May 30, 2019 Today’s person: Sharon Lockwood!

Since far too often we only publicly say nice things about people when they are dead I’ve decided to randomly pick a Facebook friend every day and say something nice about them.

May 30, 2019

Today’s person: Sharon Lockwood!

Sharon is the most immensely towering tiny person I’ve ever met. We could be in a park performing for thousands of people and little Sharon was like a Titan striding the boards, no stage large enough to hold her energy. She is the challenge of a blazing sun - if you don’t strive to shine just as bright you will be burned to a crisp. Each line she delivers is a gauntlet thrown down. She is what ever metaphor or simile you want for something or someone magnificent, dynamic, passionate doing something that is a metaphor for acting the hell out of something.

I’d seen Sharon for years in Mime Troupe shows, but never really prepared myself for the full force of the talent cannon of Lockwoodness being fired at me when we shared the stage. I was a replacement actor, and only had a few scenes with her but damn, it was like dancing with manic fire. And since I was a replacement I didn’t get to know her in rehearsal, or even much during the tour. Her husband, Arthur Holden, was also on the road with us, with their little daughter Rosie, so Sharon didn’t have time for the new guy who may not be around long...

But when I did have a chance to get to know her she was so unexpected. Quiet, demure, still very driven but in a cute way. The thunderingly intimidating genius onstage was a gentle, kind, warm and wonderful genius offstage. And she was so much fun! I learned that besides her talented storytelling and intricate characterization at the center of this Titan was a kinda shy person who was having more fun than anyone on stage. She was having fun throwing herself into these wacky situations and characters, having fun amusing and outraging the audience, having fun speaking truth to power. She was not a tower of intimidation, she was a tower of fun, and for a few years I got to learn from and have fun with her.