Two Regrets

BY HEIDI CROOKER, TUFTS STUDENT 1992-1996, TEACHER, MOMMY, BEVERLY, MA
I have been reading these tributes to Tony with great interest; many memories and stories sound so familiar. I knew Tony during my junior and senior year at Tufts. He was a larger-than-life presence in the drama deparment, and I had the pleasure of acting in A Winter's Tale my junior year and taking his Advanced Directing course my senior year. I try not to have a lot of regrets in my life, but as I think back to my relationship with Tony, I have two.

At Tufts, I always tried to be an actor, albeit rather unsuccessfully. It wasn't until my senior year that I discovered my love for directing, but I still couldn't give up the hope of a juicy acting role during my senior year. Before he began auditions for Stage Door in 1995, he offered me the opportunity to be his assistant director. I had my heart set on a part, however, and turned him down. He also turned me down for a part, and we didn't end up working together. I wish I had known at the time what I had passed up: the guidance and experience of working with him as a director. I went on to direct two shows that year through his directing class and Three P's, and he was always willing to offer his advice and critique, but I regret not working with him on one of his productions.

My second regret took place six years later. My husband David (also a Tufts actor) and I were out in Harvard Square on Halloween. We were dressed up for the occassion, replete with wigs, and thankfully unrecognizable. We spotted Tony during a brief visit to a bar, and didn't have the courage to reveal ourselves to him. A silly decision, since Tony always loved a good laugh and our cheerleader and her heavy metal roady boyfriend outfits would have provided him one. This was the last time we saw him.

Thank you, Tony, for your expertise and your friendship. And for the reminder to never have any regrets.