The Play Scripts That Bloom In The Spring, Tra-la

Why do you keep doing this to me?!

I mean, I appreciate it when you tell me your hopes and plans for the upcoming year. I do! Haven’t I already told you how much I enjoy sharing adventures with you? I know I did – I remember me saying it.

But don’t you know that in telling me these things, you’re encouraging me to do the same thing? I can’t help myself! I’m such a sheep! Ba-a-a. I’m gonna throw myself under a bus … or a sumo wrestler (what a disgusting thought that is.) Or maybe I’ll just throw myself under the bed. It needs dusting under there, anyway.

So. What are my plans for the year? H-m-m. I’m not sure I have plans.

As a matter of fact, I think plans have me! A-a-a-h! (That felt good, actually.) A-a-a-h!

I think I need a cup of coffee. Check out the next blog for a minute or two, and then come back to me. (Please and thank you.)

Do-be-do-be-do-o-o …

Okay. Better now.

There’s a reading of my play “Rough Draft” set for late in February. The play is about a writer, and you see the characters acting out the story as it unfolds. I’m not sure how it ends after the characters kill the writer. (Not only did I run into a brick wall, I think it then fell over on top of me.) Fortunately, I work well under pressure (ohgodohgodohgodohgodohgod.)

In late March a mid-Ohio theatre group is going into rehearsal for another of my plays, “From My Vantage Point.” This play is a religious work, (kinda sorta maybe) touching on moments during the life of Christ, as seen by people who were largely clueless about what was happening around them. Since I’ve been clueless for most of my life, this was an easy one to wright.

About a year ago my one-and-only children’s play, “The Disenchanted Frog” was produced in Little Rock, Arkansas. Someone from a church organization apparently saw the production and asked if the play would be available to be produced by them as part of a street fair this summer. Since the play had been originally commissioned for an outdoor Arts Festival, I said yes, and am now waiting to see what happens next.

My main effort this year is the play I’m co-authoring with my friend Julie, a talented screenwriter and journalist. The work is very rewarding – I’m confronted by a viewpoint other than my own, causing me to constantly re-evaluate what is or is not important. I love it. As a writer, it’s stimulation in a way I’ve not experienced before. I suspect the play, “Alyce Times One,” will be completed sometime this fall, and then off it goes in as many directions as I can imagine.

So. Those are my goals for 2008. Theatre goals.

I have one other personal goal. There’s a fuzzy red-brown squirrel who lives in the tree in front of my house. By tossing out bread crumbs and sitting still, my bushy little friend would come within a yard of my outstretched hand last year. My goal for 2008 is for him to take bread directly from my hand. That’s my goal.

Oh. And world peace. I suppose that would be nice, too.

And how was your day?