Frosty’s eyeballs…

In my post yesterday, I mentioned that I was able to play Frosty the Snowman for 2 weeks in a Christmas production. It was very cool and their are only a few people that were cool enough to play that very cold role. I was very cool, so Frosty I was. Surely, you noticed all the “cool” references tied to such a cold character, in this paragraph. Cool --> Frosty - get it - explaining the humor makes it way less fun - I’m so witty...LOL.

As Frosty, I was able to travel to many places, such as Boston, MA, Concord, NH, New York City and a few other places in New York State, Virginia, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, and other northeast locations. We played in civic centers that would hold several thousand people. It was a lot of fun being in the group that sang Christmas songs, played and acted, but most importantly gave an opportunity for people to hear the Gospel in our presentation. Many people understood the Gospel for the first time during that trip.

It sounds like I was famous for my “substantial” 5 minute role in the 2 hour performance...kinda. This was the third year that Frosty was in this production and in the first year all went well with Frosty. The second year, he lost his step and fell into an orchestra pit, about 8 feet down - broke his carrot - had to have plastic surgery and never looked the same - nose was always just a little crooked.  I was warned to watch my steps carefully (look at the picture - how in the world was I going to watch my steps?). I would go out and look at the stage in rehearsal and walk through my dance steps (yes I danced - more like a skip, but Frosty dances around in the song, so I had to also).

During the tour (man, that sounds big-time, doesn’t it - aren’t you envious of my fame?) we would stay at homes of people that attended local churches who would sponsor the production. We would often be up late talking to families, causing us to be tired and a little run down. One afternoon, prior to our production, I began to feel dizzy and nauseated and wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to play my role (my understudy could have, but I didn’t have an understudy - way too complicated a role to memorize). I had to play my role.

I got into my handsome costume and held my head in my hands (no, really, I held my head in my hands - Frosty’s head). I took some deep breaths and put on the mask looking through the mouth of Frosty’s head. I began to dance around before I was even on the stage. I was really dizzy and I was sure that I was going to pass out and follow a former Frosty into he orchestra pit. The costume designer was with me and she realized how bad I was. She looked at me and said close your mouth and eyes . She cracked open, and then popped two smelling salts into Frosty’s eyes and sent me out on stage. 

I went out, danced around and almost passed out as I came to the back of the stage.

What’s my point today? I have none, other than, if you ever play Frosty in a production, do not, I repeat, do not open your mouth with smelling salts in your costume head. That is not an effective means of freshening your breath. They do keep you awake and alert, but they taste horrible and burn your tongue like hot coffee…with acid creamer...

Oh, the life of being a mega-star such as I. It’s a hard thing, but somebody has to do it.

My fail here was the fact that I had a crazy dream years ago to be the “San Diego Chicken” which caused me to immediately say yes to the Frosty role.  Be careful that you know what you’re getting yourself into when you dream big...but still dream big!

Lessons Learned: Doing things in life, that are different, will provide many great memories and give you life lessons too. Don’t ever eat smelling salts - they are not for food. 

Thoughts: Why is Frosty’s name not “Icy” or “Snowy”? How does frost stay together? 

#failalot