starcatcher.ca

I don’t write much anymore (given that this is the second thing I’ve posted this year), but I’ve been immersed in the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo for the last month. The show wrapped up yesterday, and keeping with the tradition of writing at least a few words about the show, here are my memories of this year’s spectacle and my involvement therein.

• I was disappointed on finding out that the Queen would not be attending. While I’m not necessarily a fan of the monarchy (growing up in a country where it didn’t mean as much as it once did), I am a big fan of celebrity, and the Queen is one of the most famous people in the world. Not that I ended up going out of my way to see her while she was here, but still.
• Finding out that this would be the Kemps’ last year being directly involved with the choir was a big thing… While I don’t know them as well as many, they’ve left their mark on the choir and the Tattoo, and will definitely be missed.
• Initially not thinking we’d have much to do, then getting more music, and more music, and more music…
• Nothing new at the old MC, really… It’s the same gig year after year, hurry up and wait, just with different music to sing, and different people to pass the rehearsals with. It’s always fun to chat with the “Tattoo Virgins” who are experiencing it all for the first time.
• Flow of the show had a bit of a different feel this year… Extensive singing and dancing in the opening; pipes and drums not being introduced in the same old way; obstacle course in the 2nd act… It’s nice to freshen things up from time to time
• Sitting down for most of the show, and then getting a new stage configuration the day before the show? WTF!
• A plane accident delayed the parade? Really? Oh well, we still cranked out the Canada Day concert at the Citadel (albeit a shortened version)

And then from the show nights themselves, things I will remember;

• Parking adjacent to Citadel High every night (no tickets this year!), and running to the Metro Centre on most nights. My stamina is better now, but MAN does that work up a sweat!
• Never made the 6:30 call time (occasionally rolling in well after 7), but I also never missed a scene.
• As we got on stage in our new configuration for the first time during the pre-show, Steve and I met in the middle of the back row. We both looked forward, and, to his astonishment, the mic was (as he put it) “in his mouth”, and he blurted out “What the hell?” right into said mic (which was off at the time, fortunately). I had to try my best to not laugh for the next five minutes.
• Half-time hooch. Come hell or high-water, we got ‘er done every night, keeping the tradition alive since (apparently) 1989. Especially on the night of the El Dorado.
• If Ashelin ever makes the big time, I can say I got loaded right behind them.
• Cindy (from the wardrobe dept, a friend of Melissa’s since way back) came to find me on before one of the early shows. I wasn’t there yet, but she was met by Donna at the door, with a stern “You’re not Melissa!” Oh, the Posse, always looking out for me.
• Crazy young sopranos
• Crazier old basses
• I can’t make a french braid. One of these days, though.
• Ian’s war stories. I only heard one or two of them, and it was only on one night, but it was pretty amazing. No I don’t remember the details, and even if I did I couldn’t do it justice.
• Wearing Dad’s clip-on bow-tie yet again, and ensuring that I stuck around at the end of Act I to clap out of respect for those who served, to honour his memory
• I’m not winning the 50/50, regardless of whether or not I buy a ticket, and regardless of how good the odds are (you can’t beat em!)
• Food at the MC is too expensive
• This year had some of the best smoke/fog effects I’ve seen. On some nights, the smoke stayed on the floor instead of rising up into our faces
• I always looked forward to Coleen’s emails after each show
• Emilia coming to the Grand Parade for the Festival show on the 5th
• The Keg for my wedding anniversary dinner on the 5th (missed that show)
• I missed Milk and Cookies night too, along with Greg’s official Posse induction
• Conversations of varying length but always of some impact with Kelli, Teresa, Heather, Donna, Art, Ed, Greg, Adrienne, Emma, Ches, Maike, Carlee, Allison, Luke, Catherine, Catherine, and Catherine. I learned a lot of different things about a lot of different people, and I hope some of you learned a thing or two about me (that didn’t necessarily involve my kid).
• Apparently, the Frenchmen are either a) short and have bad BO, or b) smell delightfully “woodsy”, depending on who you ask (although, Carlee met some Frenchmen at last night’s bash who may or may not have altered her opinion of them, I didn’t get details )
• Maike makes awesome cookies and brownies. I assume her culinary skills go well beyond what I’ve tried, but I’m just going with what I know
• Bill Eberts always acknowledged the choir on his way out during the Act II Finale in some way. Oddly enough it made me feel more important, even though I’m 1/100th of the choir and I’ve only spoken to Bill once, a few years ago.
• UFC 116 at the cast party? Hells yeah.
• Guy passed out at the cast party, allowing everyone and their dog to pose for pictures? Good times. He’s lucky nobody drew on him
• Sitting in the sand at Crystal Crescent Beach at 3AM with Catherine, Allison, and Luke, trying to find constellations and figure out why people would want to fly kites at night
• Racing Steve to the centre-stage mic during the load.
• Mullet wigs don’t look good on anyone.
• Spending the Act II Finale with the sopranos during the final performance. My ears are still ringing. I could NEVER have thrown them off!
• Pictures of bums, and pipers, but not pipers’ bums
• I apparently am unable to dress myself
• Crispy Crunches
• The long walk to the bathrooms in the Marriott hotel, made difficult by inaccessible pedways at 2AM
• The Dambusters encore

This was my sixth show, and definitely not my last. The show hasn’t changed much. The music is still great, but exactly what *I* do is inconsequential… It’s that feeling of being a part of something that means so much to so many that is very rewarding. When the audience applauds the Tattoo cast, I know they aren’t applauding me, but I’m honoured to be a small part of what made their evening enjoyable, even if my presence was not explicitly noticed (tall guy with black hair in the middle of the back row of the choir? check).

My mindset for being in the choir has always been to not take anything too seriously. While I’m not advocating sloppy stage composure and off-key singing, I don’t sweat the little things. Rehearsals may be crazy, but come show time everything will be OK. If something goes wrong, there’s no need to complain, because that’s all a part of the experience, and you can reminisce about it later on at the bar or in online forums (fora? fori? forices?).

Most importantly, I love the choir mechanics. It’s like a big family! There’s squabbling, in-fighting, criticizing, reprimanding, but these are complemented by love, respect, friendship, and loyalty. Taking all of this in is a part of the Tattoo experience, and it really doesn’t matter what we do, what matters is that we do it together, and try to have as much fun while we’re doing it.

The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo Cast Experience. I get it. Hopefully I’ll get to see some of you throughout the year, and to the others, see you in 2011 (or 2012, depending on how the new baby is next year)!

(for anyone reading this who hasn’t seen this site before, I have pictures and stuff from most of the old Tattoos I was in, as far back as 2005. Feel free to pass this around and to comment on it. If you want to insult me and rip up my shit, remember that I will have wasted your time twice: the time it took to read this, and the time it took you to respond, so regardless of what you have to say, I win)