors, absolute pros, held their positions and tried to continue the show, but the voice kept on droning and the LAW, of course, required that the building be cleared.

Picture 600 people milling around in front of the theatre wondering what to do. Picture 3 fire trucks rolling up and the fire marshal striding into the theatre. Picture my Aunt Jane and Uncle Louie showing up in the crowd. Here's how it went down:

EDDIE: Aunt Jane?
AUNT JANE: Oh, hello, Eddie. What are you doing here?
EDDIE: My musical is playing here.
AUNT JANE: Oh this is the Ford's theatre. How nice.
EDDIE: What are you doing here?
AUNT JANE: Well you know how Uncle Louie likes fire engines...

The show went on, most of the audience filed back in to see the end of the show and Aunt Jane and Uncle Louie made it safely back to Ohio two days later. Love you two!!