Returning to the theater and finding a surprise awaiting me

It was feeling similar aged times – aged blessed times – arriving astatine Porticos Art Space successful Pasadena for the opening nighttime of a caller JFed Players’ production.

This 1 would beryllium the archetypal on-stage unrecorded show since the pandemic began. I emotion opening nights, perfumed with hopeful excitement, and I attended each 1 of George’s, during his galore years acting with the assemblage theatre ensemble.

He would person been each successful for their comeback accumulation of “Scapino!,” a play based connected Moliere’s “Les Fourberries de Scapin” which premiered 350 years ago. The formed reached backmost done clip and captured the playfulness and romanticist silliness that makes the amusement truthful delightful to watch, arsenic good arsenic perform.

I was having amusive imagining which relation George would person wanted to play.

At intermission, Vicky Snow, the costume mistress and histrion doing treble work seating assemblage members successful socially distanced pods, came implicit to talk with me.

“Come instrumentality a small locomotion with me,” she said. “I privation you to spot who is with america tonight.” Thinking I was going to conscionable a caller formed member, I followed her crossed the tract of the outdoor venue, and up a fewer steps to the portico.

There stood a precocious director’s seat with the inscription: “George Roegler Always connected Stage.”

I had donated the seat arsenic portion of a memorial solemnisation for George, hosted by the theatre group. He had erstwhile told maine that helium felt much astatine location connected signifier than anyplace else. For conscionable a moment, I pictured him sitting successful his namesake chair, facing the stage, taking his infamous notes.

After George died, Cantor Judy Sofer, creator of the JFed Players, said that it didn’t look similar opening nighttime without getting an email of “suggestions” from George aft the show. His passionateness for theatre was contagious. Even erstwhile helium overreached into idiosyncratic else’s area, and yes that did happen, his sincerity was truthful transparent that helium was fixed an audience. And ever respect for his endowment and dedication.

As I observe the 3rd day of my husband’s passing, my bosom is with the JFed Players for making definite George is wherever helium belongs: Always connected Stage.

(Note. The Players invited caller talent. If you are funny successful assemblage theater, either connected signifier oregon backstage, interaction JFedPlayers01@gmail.com)

Email patriciabunin@sbcglobal.net oregon travel her connected Twitter @patriciabunin and patriciabunin.com