I was invited by Heidi Dog Productions to sketch Pepe and Miss Sammy as they performed Truth or Dare at the Peacock Room located at 1321 Mills Avenue. The twist in this strange sketching excursion is that I was to sketch the act from on the stage. After Pepe and Miss Sammy finished their introductions, (It turns out miss Sammy was in La Cage aux Folles on Broadway for 4 years) Pepe had the crowd summon me to the stage by shouting my last name 3 times, Thorspecken, Thorspecken, Thorspecken, just as Beetle Juice was summoned. I hopped up and gave Pepe exaggerated French cheek kisses. Then I sat in a stool at the back of the stage and started to get to work.
The first guest to be called up and the one I decided to draw was Jeff Horn. Jeff was fund raising for a charity project he co-founded with Daisy Lynum called Genesis Community Program. This program helps teach young aspiring tennis players the game in the Parramore neighborhood of Orlando. A large jar was passed around to see if anyone wanted to donate. Jeff is also a nationally recognized tennis professional. After Jeff, a politician named Todd Christian was given the Truth or Dare challenge and he ended up putting a condom on a banana with his mouth.
Things started to get crazy when Dewey Chaffee and Douglas McGeoch got on the stage. When confronted with the Truth or Dare challenge Dewey made a bold decision to tell the truth. Pepe asked him “If chew could have a one niiight stand with anyone in the room, who would chew peeeck?” Bet Marshall shouted out, “It would have to be the youngest boy in the room!” He chose a young man with very curly hair standing in the back of the room with his girlfriend. Pepe shouted for the young man to come up onto the stage. The fellow looked just like Frodo from the Lord of the Rings movies. He was given the Truth or Dare challenge and the audience gasped in anticipation. He chose a dare. Pepe held up a stack of playing cards and fanned them out. He told the victim, I mean contestant, to pick a card. The contestant was told to pick a card, any card. Before he did, Pepe threw away the 2 of hearts and said, Chew don’t need dees card”. Frodo picked a five of clubs. He was told that he must remove 5 items of clothing. He removed his shoes which as a pair made up the first item, then his socks, his tee shirt, shorts and finally his underwear which left him totally naked. Miss Sammy and Pepe actually shielded the audience from seeing everything with a leopard skin towel. I didn’t have time to sketch the towel, I don’t think it is needed in the sketch. I worked furiously to catch Frodo’s bottom knowing only the folks on stage could see what was actually going on behind the towel. I am so glad I got a chance to document this strange and fun theatrical experience. I had a blast with my first on stage experience.
