When GAPA Robert Coontz was Muser-age, he acted in a couple of plays with the Children’s Theater of Arlington (next door to his home town of Alexandria, Virginia) and worked as a stage hand for various children’s and adult shows. He’s still in touch with some of his fellow actors, including the mother and aunt of new MuseBlogger Ham.
A few photos from that era:
Robert (second from left) played the Tortoise in “The Great Cross-Country Race,” a retelling of the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. Ham’s mother (second from right) is practically invisible in this photo in her role as an all-black bird, a rook. Ham’s Aunt Diana worked on the costume crew and made the Tortoise’s shell, which was even more uncomfortable than it looks.
Ham’s mother, center, looking pert in “Rumpelstiltskin.”

Ham’s Aunt Caroline, kneeling at center, in “The Prince and the Pauper.” Caroline excelled in emotional roles and got to plead and cry a lot.
-applauds- That looks like fun!
By the way, I don’t think I’ve met Ham. -pies Ham-
Neither’ve I. *pies*
-applause break out from various parts of the blog-
Such a cute little tortoise…..
Looks like lots of fun.
What brought this on?
Every so often, I like to post pictures or writings from my past. You can see other examples at https://musefanpage.com/blog/?p=873 and https://musefanpage.com/blog/?p=557. Last night I got together with Ham and her parents and one of her aunts, and Ham posted a message on “Welcome, Neophytes,” and some of you wondered how I knew her — and this is how.
That is cute. Very nice costume, Robert! Although you don’t look like a very perky Tortoise……aww.
Hmm, I haven’t seen Ham, has she been on before last night? *pies Ham* Interesting name.
Oh, wow! I didn’t know you acted, Robert! I love acting! I’m going to be in our school’s musical, but it’s very prestigious so I’m going to have to do a perfect tryout. Do you have any tips? We’re doing ‘Crazy For You’, I don’t know if you’ve heard of it or not. That’s where ‘I Got Rhythm’ originated.
Nice pictures!
I like the pert aunt person.
Speaking of plays…. I just got the part of Amahl in Amahl and the Night Visitors !!!!
Congratulations, Lady G.!
Thanks!! I’m so stressed, the rehearsals start November 1st which also happens to be the date of our first school dance. I’m running for Leadership Team (our student council) which requires you to go to every dance…
Haha, this is so cool! Robert, that turtle costume is thoroughly ridiculous. In fact, all the costumes are pretty darn intense.
Actually, the costumes were elaborate and very well made. The hedgehog and the rook were amazing. Parts of my tortoise later turned up in the Mock Turtle in “Alice in Wonderland.”
Whee! I love these threads. Robert, these shows look like fun!
Woah. those sets and costumes are ELABORATE. 0.0
those are great pictures. I have not come across Ham yet *pies*. I know someone named ham IRL. which is funny because it’s kind of a unique name. *cuckles over the coinkidink*
That looks like so much fun!
*applauds Robert*
*pies Ham*
i think i have seen one of Ham’s posts. i think…..
Robert!!! You’re adorabubble!!!!!!! ^.^
20–Isn’t he though? Now, if I could request your presence here.
Haha, nice
. I have not yet come across Ham, *pies*.
I’m not a huge actor/drama person. I mean, I’ve just done some school musicals and the only non-musical would be the lion and the– Oh wait, that was part of a musical. Well, all of them were musicals. One was about Jazz, another was this one all about our country’s past, one was about winter, another was The Sound of Music, revised (:D ) and one more about Beethoven. Yeah, that’s about it. In Beethoven I was just one of the people in the street, in the one about Jazz I was a homeless saxophone player in Chicago, the country thing I was just singing, I forgot what I was in the winter one, and in the Sound of Music, I got to play Maria (which was a huge surprise to me.)
any more? I want something to talk about!
Whoa. How did I miss this?
Aw, Rob, you make such a cute turtle.
“Tortoise,” if you please. Turtles are marine reptiles.
Which brings up the question:
Are Turtles evolved from Tortoises, or it it the other way?
I can’t really see anything, but never mind that…………it sounds very fun!
i am in the costume department at our school’s theatre. we havent sewn anythng yet:( all we have done is found stuff in the cubbords. we are doing anne frank. i would have auditined but i am not that committed.
14-The Mock Turtle! Alice in Wonderland!
Awesome!
Awwwwwww!