The Gift of Friendship

Something I've always found to be a fantastic bonus about being an actor is that the friends you make during a show are often friends for life.

One of my first gigs out of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy was for the Shakespearean improv troupe for the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire.

I was in CA playing Rita in Educating Rita when I heard about the auditions for the Faire, and I was intrigued. Two of the directors were from LA, and it sounded like great fun, so I went and performed my Shakespeare monologue for them. Then I did a cartwheel, which I think landed me the job since one of the East Coast directors, Benny Reehl, was creating a comedy tumbling show for the Faire.

When I arrived in PA, I was greeted by a lovely actress named Kacey Camp, who would be playing Queen Elizabeth herself!

Kacey was from New York, and she was an exceptionally lovely person and talented actress. She embodied the Queen completely!

She even took me under her wing and gave my character, the lowly thief, some lady-in-waiting lessons. Talk about a Renaissance Reform Program!

When the Faire season ended, I stayed on for the other shows, Poe Evermore and a Dickens' Christmas. Kacey returned to NY, and my husband and I moved there a year later.

Over the years, our friendship has definitely been a buoy for both of us. Kacey moved to LA and has been doing acting work there, and I'm making strides in the NY theatre scene.

Kacey came back to Manhattan for a visit last week, and I tell ya, it was like no time had passed at all. We picked up right where we left off.

It's lovely how some friendships continue to grow no matter what!