Being Bruiser Woods, Part 3
Well, this story started with a case of Covid, and it ends with one. Legally Blonde is over and I, in fact, have contracted a mild case of Covid myself – I probably overdid it keeping thespian hours. But what fun it was!
Joni with Jeff and me in the lobby after the final performance of Legally Blonde.
On the last weekend of the show, dear friends came to the show on Thursday and Friday, and it was so wonderful to greet them in the lobby afterward. Friday night, Caitlin and Josh came to town. Caitlin had made blue and pink t-shirts for all of us that said, ‘Joni’s Crew,” on the front, and we each had our role spelled out on the back. I was “Joni’s Manager,” Caitlin was “Joni’s Personal Chef,” Josh was “Joni’s Agent,” Kelsey was “Joni’s Costume Designer,” Seph was “Joni’s Financial Advisor,” and Jeff, of course, was “Joni’s Veterinarian.”
At Saturday night’s performance, all six of us wore them. I was, of course, backstage, but everyone else in the family sat together close to the front. When I walked backstage and Jenni (Elle) saw my t-shirt, she said, “Shut up! That is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!”
The family was excited to see the bio I’d written for Joni in the playbill, which said, “Joni is a four-year-old chihuahua who was rescued from a house with thirty dogs. At the adoption agency, they told us that “she really knows how to work a room.” She enjoys short walks, treats, and snuggling. She is thrilled and honored to be part of the Legally Blonde cast.”
Unfortunately, Breanna, the Davidson Community Players intern who told us about the role of Bruiser during the Hamilton intermission, came down with Covid, and wasn’t able to perform during the second weekend of shows. The versatile cast pivoted and covered her role, but she was missed.
Our family wearing our Joni’s Crew t-shirts
When it became apparent that Joni truly did not ever bark, the crew decided to dub in three high-pitched barks for Joni in that opening scene. We jokingly told Joni to lip sync. At some point, they did cut Joni out of one of her scenes; it was too difficult to get scenery, costumes, and Joni out on stage in all at the same time.
“I hate that they cut one of Joni’s scenes,” Jenni (Elle) said.
While your average performer would be upset to lose stage time, I assured Jenni that I was pretty sure Joni wasn’t bothered in the least.
Connie Fisher, Davidson’s theater reviewer, gave kudos to the gifted cast in Legally Blonde in her column for davidsonnews.net, and even mentioned Kirby and Joni’s performances. She also highlighted Joni’s third outfit that I had waited so long for – a white stand-up collar and blue and pink flowered bow tie that made Joni look like a cartoon version of Bruiser Woods, Esquire.
The shows were all sold out and went better and better; the second weekend the audience gave the cast standing ovations for every performance. It was such fun to come out into the lobby with Joni after the show and let her meet her fans. Pre-teen girls came running up, crying, “It’s Bruiser! It’s Bruiser!” and wanting their pictures taken with Joni.
Jeff held Joni in the lobby like a proud father. While our family stood together, laughing, with our family photographer, Kelsey, taking photos, a sophisticated young woman and her husband approached us.
“Have you ever considered having Joni become a therapy dog? She seems to have wonderful personality attributes for it. I bet she would be great.” The woman handed me her card.
Wow, I thought. Now Joni is getting job offers.
But seriously, I have been thinking about it. She is a true empath, and she does spread a lot of joy. It would be lovely to share that with people who need it.
Joni with the talented Jenni Canterbury after the final show
Of all the cast members, Joni certainly did the least amount of work. The humans were such incredible and dedicated performers, and Kirby the pug did cool tricks. Joni was just herself. Amazing, really, that Joni is such a loving little creature. During her first four years in the puppy mill, she possibly experienced neglect, cruelty or callousness from human beings. She still has quirks from her life during that time – she takes little kernels of food and hides them in various places around the house, and she has a toy squirrel that she sometimes carries around the house, crying, as if it is her baby, and she hides that, too. She trembles during thunderstorms. But she still unfailingly greets every single living being she meets with joy and love. It’s a small miracle.
A couple of nights this week she has looked at me expectantly at around six-thirty, wondering if it’s time to go to the theater. But mostly she has settled back into her pre-celebrity life, taking short walks, chasing our cat Lionman around the house, trying to eat the cat food, and snuggling in our laps.
Once again, she is just our little angel muffin. But it sure was fun being Bruiser Woods.