I love the Wizard of Oz. My favorite production, of course, was the one done by Holland High School in 2011. My second favorite was the one done by the Peanut Butter & Jelly Players in Saugatuck with director Justine Kinnaman and a cast of children, teens and yours truly in the coveted role of the Wicked Witch. I was perfectly awful of course - but I had such fun being a little wicked. (I couldn't be too wicked and scare the audience of children).
The favorite scene was when the witch is doused with water and melts - the cast loved that scene because they actually threw water on me, the audience loved that scene because they wanted to see me melt, and I loved that scene because the lines "I'm melting. Oh you killed me and my wicked loveliness " Or something to that effect. Such fun to act out.
Well, I catch myself these days uttering those words. And not because I'm being doused, but because like 50 percent of this country, there is a heat-advisory where I live. We were in DC for one day when the temps reached 90 and for two days in Boston when they reached upwards of 90 - so I experienced how much worse the heat can be in a major city. And I pray that the city residents experiencing this heat are able to find relief.
As a person with MS, the heat can affect me more quickly than before I had this damn disease. My jaunts outside to 'soak up Vitamin D' or to water the flowers or to get the mail need to be shorter. And Lord knows how I love my Vitamin-D-soaking and how sad it makes me that on hot days it's less of a soak and more of a quick dunk.
While in Boston at the North Church, for instance, I was sitting in one of the enclosed pews where there was little air circulation. Within a minute or two, I felt overwhelmed and almost claustrophobic fanning didn't ease heat's effect. I needed to get out near a window where the breeze could cool me and to sit still. The walk to the car was slow and I was happy for the shady path and even happier to feel the car's air conditioning.
With those thoughts in mind, I am thinking of all of my fellow MS'ers; especially those in cities or without air. Because, I imagine you're feeling a little like that green lady. You're melting.
The favorite scene was when the witch is doused with water and melts - the cast loved that scene because they actually threw water on me, the audience loved that scene because they wanted to see me melt, and I loved that scene because the lines "I'm melting. Oh you killed me and my wicked loveliness " Or something to that effect. Such fun to act out.
Well, I catch myself these days uttering those words. And not because I'm being doused, but because like 50 percent of this country, there is a heat-advisory where I live. We were in DC for one day when the temps reached 90 and for two days in Boston when they reached upwards of 90 - so I experienced how much worse the heat can be in a major city. And I pray that the city residents experiencing this heat are able to find relief.
As a person with MS, the heat can affect me more quickly than before I had this damn disease. My jaunts outside to 'soak up Vitamin D' or to water the flowers or to get the mail need to be shorter. And Lord knows how I love my Vitamin-D-soaking and how sad it makes me that on hot days it's less of a soak and more of a quick dunk.
While in Boston at the North Church, for instance, I was sitting in one of the enclosed pews where there was little air circulation. Within a minute or two, I felt overwhelmed and almost claustrophobic fanning didn't ease heat's effect. I needed to get out near a window where the breeze could cool me and to sit still. The walk to the car was slow and I was happy for the shady path and even happier to feel the car's air conditioning.
With those thoughts in mind, I am thinking of all of my fellow MS'ers; especially those in cities or without air. Because, I imagine you're feeling a little like that green lady. You're melting.
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| From the Holland High School production of a Wizard of Oz. The Wicked Witch is Geneva and the Good Witch is Delaney. |
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