The Official Salvage Vanguard Theater Blog

Thank God the show opened. Thank God. Thank Allah. Thank the Goddess of Velour and Glow Tape. Thank whatever entity I should thank for having the show finally open.

Because there comes a point in the process of rehearsing a show when all you want to do is just perform it in front of people. And until that point comes, you sit in a chair and you avoid clawing out your eyeballs because you know in 24 hours there will be actual people sitting in the empty spaces that you stare at day-in and day-out during rehearsals.

It’s not impossible to interact with an empty space, mind you. Not at all.

A space with another human being in it or even near it, now that’s something different. That’s something you can work with and exchange energy with and perhaps accidentally spit on as you over articulate a particularly exciting moment. It’s an exchange.

So when we finally opened The Intergalactic Nemesis Trilogy on Thursday, I was thrilled.

What a fine, fine, fine audience we had on all three nights. They stomped. They clapped. Damn, they even cheered while we were performing. (My favorite cheering moment was when Buzz’s Collins Collingsworth died from arrows to the heart. As he muttered out his last, “Well, I’m done for. Cheerio…” the audience just applauded and applauded.). They were good people.

To reward these good people for attending our opening weekend, we had a free keg after each performance.

Now kegs bring out the social in people. And did we ever get our social on. Stories were exchanged, promises of trips to MA were made (yes, Mr. Shepardson.. we will hold you to your word), one of our new neighbors and his wife gave Werzner a basketball and carried beer home with them in a plastic bottle they brought, Ray Colgan told me that I almost made him cry (which I’ve always wanted to do- make Ray cry), Neulander was talked out of a keg stand… it was just a great time hanging out and drinking free beer. I think we should do this for every show. Forget ‘Talk Backs.’ Lets have ‘Keg Time.’

Because theater people like to drink.

Case in point:

Hyde Park Theater had a fundraiser on Sunday at their theater on Guadalupe and 43rd. I had intended on going in, making a donation, mingling a bit and then heading home to do laundry.

But what did those smart HPTers have? Margaritas. Damn good margaritas. I ended up staying way past my originally intended twenty minutes and had a fine good time. They’re good people over there at HPT. So are their margaritas.