Last night I got to act a bit. As some of you may know I am very involved in a local theatre guild. For the last few years I have been getting leads for the first time after having done this for 21 years. I have recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's (NOT a big deal, I prefer to be known as Pat or Cap Tux, not the 35 year old with a neurological issue). As long as I do my meds and pace myself I am fine. A few months back I did my first complete show as a lead since my diagnosis. As we hit the final two weeks at a non stop pace of nightly rehearsals and set construct the tremors started to hit (they do not happen often). I even had one night where I had a tremor onstage during a performance, but held it together. I realized at that point that the leads were over if I wanna keep myself healthy for another twenty years.
Maybe I can take roles as cop #3 and whatnot. Anyway, the guild gets called to be actors for hire in fundraising events and whatnot. Last night I got to play a hard boiled reporter for some dinner honoring a hospital administrator. A few hundred people in the room and only three lines, but it was fun. I was wearing an overcoat and tacky hat with a big PRESS sign on it.
On Feb 20th, out of selfish ambition I have our group starting a "Radio Shakespeare" project. We will record podcasts of Shakespeare plays and make them available to local schools and enthusiasts with layers sound effects and educational narratives between each scene. I will still get to act with my voice at a pace I can handle.
For the curious. I am mostly fine. Getting diagnosed was a fluke and the best thing that would have happened to me. Most men do not get the diagnosis until they are 45 or 50 and I get a head start on beating the best into submission. I work out these days. The logic of the doc is this. "If you step into the ring with Ernie Shavers (showing my docs age) you will go down in one punch, but if you train for three years, you can take the hits and maybe even win. Get in shape and keep the body strong!"
so, that is what I do. 'nuff said on that topic, the point is, I got a taste of the stage again and I get to act as Claudio in Much Ado About nothing in a podcast soon.
Laurette Spang Forums
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