BWW Blog: Ryan Bauer-Walsh of Goodspeed's LMNOP - Closing

Hey Broadway World Readers!

Firstly, I wanted to thank you for hanging out with me throughout this journey.

Goodspeed has been a really wonderful company to work for, and if you are a performer, I do hope that you will have the opportunity to tread the boards here.

For the last week of the show, we were frozen, which means there were no changes to the show. It was nice to be able to sit in the work for a while, and really get to try out a few new things, color wise, that are difficult to do when the show is shifting around you. Once things are frozen a bit, I feel like the show naturally starts to fill itself in as the actors start to see where there is room for moments to occur. By the last weekend, I think we had a really solid show and I am looking forward to seeing where the show goes next.

The actor's garden by the end was, and is flourishing. The sunflowers are all around two and a half to three feet tall, and there are beans all over the place. The morning glories are just starting to wrap around the railing and the dill and marigolds are intermingling, filling in the left over earth as the pumpkins and watermelons crawl out towards the neighbors.

Hopefully I will be able to update you all on how things have grown as the new cast tends to the garden and Goodspeed tends to them.

On the last day, we had full houses for both performances and great energy on the stage and in the story. We had all packed up our things the night before, because as soon as the show came down, we emptied our dressing rooms, and shuttled back to the village where our suitcases were waiting to be carried down the stairs - our contract complete.

There were only four of us that were taking the van back to the city. Harriett, Sally, Kevin and I all piled our bags into the van and naturally, we all had a bit more than when we left. Sometimes baggage can be a good thing. Due to a lot of road construction we had to take a rather severe detour sodue to the longer trip, we got to pit stop in a small town. It reminded me of my very first tour-- which was just after my first Goodspeed gig. Bus and trucking across the country with a Theatre Works show-- so I made sure to really relive it fully by getting a bag of Fritos and some Watermelon Sour Gummies. Mine was the first stop on the way back, so it was nice to have people see me off to my front steps.

It was almost one o'clock in the morning when I was dropped off and my friend was waiting there to help me scale the 5 story walk up to my apartment. A reminder of what New York has in store for everyone-- a lot of steps to the top. Ha. Opening the door to my apartment was strange. I live in a railroad one bedroom, and my first comment to my friend who was helping me with my bags was "Oh gosh, it feels small!" - after only about two months away living in that large New England style house certainly made my place seem like the inside of a Death Star trash compactor. I've adjusted now that I have been here a few days, but as I look out onto my fire escape garden which is dried and dead from neglect, I certainly feel a new hope. (S.W. Anyone?) I got out my left over seeds, and trowel-- growth is an important part of any journey, even if it is a journey home- and replanted myself and my garden.

That Saturday before we all left Goodspeed we did have a nice party at the Pattaconk in Chester to close down the show.

My parents were able to come to town, and see the show. They came to the luncheon before the show, and went to the Gillette Castle-- a must see for anyone who visits the area. It was a good way to casually say goodbye to everyone, and say our "see you laters". So here are a few photos from our final days in the theatre, and from the final party.