I had no idea what it would be like. And I am elated, exhausted, humbled and touched.
This weekend we opened properly at the Black Angus with all our lights, fog, and props.
This company has been through so much trauma and drama to get this show up and running since we arrived in Naples that I thought for sure that the next logical step was for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse to pitch a tent in the Black Angus parking lot. On opening night, the entire company was on edge thinking: will anyone show up? will anyone get it? They did.
The audience got bigger as the weekend went on. I was amazed to see (seeing anything with those lights in my eyes and those damned eyelashes on is a miracle) people from early teens to retirement age, and everyone was getting it. My goal was to be able to take every audience on the same sonic and emotional journey that Micheal {Cerveris} took me on. I think I did it. People I met after the show talked about how they enjoyed the music, or how pleasantly suprised they were of the difference between the stage show and the movie, and most importantly that they would come back to share it with friends. The most meaningful meeting was with an average guy who shyly approached me on my way out. He knew one of the employees of the Angus. He said he had heard about the show and wanted to check out what he thought would be a "freak show". He admitted to coming in with "every possible prejudice you can imagine." He left loving the music touched by the story and lifting up his hands. He very humbly said he just wanted to shake my hand and thank me for the experience. It is on these rare moments when I know I have done my job. And all the insanity of theatre is worth it.
~Dean Swann
