It is I Don Quixote

[BarreTalk]

DON QUIXOTE, my performing group's spring performance was scheduled for Memorial Day weekend and I was to be Don Quixote.

 

A week prior to the show, windmill parts were spread around my garage (it's a small troupe, so if you want to tilt at windmills, you've got to build one first). I'd been dragging through rehearsals, with none of my usual excessive energy. I even fell asleep and missed my cue to wander across the stage in search of the elusive Dulcinea during one all-day rehearsal.

 

Four days before opening night, I awoke in extreme pain (I'm not going to turn this into a medical lecture, so details don't matter and won't be mentioned here). I made an appointment to see the doctor, which led to some tests, then immediate admission to the hospital hooked up to an IV that afternoon.

 

I called my artistic director to relay the news. When she recovered enough to speak, her first words were something to the effect of, "We need you. You better just tell those doctors you're leaving." She then made arrangements to draft an emergency windmill carpenter, but couldn't figure out any viable arrangement to replace me, just crossed her fingers betting on my rapid improvement.

 

Luck was on our side. Wednesday afternoon I rolled out of the hospital, not feeling too good, but glad to be out of there. Heavy duty antibiotics had turned my brain to mush and I hadn't moved - let alone danced - for 3 days.

 

I "marked" my way through the Thursday evening dress rehearsal, conserving energy and doing some experimentation as to how far I could push it. The character of Don Quixote is a few donuts short of a dozen anyway, so as long as I didn't collapse onstage, I figured nobody would notice any lapses. The big question in my mind was whether I'd be able to do my male corps dances, which did require energy and concentration. Afterwards, I felt pretty good.

 

Friday's show went fine. Saturday's was even better (and my entire extended family got to see it). The overall impression was that it's our best-ever attempt and we've been asked to reprise the show in October in Denver, and perhaps even do a mini-tour.

 

(This ends "how I spent my summer vacation part 1". The saga continues in part 2)

[Guest mic31]

It great that you recovered, I hope that you r up to speed now..Performing, I'm really envious