Jesu Performance: Blogging from Waxhaw, NC

The Storefront Theatre in Waxhaw, NC is performing my play, "Jesu of Fondue" as a part of their reader's theatre.  For those of you not familiar with it, "Jesu" is about a housewife who sees the face of Jesus in a billboard advertisement for a fondue restaurant, and the whole town becomes a media circus. It's a comedy that tackles issues of faith and family.

Last night---first performance---was AMAZING. It played to a packed house (not quite sold out---it is a small and intimate theatre which is great for shows). The talent of the folks here just absolutely floored me. The woman who played Martha is a NATIONALLY recognized voice talent. I'm sure you've heard her. She's the : "Use your VIC card at Harris Teeter" voice. The guy who read for Jed also played Jacob/Potiphar in the NATIONAL touring company of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."



Downtown Waxhaw

 But first, an aside about Waxhaw. I knew nothing aobut this small town (40 minutes east of Charlotte, right on the board of SC). I wasn't sure what to expect. WOW. This is the birthplace of the 7th US President, Andrew Jackson (for my international peeps, he's on the 20 dollar bill) and there's a homestead and museum here where the theatre is. There's also an outdoor drama done here. It's kind of like a smaller version of the Festival Park / Lost Colony thing.

The town of Waxhaw is incredibly cute. A vibrant downtown (see photos). Usually, when a play / booksigning/ reading of mine takes place, I try to buy a small, inexpensive piece of jewelry, preferably done by local artists. There was a gorgeous local beading jewelry store, and I not only got myself some stuff (Dawnster loves the bling) but bought about 6 Christmas presents for folks as well. I like the beading stuff because I have an allergic reaction to metals on my neck. Any kind---cheap or real deal.

Anyway, there was such GREAT feedback from the audience, and I was able to basically sit back and enjoy the show. I was in the audience, but not introduced. until after the show. It's kind of awkward, as you can imagine, to be sitting next to the playwrigthtI confess, one of the things that touched me most, was after the show and the actors took a bow, a few folks started calling "author!" The director smiled and said the playwright was in the house. Someone called "where's the playwright?" Then I was introduced and took a bow.
I gave away two copies of my books as a part of a drawing they have for audience members---it's good advertising / publicity, and I like to give a :) to folks who support the arts.



I'm staying at a cast member's house ----which is an incredible 5,000 square foot house---and I confess, I feel like the Queen of Sheba. What an incredibly warm welcome from such talented folks.



From the Museum of the Waxhaws, where
the Storefront Theatre is located.



Any of you near the area should check out Waxhaw. In addition to all the Andrew Jackson museum stuff, there is also a museum for Wycliffe Bible translators. Waxhaw is where one of their airports / plane operations are for pilots who fly copies of the Bible into jungles, etc.

I'll try to post a few pics from the play and maybe even film a scence if I can do it without being too distracting.