What I've Been Up To As Of Late

For about two years now, I have been working on several projects alongside my regular two jobs and raising my kids.

Part of the project had to be kept quiet and under wraps due to the industry locally being extremely political, but now I can tell you all about it!

My friends and I have been busy resurrecting a small community theater called Gas Light Players and along with it, its most infamous fundraiser that was pioneered by Drew Hunter of Dr. Blood fame.

It's been a huge undertaking, and it's by far over yet! We just started auditioning last week, and building the temporary maze out at the Fair Grounds, too.

Bits have run in the local papers, and an old alumni of the theater even wrote a resurrection story for the paper he writes for, too!

The emails started shortly after the first audition notice ran in the paper wanting us to quell the rumors. The funny part is, that these folks often don't include what the actual "Rumor" really is!

I have been getting calls from all sorts of people asking me, "Is this for real? Are you guys really back?"

It's funny, because I am finding it hard to explain that, really, many of us never even left!

In fact, a lot of us are still friends, even after all these years! I find that my friends that I met out at Gas Light have stuck around longer than friends that I made in school!

I met most of my best friends out at that theater, and even met my husband of 14 years out there, too!

Why, just the other day, I was over at Judy's at tea-time, discussing show elements with her.

It was only a month ago that we all met around my dining room table to visit with Hayden, in from Oklahoma, and visited with old friends, one of which, sadly, was for the last time.

We jokingly refer to each other as "Brothers & Sisters in Blood," but really that is exactly what we are.

Somehow over the years, we have all become some sort of pseudo family (not just for promotional purposes!) and are still together and keep in touch with as many of us as possible.

We sit back and take a good look at our kids, and marvel over how many of them have been raised in a theatrical and in some cases (like mine) an environment where they take the haunted house industry for granted as a normal part of their everyday lives.

It's amazing how one little theater could bring so many different people together in lasting friendship.

This weekend, we start auditioning for cast out at the Louisiana State Fair Grounds. Saturday & Sunday at 2p.m. and Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday at 7p.m.

We need Guides, Creatures, Tech Crew and Artists. I can't wait to meet everyone and can't help but wonder about all of the new and exciting people that we are going to meet and accept into our family!