X-Country X: The Tour where the dead guy drives
by Slash Coleman
11/7/06 - RVA Magazine
by Slash Coleman
11/7/06 - RVA Magazine
My best friend always made me feel special; like I was a rattle skin boot wearing, high- kicking Nicolas
Cage in the movie, “Wild at Heart.” When he died a little over a year and a half ago, (in a freak
electrocution accident involving a power line and a neon sign for a Chinese restaurant), I decided I didn't
want to let that feeling die with him. So, last October, I wrote a one man show about our friendship, bought
a pair of alligator skin zip-up boots for the stage, and prepared to travel across the country and tell my
story to the world.
Cage in the movie, “Wild at Heart.” When he died a little over a year and a half ago, (in a freak
electrocution accident involving a power line and a neon sign for a Chinese restaurant), I decided I didn't
want to let that feeling die with him. So, last October, I wrote a one man show about our friendship, bought
a pair of alligator skin zip-up boots for the stage, and prepared to travel across the country and tell my
story to the world.
June 15-18, Maynard, MA (outside Boston)
Acme Theater
How cool is it to say I had my first official sold out show outside of Boston? The lack of seats
encouraged about a half dozen or so perfectly sane theater goers to temporally lose their minds.
Individuals got desperate enough to tell the box office they knew me, and there must have been some
kind of mix up, and could they check with me personally, and blah…blah….blah. The stage manager
kept coming back to the dressing room and saying, “There’s another lady out there and she says she
knows you and you were supposed to put her on a list and….and….and.” A lot of people had to go
home without seeing the show, which at the time felt really good, but then the next day I felt like crap.
Acme Theater
How cool is it to say I had my first official sold out show outside of Boston? The lack of seats
encouraged about a half dozen or so perfectly sane theater goers to temporally lose their minds.
Individuals got desperate enough to tell the box office they knew me, and there must have been some
kind of mix up, and could they check with me personally, and blah…blah….blah. The stage manager
kept coming back to the dressing room and saying, “There’s another lady out there and she says she
knows you and you were supposed to put her on a list and….and….and.” A lot of people had to go
home without seeing the show, which at the time felt really good, but then the next day I felt like crap.
My friend’s parents told me that when I performed the debut of the show in Roanoke, it was like I had
breathed life back into their son. All across the country, people have told me similar things – that I
breathe life back into their own lost loved ones. For me, the payoff is a little more selfish. In sixty minute
increments, I’m able to milk that special high that my friend brought forth when he was alive.
October marked not only a year that the show’s been running, but the end of four months of being on the
road with the show. Although next years dates are lining up to take me to such far reaching places as
Poland and Toronto and include the addition of a documentary and a special on PBS, I have to admit, I’
m still just along for the high. The following excerpts and photos are from my tour journal.
breathed life back into their son. All across the country, people have told me similar things – that I
breathe life back into their own lost loved ones. For me, the payoff is a little more selfish. In sixty minute
increments, I’m able to milk that special high that my friend brought forth when he was alive.
October marked not only a year that the show’s been running, but the end of four months of being on the
road with the show. Although next years dates are lining up to take me to such far reaching places as
Poland and Toronto and include the addition of a documentary and a special on PBS, I have to admit, I’
m still just along for the high. The following excerpts and photos are from my tour journal.
August 18, Virginia Beach, VA
The Beach
Thanks to Craig’s List, when I put word out that I was looking for a videographer to help me with my
documentary, I found one close to home. Kate Johnson, who studies film at VCU, followed me around
with her camera for most of the summer getting to know me better than I think she probably wanted to.
We stopped in VA Beach to film a reenactment from the show. The photo shows the 13 year old version
of me getting an instant huge crush on a girl blowing up a beach ball. After her ball is whisked away by
the wind, ever the stupid hero, I ride my surfboard out into the middle of the ocean for the ball and
nearly drown.
The Beach
Thanks to Craig’s List, when I put word out that I was looking for a videographer to help me with my
documentary, I found one close to home. Kate Johnson, who studies film at VCU, followed me around
with her camera for most of the summer getting to know me better than I think she probably wanted to.
We stopped in VA Beach to film a reenactment from the show. The photo shows the 13 year old version
of me getting an instant huge crush on a girl blowing up a beach ball. After her ball is whisked away by
the wind, ever the stupid hero, I ride my surfboard out into the middle of the ocean for the ball and
nearly drown.
August 13, Richmond, VA
The Fan
Home for a short rest - though my R&R ritual is as eccentric as me. When I need a good dose of
attention, I’ll put on my Leo helmet and go for a nice summer bike ride through the fan. Usually I wear
my powder blue tux, but it was August. Besides, I was on a mission to ride past all the nearby
synagogues, waving like a maniac, yelling, “Gut Shabbus!” and revealing my Jewish Rudolph shirt to
the world.
The Fan
Home for a short rest - though my R&R ritual is as eccentric as me. When I need a good dose of
attention, I’ll put on my Leo helmet and go for a nice summer bike ride through the fan. Usually I wear
my powder blue tux, but it was August. Besides, I was on a mission to ride past all the nearby
synagogues, waving like a maniac, yelling, “Gut Shabbus!” and revealing my Jewish Rudolph shirt to
the world.
