WELL....THE SHOW MUST GO ON.
Dateline: Greencastle, Indiana
Last night at 8:26 p.m. three transformers belonging to the Cinergy Corporation failed. The eastern section of Greencastle was plunged into darkness. This included the Hazel Day Longden Theatre, home of the Putnam County Playhouse.
Inside actors were performing MY THREE ANGELS. Onstage were Bob Perry and Marian Zennie as Alfred and Marie Louise. The emergency lights came on and shined onto the thrust stage, so without missing a beat, they continued the scene.
A few minutes later, Jack Randall Earles as Jules made his entrance (with a stolen chicken) and a flashlight. Moments later, Beth Girton as Emilie entered, also carrying a flashlight. The cast continued to the end of the scene.
At that point Director Ernie Ford took the stage to inform the audience what had happened and asked if they wanted the show to continue. The audience applauded and insisted that "the show must go on." And so it did.
Assistant director Sandi Rossok lit the candles that were on the set as props, and also lit four kerosene lamps that were around the stage (the show is set in 1910 French Guiana).
And so the next scene began in the warm glow of candles, hurricane lamps, and a couple of flashlights.
Act One ended. Ford took the stage again and announced that Cinergy was working on the problem, but did not know how long it would take. He said that if members of the audience wanted to leave, they would be escorted to their cars. No one wanted to leave. Ford said since there were no lights in the bathrooms, there would be no intermission. He called "Lights up!" and the show continued.
About eight minutes into the second act, the lights returned and the show was completed. As the lights began to shine again, Earles repeated a line that he had said earlier in the show: "Praise the Lord from whom all blessings flow." The audience applauded, the show concluded and received great applause.
-30-
AND I HOPE IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. THE GUY WHO IS TERRIBLE WAS STILL TERRIBLE.....DECIDED TO AD LIB SOME FUNNY COMMENTS AND MADE HIMSELF SPOKESMAN FOR THE CAST DURING THE CURTAIN CALL.
ONLY ONE MORE PERFORMANCE. TOMORROW'S HEADLINES WILL BE ALL ABOUT THE MURDER!!! IT WILL BE AN 'ORIENT EXPRESS' TYPE OF DEMISE, WITH NINE STAB WOUNDS IN ONE BODY. MAYBE TEN, I OWE HIM AN EXTRA ONE FOR THE HELL I'VE BEEN THROUGH.
That is all.