“You know what your trouble is? You got no sense of history!” – The GKN Weekly Upd

Hello and Happy Canadian Civic Holiday! Is this really necessary? Canadians are the most civil people I know!

For those of you don’t know, I got my degree from Montclair State College. My major was acting. A few years ago our Theatre Department lost John Henry Rew in a tragic accident. Last year we lost Bart Rolfes to sarcoma. Last week it was Cara Andrichak Rosson.

She died of colon cancer and left behind two children.

While John and Bart’s passing hurt because they were great guys and left us too soon, Cara’s passing really hit home with me. Our B.F.A. Acting class had only nine students who went through all four years of the program so we got really, really, close. We studied, rehearsed, laughed, cried, drank, fought, lived, loved, and learned together in Room A-125 (remember that black box, guys?) for four years and it was a helluva time. Cara was everything you wanted in an acting partner and a person. She was beautiful, she was quirky, she was strikingly expressive, she was strong, and she was loving, so loving.

That’s her as Bunny Flingus in “The House of Blue Leaves”. I was Billy Einhorn. Didn’t she look great?

That’s her blowing me a kiss as I took her pic backstage when we did “Nicholas Nickleby”.

Cara and I had more than our share of fights. Mostly it was my fault because I was a real pain in the ass in college. But there was always love there.

I was in touch with Cara sporadically over the last 20 years. The last time we spoke was a few years ago. She called asking if I could help her with a GPS scavenger hunt. It was great catching up with her and of course I had no idea that would be the last time we would talk, apart from corresponding on Facebook.

I’m not a particularly nostalgic or wistful person, but I will never forget my time at Montclair. That experience made me a voice actor and every day I use the training I received there in my craft. Those eight people who I traveled with through that program were very special, though I didn’t understand or appreciate their importance at the time. I wish I had valued them more, especially Cara.

She was my Bunny Flingus.

I will miss her terribly.

TIP OF THE WEEK: You move through life and people come & people go. Some were great, some were jerks, and some you’ll barely remember. Here’s my advice: if you ever encounter someone like Cara, someone who is the epitome of love, energy, zeal, and zest for life, keep her around as much you can. You’ll be better for it.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what’s right. Isaac Asimov

STUFF!: Five Things You Never Knew About Superman (you can read the article here)