Since far too often we only publicly say nice things about people when they are dead I’ve decided to randomly pick a Facebook friend every day and say something nice about them.
June 14, 2019
Todays person: Christian Cagigal!
I first saw Chirstian at a TBA regional auditions where he snatched off his shirt at the end of his monologue and waved it around as the flag of a man desperate for love. Hairy and hilarious.
So I called him back for the Mime Troupe show of that year, cast him. He did such a great job we invited him to join the Collective, and I ended up with one of my best friends.
I’m not exactly sure how that last part happened. Maybe because we’re both curious nerds, maybe it was our mutual love of donuts, but somehow we clicked as actual friend friends. You gotta understand: I know a lot of people, and I like being around them, but I don’t really just hang out with many folks. Velina, Zachary, my sisters (when I see them), my friend John, and, since he was in the Collective - Christian. We’ve done road trips, shared hotel rooms, gone to plays and movies - all that normal stuff friends do, but also - until he went all lactose intolerant - we would get together late at night at least once a week to have hot chocolate and talk about everything - life, love, politics, theatre - but mainly projects. Each of us would talk about whatever was on our minds creatively and give feedback to the other in a safe, clear way. It really was great, and it helped me create so many of the shows I’ve written. I’ve only had two other friends like that. One I married, and the other I’ve known since I was thirteen.
Now he’s got the whole Ghost Tour thing going on, and he’s bouncing back and forth from New York, and if I’m in a show the rest of the time we can only get together every once in a while. When I can I still text him the magic message “cocoa?” and sometimes he’ll be free. Since I don’t drink this is my version of going to a bar with a buddy. Maybe that’s what it is: Christian is a buddy I can have adventures with, both real and flights of dynamic fancy.
He also became a good friend of Velina’s, and for years Zachary had the great good fortune to be babysat by a brilliant magician. I still don’t think Zachary appreciates how unique his babysitters were (a magician, four clowns, and Bob, the Girl), and everyone with kids knows how much you have to trust that person. We would trust Christian with our kid whatever the situation.
I could keep writing for a while on this one, but I have to get to a fight call.
Let’s just say Christian Cagigal really is one of my favorite people, and I hope to have him as a buddy for years to come.