Damn it feels good to have this show back up and running. No matter how crazy-busy my personal life has been, no matter how nuts my day job gets, and no matter how much time and energy has been going into the whole producing aspect of this show – getting to go out there and play this character is just the best.

I never get tired of doing this show. I never get tired of playing with the audience and my fellow actors. I never get tired of hearing the gasps, the knowing laughs, the unexpected howls, the occasional comment someone can’t keep to themself. I never get tired of the smiles and looks of just being swept up in this whole beautiful show. I never get tired of the applause.

I leave every night with such a high. I mean, I’m usually amped up after a show, but this is so much different. It’s a lot deeper than just being juiced after all that running around. There’s such a satisfaction, a feeling of real accomplishment.

I said I was going to talk about how I’m different this time around, so I may as well now. I got a note last week (I think it was anyway, the last 10 days are almost a smear) basically asking me to find the moments where I should simply be more of Sam’s best friend.

That note floored me to a degree. I’d spent so much time raging against the machine, so to speak, and so much time razzing him (admittedly as his best friend, but razzing none the less) in the first act that I’d never really given much thought to looking beneath that for the places where I might – oh I don’t know – actually be nice to my best friend.

Anyone who’s seen the show can probably easily identify with that sh*thead best friend/sidekick character, but I think in the last production I virtually let that own me in Act I. In Act II I’ve always been able to allow myself a lot of vulnerability, and before I always felt that made up for what a heel I was in the first act.

Now I just feel I have a lot more depth, and I also feel those few key scenes with Sam in Act I are much richer for this discovery as they show more of the relationship and in many places take the emphasis off me just being goofy and put it on my scene partner.

But yeah, I spent a day or so feeling a bit guilty for never having this realization before. I let that pass – I’m lucky to have this chance again. We’re all lucky to have this chance again. This play is truly charmed, I’m convinced of that.

So, some more awesomeness:

• We’ve had producers from New York and Chicago already in, with the hope of several more to come. My hope is that this flame has a lot more moths to draw before all is said and done. If a few of the right people start talking, we may have more than we expected intially. the Chicago thing was pretty lucky.
• We’ll be sold out tonight and both Th and Fri’s audiences were rad. We got a big fat giant standing ovation last night. Apparently they tried to continue applauding for us on opening night, but we quickly exited after our first bow.
• We have SUPER AWESOME T-SHIRTS! PLEASE pick one up at the show! We’re asking for a $15 donation for the shirt. It’s a heather shirt with a red ringer and it has the ninja ovular logo that Shawn worked up with the kite flying over it and a small Jobsite logo on the back. Be the coolest kid on the block!

Lots of tickets left right now for Sunday’s show – which also Sticks of Fire night. Come out and get your laugh on with some of your favorite local bloggers.