Payton Cole is a Class Act

Just an anecdote from Saturday's show. My partner (Cathleen) brought her children to the show. I saw them at intermission and Cathleen told me that they'd each decided who their favorite actor was. Her daughter Elise (sp?) is a BRILLIANT first grader and she picked Payton as her favorite. I saw them (Cathleen and Elise) later having a discussion at the flower table. Elise wanted to send a flower back to Payton. Intermission was nearly over and there was a bit of an issue as to whether it would get back there on time. And as it came to light, Elise wanted to deliver it herself... So I took her back into the wonderful maze of Christmas lights, props, wood, benches, paint cans, costumes, and bodies that is backstage. Backstage is something we all take for granted. It's long since ceased to be a magical place for us, but for just a moment, I really saw it through Elise's eyes, winding through the darkness, the shapes of people getting ready to go on stage, echo-y music from out front and the sounds of the audience on the other side of the set... We went back to the very crowded dressing room (it was running so late that the second act music had started) and we found that wonderful ethereal creature known as The Great Actress Payton Cole and Elise gave her the flower. Everybody 'aw-ed' and Payton bent down and hugged her. Geez, I have tears in my eyes thinking about it. Big-big points to Payton for realizing the importance of that moment and that gesture to a little girl.