"What yuh doing tomorrow?" It was Errol Fabien.
Errol has a reputation for throwing me in at the deep end so I was dubious, but agreed to meet him at Gayelle studios.
It was to audition for a play written by Wendell Etienne who would later direct and produce the script. I was scared shitless!
I don't recall when I met Errol for the first time, I think it could have been when he and his brother Nigel were the Court's Furniture twin brothers. My saster Joann and I would see him out in public and joke that we should be cast as their twin sisters. We never got the part for reasons I still wonder.
As the years went by Errol and I became friends, to the point where he could tell me to meet him at Gayelle studios and I would oblige, no questions asked. No fear present.
I walked into the room and Wendell Etienne was seated across the table. We exchanged formalities and he handed me a script.
My hands were shaking like a baby's rattle. The rest of the evening was a blur. Everything was a blur until I later got a call that I had booked the part (see, this is why journaling is important! I can't remember all the bloody details).
I remember walking into rehearsal the first day and seeing Sprangalang. Look, I am no groupie but to be in a room with Errol, Wendell and Sprangalang felt like I had won the lotto. Or just walked out of Walmart with the last roll of toilet paper on the shelf pre-quarantine. Whichever one was least likely, that's the one I felt.
As soon as I got the script I memorized ALL my lines! My name was Sapphire and I was a prostitute. Yeah...a lady of night! Acting is HARD WORK! Taking on a character and bringing it to life is no easy task...whew! But, this was my debut and I was not about to mess things up. Call me SAPPHIRE!
Rehearsals got underway and each night on my drive back home I would wear the broadest smile. I was granted, rather gifted, the opportunity to work along with 'dem fellas' for hours, each week. I sat there relishing each moment of every minute. I chewed, swallowed and digested their every word. The laughter was never ending too.
Oh! Wendell allowed me to select my own wardrobe! If you know nothing else about me please commit to memory that I am a shopaholic! My role as a 'lady of the night' left my options W I D E open.
After weeks of rehearsing, the opening night came. Gosh, I remember spending the day in the toilet (I get the shittings when I'm nervous! You can commit that to memory as well or not, your choice).
My family was sitting up front and ready! ALL my friends came out in full support chanting GO CIN GO...okay, so maybe they didn't chant, but I pretended they were chanting so I could get fired up.
Admittedly, the first couple nights felt off, this was my first time on a local play and I was featured alongside some of the best local talent! I was stressed!
The final night came and as we bowed and the curtains came down, we walked backstage. Wendell looked over to me and said 'Tonight, you were amazing! Your timing was superb and you took on your role. Congrats.'
A few days later I met up with Wendell and he asked 'What's next for Cindy-Ann?'
'I have been wanting to do standup comedy for a very long time', was my response.
'Well, let's do it!'
I explained that we were about to migrate and that my son's swimming and education were priority but promised that one day I'd get into it.
That day was June 24, 2014.
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