The Show Must Go On
Dec. 5th, 2021 03:42 pmSo one of my local theater companies, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, has gone back to in-person plays. I attended their recent showing of Stove Toucher. I quite enjoyed it, although based on the advanced marketing I was not enthusiastic about it.
The advanced marketing was "What happens when you achieve the high-rolling lifestyle you always dreamed of...at thirteen…?" Turns out, a lot. The play was a one-man show, the autobiographical story of Kurt Naebig, an actor and director in the ensemble. As a teenager, he got heavily into skateboarding and opened a store in Oak Park at age 13 in the 1970s.
He was also an alcoholic and and addict, having first gotten drunk at age five. His story alternated between adventures as a kid (including getting sober) and what happened when at age 55 he broke his hip while trying a skateboard trick. It was both funny, sad, inspiring and just plain fun. I'm glad I went.
The advanced marketing was "What happens when you achieve the high-rolling lifestyle you always dreamed of...at thirteen…?" Turns out, a lot. The play was a one-man show, the autobiographical story of Kurt Naebig, an actor and director in the ensemble. As a teenager, he got heavily into skateboarding and opened a store in Oak Park at age 13 in the 1970s.
He was also an alcoholic and and addict, having first gotten drunk at age five. His story alternated between adventures as a kid (including getting sober) and what happened when at age 55 he broke his hip while trying a skateboard trick. It was both funny, sad, inspiring and just plain fun. I'm glad I went.