And speaking of Bonus Rounds (see previous post), what about becoming involved with your local theater? Even if you’ve had no prior experience, the neighborhood playhouse will welcome you with open arms. There’s always something that needs to be done, and you just might have the skills they’re looking for.
Or, you could do what so many others do in and around Astoria, Oregon… You could “Get Shanghied!” and become one of several groups of actors rotating through the theater all summer, performing the national treasure of a play called, “Shanghied in Astoria.”
I saw Shanghied last weekend. It’s great fun to see folks you know saying the lines of a play that is now in its 26th year. Yep, for 26 summers, poor sweet Eric Olson (sweet, but dumb) has been the unsuspecting target of the evil-doings of Maxwell Krooke and his henchman Snake (that’s Sneake, not Snake), while trying to muster the courage to ask for Virginia Sweet’s hand in marriage.
And for 26 years, his buddies Jakko and Eino have rowed to the rescue to save poor Eric and earn the right to marry two of the four Olson Sisters (we like sturdy women!). It’s a delightful melodrama, of the boo-hiss variety, and I enjoyed throwing popcorn at the bad guys just as much as I did when I first saw the play almost two decades ago.
Live theater is immediate and full of excitement. In Shanghied, the audience is fully engaged, making it even more fun. And while I’m not paid to promote the show, I do encourage you to make it a point to see it this summer.
Then next year, who knows? Maybe that will be YOU up there playing the Madam Miss Macie, or even Lascivious Vivian. It’s never too late to pursue your dreams. ACT NOW!