I Auditioned Kinski
He Got The Part!
It’s really quite a contraption. You wouldn’t know it when it pulls into your town but the entire insides of the truck are the stage. The left side is hinged and opens up, dropping down in a way that, when two pedestals are placed beneath the corners, it extends the acting area of the stage about 8 feet out into wherever the truck is parked.
The stage directions called for the theme color to be “clay beige”. Everything was to conform as seamlessly as possible. Floors, walls, ceiling, pedestals—yes, even the uniforms!
The closest my crew could find were variations of “mocha latte” and “camel hump”. A traveling show must make adjustments when necessary.
There were the Four Guardsman. Before and during the performance they simply milled around aimlessly on the sides of the stage (inside the truck).
In retrospect, in something resembling dream-logic, there have been rumors that these roles were played by famous performers doing anonymous cameos.
And then—walking forward from the back of the truck towards center stage—we are quite suddenly in the presence of the Commandant.
The Commandant’s coat has a fur collar. He is played by Klaus Kinski. This is the Kinski of the 1978 film “Song Of Roland”. His hair…
