Reflecting on Gimli's Tenor

I remember it so well: August 5, 2005. The day had arrived. It was time to get in to my opera costume, afro wig, and yes - tights, and go out on stage once again as Max, for Ken Ludwig's Lend Me A Tenor. Theatre Amisk of Dauphin, which I'm part of, took their April 2005 show on the road to Gimli for shows on Augsut 5th-7th 2005. The theatre was small. But it is amazing how much of this I still remember to this day.

We got up around 8am on Thursday the 4th of August and I walked to the Arts Centre, with Van Halen's JUMP blaring in my headphones. The theatre gang, minus George and Genny (who were coming the following day to Gimli) were outside getting the final parts of the set in to the truck. I helped out a bit, and then Dave and I drove to my apartment to get the famed couch. After a bit of a struggle getting it out the door, we managed to haul it in to the truck. We went back to the Arts Centre and everyone wished each other happy and safe driving. I got in the passenger seat of Tammy's car, Karen was in the back seat.

We stopped at Tim Hortons and got some donuts and stuff for the road. Dave finally came from behind us in his truck, yelling "DON'T PANIC" (see, he was about 15 minutes and we didnt know where he was. The 'dont panic' that Dave yelled referred to a line that he said in the play. He tends to do this a lot when it comes around to 'showtime'.

Anyway we finally pressed on to Gimli (or as we were all saying, 'Jim-lee'). The drive out there was pretty fun, we went through lines from the show and I slept for a little bit as well. Though that is hard to do with Tammy's boystrous laugh.

Skipping ahead a few hours, we arrived in Gimli aroanud Noon and decided to go out for lunch - but not before making a stop at the theatre. We went to the theatre and I was shocked. I knew the stage was going to be small, but I had NO IDEA that it would be THIS small! It was about 14 feet wide and 10 feet back. Very, VERY small! But we knew we would make it work. We went to our hotel, the Viking Inn, and dropped off our bags. I stayed with Mark, the co-director of the play. Dave was staying at the Lakeside Inn - the huge, luxurious nice hotel in Gimli. We went over to that hotel and everyone had lunch on the patio. I had a Corned Beef Sandwich with fries, was very good and I recommend it if you ever get out to Gimli.

After lunch it was set up time. We had to build the set. Kelly, Tammy and Kelly's son Kyle helped out with that. They did an amazing job at making it look almost idential to the way it looked in Gimli. Any smaller, and we aren't sure if we could pull it off. But the shows were all sold out - which was the first time a show was sold out at the Gimli Theatre Festival. We were the 4th week of a 6 week festival where theatre groups from around the province would put on shows.

We worked hard all afternoon on the set and then practised doing some scenes including the curtain call. We went for dinner to a small deli and had sandwiches there. They were good. I forget the name of the restauraunt though. Anyway Dave came up to me after and again started talking lines from the show: "Chris, if there is a problem, I need to you call me immediately.....I'll be at the theatre..."....see thats probably not funny to anyone else but I'm just jotting down my memories.

Anyway, later that night we rehearsed more and headed back to the hotel. Mark and I were nearly asleep. Tammy was acting VERY strange. She wanted our hotel room. So for whatever reason, we switched hotel rooms. 1/2 hour later Tammy with Yvonne decided to invite Mark and I for wine in their room. Strange, becuase she was apparently sick earlier this evening. Oh well, we went over and had some snacks and then went to bed.

The next day it was Friday, our first show was in the evening. I was nervous and excited. Little did I know that this would be the first time I pull off a major mistake in a play!

We went out during the day, shopping around Gimli and walking on the beach. It was a nice weekend. I stayed around the theatre and practised a few lines.

Skipping ahead to about 7pm,. we were all backstage ready to go on in an hour. Putting on several layers of makeup, I was realizing that the 'fun' had returned again. Hey not that I like putting on makeup BECAUSE I DONT LOL. Its just that I was becoming 'Max' again, and it was a good feelng that it was again time to perform.

An hour rolls by fast, as we were practising lines backstage (mostly me and Dave), and we went on. I wish at this point I could say our show went flawless. It did - well, not really I guess - especially on my part. I forgot to do my goodluck hug to everyone before the show, and I was jinxed on stage. I had to change in about 2 minutes in to an opera costume, from a full suit and tie. Unfortunatly during my change, my tie got stuck looped in my shoe. I couldn't get it out on time as it was right around the heel of my foot. Charlene, who was helping me change, whispered 'ok, wait one sec'....sorry Char, I didn't have a minute. So there I went, on stage, with my tie stuck in my shoe. I could see several people in the audience laughing at it and pointing. Other actors on stage luckally for me noticed it, and didnt make me trip on it. Thankfully! During intermission I was able to take out the tie. All the other actors thought it was hilarious! I remember I was worried Yvonne and Mark were gunna yell at me for it, but they could only laugh.

