From Bill – Christmas City Follies: The Photoshoot

It’s barely November right?  And before that October, which went on for quite a while, almost a month I’d say, and all this time we’ve been working on Christmas City Follies.  It’s a good thing, really.  Shows take time to build, even if you have to shoot for a target that won’t be here for another month still.

It’s just that, as all this time passes, for some reason everyone seems to get younger and younger.  Or is that me getting older and older?  Don’t answer that question.  I’m the one with the white beard.  Mary (she’s the one in the Christmas Tree costume, eyes wide and bold as brass – with more energy than our youngest;  that would be…Alex, I think, with the uke and the pirate striped shirt, weighing in at 14 years of age.  I’d been pushing for some REAL children (ages 8, 9, 10 or YOUNGER!) but this making of Follies, is long, hard work.  Rehearsals three days a week from 10 am to 6 pm.  There’s a good reason we’re all piled on the floor; easier than standing up.  And photo shoots are always a challenging but important chore.  Over there on the right of the picture is Katie, who’s joined us as an intern from the Charter Arts High School.  Christmas is for the whole family, so it makes sense to try to have all ages telling their stories and contributing to the celebration.

Look at these guys.  These photos, taken by Cristina Byrne, are sweeter than Halloween Candy and catch some of the remarkable charm of the Follies ensemble.

It’s from the substance of that ensemble, the show is made.  Like a Christmas Fruit Cake.  Yeah, and, I know what you’re thinking: we’ve all gotta’ be a little fruity to do this year after year.  These are two of the most amazing, brilliant and hard-working people I know—Emma Ackerman, decked out as Little Blue, and Mary Wright as Little Red. You could build an entire show out of either of these characters, alone. 

Resilient, indomitable! 

And this year, Alex and his sister Sarah have joined us again.  These two, home-schooled darlings come from a family of performers who understand the life of the stage.  That’s not Sarah below though with brother Alex, that’s Chloe, this year’s Touchstone apprentice, hiding inside the Penguin outfit.  Kind of Ionesco-like don’t you think?  Existential incongruence boldly made absurd. 

That’s the kind of thing that goes through one’s mind while waiting for Cristina to reframe the next shot—along with, “This beard is intolerably scratchy,” and “if I swallow any more of this stale cigar tobacco!  Ech!” 

In the photo below, it may not be obvious, but Emma is actually IN that bag of Santa’s. 

Thanksgiving is around the corner and Christmas not long after, but we’ve been “in Santa’s Christmas bag” for weeks already, filling it with music, humor and touching stories—and ridiculousness.  Don’t forget to join us. 

We’re here for you.