Electrolicious

Last night’s Salon of Shame was perhaps our worst/best sold out show ever. By my estimations, there were over 100 people in line when the doors opened at 6:30, and by 6:45 there were another 100 or so snaked down the block. And then even more people showed up.

Theatre Off Jackson only holds 160 people, so obviously there were a lot of disappointed folks (I don’t think anyone in the above photo got in) which for some reason I always take personally. Here I thought our move to the International District would help things calm down a little. It felt like we were fiiiiiinally starting to reach some sort of equilibrium with supply and demand. But with a show that was virtually sold out before the doors even opened? Yeesh.

Several frustrated line-waiters suggested that we do pre-sale tickets. Yeah, we tried that and it was a different kind of disaster, with people buying up huge blocks of tickets and then not showing up. And when we told people that unclaimed tickets would be released 10 minutes before the show started so that we could let wait list folks in, there was always the person who showed up 8 minutes before the show started, freaking out because they were just looking for parking! They were just stuck in traffic! How dare we release their tickets exactly when we said we would!? This is about the point when we said “FUCK IT!” and went back to doing admission at the door only.

Despite this, we may have to go back to doing pre-sale tickets again. We’re strategizing with the folks from Theatre Off Jackson to figure out the best way to make it work. Paper tickets instead of will call? Refunds for the folks who show up late and forfeit their tickets? I don’t know … I’m a writer! Not a house manager!

But all logistics aside, it was a great freaking show. I think my favorite reading of the night was Will here, who read from his first year in Bible College. His diaries recounted his fretting over being “so fleshly!” and tallies of guilty masturbations. Then there was Ben reading from his unicorn diary about how he wished he was a woman. Specifically, a lesbian. And how could I forget Cynthia, Vanilla Ice and Mary Anderson fan, as well as an expert at identifying tomboy fashion.

I read from eighth grade, when I was a massive bitch who listed her friends in order and then noted their biggest faults, including things like “oaf, strange” and “perfect, which is kind of annoying.”

And also, just because it’s beautifully written and made me feel all happy, an excerpt from a happy audience member’s blog:
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The Salon of Shame got a mention in an LA Times article about Cringe, … although the information isn’t quite accurate:

Similar shows have started across the country: Seattle’s “Salon of Shame” began in 2005 after its host learned about Cringe Night on Brown’s blog; it draws 150 people to each show. In Toronto, a show called “Adults Reading Things They Wrote as Kids” started this year.

I said the show had been consistently selling out our 65-person venue, so we were moving to a space that can hold up to 150. Somehow, that became 150 people coming to each show. Oh well. Perhaps it’s a prophesy!

The next Salon is May 15th.