Ice Storm

It has been over a week since my last blog. It feels like a lifetime ago in some ways. The dress rehearsal for Southern Comforts ended at 8:45 pm on Monday night. As we walked out to our cars the rain was instantly freezing on the windshields. I scrapped my windshield off and then turned into the drive way to turn around. When I pulled back onto the street my windshield was frozen over again.

After scraping and defrost set on high I finally made it home. I walked in and told April that I thought Jade would be out of school the next day. Little did I know what was in store for us. On Tuesday morning I made my way to the theatre and worked for part of the day. April called to say we had lost power mid-day. I tried to get in touch with Phil the director but his phone service was out. I talked with Tom Dolan and Renie Barger by phone and we decided not to have rehearsal but to get together early the next afternoon before the final dress rehearsal. Phil finally called me and I told him what Tom and Renie had decided to do. The ice/rain continued to fall. April cancelled her Ramona Quimby rehearsals for Tuesday. At 4 pm April called me at the office to ask me to come home as it was getting a little scary with the tree limbs starting to fall. I suggested the Marsha spend the night with us as I knew that we had at least heat from our gas logs in the fireplace at home and there was no guarantee that the power would stay on there. Which meant no heat and no one around to help her.

We spent the evening in front of the fire with at least 10 candles burning in the room. Each time a tree limb fell, everyone inside would tense up not knowing if it was going to come crashing through the windows. April and I texted family to tell them about the situation and texted friends to check on their status. I went outside about 10 pm that night and stood in our back yard with my daughter in a clearing that had no overhead hanging branches. We watched as limb after limb snapped and then crashed to the ground. We made our way around to the front of the house and stood in the street watching the same scene.

The cell phones lost their final signal and we were cut off. The next day we made our way out of the house and to the theatre. We discovered that the power had gone out at the theatre but only for a few hours. There was heat and light. The bad thing was that a large branch had crashed onto the roof of the guest artist apartments and water was dripping in through a 10 inch gash in the roof. Jim Keeney and I made a temporary patch and then headed to the coffee shop where all of the theatre refugees had gathered. Renie and Don Barger were at the coffee shop and Phil and Ann Counts showed up as well. It was a difficult decision but I decided to cancel opening night and Friday night as well. MHT Board President Renie Barger and I talked about some of our senior ticket holders traveling on icy roads to attend the play and risking getting injured was not something anyone wanted. We planned to try to get in touch with Tom to rehearse in the afternoon on Friday. We cancelled the Executive Committee meeting and the Board meeting scheduled for that night. My family returned to our home for another night of candles huddled around the fireplace. Marsha Cash stayed in the artist apartment along with Alexis who was also without power. The two of them watched videos late into the night.

On Thursday things really became clear that this was no temporary situation for the power in peoples’ homes. We worked on finishing the set a little to add the last touches of set dressing and then everyone left for their homes before the 5 pm curfew. April, Jade and I went back down to the theatre Thursday night to do some work and avoid the darkness at home until about 9 pm. Sandy Harbin, the theatre bookkeeper, and her family decided to spend the night in the theatre’s classroom. Marsha opened up the small apartment for showers for the Harbins and everyone made the best of the evening. At 9:30 we left Jade with the Harbins for a sleepover in the classroom and slowly made our way home and settled in for another cold dark night.

Friday morning we found everyone down at the coffee shop when we arrived. Cell phone service had been restored briefly. At about 2 pm Renie, Tom, and Phil finally rehearsed. I talked with the city manager’s office and the curfew was now moved back to 11pm. They were telling businesses that had power that they could stay open until 10:30pm. It was a difficult decision. I went back and talked to the cast telling them that we would go ahead with the performances on Saturday afternoon, evening and Sunday afternoon. There were ticket holders who were shocked that were doing the performances. Other ticket holders were thrilled that we were. In the end the decision was made because we did not have the ability to add a 3rd week to the run of the show. Thursday and Friday were cancelled. All the ticket holders from those shows could still exchange their tickets and come on the second weekend. If we cancelled the entire first weekend there was no way we could accommodate everyone for the second weekend of performances. With very mixed emotions I told the cast what the decision was. Jim and I were prepared to cover all of the crew positions with just the two of us if needed. Michael Brewer offered to fill in on the crew for Saturday. Pam Benzing, who was to stage manage, was helping out several people in her neighborhood who were staying with her because she had gas logs and a gas stove- but no power. She felt bad that she couldn’t be there for the shows but we told her not to worry. We would cover for her. April decided to hold footlights classes for whoever could make it. We thought that it might give a place for the kids who could make it just to have somewhere fun to go to escape their cold homes just like we were. Friday night we stayed down at the theatre again until 9 pm and then headed back to the cold dark house.

Saturday morning footlights was held and lots of kids showed up. I think many of the parents hung out at the coffee shop and Kirchhoffs bakery trying to at least warm up on coffee and bagels. The Saturday matinee had 49 people. The cast got a standing ovation at the end. Saturday night we had 60 people and another standing ovation. Tom Dolan, and crew members Betty Wise and Susan Anderson still didn’t have power. April and Jade hung out at the theatre again Saturday night until the end of the show and we all returned to our cold dark house.

Sunday afternoon the audience was again close to 60 people. Tom and Susan had gotten their power back that day. The cast again received a standing ovation. I returned home to discover our power had been restored just in time for the kick off of the Super Bowl.
This week we will look at the financial costs in terms of lost ticket sales from the bad weather last weekend. The big fundraiser Curtain Call- The Wizard of Oz auction which is scheduled for Friday Feb. 13 is also a topic of discussion because of the ice storm. The theatre was already having a tough year. We know that we will run a deficit this year. We are in the process of planning how to cover that shortfall for the last 6 months of this season. The theatre had never cancelled a mainstage performance in the 25 years I’ve been at MHT. Cancelling the shows this past week was a first. But then again this past week broke records for number of people without power, trees down, and probably several others things that will be remembered for years to come. What I will remember most was the group of MHT volunteers and staff who reached out to others in need, and who checked on the welfare of those who might need a little help. I was also impressed by the staff who came in every day during the storm to make sure that the theatre was still able to open a show. Alexis worked hard on a paper system to overcome the loss of the computerized ticketing system. Marsha worked on trying to coordinate volunteers and sharing her space so that others could benefit as well. Jim salted, shoveled, and helped patch the roof. April planned activities for the kids on Saturday and kept her cast informed about rehearsals. Each of them offered advice and support when tough decisions needed to be made.