Theatre Articles
The Night I Made The Magic Happen
By Susan Hickey, Mar 29, 2004
I found myself crouched behind a screen draped with feathered boas. A heavily sequined gown was placed in front of me and my hands gripped the platform that supported me. The anticipated jerk came and I was transported from the wings to center stage. I listened to my friend sing to the audience, waiting for him to join me behind the screen, when I suddenly realized I was in the first musical I had ever seen on Broadway. I was an integral part of ensuring that one of my favorite numbers from the show worked its magic.
My friend's foot appeared behind the screen, my bubble burst and I panicked. How long had it been there? Was I late for the cue?
I grabbed the foot and lifted it into the open gown on the floor and immediately lifted the other foot to follow. My arms encircled the feet's legs and as I stood, I pulled the gown up by its sleeves to slip onto my friend's arms. He was in the gown, still singing. I zipped up the back of the gown as he took a feathered boa and stepped in front of the screen. His transformation from Albin to Zsa Zsa in "La Cage aux folles" was complete. I crouched back down knowing the audience had never seen me and smiled.
This was my first experience as a volunteer with the Evergreen Players. I do not paint, sew or build things but I have discovered brushes, needles and drills in my hands, laughing with other volunteers.
I was recently invited to a "Lost in Yonkers" reunion party and the host mentioned he was amazed that 28 people had "worked on the show." I thought about his comment and re-counted the number of volunteers needed to produce "Lost in Yonkers."
It took more than 28 volunteers to "work" on set design and construction, lighting and sound, stage crew duties, dressers, make-up, hair, photography, publicity, printing, costumes and props. There were volunteers answering public queries, performing box office duties, arranging for intermission treats to sell and on and on.
It was a volunteer who came to a dark theater, turned up the heat and turned on the house lights. It was a volunteer who turned on the outside lights and ushered people to their seats so seven volunteer actors could transport them to 1942 Yonkers, New York.
The Evergreen Players would like you to become a volunteer. There is a saying among actors that no role is too small. It's true. Whatever time you can offer, we will gratefully fill with laughter, "work" and magic.