Theater

I have spent much of the past few weeks on stage at the Hanover Little Theatre. Actually, my participation in “The Fox on the Fairway” took much more time than that, but I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining.

I don’t know why because that’s what I will end up doing anyway.

The whole experience thrilled me. I once again got to work with an incredible group of people while putting on a very funny play and providing lots of people with affordable local entertainment.

But I have a bone to pick with some of those in the audience.

Sometimes I deserve the reputation I get.

I understand why people think I’m loud (I am), lazy (when it doesn’t inconvenience others too much) and obsessed with food and television. I feel happiest while eating on the couch while talking loudly about my favorite sitcoms.

What flummoxes me is how some people develop certain opinions about me. I’m not as cranky as I come off in writing mainly because sarcasm and purposeful exaggeration doesn’t always translate. But that’s not the personality trait I worry most about these days.

I fear people might think I’m homicidal.

I can do this.

That’s the thought which went through my head when the spotlight first hit me on opening night for “Miracle on 34^th Street.” I had never really acted before – other than acting like a grownup for the past 20 years or pretending I knew what I was talking about in general conversation – but something felt right.

I could not have predicted this a couple of months ago when I initially agreed to play a small non-speaking role in the production at Hanover High School. As I wrote a few weeks ago, this all evolved into the role of Mr. Macy.

I may not have shown it in rehearsal, but I struggled at first. I knew I could project my voice since I have decades of experience trying to be heard above the crowd at family parties.

But I worried about succeeding beyond the volume. Would I get any laughs? Would I sound authentic? Would I remember my lines?