After the show I recall seeing some of my Mom's co-workers there who approached me and said they liked the show. The entire cast signed a few autographs and we went out to the Lakeside Hotel's bar at night - and I was in Heaven at the time. EVERYTHING was Crown Royal - this was my drink of choice back then. We stayed there for a few drinks, and then departed for our hotel rooms for the night.

The next morning we all met for breakfast around the corner from the theatre. Good time. Yvonne and Mark told me during this one scene tonight, to make Dave beg to me for as long as possible without my laughing. It was a set up prank that we were gunna do, and it was hilarious when it happened later that night.

I went for lunch later in the day with George to Subway, who actually put on his Italian accent while giving his order to the employee. It was hilarious, because George looks anything BUT Italian! Good times. I was going to do it too but yeah - a red head guy with an Italian accent? That doesn't make much sense either.

I spent the rest of the afternoon searching for Mike Robinson, who was north of Gimli at his cabin, who said he would come in for the show. Problem was, they didnt have a phone. But I was determined to find him. After talking simoltaniously to his parents at their work places, and about 2 hours of driving around alone in Tammy's car, I actually found a grey Kia Rio (Mike's car) about 1/2 hour north of Gimli! It was shocking. I went to the door of the trailer/cabin and knocked, when an elderly lady answered. I thought it was some crazy lady...not the right place....but it was, it was just Megan's Grandma that answered. Mike drove to Gimli, following me in his car. We went and walked around the beach and stuff, and then went to the theatre where I had to say bye for now, but I would see him during the show.

Dawn, Genny, George, Karen and I went to the Viking Inn's Chinese food restauraunt for dinner, it was very good. We got to the theatre, costumed up, and ready for the second show. The only flaw this time is that fellow actor, Jen Balchen, had her daugher in the audience. During a scene where I was supposed to be very sad, because a friend of mine had 'died', I gave a small smile because her daughter blasted out laughing for no reason (she is 4 and didnt know exactly what was going on. The audience ended up laughing at her and thats when I broke character for about 1 second. Mike said after the show that he caught it. Oh well. Life moves on.

During this performance, the audience was amazingly responsive. There was even a guy in the crowd that was yelling stuff out to the actors such as myself like "he's not really dead!"...I never broke character from that guy.

After the show I said bye to Mike, and after getting changed, most of the cast, including me went to the Viking Inn and had some drinks. We only stayed for 1 or 2 and went to our hotel rooms. Jen came in and Karen and I were watcfhing Booty Call on tv. She encouraged us to come back to the bar, but we said we were to tired. But Jen came back in a few minutes and said, "You're both GOING to the bar!" We were dragged down, but hell it was a great time. I remember Karen and Jen both buying me Orange Creamcicle Bacardis. Never the less, they got me pretty drunk that night and I remember it was a very good time.

The next day was the day of the final show. I wasnt feeling great, as a lot of the cast weren't. But wer got to the theatre early for a 3pm showtime. Andrews family were able to come up (with Andrew ofcourse) and watched the show. We had to put their rabbit in the dressing room bathroom downstairs because they were going up to their lake right after the show. It all worked out.

I met up with my family at the Lakeside Hotel restauraunt where we were the first afternoon. It included Mom, Dad, Grandman and Grandpa Rogan, Katie, Joanne, and Harvey, along with my sisters boyfriend Dan and his family.

The show went flawless this time. Which was a great time for a 'final, FINAL performance'. I had only wished that the audience had been more responsive. But we got it on DVD as my Dad taped it and it was perfect.

I will never forget taking down the set later in the evening. It was devastaing once again. I was in tears the whole time, and I couldn't help it. It was my favorite lifetime event so far, and it was over again. As much as I tried to prepare myself by trying to remind myself that this was IT, it was our second go at the show but it was NEVER going to happen again, I guess that just never registered until it happened.

The entire cast and crew went to a good fish and chips restraunt for dinner. Karen and I walked in the beach for a few minutes while the food was being prepared. Picked up some rocks I remember (Karen collects nice ones). We went back and had dinner with the cast and crew. We headed back to Dauphin later that night, I drove Tammy's car because she was 1) still acting weird and 2) falling asleep....and sleep talking too....very strange, trust me.

All in all, this was a memory I will never forget. This has taken 3 hours to type out for me to recall all of the events. I will forever love the cast, love the crew, and love the play. I would love to perform it again sometime but it would NEVER be the same. To all the friends that I have met in it, thanks for giving me the chance to do the play. It truely was an amazing experience. I tried my best and I hope I impressed at least a handful of people.

I am still a member of Theatre Amisk as I paid my membership for the year, even though I reside in Winnipeg.

Theatre Amisk, thanks for the hundred of memories you have given me. I will cherish them forever!