Beyond Mockingbird

     TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD closed well. We played largely for sold-out performances (even selling the box seats reserved for the director and guests.), and often received standing ovations. I must admit, I have a good thing going. Because I direct successful plays, I get top actors to audition. And, because I get top actors to audition, I end up directing successful plays. It's not rocket science.

     AND, I keep telling myself that's it - I'm done directing. Finished. At least for awhile. Go away. I wanna write something. My wife has a novel coming out soon - a hundred and ten thousand words. And what have I written in the past year?

     I truly think I need to get away for awhile. Patterns are far too comfortable here. Juli and I have talked - England would be nice for a while. A little while. No big city. Somewhere peaceful. I could rent a big dog and a pipe. Or perhaps somewhere deep in Normandy. My French is a little rusty, but - since I am American - it's no worse than my English. On the other hand, and for no good reason I can understand - the Brits seem to actually LIKE us. With the French, you never know ...

     Gotta do something soon. I'm already scheduled to advise on plays in April and November.

     We had a good Easter today (and I hope you did, too.) Ate blackened chicken, potato salad, fire corn (don't ask), fresh croissants, hummus, olives, and tomatoes. Followed this with cheap Mexican beer and ridiculously expensive Starbucks coffee. We completed the afternoon by driving to the park where we were married and making sure "our" tree was still doing well. It is.

     Thanks for hanging in there with me while I rant. As always, afterwards I feel better.

j

Dear Penpal

Hi y’all …

     I thought I’d take a few minutes to bring you up to date on the direction life is taking me at the moment …

     The play I recently directed is playing quite well. The book of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is apparently required reading in some schools, so our audiences are liberally sprinkled with High School students (who sit like chess pieces among the grey heads who actually remember the times being portrayed.) In any case, we are presently playing to largely sold-out houses, and have received a more than generous share of standing ovations. (Cool. A theatre that makes money tends to invite you back. Another theatre is already in the asking questions stage of what could be negotiations … “What? We thought you retired. We are opting for this play in November, and were wondering …” Way cool.)

   

  My wife’s first novel, PAINTING THE RAIN, is scheduled to be released in a few weeks, and we are excited about that. The work is a fleshing out of a play we co-authored, so we could win on several fields right now. It has been my observation that when good things come my way, they happen in multiples. Don’t know why, but I’m certainly not complaining.

     And then there is Fred. Fred is a lopsided cactus plant I’ve had for years. We get along very well, thank you. I set him on the back porch in the Spring, and bring him back in sometime in the Fall (when I think of it.) And our lifestyles have outlived numerous relationships for both of us. However … what I’m trying to say in my own coy way, is that Fred and I are no longer alone. I have Juli and Fred has Fern (and a bazillion of Fern’s sisters.) The air smells clean in the corner of our dining room. It takes some getting used to.   

Another Openin', Another Show ...

We opened to a standing ovation.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

Auditions were last week-end, and went well, considering ...

     (... considering I was using the original version of the play, and the theatre had optioned a REVISED script without telling me. "It will be fine," they said. "Hardly any differences at all," they said ...)

And, of course, there were significant differences. Two actors dropped out because auditions were something less than professional (along the lines of Mickey Rooney saying, "Hey, gang, let's find a barn and do a play!) I stuck it out, and eventually things were smoothed out ... (A word to the pretenders - NEVER hold auditions for a play you haven't actually read.) The show will survive, in fact I suspect it will be quite good. (I love working with ensemble, and many of my "regular" performers auditioned.) On the other hand, I doubt - at the moment - that I will apply to direct at this particular theatre again.

I hate "blocking" a play, which consists of telling actors where to move on stage. Pretty boring stuff, this. Thursday was even MORE interesting. The theatre furnace died, and we rehearsed on a stage with the temperature hovering at 42 degrees. Some would say this is dedication. Some would say it's something else - my hands were shaking so badly I couldn't read my own writing on the script.

Other than that, everything was just ducky. I can hardly wait for the next rehearsal - Sunday evening - to see what new, uh, challenges occur.

They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I think I may go lift a Volkswagon just for fun.

TO KILL A MOCKIINGBIRD

Ok, I was done directing plays ... at least for awhile. Was gonna write write write. And then I found out on of my favorite theatres is going to produce TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD in March, 2013.

And they put out a call for directors.

And I applied. Why not? If I didn't get the job, I could always write (and claim I really didn't want it in the first place. The Japanese call this bushido, or "death before dishonor.")

If I DID get the job, I would be directing a play guaranteed to be completely sold out. (Based on records of other theatres around the country.)

I found out today I got the job.

Whoop de do-o-o-o ...