Who knew? These posters have hung in my bathroom since we finished writing the first Lamplighters history in 1981. I got the idea to use them for bathroom decoration from a woman we interviewed for the book. It's been driving me nuts all day today that I can't remember who it was. I only remember that I think she's dead now.
The posters are done by artist Rex May and were, at one time, the lobby cards for the theatre. Alison, Carolyn and I found them in with all the other un-treasured treasures in the Lamplighters warehouse when we started organizing the collection. I don't know if Carolyn took a set of posters, but Alison and I did. Somewhere in my house the rest of the set--four other posters, I believe--are packed away.
At one time, long after I'd left the company, someone found the posters and offered them for sale in the then-Lamplighters gift shop.
Today we went to the annual Champagne Gala at the Herbst Theatre, next to the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco. This is the company's big fund raiser of the year. We had the "cheap" seats ($60 -- $55 for Walt because he's an old guy).
Before the show there was a silent auction in the outer lobby of Herbst, with different stations set up around the huge room. There were gourmet food gift baskets and trips and dinners at fancy restaurants.
And then off in a corner was a table for Lamplighter memorabilia. Imagine my surprise when I checked it out.
Yes, there on display were the very same posters I have hanging in my bathroom and "lost" somewhere else in the house. When I checked the bids, they were all each over $100. And here I had "stolen" my set from a garbage bag in the Lamplighters office 20+ years ago.
There were also some "historic" programs, which I have pasted in scrapbooks somewhere around here. The price of those was pretty amazing too. Proves that "value" is definitely in the eye of the beholder!!!
It had been a fun day. Ned came over in the morning with his new dog, Bouncer. It was pandemonium around here for awhile with the dogs racing in and out and up and down and around and around. But it was nice that Luna wore herself out because she was going to have to be locked in the cage for 9 hours while we were in the City.
Ned got the rain gutters cleaned out so Walt doesn't have to try to climb a ladder with one hand in a cast (we won't even talk about what might happen if I tried to climb a ladder to the second story!). He also brought Walt some large size t-shirts to wear, since t-shirts seem to be the only thing he can fit his cast into.
He also was here for breakfast (we have finally used up the last of the solid gold ham, in scrambled eggs) and it was especially fun just sitting at the kitchen table and chatting with him. He's always a fun/interesting guy to talk to and I treasure the times we have together.
Then Walt and I went to the City. After last week's crawl, we left plenty of time...and wouldn't you know there were hardly any cars on the road. We were in the City an hour and a half before the show, so went to either a late lunch or an early dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. We had enough left over to bring home for a late supper.
The Gala was hysterical. It was based on Harry Potter (called "Harry Patter" in this version) and was brilliantly written. I just love how professional the Galas have become since Gilbert, David and I got the crazy idea to write Major General Hospital. The torch was not only passed, but surpassed. The writing committee has gone far beyond what Gilbert and I could ever write. (To give you an example, "he who should not be named" is named Wal-de-Mart and his evil plot is to tear Hogwarts (Hogwash) down and build a strip mall.)
Particularly funny was Matt Callahan as "The Donn Auld," an ancient Druidic landlord and "Trophia," his not-all-that-ancient wife. (I asked him for a loan after the show and he told me I was fired.)
The nice thing about Lamplighters Galas is that you get to see all your old friends at the champagne reception following the show. They all seem to come out of the woodwork for a Gala and I managed to reconnect with people I haven't seen in more than a decade, which was very nice (also a couple that I hadn't seen in more than a decade until I saw them at the memorial last weekend...and then again tonight!)
We were home at a decent hour (somewhere around 9), so that Luna could have some exercise before I have to lock her up again for the night.
No comments:
Post a Comment