ActorQuest - Kristin Huffman Goes Inside 'Company' 3

I decided that my character, "Sarah," is really the hostess of the bunch of personalities on stage and so throwing a Valentine's Day party in my hotel suite for the cast seemed a natural.  Everyone brought a Valentine's treat and my mom helped me make a cute cake to share and we all wore red or pink. This is truly a wonderful 'company' of people and the party seemed to be a very bonding event.  At the end, after almost everyone had left, John Doyle answered a big question of mine that I know had been on everyone else's mind too. Not one to hold back when I need to know something, I asked him about the future plans for this show and how it might all work out.  Not one to hold back from answering a question honestly, he gave me the scoop. There are many Broadway producers coming to see our show here in Cincinnati. 

In his London production of Sweeney Todd, a large number of producers came and three of them bid to get the show and produce it on Broadway.  The same group that got Sweeney is coming to see our production of Company   If they like the show…well you can do the math. I was so excited I could hardly sleep.

And then I went deaf. Seriously. After all that exciting news, I woke up the next day and couldn't hear out of my right ear.  A panic attack and a doctor's visit later, it turned out to be a major case of earwax.  But it brings up a good point. I was more convinced than usual that something horrible was happening to me and it all had to do with the idea that I may indeed get to be a part of a Broadway show.  Nothing is guaranteed for any of us but the possibility is there. This is not like my usual worry about a headache being a brain aneurism or a pain in my back turning into pancreatic cancer. This is heightened and prolonged worrying haunting my dreams of getting to Broadway!

I had convinced myself that I could be happy even if I never got to Broadway. I was proud of the work I had done at great regional theatres. I was content doing murder mysteries, teaching, real estate and writing to fill my off time from theatre.  But now, with a real Broadway possibility on the horizon everything changed color from placid blue to hot valentine red!

Worry about every little perceived ailment as an impediment was on my mind constantly. A hang nail?  Dear God, no not now!!!!   Everything seemed critical. Any potential malady might become a barrier to a possible Broadway debut.  I spend my off days in Columbus with my parents, so my father's wonderful neck massages could turn my neck too hard paralyze me?  My mother's driving is already a serious issue. I could get injured in one of her mailbox clipping episodes.  My own ingrained klutziness.  I could lose a finger or a toe.  I am becoming cautious about every activity after rehearsal too.  Go out to a club and watch a jazz quartet? I could tap my foot too hard and break an ankle.  Fill my car up with gas?  The fumes could kill some brain cells and I need them ALL for this show. My stomach has started to hurt a lot too and I hear there is a severe case of stomach flu circulating in the Cincinnati public schools.  I am seriously hypochondri-acting!

To gain a little perspective and to stop seeing red, I am going to try to get my hearing back by flushing my ear out with saline every 10 minutes and take some peptobismal for my stomach, but I need to stop writing for now so that I don't sprain a finger. 

Visit www.kristinhuffman.net for more on Huffman.

Photos by Fred Rose - 1) The cake at the party; 2) Bruce Sabath and Leenya Rideout; 3)The group relaxing; 4) Keith Buterbaugh and Angel Desai; 5) Fred Rose and Heather Laws; 6) John Doyle and Barbara Walsh