My Life as Edna - Part IV - "I feel pretty"

So, the beginnings of self turning into Edna was as interesting a challenge for me as I have ever experienced. Every line I read held the future of Edna's relationship with the audience. Each line delivery had the potential of cementing their acceptance or releasing them from even trying to believe. I put myself under a great deal of stress as I read and re-read the lines. I practiced in the Living Room when no one was there, in the car when alone, and any other time and place I could be Edna without any company. I knew that soon the lines delivered would take a temporary back seat to the costume I would be wearing which, to me, impressed on me more the importance of being Edna in personality and spirit. Once others saw me in Edna attire the words and physical movements used would become sterile. All people would see was Wayne in a dress, hose, with makeup and a wig. I knew the time to unveil Edna to everyone was here.

I remember taking a deep breath at the rehearsal and heading back to the dressing room alone. I made sure all cast was in the theatre. I needed to see and feel reaction to a dressed Edna..I knew I had to see and hear what their reaction was and I knew it would mirror what the audience's would be as well.

Putting on the Bra for the first time was very awkward and laughable because I had it upside down.. "It fastens from the front dumbshit" I giggled at me as I struggled to put the damn thing on. Seemed like the snaps in front were endless and I remembered thinking that there must be a way to fasten it once and then just slip it on and off over my head! I then decided to create my boobs by stuffing me with any cloths I could find, 2 shirts on each side made me a Triple EEE..Next was the Moo Moo, which turned out to be a breeze, just slip this "TENT LIKE" garment over my head. It was then that the Edna Hankie was created. For some reason I decided I had to have a hankie for this character, so I found one and stuffed into the front of the Moo Moo.

For those of you who know me as an actor, you know I have a "Where to put my hands?" issue and the Edna Hankie proved to be an ingenious "cheat" for me. Did I know this before,which drove me to add it to my costume? Not sure but, as you saw when you watched Edna, the hankie was my crutch. I LOVED it..

The hose and heels were easy to until I tried to walk! DAMN!!! I took those first steps in heels and felt like a baby Elephant taking its first steps. My toes squeezed into the front of these damn shoes, feeling like a vise had been put on my foot..I also remember how strange the hose felt on my skin and that I laughed at how little hair I had on my legs. I thought "How cool that I have such girly like legs with no hair to worry about" as I viewed legs with hose and heels on in a mirror.

Painful is an understatement as I made my first walk down the hallway as a dressed Edna for the first time.. Trying to NOT wobble as I moved proved to be a huge challenge as the heels and my legs did not like each other at all!! But I moved forward and down, what now seemed to be, a VERY long hallway..

The anticipation of trying to guess cast reactions swirling in my mind, I took the last 3 steps to the back of the stage and waited for my cue..

Part V coming soon