Ragnarok finally came to a close on Saturday. A pair of Asatru (contemporary worshippers of the Norse pantheon) came to the show and loved it. They thanked us afterward for creating a show that honored their religion. Which was possibly the highest compliment our show could receive. Then we partied until dawn at a cast member’s apartment. I spent most of the night smoking on a hookah (which is now my hookah and sitting lovely on the keg we used for the show) and reminiscing and discussing new projects and writing and sex and attraction and etcetera with anyone who came by to smoke. It was a good night, all in all, and very meditative. Except for the wild hours of dancing to good old Louisiana zydeco.
At dawn, those of us who had hung on walked to a diner and got some breakfast, then said goodbye and got as much sleep as we could before we had to be at strike. It hasn’t really hit me yet that it’s really over, but I think, come Thursday, I’m going to find myself very down in the dumps.
To everyone who was involved in this show: Thank you. You helped make this, not just another show and another cast, but a truly spiritual and cathartic experience. I’m going to miss you; I’m going to miss drinking with you and talking to you and the weird and wonderful jokes that we all shared. I’m going to miss the special chemistry of personalities and experience that made us a cast.
One of our customer service reps just came in with a Chunky Bar from a customer, sent as thanks for getting a job done quickly. If only more of our customers showed gratitude with chocolate…
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I caught the final performance of Ragnarok as my self-agreed send-off before returning from a Spring Break at home to studying undergrad English.
And, as a complete stranger (and a private, casual, self-proclaimed Asatru--not a fraction as legitamate as the other group), I thank you and everyone else who had anything to do with bringing the production to life (including, even, all unknowing participants of inspiration that help define and characterize human art).
My last month has been filled with illness, worry, and the worst kinds of social revelations, but seeing Ragnarok propelled me into an inebrious mood I maybe hadn't, before Saturday, experienced in my life--my joy was strangely seething, an elation solidified with the carefree aggressiveness of the entire cast. Ragnarok has led me to consider five days of hospital black-out around Valentine's being worth it because I got to see my beloved Gods in person, with gleeful eyes delighting every time I felt I caught those of Odin, or Loki, or Freyja, or Thor, or anyone else.
I am without words in the joy I walked away from 925 W Diversey with, and am so zealed that, graciously, I ask if you might be willing to share any ways of discovering insights in how Tantalus Theatre's Ragnarok was born, be they more of your own thoughts (as I have been devouring from your archives), leads to others involved who would like to share (Odin, Loki, all of the Valiant Dead, I fell in love with every one; director's, assistants, anyone), or sources that inspired the building of the show--if you might prefer email to other word, I would be grateful to hear here.
I apologize if my rant catch you in any form of disarray, but this has been the first opportunity I have found to begin my quest of thanking all I can and searching, obsessively, for more of the story of the behind-the-scenes of Ragnarok.
Congratulations on participating in bringing such a fantastic show to life; from a young adult who grew up fantasizing images of Odin and Yggdrasil, Freyja alongside her Valkyries, and myself marching with Thor's army as Valhallan warrior, the entire cast, acting and producing, succeeded in making at least one dream come true.
Congratulations on your show.. =)
Let me know about the dvd..
~Kim
ps ...and happy vernal equinox...
~Kim
I should have posted my praise for Ragnarok earlier, but having just come from the worst theater experience of my life I am beyond compelled to now say that Ragnarok was great. Also, the play had the loveliest ladies with voices of angles (seriously, the music was my favorite part), and I think Freya was scoping out my package.
Post a Comment