Cast Party at Reany Park

Our show wrapped last night with the best performance ever and almost 200 people in the audience. I have to admit, I am feeling a bit down today, knowing it is over and I won't be heading to Pullman after dinner tomorrow. I felt blessed to have my family (parents and sister) some to the final show.

Today after the cast struck the set, they went to the park to party. We musicians were invited to come too, although only two of us actually went. Elena, the director, headed to the Ukraine to visit family and the others were similarly busy. The clarinetist, I discovered, is a representative and was heading out to the state capital. But Huckleberry showed up, along with my whole family so the musicians were somewhat represented. As the cast members, many of them children, and their families arrived, the designated picnic table began to drown in potluck food. Blankets dotted the grass with patchwork colors and lawn chairs rose like sentinels from the soft grass.

hubby and I had not been up to the task of preparing a dish so we partook of Chinese take-out, sitting and talking to our good friend, M, who had produced the show, as well as a number of other functions, including acting. Natta hurried through her chore of eating the required number of bites so she could go play on the playground. She didn't take off before she coaxed Daddy into giving her some of the cookies that temptingly graced the food table.

While Natta slid down the slide, Hubby and I toted Seth around the field playing Bocce. I had never played it before but thankfully it was not too complicated and we were soon joined by Huckleberry, who had lost his glasses the previous week. Hubby easily won the game, then we moved on to sit among the people chatting. I love to people-watch, even if I am not involved in any particular conversation, so I set up my blue and green striped lawn chair and tuned in to several of the adjacent conversations. Some of the parents discussed the WASL test. Mothers talked about their children's accomplishments. I mostly listened and kept an eye on Seth, who was trying to eat grass.

Hubby wandered off to make sure Natta was okay. He soon returned with a soaking, dirty-faced, tousle-haired child who was having a ball. She had managed to acquire more cookies and had stood under the fountain, resulting in the wet state of her clothes. I just grinned at her and gave her a drink of water.

The sun slid toward the horizon as we loaded the kids in the car and headed home. I reflected on the interesting mix of people I had met, from young to old, liberal to conservative. I had enjoyed them all. I hope I get to do more shows with them in the future.