The Chronicles of Jason: Benton Harbor, MI

Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College
Thursday, November 18, 2021

It's just the third stop of tour (27 more to go), and I'm already lost and can't keep track of where I am, what day it is, what hotel room I'm staying in, etc. But that's the fun part! I just have to know what I'm doing right NOW and the rest will be fine.

We had our worst show (hopefully not to be repeated) last night in Benton Harbor, MI. The crowd was lovely and seemed to enjoy themselves; but the show itself wasn't good at all. More technical problems plagued us throughout the show. Much of the cast has costume changes throughout the show, and they are pretty quick changes. Several characters were late coming on stage because they weren't fully changed. I have only one quick change, and it has NEVER been a problem before...until Benton Harbor, MI.

Toward the very end of the show, Santa Claus FINALLY takes Mrs. Claus' advice and gets fat; the entire show she has pleaded with Santa to "Eat! The children expect a fat Santa!" and "Eat, Papa, eat! I'll have to take this suit in!" When Santa finally realizes the benefit and necessity of Rudolph's red nose, he asks Rudolph the iconic question, "Rudolph, with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight?" to which he responds, "It would be an honor, sir!" And hooray!

I then exit the stage rather quickly to get into my "fat" suit--it's just a big shirt filled with hula hoop type rings to make me look fat. It's an easy change, but relatively quick.

Last night when I exited the stage to get into the suit...the suit wasn't there...and neither was the person who was supposed to help me into the suit.

Though it's not a lightning fast change, it is a quick change that needs to happen within about 40 seconds. I ran back toward the dressing room where the suit was last spotted, and there it was just sitting there. I grabbed it and threw it over myself, and happily there happened to be a dresser (a person who's only job is to assist the actors in and out of costumes) there who helped me zip it up. Then I immediately RAN back toward the stage to make my entrance. I was on time, barely. That has never happened before, not once in over 200 performances.

But that's nothing compared to the problems through the rest of the show.

Yes, there were some late entrances due to costume changes that took too long, yes there were mic cue problems (someone is saying a line but the mic isn't turned on, so the audience only hears part of the line, etc.), yes the scrim AGAIN flew in early and wasn't supposed to (it knocked the hat and wig off an actor--they are fine), and yes there were sound issues (cues coming in late or not at all) -- but the worst thing is that the Bumble broke. The Bumble is the large abominable monster of the North that is an enormous, nearly 14 foot tall puppet that one strong person operates. During the big Bumble scene, as the monster was exiting the stage, something broke inside of it and ball bearings that help twist the head from side to side poured out, causing the actor to slip and fall to his knees. This is all in full view of the audience. It may have looked totally normal to the audience, I don't know. They have no idea what's supposed to happen. Fortunately, the Bumble was already exiting the stage and was able to get off as quick as possible. But as of today, it's still broken; which means it can't be used to it's full potential and effect. He does have two giant arms operated by two separate people, and those will still be used, but it's just not the same.