Exit 155: Colfax Mingo

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Before the show last night, I was talking with Laurie and somehow we got on the topic of interesting highway exit names. Laurie went to college in Iowa, and I’ve noted a number of exit signs off interstates in Iowa that would make good character names. Of course, in the moment, I could only think of one (the one I use as a character name in my novel: Wilton Muscatine). Of course, she says, Muscatine!

Then she mentioned the Colfax/Mingo exit! Of course I know that exit. How could I not remember such a wonderful name as Colfax/Mingo? I told her I would try to name a character that night either Colfax or Mingo in honor of the exit.

The playwright we got was Beckett. While many people are afraid of Beckett, when done well he can be quite funny. He is, after all, an Absurdist. We did some Beckett in rehearsal and discovered the supreme, giggly joy of improvising Beckett and turning him into a musical. I couldn’t have been happier with the playwright for my final show.

I went on stage with Laurie to start the first scene of the show, and she immediately named me Mingo. I of course named her Colfax, which nearly made her break. Fortunately in the world of Beckett’s names (Estragon, Pozzo, Lucky) Colfax and Mingo fit right in.

The show ended up being a very interesting commentary on class structure complete with a desolate plain, master/servant relationships, and talking worms (very Labyrinth). I think Beckett would have enjoyed it and left humming the song “Tea with Leaves” that Laurie and I sung. Or should I say: that Colfax and Mingo sang.


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