04.28.03
Thespians’ banquet
I use the term “banquet” loosely. Like any good banquet there was an MC. Other than that, we departed from the formula.
The banquet was held Sunday April 27, 2003 As I understand the story, Amanda requested a sort of blind RSVP from the students: Without knowing where it would be or how much it would cost, how many were interested in attending? The number would determine what their options would be for booking a hall, (or the Sizzin’.)
They had a small, tidy quantity. Just right for the College Hill Coffee coffee house, with a little elbow room built in.
Apparently students and parents liked the idea of the small, intimate setting of the coffee house. Amanda had far more actual RSVPs that the initial RSVP would indicate. We had a number of last minute RSVP’s on Friday, and one at 1:00 on Sunday afternoon. Before Friday, they’d outgrown the size of the coffee shop.
The coffee shop folks didn’t know what was facing them until the student organizers called Friday morning with the “final” figures. The final figures exceeded the Fire Marshall’s allowances. They did some scrambling, found a tent that could be set up to accommodate the rest of the group. A small additional fee.
Nearly every year we’ve done the banquet it has rained. On the nice year that we had a picnic in the park, we had cool weather. Yesterday it was the hottest day of the year. 81 degrees and 57% humidity. The inside of the tent was hot, still and musty. This was a wonderful tent. A WWII or Korean War vintage canvas tent maybe as big as 25 by 50 feet. It still had the original mildew. The smell reminded me of camping with my folks in their 1950 vintage canvas tent.
I helped roll up and tie off the sides of the tent to let some more air in. I still smell of mildew and decaying hemp rope.
Some folks were relegated to eat in the tent and then all the people went out for the award ceremony. Avery and I played, argued and left early.
It was weird, but people seemed to like it.