ABANDONMENT is inevitable

This past weekend I was delighted to serve as the Ringmaster for the first (and probably annual) Artival at Backstreet Community Arts, just a couple of blocks from my house.

sidenote: It dawned on me recently that for all practical purposes I live in a 15-minute city, at least here in downtown Newnan. I mean, I think I could walk to the nearest grocery store within 15 minutes. Otherwise, I have shops, restaurants, churches, the theatre, Backstreet, my cello lesson at Musicology, all within blocks of my front door.

What is an artival, you ask? It is the insane inspiration of Kim Ramey, the founder of Backstreet: hold a fundraiser with a carnival theme — games of chance, bingo, a Cursed Clown Band, a fortuneteller, and corndogs.

I wish I had a good photo of the whole thing, sprawling all over the parking lot for Backstreet, but you’ll have to take my word for it. It was great fun, with every activity based on some great artist: a Starry Night dart throw, where the prize was a 3-D printed ear (a refrigerator magnet); a Keith HaRING TOSS game; a Scream photo op; and so on.

Me in my ringmaster drag

All of this had to be invented and then built. Kim and her minions have been working on this for months, and by last week the studio was crammed with all the structures and paintings. Sponsors had to be found (easily, of course; Backstreet is an amazing jewel in Newnan’s crown) and cast and crew had to be recruited.

The Cursed Clown Band had to come up with three sets of freaking clown songs, which they claim was scarily easy, and then practice. (They were under a curse that could only be broken by playing all the freaking clown songs.)

On Saturday the crew had to scramble; they couldn’t set up until after noon, since Bridging the Gap (who occupies the other half of the building) hands out food on Saturday mornings.

By the time I got there, everything was just beginning to pull together, give or take a late delivery of corndogs. It was going to be a great evening, I could tell.

When the first patrons arrived (early, of course), Kim was a vibrating ball of worry and panic: What if it’s all terrible? What if people hate it? What if what if what if? WE WERE NEVER DOING THIS AGAIN!!

So I put my arm around her and gave her one of the great lessons I’ve learned after 50 years as a director in the theatre: Once the curtain goes up, it’s over. There’s nothing else you as the director can do, so either sit back and enjoy the show, or go out to the lobby and have a drink. You have to let go. ABANDONMENT is inevitable: the AUDIENCE is here.

She relaxed, maybe a micron or so, and the evening got underway. It was of course a rollicking success. The weather was gorgeous, prizes were won, corndogs were consumed, and money was raised. I got to be a smartass with a megaphone. What’s not to like?

So here’s to Kim Ramey, the wonderful artist whose vision has created and sustained such an incredible program, a gift to all who enter! Donate here.