The following is an email that I sent to my parents reminiscing about my first ever paid gig, being an extra in the 1989 production of Mefistofeles at the San Francisco Opera House. I was fascinated by the costumes. As a kid this experience and the last page of Red Rackham's Treasure (Tin Tin) was what inspired me to want to sew historically inspired garments. If you watch the clip, I'm the kid chasing the float wearing the harlequin dress and sheep's head. I was in the fourth grade which is why you may find it surprising that this clip is 100% NSFW.
Hi Mom & Dad,
I was nosing around the San Francisco Opera House website to see if they had any opportunities available. In my cover letter I wanted to tell them about my involvement as a supernumerary...But I couldn't remember what year it was that I was involved.So I Googled it and was surprised to find a YouTube clip of the scene I was in. I was even more surprised that I had to sign into YouTube to watch it because of adult content....and I was thinking 'what adult content'? Then I watched it and reflected on how graphic that was for an opera....
As an adult, seeing the clip again, it brought back a lot of fun memories. I loved wearing the costume and running around the catacomb basement of the theatre with the other misfit opera kids. I tried to project myself into your place (at that time) and I think that the combination of a distinct disinterest in the fourth grade, long commute into the city and gratuitous nudity would make me question if it was right for my kid to be involved. So, 22 years later I've got to thank you for letting me be a part of it, I got lucky to have parents like you.
Here's the clip if you want to watch it: Mefistofeles Opera
x M
ps. If you do watch it make sure to stay tuned through 4 minutes 28 seconds when some woman next to the camera cackles because of the lewdness happening on stage. I think that really makes the scene.
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