The Best Show I Never Saw

Chicago, 1990. I read a review of Stumpy's Gang in the Chicago Reader. Stumpy's Gang was a parody of children's puppet shows, set in a genetics laboratory.  Although it is Frank the Janitor's job to pitch the genetic mistakes into the incinerator instead he keeps them as his friends. 

At the age of fifteen, I REALLY wanted to see this show, but I chickened out and didn't make my way through the big, scary city to find it. Every few years or so I search online for some tidbit -- a photo, something. Today, I find a YouTube channel with video of the actual show -- uploaded in 2008 (how have I missed it?!?) It is ... more ... than I imagined:

The show moved to Los Angeles in 1994 where it enjoyed a successful run at the Zephyr. I imagine there are some people on the scene today who saw it back then.

As elated as I was to find these videos online, I am even more distressed that I missed out on this all those many years ago. This show appears to be way ahead of its time. The puppets are incredible.

The lesson here is twofold: First, go see it. If you feel the urge to check something out, don't put it off, don't make excuses for yourself, go. There is no substitute for lost moments or unexperienced experiences. Second, if you make theatre, put your archives online. Please. There is no Academy of Theatrical Arts and Sciences dedicated to the preservation of stage plays, no UCLA Theatre Archives keeping the detritus of past productions in a cold, dry place. We cannot recapture the past, but we can show people what they missed.