the timboucher experience

I feel like a priest, dressed all in my blacks, or maybe a commando. Some weird combination of both, I suppose. I wear my guns on my belt, a Leatherman multi-tool, a tiny silver Maglite flashlight, and a Ken Onion Scallion knife in my pocket. I have become a full-fledged theatre dork. I use them all the time backstage, in the shop and working in the yard. Of those, only the flashlight ever comes on while a show is running typically. Knives in the dark with actors running around in all directions are an obvious no-no. I don’t even like to see pocket knives left open on a table unattended in the shop, show or no show. My boots are Red Wings, “Pecos” model, steel-toed and water-proof so far – though I’ve never tested them extensively. Bought for $235 at the company store in Catonsville. An ex-girlfriend drove me out there to get them last summer. Money well spent, though I would advise against getting into the habit of resting heavy objects on your steel-toes just because you can. Once you’re not wearing them, boy, you’ll see what a dumb habit that is to have. My blacks are from Walmart. Rustler jeans, $10.00, Hanes black t-shirts – though, for some reason, you can’t buy a multi-pack of just the black color. You always end up with grays and whites and other colors you don’t need if all you’re after is black. It’s not like the audience can’t see you if you’re wearing black and you walk on-stage during a performance. It’s almost like wearing a sign that says, “See me, but don’t notice me. I don’t mean anything. I’m not part of the story. Erase me from your awareness.” Hence the whole commando complex that comes with being a stage tech. You kind of just parachute in, blow up whatever needs blowing up and vanish before anybody notices. I wanted to be a commando as a kid. I remember reading about it when I was twelve and it seeming like the coolest thing in the world. This is probably the closest I’ll ever get.

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