Introductions: Mr. Barley

So, in the interest of not making this blog ENTIRELY about where we performed, what went wrong and what we ate, I'm hoping to add a few "features" about what I and we do, both onstage and off. So, here's the first. Meet my first of five-and-a-half characters: Mr Barley.



Mr. Barley is a strange little man. He's the grocery store owner, who is also a bit of a musical theatre fanatic. You see, when Ruby suggests that she's writing a musical for Grandma, Barley has a bit of a freak out. "You mean," he shouts, turning face forward, with arm extended, hand splayed and eyes on the prize, "with SINGING? And DANCING?" For a guy with only three lines, he's certainly got a lot of character.

This fanatical nature was introduced to me at the audition, where Robin (the casting director) informed me that Barley was crazy about musicals. I think I wound up delivering the line with an awkward little jump and a major vocal squeak. That on-the-spot invention has stayed, although it has morphed into more of a 42nd Street, "we're gonna be on Broadway" moment. Perhaps it got me the part. Probably not.

In rehearsals, Barley's status as the sole adult male character in the show (in addition to his minor psychosis) made him the butt of many jokes. I'll leave them to your imagination, but, for all intents and purposes, and if played the wrong way, Barley can be a creepy old man. (One day, in rehearsal, Mr. Barley accidentally wound up whistling the "Bunny Scout Anthem" as he walked off-stage, prompting someone to remark, "Well, we know where HE'S spending his free time"; not one of my finer moments.) And I'm fighting against that as much as possible. My Mr. Barley is the friendly grocer from the cartoons, who gives Max and Ruby the eggs, milk and flour they need to make Grandma a cake because Ruby wrote a shopping list and Max wheeled his cart over to the shop. He's sort of Mr. Rogers crossed with Mr. Hooper from Sesame Street, with a slight Ethel Merman moment for spice. And, of course, because I'm me, he's got a touch of Midwestern. And there ain't nothing wrong with that.

Kid Quote of the Day: During "Blue Tarantula," some small child realized that yelling to Ruby that the tarantula was above her head wasn't working. So, he raised his hand and, very loudly, shouted, "Excuse me. Excuse me. Ruby? I need to tell you something."

Call tomorrow: 6:15am, Manhattan Garage near Columbia.