Our Impromptu Night's Dream

Eve Best gives us notes in her fairy costume.

Stephen Wallem tied plastic bags around his waist to make a fairy costume.

I went up to TV and stage star, Eve Best ("Nurse Jackie") just before our thrown-together "production" of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was to begin and said, "Look, if you'd rather give my line to a real actor, I wouldn't mind."

I had been assigned the character of Egeus, which I kept calling "Egregious." According to the "cut to the bone" script we were using in order to make this thing come in under 90 minutes.

"No, darling," she responded in her soft and warm British accent, "I want you to do it."

I only had one line: "Full of vexation come I...!"

"Well, how do I say this?"

"Be cross and be fast."

I should explain, it wasn't exactly a show for an audience. It was the first time most of us had seen each other, though many or most seemed to know our host/producers, Stephen Wallem (Steve) and Eve (Emily) Best. I'm not sure how it began, but I think it was Emily's idea. She shared it with Steve. I brought in Jim to play Peter Quince, Mark Janas, playing the piano with me, and Jake Wesley Stewart, as Lysander, a studly young man.

The idea was to celebrate the coming of Spring by doing this Shakespearean romp in the woods at the Players Club, spread out all over the parlor, in front of the giant fireplace, beneath the portrait of Edwin Booth, the great Shakespearean actor whose brother assassinated Abraham Lincoln.

In fact, Steve and Emily's invitations said everyone should dress like fairies, bring wine or other drink, and, if possible, kids and family members.

The show was a hysterical blast, with all of us laughing and applauding and singing together. And I thought I did my line very well!

Jake serenades a fairy.

Jim Brochu with our friend, Barbara Spiegel.

Posing with Eve.
Barbara Spiegel, Steve Schalchlin, Eve Best, Jake Wesley Stewart, Jim Brochu.