"Like a dull actor now, I have forgot my part and I am out..." (Coriolanus)

.....The Theatre Workshop is putting on a "Showcase" next Thursday; basically a review type program with a few skits and a few monologues by people in the class. Though I attend the classes, I haven't been in any mood to perform. The hip injury on top of all the other problems I've had in the past year dropped me into a blue funk to the point where my anti-depressants have had little impact. However, Gloria Slobin, the "producer" of this theatrical venture was insistent that I do something "Shakespearean", and in order to help the show, I decided it wouldn't take much preparation to do "The Seven Ages of Man" monologue delivered by the misanthrope, Jacques, to his buddies in the Forest of Arden from the play, "As You Like It.". It is a classic. I'm a little rusty on that one, but it won't take very long to re- memorize the words, although my memorization skills have suffered with age. Last Thursday, in rehearsal, I just blacked out on the first line and Gloria had to feed it to me! A sterling moment in my theatrical career.

.....I explained to Gloria that I wasn't sure that the two o'clock audience would appreciate a monologue from Shakespeare, but she thought it would somehow raise the level of what we were doing. No tickets are sold for this event, and following it, refreshments will be served--consisting of cookies and beverages. Some people simply come for the refreshments. Some people even come to be lulled into napping; but that is not the fault of the performers. A few of the skits are very funny, and the thespians do them very well. The monologues also are read with some skill. One of the "students" in the class will be going to the Huntington Lakes Board with an appeal to put on an "in-house" show next year titled, "Seniors in America Have Talent". It doesn't take much imagination to figure out how that show will run. In fact, I might audition for it, cane and all. After all, the cane makes one look distinguished--like Charlie Chaplain.