A few years ago, I worked on a show called Suds. It is a musical about a suicidal laundry matte attendant named Cindy. She is visited by two angels who, through the power of 60's music, steer Cindy on the right track. It is a light fluffy musical that was a huge success with our audience. It was one of my favorite shows to work on for many reasons.
1-The score was great. Definitely a plus when you have to hear it eight weeks in a row.
2-It was easy. Usually, I'd much rather be busy to make the time go by faster. For this show, the gaps were so long in between me actually doing something that I could read large amounts of books during the show. I would average two books a week depending on the length. I was like, learning everything there ever was. Back then, I was like Dumbeldore, I knew EVERYTHING. Well, at least about the 30 books I read. I don't remember any of it anymore. :( My dominion is over.
4-Derek Noogy eating bananas: Okay I know that sounds weird but the man was like a blender and they were his favorite thing ever.
3- The people. I got to work alongside some of the best people ever. EVER!
Like most of our actors, Dustin, Melissa, Ramona and Ellen were actors from NY. What really set them apart was their instant friendship. Dustin, the only guy in the show played the 10 male roles in the show including the cross-dressing in disguise Johnny Angel, Melissa played Marge, the sassy one, Ramona got a UTI, and Ellen was the suicidal laundry attendant. We all became so close, that we developed our own secret language; similar to what twins create. Here's how it happened.
Before the show, Melissa told us a story about working for a daycare in New York.
Melissa- Whatcha doing?
Kid-Coloring.
Melissa-Ooh, that's pretty. What is it?
Kid-It a mermaid.
Kid-BE SERIOUS! I'm five years old!
If only that kid knew what he inspired. From that point on throughout the entire run we began speaking as such:
Who dat is? It a mermaid
What?!? Be serious! I'm five years old
Derstin iz so good in the little plays.
Not only did that last our entire run, but our show kept getting extended so eventually the other shows we worked alongside began speaking that way too. The show was so popular, we extended it like five times. We named each new revival something different:
Suds: the revival
Suds in Space
Suds, the comeback tour
Suds on a boat
Suds, the farewell tour
Unfortunately, the day came when everyone in South Florida had seen Suds at least three times and the Suds train came to an end. Those were good times though. Good times. Every so often, at my new job, I'll go around speaking in Sudsy dialect. It's not the same when people have no idea what you are talking about.
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