Stage Door Memories

The first musical I ever saw was in Seattle's Paramount theatre.I was 22. It was then called Anna and the King of Siam starring the young Yul Brinner. Fantastic. I got very drunk afterwards; the hangover lasting three days. But that's a different story.
Each summer great entertainment comes to San Francisco. Much as I love live theatre, constraints of time, money and schedules have often prevented me from seeing some of the classic hits, though I so fell in love with the Phantom I saw it four times.
Today I am buying tickets for the musical War Horse at the Curran in August. Yeah!  I can hardly wait. Its staged with giant puppets like Lion King.
A few weeks ago to support my friend Claudia in her first theatre writing and reading I went with friends to see the debut at a small theatre on Valencia.. I joined the two ladies posed below waiting in the rain for the blue theatre door to open.  They looked so dear I asked permission to photograph them and later painted the scene shown here.  My sketching friend Beth was likewise charmed and used it in her blog.  Go to
http://bethbourland.wordpress.com/ to chuckle at her rendition.
Claudia's sketch is about a hypothetical office worker in charge of buying greeting cards for every staff member.  It rings so many funny memories.

Thank goodness I never have to serve on another school or office social committee! I've learned to say NO!