So far, 2016 has been different. With little to no snow and temperatures fluctuating between zero and fifty degrees, trying to make a decision regarding a vacation destination this year was puzzling. Now that sanctions have been lifted in Cuba, the dog has been hounding me to make reservations for the two of us to visit her homeland, since she is Havanese, which literally means “Little Havana.” But when I checked on fares and scanned our savings account, I realized we could afford to go to Hortonville, or maybe even travel as far afield as Honesdale in the exotic land of Pennsylvania—if I scrimped a little.

“Looks like we’re staying home again, Lassie,” I sighed, tossing my checkbook into the fire. “Maybe I should just go to work. I’m already bored.” Eyeing my crumpled list of New Year’s resolutions waiting to be recycled, I picked it up and checked on my progress. With a modest seven items enumerated, I couldn’t help but notice that (surprise!) not a single one had been dealt with. “Does it count as a vacation if we just stay home?” I asked, but realized I was talking to myself, since Dharma was engrossed in her Spanish lesson, which she had loaded onto her iPawed, having recently discovered that there’s an app for that. “More like a ‘staycation,’” I sighed. Hey! Did I just coin a new word? I’ll be famous! As my fingers flew over the keyboard, I searched the Internet for any reference to my newfound, brilliant tweaking of the English language.

“A staycation is a period in which an individual stays home and participates in leisure activity,” I read, crestfallen that someone had beaten me to it. The Wikipedia definition went on to say that “staycations achieved popularity in the U.S. during the financial crisis of 2007-2010,” and that “most of the time it involves dining out more frequently than usual.” Okay, then. “Not only am I behind the times,” I whimpered in the general direction of the pup, “but I’m still having a financial crisis… and I’m pretty sure that we won’t be dining out.” The site went on to recommend activities such as paintball, hiking, or visiting museums, all of which sounded like work to me, so I glanced at my list again. “Clean up office space,” it said in print that was both bold and underlined. Shaking my head, I vowed to begin that project “tomorrow,” and surfed the web, distracted by the dog practicing rolling her Rrrr’s in the next room.

“Interested in being part of a Theatre Company?” I read. “‘Act Underground’ founder Kyoshin Lohr and artistic director Wendy Kaufman invite you to an organizational meeting,” the online poster informed me. While I’m not sure that I’m interested in being a part of a theatre company, per se, I’m certainly interested in seeing who is, and the ad also indicated that some performances would be presented at the Tusten Theatre, which is both beautiful and (IMHO) underused. Surprised to see a lively crowd taking their seats, Lohr echoed my sentiments while addressing the room. “Maybe we’re not crazy,” she chuckled. “It looks like people really are interested in creating a community theatre here, in Narrowsburg.” Nodding enthusiastically, Kaufman heartily agreed. “Theatre isn’t art,” she intoned, with an appropriately dramatic gesture, “until it involves community!” The board of directors, including Kaufman, Lohr, Dorothy Hartz and Sean Harrington all said a few words (well, Kaufman quite effusively said a lot—LOL) before DVAA executive director Elaine Gigeure expressed the Arts Alliance’s support of the theatre group’s formation.

A spirited conversation involving everyone in attendance took place following the opening remarks, and I was suitably impressed with the board’s credentials, their commitment to the theatre and the interest expressed by the community itself. Unbeknownst to me, the dog had filled out a form on my behalf, which indicated that I could be persuaded to attend another meeting, “knows how to make wigs,” and was “interested in painting sets”—but before I could grab it from her grubby little paw, Kaufman was gleefully waving it in my face assuring me that I would “fit right in” and that she was hopeful that I would return. “You should have a Facebook page,” I responded. “Uh oh” I thought. Does that (www.facebook.com/ACT-Underground-Theatre) mean I’m involved? Staycation, my foot! I fumed at my little Cuban dog. “Next year—Barbados… and you’re staying home!”