Diapers and Grass Skirts by Hark Tagunicar

Theater was something I was always interested in, even as a little kid. It was always fun to imagine you were something you weren’t. I remember at recess in elementary school when my classmates and I would pretend we were all characters from Street Fighter II. We would pretend to throw fireballs at each other and execute spinning kicks upside down and whatnot. (That took some talent, let me tell you!) Of course, all the really cool kids got to be Ken and Ryu – while I was stuck being the “medic” in the background ready to patch people up when they got K.O.’d from the fight. That was my first taste at being the “supporting chorus member” behind the star celebrities.

Ok, so my acting roots weren’t always that violent, and sure it had a hint of LARPing (Live Action Role Playing) more than anything else, but later I would get my chance on stage in our school play when I was 11 years old. No, I wasn’t a rock or a tree or any other stationary object. I had an actual speaking part! And I also had to wear a diaper….. and only a diaper….. on stage….. in front of hundreds of people….… both complete strangers and people I would see in class the very next day………… AND I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT!!!!

Since then, I tried to audition for every show I could through middle school. I just couldn’t get enough of it! Then high school came around, and I unfortunately got swamped. Oh the joys of the Eleanor Roosevelt High School Science & Tech Program! Theater took a back seat in my life behind my studies – rightfully so. But I wished that I was able to find time for it. When I finally graduated from high school in 1999, several of my friends told me about a group called PGSTT that was in desperate need of guys for their upcoming performance, South Pacific. (Oh how things never change!) As chance would have it, one of the main character roles – Captain Brackett - was vacant and needed to be filled. I went in and auditioned for the part. For some reason I managed to acquire the role – and I didn’t have to wear a diaper to do it! But I did have to wear a grass skirt on stage during the actual performances! I guess my acting career had officially jumped up in the world!

What can I say? It was love at first sight! This would begin a beautiful relationship of more than 11 years – and I am happy to say it is still going strong to this day! PGSTT has provided me with a plethora of memories, and I intend on sharing as many of them with you as I can!