August 2-7 Rock Hill, NC (as in Andy Griffith, North Carolina)
Cherry Orchard Theater
How psyched was I to do an outside performance in the middle of a peach orchard and not
have to use my cordless microphone which, at times, has a mind of its own? Very. The
theater was on the side of a mountain, the stage, on the edge of a cliff. Fall off the stage and
you plummet to your death. The audience sits and waits patiently in their lawn chairs to see if
it might happen. The last night it began to rain and we all had to run into the barn to finish the
performance. Concluding the run of shows while seated on a John Deer tractor was
completely magical.
Cherry Orchard Theater
How psyched was I to do an outside performance in the middle of a peach orchard and not
have to use my cordless microphone which, at times, has a mind of its own? Very. The
theater was on the side of a mountain, the stage, on the edge of a cliff. Fall off the stage and
you plummet to your death. The audience sits and waits patiently in their lawn chairs to see if
it might happen. The last night it began to rain and we all had to run into the barn to finish the
performance. Concluding the run of shows while seated on a John Deer tractor was
completely magical.
July 12-15 Provincetown, MA
The Provincetown Theater Fringe Festival
Despite the 18-hour drive to Cape Cod, I was psyched to perform in a town with the largest summer gay
population in the United States. The write up in Bay Windows (New England’s largest
Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual newspaper) was perfect. Word was I was doing, “a Broke back Mountain between
two straight guys that don’t have sex.” Unfortunately, the memo didn’t circulate. After one good run, I
performed for a skeleton crew of one - two audience members.
The Provincetown Theater Fringe Festival
Despite the 18-hour drive to Cape Cod, I was psyched to perform in a town with the largest summer gay
population in the United States. The write up in Bay Windows (New England’s largest
Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual newspaper) was perfect. Word was I was doing, “a Broke back Mountain between
two straight guys that don’t have sex.” Unfortunately, the memo didn’t circulate. After one good run, I
performed for a skeleton crew of one - two audience members.
September 5-18 San Francisco, CA
The San Francisco International Fringe Theater Festival
For years I’ve wanted to take a trip with no clothes except the ones on my back. This time I did it.
Besides what I needed to perform, I bought what I needed at the thrift store and gave it all back when
I left.
Although crashing in my friends Mission bachelor pad for three weeks had its challenges (I was only
given a moving van blanket to sleep with), I was enlightened to the finer things of San Fran –
Beautiful Mexican food, Swan, naked people downtown doing weird naked people things at all
hours, the home office for Critical Mass, solar bong hits, (in which a magnifying apparatus and the
sun are used to light your weed), marijuana bars, Delores Park’s Gay Beach - which isn’t near the
beach at all, Castro’s Gold’s Gym, (imagine the smell of balls, spandex, and the Village People), my
friends band called The Rabbles.
The most magical thing, though, was meeting other people just like me, because although you can’t
exactly find my career category in the Times Dispatch classified section or on Monster.com, there
are tons of people making their living doing the same thing I’m doing – writing and performing one
person shows. For almost three weeks, I got to get up and go to the coolest job I’ve ever had.
The San Francisco International Fringe Theater Festival
For years I’ve wanted to take a trip with no clothes except the ones on my back. This time I did it.
Besides what I needed to perform, I bought what I needed at the thrift store and gave it all back when
I left.
Although crashing in my friends Mission bachelor pad for three weeks had its challenges (I was only
given a moving van blanket to sleep with), I was enlightened to the finer things of San Fran –
Beautiful Mexican food, Swan, naked people downtown doing weird naked people things at all
hours, the home office for Critical Mass, solar bong hits, (in which a magnifying apparatus and the
sun are used to light your weed), marijuana bars, Delores Park’s Gay Beach - which isn’t near the
beach at all, Castro’s Gold’s Gym, (imagine the smell of balls, spandex, and the Village People), my
friends band called The Rabbles.
The most magical thing, though, was meeting other people just like me, because although you can’t
exactly find my career category in the Times Dispatch classified section or on Monster.com, there
are tons of people making their living doing the same thing I’m doing – writing and performing one
person shows. For almost three weeks, I got to get up and go to the coolest job I’ve ever had.
October 4-8 Birmingham, AL
The NACA convention
Rubbing elbows with comedians from HBO, industry agents, and up and coming solo acts was a great way to end my tour…..deep in
the heartland of the south. Now, I’ll take a deep breath before I go under again.
The NACA convention
Rubbing elbows with comedians from HBO, industry agents, and up and coming solo acts was a great way to end my tour…..deep in
the heartland of the south. Now, I’ll take a deep breath before I go under again.
Jason Eisenberg of the famed Lord
Buckley Orchestra blessed me with
his presence at my Boston show.
Buckley Orchestra blessed me with
his presence at my Boston show.
My San Fran stage manager and
roadie, Jay Lee of “The Rabbles.”
roadie, Jay Lee of “The Rabbles.”
Me with fellow one man shower,
Christine Clifford, who did a show
called, “Baby Love,” about
wanting to get a little action with
her baby.
Christine Clifford, who did a show
called, “Baby Love,” about
wanting to get a little action with
her baby.
Me at 13?! (Cody Taylor, Kate
Johnson, and Tahli Bn' mir).
Johnson, and Tahli Bn' mir).
Leo Addiction!
This is way, way off Broadway.
Thar she blows! That classic
P-town fog!
P-town fog!
| © Slash Coleman 2009 |
