By Ben Joravsky
“It’s hard to explain how much confidence and fun we get out of being involved in the Company, and how much we love putting on these plays,” says Vertucci. “This gives us a chance to work together on a real challenge. It’s the best part of our day.”
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He returned, he says, a little wiser and more jaded. “When I got back we hadn’t reached the current stage of military chic, so I had to put up with a lot of crap. I was put down. I was called a fool. I took off my uniform and never put it back on. I was pretty bitter. It’s nice that everyone makes amends now, and thank you for your apologies. But that original reaction really hurt.
He says he found solace and salvation teaching high school English. “I got a job at Gordon Tech–I was going to save the world and the next generation for $7,200 a year,” he says with a laugh. “I taught there for four years and then moved on to the [public schools], where I got to make really big dollars–$16,000. Anyone who goes into teaching for the money is crazy.”
The universe is centered in Canepa’s office, a drab, windowless room behind the stage. The students meet there every day, before, during, and after rehearsals.
Many of the students describe an almost spiritual satisfaction at the close of a show. Vertucci says she broke into tears at the end of her first play, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
“Some of our kids are incredibly talented, and I encourage them to continue with theater in college,” says Canepa. “I’m realistic enough to know that most of our kids won’t go into show business. So what? This is not about being a training ground for Broadway. This is about giving them confidence and teaching them to work well with others. It’s amazing to have kids who come in as shrinking violets and then you see them grow. Nothing teaches self-esteem better than achievement, and they really achieve something by the end of a show. Besides, it’s fun. These days backstage in the Company are the days they’ll always remember.” o
