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This note,
contributed by our WP President Charlie Lawson,
shows how theater never lets us sit still for very long.
THE WAYNESBORO PLAYERS AND ME!
Most people express real surprise when they discover that I am a long time
participant and supporter of community theater. I guess if you look at what
people think would be a stereotype of your typical theater person, it
wouldn't be a tall, heavy set, good ole' country boy garage owner and
mechanic with greasy fingernails, scarred hands and a discreet tattoo! To
inform them that I also am the current President of the Players usually
sends them scurrying into culture shock.
My involvement with theater started many, many years ago. My first memorable
appearance on stage was in 1st grade as one of the street vendors in a
school skit about Jesus feeding the multitudes with loaves and fishes. This
obviously was before the issue of religion and school being separated ever
came into being. My main memory is goofy ole' Doris Moyers passing back one
of the cardboard cutout fish I "sold" her during the following song and my
thinking that this really ruins the illusion of being a vendor and having
sold that fish!
My next grand appearance on stage was in fifth grade, where by process of
elimination I ended up as Thomas Jefferson for a social studies skit being
performed. It was at this stage of my life that I decided big poofy white
wigs and sup-hose just weren't my cup of tea, and I should pursue my desires
of playing in the band. I became the only bassoon player of the elementary
school, and this allowed me to remain first chair bassoonist all the way up
until high school graduation. I think the moral of my story there was, if
you pick something odd enough, you can be the winner by being the only
participant!
My theater cravings were rekindled in 10th grade high school, when my
teacher, Tom Parks , decided we would have a semester covering theater and
its origins, value, definitions, etc. I became fascinated with a "LIFE"
magazine article showing Dustin Hoffman donning the old man makeup from the
movie "Little Big Man". It enthralled me so much I ran out and purchased the
paperback to read from cover to cover repeatedly, and later was able to see
the finished movie product. But to read how painstaking and tedious it was
to make the transformation from an young actor to represent an old Westerner
of 100+ years in age whetted my appetite for what I was unaware waiting for
me in the future. The fascination also led to my love of Western paperbacks,
and I have collected and read every work of Louie L'amour and also have read
a majority of the works of Zane Grey and Max Brand, other noted Western
story writers.
Theater things were quiet until about 2 years after I graduated high school.
I got a call from a school chum of mine who played drums, and he wanted to
know if I would be interested in playing the bassoon in the orchestra of
"Plain and Fancy", being presented at Oak Grove Theater in Verona. I had to
ask him what that theater was and what was he sucking me into doing? The
idea of outdoor theater and seeing some of my old classmates sounded
fascinating and I volunteered. I discovered that Gilbert and Sullivan works
are one of my favorite venues, and the show started with Frank
Southerington's little MG car rolling onto the stage with the actors
inside, and Tidge Roller standing up in the passenger seat hollering "Where
the Hell is Bird-In-Hand?" was so twisted that it appealed to the warped
side of me. During the rehearsals, I watched Betty Lee, who even then was
ancient to me, pump an old well hand pump, and declare the water was now
running. Nothing came out of the pump, and I thought that this is kinda
dorky, there should be water! I asked and got permission to rig up running
water from the pump. A 5 gallon tub, a basement sump pump, some electrical
supplies and wiring know-how, and a garden hose buried under the stage
gravel, and VOILA!!!, Betty had water coming in spurts as an old well pump
should be working. This brought me over the fence and the love and support
of theater was born, especially in the backstage workings of productions.
I continued to do various Oak Grove Performances in various capacities, and
at the same time, got a call from an old friend wanting to know if I was
interested in helping with a Waynesboro Player production of "South
Pacific". Being ignorant even of the town of Waynesboro, as I was a resident
of Churchville, she explained what and where the Players were and I joined
up. For about 6 to 8 weeks, I made the Thursday nite journey from
Churchville to Waynesboro to the basement of the old Hardware Store (now a
carpet store) across from the Schooner. It was a unique experience in the
way that if you needed something, you tippy toed upstairs, went shopping in
the closed store and found the item, wrote it on a pad laid out for the
Players, and tippy-toed back downstairs. It was quite convenient!! I spent
the whole time cutting out palm tree leaves from green construction paper. 3
to 4 hours each Thursday, a whole lotta leaves!!! When we finished, I was
asked if I wanted to do stage-crew duties. Absolutely. What a blast I had
with the show, and I briefly glimpsed the woman I would marry about 7 years
later. Barbara Spilman was playing "Bloody Mary", so the first time I saw
her she had her hair pulled up top to a "skull head" effect and had been
made-up with a dark Polynesian complexion and some teeth blacked out. Ooooh
Baby!!! We nodded "Hello" and that was it.
It wasn't until years later we met backstage doing a Waynesboro Players
production of "Dracula" (I was in charge of the exploding flash-pots) and
started dating and then wed. We have been married for 21 years now and have
an 11 year old daughter, Jenni. Barb and I love doing theater, and we take
our turns since one of us needs to stay home with the home-fires burning.
Barb is amazing on stage, and I marvel at her talent, and enjoy sharing my
love of theater with her equally great love of theater!
Many shows have come and gone, both Oak Grove and Waynesboro Players,
Theater Wagon and Shenanarts. I am on the board for Oak Grove and also on
the board and President of the Waynesboro Players. Who woulda thought
selling a cardboard fish in 1962 would have resulted in where I am today?? I
have so many fond memories of shows I've done. People I've met and
situations I've encountered, both onstage and backstage. (More stories to be
posted on the website later). I wouldn't have traded it for a million bucks!
Theater has shaped me to who I am today. It has taught me patience,
tolerance, love of music and drama, appreciation of comedy, and
responsibility. It has taught me that in the words of Lee McGratty, "Working
backstage is hours of boredom interrupted by moments of sheer terror!" How
true. Theater found me my wife, my friends, gave me a life with purpose, and
gave me opportunities to do things for the community that I am proud to have
been a part of. It also offered opportunities and moments for my parents and
family to beam at my accomplishments, and console me at my failures and bad
times.
Times are changing so rapidly, and it is becoming harder and harder to find
time to do outside activities. I rank theater as one of the prime priorities
to participate in, and hope more and more people will join me in my
decision. Theater is a way for entire families to participate together in
productions, for the opportunity to meet new friends, for newcomers to
acclimate to the valley, and to bring joy and happiness to the community. We
need that joy and happiness in these times. We need to be able to sit in a
darkened auditorium and be transported into another time or world and forget
all the current woes of our day. We need time to smile, to cry, to laugh, to
enjoy our emotions freely. What a dreadful and bleary place we would live in
without the theater!
So many people have blessed me with their friendship and wisdom. Many have
passed on , such as Lillian Morse, Don Putnam, Stan Stark, etc. But they
left behind a legacy of friendship and memorable moments. I plan to continue
with my pursuit of theater happenings and productions, and to keep making it
a fun and entertaining effort, from the prompter to the producer, from the
director to the audience member, for ALL concerned. See ya' at the shows!!!
Charlie Lawson
President, Waynesboro Players |
