Not been here for far, far too long. I'll forgive everyone here for even forgetting that I was ever around, but I wanted to give my thanks to all, and particularly Edd and Paddy - I've just been given my first fee, and some of the work came from here!
In fairness, I've never sent out any MS (okay Edd, you can stop tut-tutting now) but a producer for a theatrical group who knew that I wrote asked me if I had anything suitable for a comedy review based loosely around the movies, and as a result of a few of the exercises in which I took part here a year or so ago, I had a couple of skits and sketches in the bank. The next thing I knew I came over all unnecessary and had edited the 10 minutes I had and written another 80 minutes of new material, plus three satirical rewrites of famous songs from Calamity Jane for a big all-cast western finale ('Carry On Ugly Gunfight Calamity At The Magnificent OK Butch Bighorn Grit Corale') and I'd written the whole damn show.
Okay, I only pick up about $300 (it's a 3 night show, 70 capacity community theatre and an amdram society) - but it's a fee, I now have a revue to add to my catalogue and can say I've been paid, nay commissioned, to write for the theatre!
As above, thanks to everyone. And if anyone is in Gloucester on 14/15/16 May - avoid Highnam Hall!
Personally, I'm going to leave the car at the back with the engine running...
... and we had full houses all nights except one which was 80%, two standing ovations at the end of the finale and even a handwritten note passed to me backstage from a director from another theatre asking if I had anything else she could look at (which I'm addressing now)!
All this despite me taking (necessarily due to cast shortage) the two roles of Corporal Jones from Dad's Army (a British movie and tv show) in one sketch and Clint 'The Man With No Name' Eastwood in another.
