In elementary and high school, we used Mr. or Mrs. or Miss or Ms. or Coach, or in some cases Sister or Brother or Father, when addressing teachers; I suspect in most schools at that level it is still the case. Last summer I suggested that the library at King City High School be named in honor of the librarian that was there when I attended from 1966 through 1970 and had been there since 1959 and would not retire until 1992. Now, many of us knew her first name, but Mrs. Richardson was what we called her, so when I floated the idea that the KCHS library should be named in her honor, I used Teresa Richardson.
The process took some time, around seven months, but on a Wednesday evening three weeks ago the school board unanimously voted to honor her with two plaques, one at each entrance to the library. On the following Saturday evening, I ran into Mrs. Richardson’s husband, Corky, and wanted to share the good news with him and as just as I began to speak, he cut me off with “You spelled her name wrong, it’s Theresa, with an ‘h’.” Whoa, not good if the order for the plaques had already gone to the smelter, or whatever plaque makers are called. But why Theresa with an “h”’s family didn’t let me know via social media I don’t know; just as I don’t know why if someone at the high school did a fact check of past personnel, they didn’t catch the spelling mistake, and so it just slipped through the cracks.
A compilation of inconsistencies that lays the blame at no one person’s feet. The high school has been appraised of the situation and all is well, the name will appear correctly and Theresa Richardson will get the respect due her. (See how I did that; I avoid blame when in fact am very guilty; which in the adult world of politics is very common and often admired.)
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Now let me tell you why I am not going to go drag. And by drag, I mean dress in women’s clothing with make-up, hair and accessories befitting a female; and not for just the privacy of my room but in view of any of the public who would pay to see such a sight. But, alas, it will not happen and don’t you want to know why; let me tell you why.
A very well-known play was cast by the Stage Hands (SH) acting company and due to some of those bugaboos that occur in community theatre, one of the cast had to relinquish her role and I was asked to take on the part and I said yes; finally. I say finally because I felt it was time to step away from taking on roles due to some physical limitations and I let my director know I felt it was time I stepped away from her productions; and by my director, I mean Mrs. H, whom most of you know. Well, after some changes in activities and diet and sleep (you know, all those doctor recommendations we ignore until ramifications hit) I am in much better condition and frankly very much missed being part of an annual production. (Some parting words on this below.)
One big deciding factor in doing this SH show is because a decade ago this troupe gave me the opportunity to return to the stage after too many years away; the show was “The Laramie Project,” when all cast members played more than one character, so for me it was a rewarding challenge that I am now, I hope, honoring. As to the role I am doing, well, it is written as a female and in the half-dozen videos I have seen of this show, the character has always been done by a female.
Without going into spoiler alert mode, I can tell you 99% of the play takes place in 1936 in the Connecticut home of an actor known for his 30-plus years of portraying the famous English detective Sherlock Holmes; the character I play comes into action in Act II. The author of the play wrote the character as a woman for a reason, obviously, and my stance was that to do it justice it had to be played as a woman, and if I was dumb enough or brave enough to play it in drag in this small, for want of a better term, cow town that was my business.
The production staff disagreed and so I play the role as a man and all this will happen this weekend when “The Game’s Afoot, or Holmes for the Holidays” hits the stage in their new venue on First Street. You can find out all about the three shows on the Stage Hands website or Facebook page. It will be a wonderful way to start the 2025 arts year, the first of many events King City offers.
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I stood in the balcony of the Robert Stanton Theater 16 days ago and watched cast and audience activity after the curtain came down on the Monterey County Dance Theatre’s 65th Annual “The Nutcracker Ballet.” Over the past nine years, I watched many of the dancers grow from little girls to young ladies, in recent years that includes some young men; the sight was touching because after years of productions some of the graduating seniors may never again perform in an MCDT “Nutcracker” and that is emotional.
I can relate the feeling after playing the same role four times running, it is hard to have to relinquish a role that in your head you could play forever, but age brings it to an end; but to be any part of that annual offering is an honor I won’t pass up again. After all, it is a new year and anything can happen.
Take care. Peace.
