This morning I find myself at the reception desk of an investment firm (I think?) answering phones and making coffee for people who don't know my name. I'm not complaining. It is a pleasant environment, the work is not difficult, and I have time to blog --you're welcome, Mom. It is, however, a far cry from the artistically fulfilling 5 months I just experienced. As I have been reminded, there are many seasons in life, especially for a performer, and we endure the less exciting seasons so that the thrilling ones are even more wonderful. In an effort to make this "less exciting" day a little more fun, I have decided to revisit my summer experiences and recount some of my adventures for you today.
This summer, I was hired as an actor for the Thin Air Theater Company in Cripple Creek, Colorado to perform as Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls and Mrs. Champain/Duchess in The Spoilers- a classic melodrama. I accepted the contract because I knew the role of Sarah would look good on my resume. Little did I know, that would be the least exciting talking point of the summer.
Cripple Creek is a tiny little town nestled on the top of a mountain near Pike's Peak.Once upon a time, at the height of the Colorado gold rush, it was the 5th largest city in Colorado. Today it is a casino town with a few historical museums and tourists attractions. It may not sound exciting, but what it lacks in activity, it certainly makes up for in character. The residents of Cripple Creek are very proud of their heritage, and EVERYTHING in the town has a heritage: the theater, the businesses, the gold mine, and even the town mascot- the donkeys.
The Theater:
The long-running history of theater -particularly melodrama- in Cripple Creek began with the Mackin family. At a time when the town population began to dwindle after the gold rush, the Mackins introduced a new revenue- live theater. The "mountain people" of the area were attracted to these productions at the Imperial Theater because they were allowed to boo and cheer as the play went along. Tourists were attracted to the town because of the quickly-spreading reputation the theater had earned. It is rumored that even Walt Disney visited the theater when he was in town. These days, the melodramas are performed down the street from the Imperial at the Butte Opera House, and a different company produces the shows, but the commitment to historical excellence is held to a very high standard. The theater is the pride of the town, and we as actors definitely had moments of "celebrity" treatment.
Our shows were generally very well received by our audiences. However, there were a few performances that didn't go so well. One afternoon, during Guys and Dolls, the entire front row and half of the second row got up and left at intermission, complaining about the "excessive cursing." Now, I understand that cursing can be offensive, but the script isn't excessive. I think we said "the D word" and "H-E-double hockey sticks" MAYBE 3 or 4 times. That, apparently, was WAY too much for this group. We actually ran into one of them while out shopping the next day. I attempted to control my annoyance and be polite when one of the elderly men chided me for my allowance of such language. He told me his life story, explaining that he once "had a mouth like a sailor" but then "found God and can't tolerate that lifestyle no more." After a few minutes of quietly smiling and listening to him, I sweetly said "Well, sir, I understand that. However, both of the words that offended you are found in the Bible, and our play actually contained a very strong message of redemption. I wish you could have seen the end, but maybe next time you should do a bit of research before purchasing tickets." We all joked about it later, but at the time, it was a miserable experience. So, soapbox moment, if you plan to see live theater at any point in the near future, please remember the following:
1) The internet is a fantastic resource when you want to know what you're getting into. Feel free to use it BEFORE you purchase tickets.
2) If you still want to see the show but think you might need to leave, PLEASE don't sit in the front row.
3)WE CAN SEE YOU! Especially if you sit in the front few rows, the actors on stage can see what you are doing. So, if you fall asleep, if your phone goes off, if you get up and leave, if you are a bratty teenager that clearly does not want to be there, if you get really intoxicated and try to climb up on to the stage, WE WILL KNOW. And we will probably make fun of you, and/or blog about it, later.
The Businesses:
While few of the businesses of the "golden age" remain in Cripple Creek, there are a few that have turned their heritage into touristy historic stops. A few of my favorites were the old jail museum, the train depot, and The Old Homestead. As members of the acting company, we were welcomed into these establishments with open arms. We toured the cells of the allegedly haunted old jail, we bounced along on the steam engine train as it took us up through the mountains and around the old mining sites, and we gawked at the rooms where the famous Pearl de Vere and her girls would accommodate their "gentleman callers" for $250 a night at a time when $3/day was considered good salary.
My FAVORITE museum wasn't actually in Cripple Creek. Just down the mountain, in Woodland Park, there is a Dinosaur Resource Center. My boyfriend took me to the museum on one of our first few dates. During one of our shows, he snuck into the girls' dressing room and filled my station with gummy bears. He put a plastic dinosaur in the middle with a gummy bear in its mouth and a note card that invited me to "that dinosaur place." While taking a tour, we were surprised to realize that not only was this a cool museum with huge fossils looming over us, it was an active paleontologist lab! The owners were still actively finding and casting molds of fossils they found on excursions, and many of the lab's castings can be found in museums all over the world, including the Museum of Natural History, here in NYC! If you every find yourself near that part of Colorado, I would definitely recommend a visit.
The Gold Mine:
Now that I think about it, the gold mine wasn't that exciting... just really big. There was gold back then, there is gold now. They've found new ways of busting up the mountain to get it. They promise to fix it when they're done.
The Donkeys:
I saved the donkeys for last because they are probably the most defining aspect of Cripple Creek as a quirky little town. The free-roaming herd of donkeys are descendants of the mining donkeys from the gold rush. This cluster of 12 asses have free reign of the city. They walk through town, stop in the middle of the road, relax in front yards of anyone who doesn't have a fence, and pose for pictures with tourists. The Two Mile High Club has been established in CC to take care of the donkeys: feeding them, boarding them in the snowy winter months, and taking them to the vet when they get sick. All of the shops in town have donkey treats for purchase, so these jack asses are pretty spoiled. The town even has a festival in the middle of the summer called Donkey Derby Days to celebrate them. The donkeys race down the mountain and into town where they are cheered and toasted. There are concerts on the main strip, vendors set up with merchandise and fair food, donkey rides, contests, and even a parade. It was something special...
Overall, I had an amazing time in Cripple Creek. The mountains were GORGEOUS, the company took great care of us, I worked with some phenomenal people, and I spent 5 glorious months doing what I love to do- performing. So, now, while I am thrilled to be back home in the city, I'm a little nostalgic and very thankful for the time I spent in the mountains.
Grace be with you,
Lindsey Shea
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