One of my most memorable Halloweens came at the tail-end of childhood. I dressed as Hanna-Barbera cartoon character El Kabong. El Kabong was the alter ego of Quick Draw McGraw, the town sheriff. I wore a black hat, black mask and black cape. I carried a guitar. (The guitar was what distinguished me from Zorro.)
El Kabong would have used the guitar to bean the bad guys. I used the guitar to hide my bars of soap and toilet paper. I was, after all, a teen-ager, and it was, after all, Halloween.
Halloween is a great time for alter egos. Our entire culture is inundated with them. Think Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, Superman/Clark Kent, Batman/Bruce Wayne, Peter Parker/Spiderman, Wonder Woman/Diana Prince, or perhaps Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus.
Even as a so-called “adult,” I appreciate being someone else now and then. And Halloween is the obvious time to get away with letting your alter ego come out and play. So I invite you tonight to don a costume and go have fun. Your alter ego will thank you for it, and if you find you really enjoy being someone else, your community theater is looking for people just like you!
