Tribute to Doug Ingalls

Stage Left
Stage Right
Everyone is ready to shine.

Smiling that Atticus Finch smile he did so well.
Diet Coke in his left.
Clip board in his right.

He watches his children practice the play.
Opening day is in mere weeks.
They can do it.
He has total faith in them.

Scene done.
“Its good, but I want great.”
The children smile and practice the scene again.
They need it perfect for their beloved director.

English papers piled on his desk.
Grammar errors everywhere.
He shakes his head in pity and writes comments.

The next day our friend teases his children.
“I read the whole book, backwards, in Greek!”
What a funny memory.
“Are you here to play with my balls?”
Priceless.
“You’ve never been to Disney land? You poor child.”
It never got old.

Bringing an audience from laughter to tears in mere seconds.
You knew how to work the audience.
Your children all learned from you.

Voice
Body
Heart

You touched so many people’s hearts.
“Because I knew you, I have been changed for good”
Elphaba and Glinda said that one.
Its true.
Knowing you has changed us all.

Your body is gone but your spirit is always with us.
Your legacy lives on.
The Doug Ingalls Black Box Theater.
The Doug Ingalls Acting Scholorship.
A worthy man indeed.

Now you sit up there.
Watching your children go on.
More importantly though.
Your sitting up there with the great actors that walked the earth.
Directing with the greatest directors to have ever been born.

Of course with a diet coke in your hand.
And.
A killer smile.