You Guys, Neil Simon Died

My college drama club did the female Odd Couple. My role was, as always, backstage, as I have zero talent and don't like when people look at me. I was drama club co-chair and stage-managed most shows. I love dressing a show! Even though my 5-member crew had no "on stage" roles, we did get applause...may I boast...? I hate to boast, but I loved this soooo much...here's what we did.🎥

The Challenge

In our theatre we had no curtain to bring down. Sans curtain, the audience will be watching the set change. My crew couldn't be bumbling in like a bunch of dorks. The changeover from Olive Madison's apartment to post- Florence Unger moving in needed to be fast but smooth. There's a certain theatre element called "suspension of disbelief." I didn't want to take the audience out of the show.

Opening act, Olive Madison's apartment is a right proper mess...garbage everywhere, you can't see the table top for all the fast food containers, newspapers, cereal boxes, you get the idea.

Second act. Time for the set change from Olive to Florence. Heart beating. I hope this works. Shit, why don't we have a curtain in this theatre. Heeeeere we...GO, I signaled. Silent but swift, each member of my crew walked on, took one or two props in hand, and walked off, each crossing in from left/right and exiting the other side.

Each prop, each "mess," though it looked like a big ol' random pile of stuff, was a prop of a single piece. For example a blanket that was strewn over the couch had actually a bunch of "garbage" items sewn/glued to it. The mess was the illusion, as the whole area could be picked up as one piece. Each table top had a covering like that, same idea: cereal boxes and various other detritus sewn/glued to it, so one person could swiftly take hold and walk off with Olive's whole mess. Underneath, a neat, shiny Florence table with a tasteful bowl of fruit already set up. Same with a frayed area rug: one girl crossed in, rolled up the mess and crossed out, leaving a new, nice rug that was already set. The whole set went like that. Swap an "overflowing" trash can with its exact twin that's empty, etc. Because the house lights would be up during this set change, me and my crew dressing in black had nothing to do with the usual reason for crew to dress in black...we are fully visible.

The Clapping

We'd run it so many times during tech week that it was really a ballet. And then, it happened...one split second after the last crew member made the final change. That final crew member was Andrea Beatty, who swept in from stage left with a big, full-leaf plant NOT in a planter. Andrea crossed to the Olive Madison planter pot (just a dead stick in dirt), inserted the "live" plant, and exited stage right in one smooth motion...the house lights dimmed the moment Andrea's heel disappeared backstage. One beat of silence, then the audience exploded in applause. For the set change! For the set change? I was SO PROUD I had no words. I'd never seen that happen before. No YOU cried, shut up. I loved that show. So fun. Thank you, and rest in peace, Neil Simon. 🎴