BITCHIN' BABE FALLS FOR KENT STAGE

Along with Big Biz News, occasionally there's some sort of goofball embarrassing news. This here would one of those experiences that I know performers love to share with audiences......!

Pictured here is the stage at Kent State's local Performing Arts Theater, which is privately owned and operated. They bring in wonderful acts like Joan Baez, Tom Paxton, Al Stewart, Christine Lavin, and of course, The Four Bitchin' Babes.

You'll notice the square cut off in the front, rather than a rounded front that would overlook an orchestra pit. Well, after I finished playing the piano on a Debi Smith Song, I started my little walk back to my spot in the front Babe line, when I mistakenly took a step onto what was no longer "stage."

Right then and there, while the folks were still applauding Deb's fabulous Bodhran playing (and hopefully my piano accompaniment) I fell off, slipping backward, head first, down 6 feet.

BOOM. GASP.

My ex-husbands family was in the audience as was my new husband’s family. (Don't ask!) They all rushed down to me. Paramedics were called, and after 15 minutes of hauling my completely mortified and embarrassed ass over to the side of the stage, I yelled at the girls to keep going. Poor Babes, they tried to keep singing and playing with hopes of helping the audience overcome the shock and "ickiness" of seeing a performer hit the bricks.

Blessed as I was, my back was sore, my head was spared, and my left ankle gouged from catching the rim of the stage on my way down. We found ice, I made the paramedics prop me back onstage with my leg elevated. I continued to sing my harmonies, and the show went on.

I’m sure the Babes were more upset than I was. It was surreal, as I sailed down in slow motion into the darkness.  Rather like "Oh, what's this, am I falling? Gee, that's odd, just where am I going? BOOM, Oh, I'm on the ground, I get it."

Months later my cousin sent me this photo from the local newspaper as the theater celebrated it's season of events. You can see here, to the right, how the stage cuts off.

Later, Christine Lavin told me that Al Stewart had also fallen off a stage, breaking his guitar in the middle of a show.

I must say, I'm very grateful that I didn't break my guitar or my neck, and what I'm truly thankful for is that I was wearing pants. Amen.

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