Friday, May 06, 2005
On the other hand.....
...there's nothing in the world quite like sitting around a table full of absolute strangers, actors with whom you have never worked before, gathered by a director you trust, to open up the fresh pages of a brand new script and, together, for the first time DISCOVER IT!! That's what Peter and i did last night down at the Tisch School at NYU....7th Floor, Grad Writing...gathered with others to open the new pages of a play by Zach Udko called SCARY NATION... ...and we had fun! And, as it happens, the play is oddly strong and affecting, driven by a powerful political message and peopled by a group of rather interesting characters...I play the risen ghost of Carry Nation, the savage fundamental crusader against all things alcoholic and sinful at the turn of the last century...she comes complete with Holy Bible and hatchet to transform the face of gay politics in America and it is a passionate, hysterical ride, until you realize how serious the playwright is about the terror of it all. Six actors will read the piece, taking on various roles, except for the lead two of us: Carry and Christopher, the young politician she has come to change...and it was a strong table of actors...Peter reads Taylor, the jilted boyfriend. I was pleasantly aware of the "newness" of them all to both Peter and to me: we have not worked with actors other than Barter actors in a long itme, not reading a serious new play at any rate, and I , for one, was thrilled by this new experience. I had forgotten the amount of sheer talent that exists in this City, per square inch, and most often NOT on Broadway, but rather in workshops, readings and small rooms where new art is being created! Last night was like that...and it felt so good.
We rehearse it again on Sunday afternoon, then do the public reading that night.Down at the Tisch School...it is Zack's "thesis" play, his last before receiving his Master's Degree. I liked him.
We are going to see the Light and Laser Show at the Rose Planetarium tonight with Ed L. and Sandy L....I can hardly wait...That is one of my extremely favorite NYC places to go: The Rose Planetarium. It is utterly and profoundly unique. Deeply gorgeous and highly spiritual in the broadest possible sense. And Ed says the current show is wonderful fun...
Peter is at his desk and keyboard across the office from me putting the finishing touches on our Wedding Song, and I have to say it is one very beautiful song. He had a version of it ready for our Disney Wedding a year and a half ago, but has wanted to sit down and really finish it to his own standards, and finally he's had the time to do that. I am thrilled with it because, first, it is really really pretty. And secondly, I think Peter's talent as a writer of music is perhaps the talent that touches me the most. He has strong , unusual things to say, musically, and I often feel he talks more eloquently in his composing than he does with speaking words...(and he speaks words pretty damned well)...but he gains access to something so true when he composes, so genuine and truly his own. Also, his musical vocabulary continually surprises me. The song is called TWO PEOPLE
and it is ours.
They have asked me to teach another class at CAP for the summer...why not? So I will teach two, instead of the one I had originally said yes to...I will still try to keep it a reasonably relaxed summer, but will be spending more time downtown. This way, I can help Eliza V. plan the Shop schedule for the Fall, and have serious discussions with her about the beginnings of the Company she wants to gather for the work.There are couple of writers whose work I want to introduce into the process, and already we have planned some "in-house" readings of things I have suggested as possible Wolff Reading Series entries. I will direct as much as I can. And so, it will be a CAP 21 sort of summer....i envision sunny mornings by Frank and Eliza's pool, afternoons reading plays...seeing the Ocean from their little Hampton town.
And time to catch up on a friendship I value highly. There are worse things one can do...So bring it on! Rev up that hot tub!
Today we work on music with Lori Kay H. This has become a regular thing on Friday afternoons...good for all involved.
Have a great weekend!
We rehearse it again on Sunday afternoon, then do the public reading that night.Down at the Tisch School...it is Zack's "thesis" play, his last before receiving his Master's Degree. I liked him.
We are going to see the Light and Laser Show at the Rose Planetarium tonight with Ed L. and Sandy L....I can hardly wait...That is one of my extremely favorite NYC places to go: The Rose Planetarium. It is utterly and profoundly unique. Deeply gorgeous and highly spiritual in the broadest possible sense. And Ed says the current show is wonderful fun...
Peter is at his desk and keyboard across the office from me putting the finishing touches on our Wedding Song, and I have to say it is one very beautiful song. He had a version of it ready for our Disney Wedding a year and a half ago, but has wanted to sit down and really finish it to his own standards, and finally he's had the time to do that. I am thrilled with it because, first, it is really really pretty. And secondly, I think Peter's talent as a writer of music is perhaps the talent that touches me the most. He has strong , unusual things to say, musically, and I often feel he talks more eloquently in his composing than he does with speaking words...(and he speaks words pretty damned well)...but he gains access to something so true when he composes, so genuine and truly his own. Also, his musical vocabulary continually surprises me. The song is called TWO PEOPLE
and it is ours.
They have asked me to teach another class at CAP for the summer...why not? So I will teach two, instead of the one I had originally said yes to...I will still try to keep it a reasonably relaxed summer, but will be spending more time downtown. This way, I can help Eliza V. plan the Shop schedule for the Fall, and have serious discussions with her about the beginnings of the Company she wants to gather for the work.There are couple of writers whose work I want to introduce into the process, and already we have planned some "in-house" readings of things I have suggested as possible Wolff Reading Series entries. I will direct as much as I can. And so, it will be a CAP 21 sort of summer....i envision sunny mornings by Frank and Eliza's pool, afternoons reading plays...seeing the Ocean from their little Hampton town.
And time to catch up on a friendship I value highly. There are worse things one can do...So bring it on! Rev up that hot tub!
Today we work on music with Lori Kay H. This has become a regular thing on Friday afternoons...good for all involved.
Have a great weekend!
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