Whiskey, with a Beer Chaser

I heard from a friend of mine this morning by email. I met this guy back in 2001 at Town & Gown Theatre in Athens, Georgia. He was cast in the classic stage play To Kill A Mockingbird. I joined the cast late into the rehearsal schedule when another cast member dropped out. I had heard stories about this guy and believed all of them. He's one of the most memorable characters I have ever met. His name is Speedy (yep, that's his real name) Arnold. Speedy is seen in this cast photo, kneeling, far right.

I'm certainly not a noted critic of stage productions, but I know talent when I see it. Speedy is a natural. He can take any role, wear it intimately as if it was his own skin, and project it in a very believable manner. I had the honor of directing two-one act plays at Town & Gown Theatre in 2003, Laundry & Bourbon and Lone Star. These shows were part of Town & Gown's "Second Stage" productions. They were low budget and an opportunity for budding directors (ME!) to show their stuff. I didn't want my productions to be "second rate". By far the best Second Stage show that I have ever seen was Art, directed by Allen Rowell. One of the stars of this show was Speedy Arnold. He, along with the rest of the cast, was truly professional in their performances. So, when I began casting Lone Star I knew right away who would be perfect for the role of "Roy", the off-center Viet Nam veteran who was struggling to fit in after his return from "Nam".

Speedy was perfect for the role. Speedy WAS Roy. Roy captured the attention and respect of the audience as they hung onto every word, every motion. Directing those two one-acts has been one of the most pleasurable experiences that I've ever had. Laundry & Bourbon (staged first) and Lone Star (the finale) were every bit as good as Art, but only because of the all-star, professional cast featuring my friend, Speedy Arnold.

Speedy is happily married, living and working in Bangkok, Thailand. You can visit Speedy on his site at Speedy Arnold