http://www.memphisflyer.com/TheaterBlog/archives/2009/06/17/laurie-cook-mcintosh-dies-memphis-says-goodbye-to-an-inspired-and-inspiring-performer Comments On: Laurie Cook McIntosh Dies by Chris Davis en-us Copyright 2009 Memphis Flyer. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, Memphis Flyer readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact Memphis Flyer. wil@desert.net (Memphis Flyer Webmaster) Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 -0600 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0600 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Posted by Jenny Branston]]> Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:55:06 -0500 Memphis Flyer Posted by mayfield]]> Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:46:05 -0500 Memphis Flyer Posted by Carolwol]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:03:03 -0500 Memphis Flyer Posted by Rebecca Locke]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:57:59 -0500 Memphis Flyer Posted by Kavanaugh Casey]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:20:18 -0500 Memphis Flyer Posted by Shelby Terry]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:06:45 -0500 Memphis Flyer Posted by Jeff Godsey]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:18:04 -0500 Memphis Flyer Posted by John Branston]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:27:53 -0500 Memphis Flyer Posted by Dave Landis]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:38:18 -0500 Memphis Flyer
In the cold early Spring of 1991 Something Wild, the small indie theater company I co-founded with Memphis director Sidney Lynch teamed with Jackie Nichols and Playhouse on the Square to do something truly insane. We wanted to raise awareness about ongoing troubles in the Middle East and the threat of terrorism. So we staged an unusual production of Lee Blessing's political drama "Two Rooms." Every night armed "terrorists" spouting anti-American propaganda stormed the lobby of Playhouse on the Square, kidnapped the audience and forced them onto a bus with blacked out windows, and drove them to an undisclosed location where the play took place. Like I said--- this was insane, and Laurie Cook McIntosh was on board all the way.

Our "undisclosed location" was the old Playhouse building on Overton Square. It was run down and stripped of all plumbing and electricity. And when it stormed on our freezing cold opening night the building leaked like there was no roof over us at all. The playing area became an obstacle course of buckets and backstage rain poured down one wall like a waterfall.

In spite of the cold, and the wet, and the rushing and dripping sounds of water Laurie never missed a beat. But I did. Distracted and shivering I lost my lines in my very first scene and no matter how i tried to recover, they simply wouldn't come back. So I said something like, "I don't know what else to say to you," and exited halfway through the scene.

I thought Laurie would be furious that I'd left her in such a terrible situation. But she wasn't. She continued like nothing had gone wrong, cleverly inserting bits of lost information into her lines as the play progressed. It was a lesson in focus and professionalism that I've never forgotten.

After the show she hugged my shoulders giggled and explained that we were doing a crazy thing in a crazy space under crazy conditions. Of course crazy things were going to happen.

"Two Rooms" also featured Ann Marie Hall & Tony Isbell.
Posted by Chris Davis]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:40:40 -0500 Memphis Flyer