I got a call yesterday from the facility manager where I participated in the play in May. He said that Ellen from the play had died of a massive stroke. She was my mirror image Cagelle during the opening number, with her and I basically doing the same thing, but on opposite sides of the stage. She was a sweet lady, and let us use her place to rehearse. She was also very accepting and quite open about everything. She asked me a bunch of questions about being transsexual because she was curious and she wanted to know. I think she had dealt or was dealing with a transgender youth in her job. When my mom was in town, she took her around the garden area in the back of her house and talked with her for a while. I told Ellen she reminded me so much of my aunts, and that she could almost pass for one of my mom’s sisters in more ways than one.
Later that night, I got a call from one of my other castmates from La Cage. He mentioned the service being held on Sunday and that he had talked to several of Ellen’s friends. He was asking everyone to come in drag because that’s what Ellen would have wanted, especially since she was so carefree, lovable, and just a little off her rocker in a good way. So, I’ll definitely go in girl mode, but I don’t really have anything in the drag sense from the show. I can add a little spark here and there with the makeup, but I’ll pretty much just go as myself. I think she would have liked it much better that way. She was one of a few that was very supportive with me during the play, especially the last night when I did the curtain call in girl mode, instead of boy mode as the directors asked. Her positive energy was so contagious. I’ll miss her.
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