Theater Action Project—-I was the auctioneer and…

…I’m not sure…but I think…I think I helped them raise…
almost $30,000 tonight!!! Can you believe it?! Whoo! Man, I’m jumping
up and down! (ok, I’m sitting in my seat typing, but you know what I
mean!)

And…I LIKED being an auctioneer…it was so fun! I mean, I’ve done it before,
many times, but tonight was extra special because TAP creates programs
for kids to work out and solve problems (like bullying, sexual harrassment,
self-esteem…) through theater and art and dialogue. It is such an amazing group,
getting kids to open up and think about these important issues…

So, I was in charge of helping to RAISE this money. TAP trusted me to do a good job.
I had to do a good job! And, after watching the promotional video they shared with
everyone in attendance, I felt like IMPACT was the word I needed to use…I needed to make it happen
and bring home the bacon for the kids in schools who have no empowering tools, who have
no access to fine arts/theatre tools…I had to do this, raise gobs of money, so these kids could BENEFIT
from TAP’s unique and beneficial gifts!

I even got to auction some items off TWICE! Like the week in Aspen at the beautiful home
that normally goes for $12,500 a WEEK…I auctioned it off for $7500, not once, but TWICE!!!
Can you believe it? And the starting bid was $2000…so, I reasoned, as I kept getting the bid
to rise between challengers, that anyone purchasing
this bid item at, oh, let’s say, $7500, was actually saving $5000!!!! Right?

Ho ho, it was jolly good fun! And all the people buying
the live auction items were very helpful because sometimes I didn’t see the subtle gesture of a hand,
or fingers wiggling, so other people would start pointing and hooting at a bidder, and I would have
to roll my eyes at myself and say, “Well, of course! The salty sea captain is joining in the fray and
buying this item for…(price here)!”

AND I had suggested a mandala tent, so people were drawing mandalas in chalk on dark pieces of paper…
i ran out and bought some clothespins so we could hang the drawings around the side of the tent…
oh, everyone was drawing beautiful, spirit filled mandalas…

The entire event was creative out the wazoo—from the magic of “Olga” on the guitar (a theatre
fellow with a blonde wig parted and braided in pig tails), and with whom I got to cheese (improv
live music) to the cake walk to the jugglers and the potato sack races and the hula hoop area
and the hot dog stand (with veggie hot dogs, too!) and all the refreshments AND the silent auction,
too…everything was decorated and festive and a bonanza of whimsy. Smiles EVERYWHERE!
Everyone wanted to support this organization. It was really, really a love filled event, and I am
very proud and honored to have been a part of it.

Now, I am going to bed. Whoo.

Tomorrow, I have to start further memorizing my part for the mock trial I will be involved in for Lily’s class.
I play the defendent, an alleged arsonist, and Lily is one of the defense attorneys! Her class will
be re-creating the trial next week at an actual Austin courthouse, with the teacher as the judge
and, I believe, an adult jury…all kids for prosecution, witnesses and defense team. Isn’t that amazing?