01/31/2022
June 2010: "The Heiresses" and "The Late Guest", both written by Ray Crew. The shows were performed throughout the summer months at The Physick Estate in Cape May, NJ. This was a time when the PE did NOT have A/C window units installed. Sandy recalls a number of folks passing out from the heat and the actors attempts to stay in character as they'd pull folks from the rooms and out onto the porch for fresh air.
Sandy remarks, "The shows were intense with long fact filled monologues, full skirts, mutton sleeve blouses, and corset belts for the ladies, full suits for the gentlemen. Full contact face slaps, kissing, death scenes and firing prop guns brought us all a bit closer as a troupe I think and really pulled the audience into the action! Just that hint of real danger brought the shows to life!"
This was some of the members first ever attempt at acting.
The ladies costumes were hand-made. Sandy lovingly referred to her costume as "The Wasp". With the large sleeves and snatched waist, it matched her character in "The Heiresses" perfectly.
The transition from the angry widow/murderer to demure and mousey maid in "The Late Guest" was a crazy but obtainable stretch for Sandy. "No one taught me how to die pretty, so I had to figure that out probably in the most awkward way possible. It's not something I practiced at home. First death attempt was thankfully at full run rehearsals and I ended up on top of Ray Crew who was face down on the floor already, using his butt as a pillow."
This was also the time before the troupe was known as Actors Off Stage. It was by the second year of performing at the Physick Estate the troupe contemplated calling themselves, "The Second Drawer Down Players" thanks to the curator giving them permission to touch one object in the estate for the shows sake.
