
Last Monday, I was sitting at my computer when a news flash about the Boston Marathon bombing popped up on my screen. What the...? Immediately my phone started buzzing, as friends and family checked in to make sure Fred wasn't at the marathon. (He wasn't. He had gone to Baltimore for the day.) I had already made evening plans to go to Theatre East's reading of Muses, by Julia Rae Maldonado, and -- geez, should I still go? Was it appropriate to carry on with my plans...? I went. It felt like the most appropriate response for me. I wanted be around my tribe instead of obsessively watching the news all by myself at home. That's something that I really love about theater. I don't think it's ever inappropriate to be in community with others through theater.
It reminded of when I was performing in a regional theater production of Cole Porter's Can-Can when the Twin Towers went down. Sure, I felt a little "off" performing a happy-clappy musical in the wake of this devastating thing that had happened and - oh, my God - half my brain was in NYC the whole time...but big crowds of patrons waited at the stage door after every show to thank us for giving them "something other than the news to watch for just a little while." So, thank you, Theatre East, for not canceling the reading on Monday night. It transported me for just a little while and I enjoyed the work of both the playwright and the actors.
Other stuff
** I went to my first book launch party! My friend Laurie wrote a sort of "pick me up" version of The Artist's Way. Isn't that (she) amazing? The book is called Fight to Keep Creativity Alive. She had the work of one of my besties, Kimberly Abbott, showcased at the launch party. I think it's great that we all support each other....because more is MORE.
** spent the rest of the week making plans and rehearsing actors for Liliom.
It reminded of when I was performing in a regional theater production of Cole Porter's Can-Can when the Twin Towers went down. Sure, I felt a little "off" performing a happy-clappy musical in the wake of this devastating thing that had happened and - oh, my God - half my brain was in NYC the whole time...but big crowds of patrons waited at the stage door after every show to thank us for giving them "something other than the news to watch for just a little while." So, thank you, Theatre East, for not canceling the reading on Monday night. It transported me for just a little while and I enjoyed the work of both the playwright and the actors.
Other stuff
** I went to my first book launch party! My friend Laurie wrote a sort of "pick me up" version of The Artist's Way. Isn't that (she) amazing? The book is called Fight to Keep Creativity Alive. She had the work of one of my besties, Kimberly Abbott, showcased at the launch party. I think it's great that we all support each other....because more is MORE.
** spent the rest of the week making plans and rehearsing actors for Liliom.