The Finish.

This was it. Such a long process, and yet it came down to a very quick week, and three even quicker nights.

I preceded the final show with an afternoon stroll through the Village with my family. Nice. And then it was a sprint back to Jersey to “suit up”, grab John, and then dash back into the city to do this thing one last time.

Now, there was a bit of controversy with my family attending the show: my sister is rather young (elementary school age), and I use a lot of profanity in the show (a needless amount for someone who never uses it in conversation. What was I trying to do, give Mamet a run for his money? I mean, I used the word “peloton” 16 times, but the f-word, and variations thereof, was apparently my favorite word, coming in with over 35 appearances.) I was adamant that she see the play along with the rest of the fam. Why should she miss out on a trip to NYC because of a few words her brother chose to use in his play—the whole reason for the trip in the first place? I don’t actually use them, and no one does at home…so what’s the risk of this one-time exposure? It’s art godammit! Alas, when everyone took their seats—I again a nervous wreck in the corner—she sat right there in the house next to Tim. Now, little did I know the affect her bored presence would have on the foul-mouthed inner monologue of one Max Richter pedaling right in front of her. Apparently, Ryan was hesitant to swear when he could plainly see a little girl in the house. I had an inkling this was going on during the show, and should have seen it coming beforehand, but I didn’t. One more lesson in producing.

Some minor hitches, but the final show presented things superbly.

And just like that, we grabbed our gear—bike, trainer, et al.—and stepped out into a rainy spring New York evening. I parted ways with my family, reluctantly, to attend a cast party of sorts—food, camaraderie, and high spirits in Hell’s Kitchen, once again.

And on Friday, May 1, 2009—11 weeks after its selection for the NY Amazing play festival, 85 days after I mailed my little play—King of the Mountain closed its first run.