Chloe and "Music Man jr."

I have already posted the pictures from "Music Man jr.", but I have not told you the full story of Chloe in the play.

When the cast list originally came out, a part had been created for Chloe, "Hazel". At the time I wondered why a part had been created rather than just giving her a part. She was paired up with a 10yo named Gabi. Gabi was one of the sweetest people. In less than a week, whenever she saw me come into the theater she would hug me then skip off.

It was not too long after rehearsals started that we learned Gabi is diabetic. We found out when the battery on her pump was low so she had to leave early. The remaining rehearsals went well. And, as Candy planned, whenever you saw Gabi you saw Chloe, whether it was on stage or backstage.

The night before opening, Gabi fell ill. I found out after rehearsal her sugar shot up to well over 600. Candy told Chloe to make sure she knew all of Gabi's lines and cues "just in case". It was then Candy told us Gabi's mother had told her early on Gabi was diabetic and that is why she created the part for Chloe, as a "just in case." Well, Thursday Gabi was put in the hospital. Overnight her sugar fell to 19. She was taken off of her pump while they manually tried to level out her sugar. The problem was Gabi had gotten the flu and they could not keep fluids in her.

Opening night Chloe was scared. She was used to having Gabi holding her arm at every turn, and now she was alone (on a stage with 73 other students). No Gabi. I worked backstage that night, so when she came off she stood with Candy and myself. I asked Chloe what she was going to do the following night while I was watching, "I'll be with "Gracie"!" (Gracie was Gabi's character's name.)

Well, opening night came and went, so did Friday and Saturday. Still no Gabi. At Sunday's show I heard Gabi had 17! people coming to see her in the play. Of course, they were not coming because she was still in the hospital. It broke my heart. She had worked so hard and she was missing all of it. Gabi was finally released from the hospital on Monday. Chloe was "Gracie Shinn" for the entire play. But all Chloe wanted to do was to perform the play one more time so Gabi's family could see her as "Gracie Shinn", even without the sets and costumes.