Introductions: Gracie

As I type this, we are cruising along on 495 South, heading out to Alexandria, VA and beginning the real “tour” part of this tour (meaning I won’t be back in New York for a while). This is extreme blogging, people! Anyway, with this little break in the adventure, I thought it was time for the introduction to my second character in the show. Meet Bunny Scout Gracie:



Gracie’s not all together there. Oh, sure, she can function perfectly fine in normal society (sorta), but when she wants to do something, you’d better get out of her way. She has a somewhat unhealthy obsession with the Bunny Scout Anthem (as she says with extreme intensity in the show, “That’s my favorite song!”) and is dead set on getting her first aid badge (hence the first aid kit). She is also obsessed with scavenger hunts and castles, particularly the one built at the end of the show for Ruby’s show.

Gracie’s minor insanity started early on in rehearsals. At my audition, I was told that Gracie is a little too serious about her bunny scouting. And thus began my descent. First, everything was so important and exciting. Then, it was life or death. If Ruby doesn’t get her show, then the bunny scouts will have failed, and if the bunny scouts fail, then Gracie has failed. And, with my super-crazy-hyper intensity came some unexpected humor. I stood up quickly to announce my excitement about the scavenger hunt and caused the medicine box to make a large crash, sending our director Jeff into hysterics. Gracie’s increasing concern over her castle caused me one day to start crying when Max knocked it down, after which I was told: “Ethan, it’s not that type of play.”

And then there’s the gong.

Gracie brings a gong for Ruby’s play at the end of the show. Valerie announces that she borrowed it from a neighbor. However, we have collectively decided that the gong is hot property, and Gracie has earned her klepto badge in procuring it. In fact, Leigh has suggested that, during a scene change, Gracie come out in a black hood and gloves and creep across the stage, clutching the gong and looking furtive. It makes me laugh every day.

Gracie is, I think, the best. Maybe because she gets the most stage time, and thus the largest arc. Maybe because her hyper-sensitivity is the kind of high-energy stuff I love to do. Maybe because she actually cracks me up. Whatever it is, I never thought I’d embrace this dress-wearing, falsetto-singing, braid-wearing, super-odd bunny like I have.

Kid quote of the day: When Max picked up his Blue Tarantula book and prepared to open it, a little boy shouted, "Don't do it!"

Call tomorrow: 6:40am, our Days Inn in Alexandria, VA.