The Zombies Ate My Brains

There is plenty of time to kill backstage. Louis Butelli (our first Old Tom of the season-now departed and replaced by alumnus Brian Rooney) introduced us to a massive time wasting game we play on our phones. “Plants vs Zombies” it is called and I have wasted enormous amounts of time on this game. I’m not a gamer, either, never really have been. But now I am addicted. The zombies attempt to invade your house and you buy plants which repel them. Fail to kill them and they get into your house and eat your brains.

So everywhere you go back stage people are hunched over their phones killing zombies. When we have a rain delay most of the guys in my dressing room are playing it. I have to admit that my playing this game is not confined to back stage. I play it at home, too. It is a major reason I haven’t been writing as much as I should.

The night before last we had The Heat. You know – the crushing, energy-sapping, sweat-drenched Heat. Technically it was only 85 degrees but the humidity was near 90% and there was not a breath of wind. When we went in we sat huddled in the shady areas and just sweated. Then – into the sweat lodge dressing rooms and into costume. Joy. Once the sun went down and the dressing room temperatures went down I found myself hanging out there because there are fans – a breeze! – in the dressing rooms.

Brendon Ragan plays The Historian and Sir Walter. We make our Prologue entrance from the Queen’s Path. I remember during the first dress rehearsal, a million years ago, he complained how hot he was. He is fully dressed in Raleigh’s costume and then wears a massive robe over that as Historian. During that dress rehearsal it was all of 75 degrees and low humidity. When he complained that he was hot I said: “Just wait. We’ll be wishing for this weather soon.”

I reminded him of that conversation two nights ago as we waited to go on, sweat already so heavy that I was soaked through. He just gave me a look. One of the Red Soldiers who is with us – leather uniform, armor, helmet, hair plastered and dripping, just nodded wearily.

It was the kind of night where you could see great clouds of humidity drifting in the stage lights. Ice chests with rags were deployed on both side of the stage. Some Principals had ice packs strapped on under their costumes.

Oh – and mosquitoes just love hot humid weather.

Last night was a relief. It was still humid but overcast skies lept the heat down and there was a light intermittent wind. It’s funny – when a breeze comes up everyone on stage cheats to put their faces in to the wind.

The clouds and breeze heralded a “cold” front that came through early this morning and today is a beautiful day; temps in the high 70s and a 15 mph wind from the northeast. Perfect weather for a pageant!

Of course we are all glued to the Weather Channel (and it’s derivatives on the net). I used to call The Weather Channel “The Oracle” because we plan our lives around the information it bestows on us.

The Oracle says we are in for at least a few days of nice weather.

Well – gotta go. These zombies aren’t going to kill themselves, y’know.