Monday, March 24, 2008

WAKE UP CALL (it's a play, a song, AND my entrance back here)

Well, so, yeah. Still here. My new play WAKE UP CALL is going to get a staged reading on Saturday, March 29th as part of SWANDay (Support Women Artists Now) at the Boston Playwrights Theatre on Comm Ave in Boston from 2-5pm. The director is Lau Lapides--very experienced,,really talented--and the actors are Joe Orrigo, who just finished up a gig at the Devanaughn Theatre as Sean in SUB-ZERO, and Robyn Nook. They are both going to do an awesome job--I can tell--and I'm so excited to see a new piece get seen by a number of people (capacity is 99, and because the artists are well-known and we are getting a mention in Sidekick, the Boston Globe's arts supplement, we could have a pretty full house). I feel really good about this, and it's been a while (like A REALLY LONG WHILE) since I've seen one of my plays performed, so I'm ready for it. It was a bit weird to see a rehearsal, b/c it's always weird, but cool at the same time. Because it's new, I could really listen to the dialogue (for the most part, I think it works, but I'll have to think about it more at the final rehearsal on Friday night). Lau really got it (she's close to my age, I believe). It was harder for Joey and Robyn, b/c they are in their early-to-mid 20s, and you don't have a lot of perspective at that age (I didn't, anyway). I can remember how I felt, but I couldn't write about it then.

The theme is loneliness, and I'm guessing that neither of them has had the deep seeded lonely pain I've felt, but how would I know? As long as they connect to it, I'll be happy. I also started a new play about kids and their problems that manifest during their book club (shocking that I would write a new, bleak play; what were the chances?!). I was trying to collaborate on it with my 11-year-old niece, Jami, but I don't see it happening. The themes (primarily divorce) are just too mature and dark for her; as my sister said, when she has to study for an exam, that is a frightening and anxiety-ridden prospect, and going any deeper is not probable but certainly not necessary at this time. My well-adjusted niece. :) Oh that I had been at that age (but I've never felt young and carefree, as my plays indicate). It's hard to write with my back continuing to throb continuously--I can't even write at home anymore, b/c I cannot sit in my office chair anymore--but I want to try, b/c I haven't work on anything since the end of January, when the total revamping of SHOOT was due (no word yet from Heartland, where I remain a semi-finalist; fingers crossed). So most of my time is spent trying NOT to think about how bloody much my bloody back hurts and looking forward to the Herbert/Benson Clinic's 12-week session on pain management (it begins on April 16th, fittingly the day before my, ugh, birthday, ugh). Let us hope and pray because I am pretty much out of options. Maybe my guided meditations will help, eventually, though they haven't to date (of course, I've only been doing them for a few weeks, so it's way too soon to tell).

Okay, so that's a bout it. My parents return home next Monday--I'm looking forward to seeing them--and really hopeful that we get some nice weather soon (it's the end of April and still damn chilly out). I'll report back after the staged reading or after some playwrighting news (if it's good; if not, I won't post until I've recovered from the disappointment).

1 Comments:

Blogger Lisa said...

Hi. I am a high school student at Brookline High and I came to the march madness SWAN day at the Boston Playwrights theater. I absolutely LOVED "Wake Up Call". It was my favorite out of the bunch. Right now I'm looking for short pieces of drama that could potentially be preformed at a student directed event at my high school. Its been really difficult to find something that would appeal to high school students, but when I saw your play, I immediately thought of using you're play. If it's any way possible, do you think I could see a copy of your piece? My email is Monkmonk3000@aol.com if you want to contact me. This would be soo helpful!
-Laura(Brookline High School student)
p.s. Congratulations on the production!

12:07 PM  

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