On the subject of Pez Dispensers

The candy was crap, but the packaging was always cool.

And while I was not obsessed in the collection of the dispensers that had all those great characters, I will always have a fond recollection of Pez after last night's Student Improv Showcase at the Historic University Theatre in front of, yes, a sold out audience.

The scene was done for a game called Alphabet. Each line of the scene was to begin with the next letter in the alphabet. The suggestion for the scene was Pez Dispenser and the letter we began with was G. Now usually these scenes go all the way through the alphabet, but X, Q and Z are usually the scene stoppers for the wrong reasons. Last night, X was the spot for the right reason.

I played a little kid with an Incredible Hulk dispenser whose mommy (played by Erika) wants him to get rid of all that candy. She makes him destroy his favorite dispenser which leads him to being sad. Being a little boy, my lines were very short, usually one word or two... but always appropriate. I seem to remember the last lines going something like this.

Me:Today?
Mom: Unless you get rid of that you'll be in trouble.
Me: Very well. (I stomp on the Hulk dispenser)
Mom: What do you think you're doing now?
Me: (Pulling a new dispenser out of my pocket) X-Men!

The scene was called there. I really don't know if Lauren was thinking we were running out of time in the show or she just thought that was the place to end it, but it got a big cheer and made me feel great.

Being on stage is a really wonderful part of my life now, and I look forward to doing it more and on a regular basis. Some dear friends of mine, including many of my fellow bloggers, are getting together to start a new group. We believe we are on our way to a great direction, and I can't wait to see where it will take me. I still am not sure I have all it takes to be awesome, but my heart tells me that there is some kind of magic still left in this 45 year old body.

To my fellow cast members from last night, my heartiest thanks.
To my future cast members, I can't wait to be awesome with you!

Yours truly,
Johnny Blogger