Rock n' Roll

THEATER 3
-spring 1981
What a difference two years makes. ROCK N' ROLL feels like the memories of a boy ten years older than the sweet, happy kid who played Rip. But i've done the math; it's just two years. I was now living in the Philadelphia suburbs, in 7th grade and wading into adolescence. I did the play almost as an afterthought. I signed up in response to post-audition announcements of "men needed desperately", or some such. I was in the concert and jazz bands, had no interest in acting, and can't really recall why i joined. At one point, i stopped going to rehearsal for a week or so. I was in the chorus, and didn't have a line. It was a musical about...well, i guess it wanted to be GREASE when it grew up. Unhip as i was, even i could sense how cheesily godawful it was. It was about the adventures of some kid named Corndoggie. The saving grace of the production was the performance of Dawn Mycock. She was an 8th grader too otherworldly for words. She was tall with bright eyes, gorgeous dark wavy hair, and long legs. I was still asexual enough that i didn't lust for her per se...but she was stunning. I remember being awed a year or two later when one of my friends pointed out her house, which was actually only a couple blocks from mine. One of our "suburban legends" was that her middle name was Edith. I can remember assuring friends that this was gospel fact, though i had no such knowledge. I remember her coming out of her house once when i was biking by, and we spoke for a minute or two. I couldn't believe it. I told my friends, and they didn't believe it either. She hadn't remembered me, but she was very friendly. She had one solo number in the show, and it was great. She sat on a table, legs swinging, megawatt smile beaming. Dawn notwithstanding, i was grateful when the show ended. I wasn't even an actor, but nobody likes to be associated with a stinker. And theater didn't really feel like "me". At my parent's prodding, i attended one more audition that year, for the high school musical. They needed younger actors for GYPSY. I sang Kermit's "The Rainbow Connection", perhaps even sounding unintentionally froglike, and i think they wanted me, but i decided i wasn't interested.