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Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Goldilocks of Writing Genres
Okay, so at one point after college, I realized I was a Writer-I had always identified myself as one, always did research and readings, kept a journal, etc-but I realized I hadn't WRITTEN.
So I literally began at my beginning.
I started doing Blogs. And Plays. And Short Stories. TV Pilots, Novels. And lately, I've also started doing Satire. Short pieces which focus on humor, on a good idea that gets developed-and also gets workshopped among you and your closest writing partners.
Everything feels natural to the medium, but its about persistence. And if something is not working, not breaking through, I'm willing to try the NEXT thing-the next pattern of storytelling. Because it IS all the same urge, just coming out in different frames and formats.
So I literally began at my beginning.
I started doing Blogs. And Plays. And Short Stories. TV Pilots, Novels. And lately, I've also started doing Satire. Short pieces which focus on humor, on a good idea that gets developed-and also gets workshopped among you and your closest writing partners.
Everything feels natural to the medium, but its about persistence. And if something is not working, not breaking through, I'm willing to try the NEXT thing-the next pattern of storytelling. Because it IS all the same urge, just coming out in different frames and formats.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Thoreau/Twain: Brothers on the River
For the first evening of this 2019 Edition of the Annual Gathering of Thoreauvian Appreciators my play, THOREAU/TWAIN: Brothers of The River will be performed.
I am immensely proud to be presenting my work to such an excellent group of scholars, enthusiasts, teachers, environmentalists, historians, professors-AND this year's focus will be encouraging the ENGINEERS to come out in full force.
Therefore, not ONLY am I excited to be able to do research on both Thoreau and Twain, but also to focus on the parts of their lives which reflect their interest in innovation, technology and how things get put together.
Hint: This will involve HDT's work on developing a new formula for a graphite pencil, AND Twain's enthusiasm for a printing machine known as the Paige Compositor. Which will survive the ultimate test of engineering?
I am immensely proud to be presenting my work to such an excellent group of scholars, enthusiasts, teachers, environmentalists, historians, professors-AND this year's focus will be encouraging the ENGINEERS to come out in full force.
Therefore, not ONLY am I excited to be able to do research on both Thoreau and Twain, but also to focus on the parts of their lives which reflect their interest in innovation, technology and how things get put together.
Hint: This will involve HDT's work on developing a new formula for a graphite pencil, AND Twain's enthusiasm for a printing machine known as the Paige Compositor. Which will survive the ultimate test of engineering?
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Network is the Bway Play Worth Watching
Of all the big plays of the moment, no play does a better homage to the spirit of the tale than Network-currently starring Bryan Cranston. It’s a perfect American story-created in England.
The surrounding immersive media is just the beginning. The line “I’m Mad as Hell” is presented perfectly the first time, and then highlighted as a regular battle cry-you wonder if this is made from a movie from the 1970’s (it was) or if it was written tomorrow.
It takes too much of the insanity of the media-centric world to too many logical conclusions. It plays with your mind over and over, as if media is just an extended magic trick-constantly diverting your attention. For this play, it’s worth it to pay attention.
Monday, December 31, 2018
Pour Myself a Cup of Ambition
The whole idea of having a desk job had seemed the opposite of who she thought she was.
She looked around at all the others, wondering if they saw her playing her role, watching them watching her-to see if there were any cracks in the facade.
The notion of imposter syndrome was strong in her, except it was true. She was the real imposter.
The longer she stayed there, and talked to the others on the career ladder, in the cubicles, in the lunchroom and the hallways. She wasn't sure about her uniqueness anymore. Nobody else wanted to be there either. Everyone else had a dream as well.
But she had lived hers. She had been on the stage, she had been singing. She had lived inside the music in a way that she couldn't find life anywhere else.
She wasn't sure that she was ever going to focus on getting a promotion, but she knew she was disappointed when she didn't get them. The coffee wasn't her driving force, but it helped the mornings pass and it made her happy.
On the weekends, when she didn't drink it, she might spend the morning crying, which ruined her voice for singing for the rest of the day. So she made sure to remember her ambition on the weekends, ambition not to become CEO of her company-but to SING. Not even onstage again, but just to carry the music in her throat. In her mouth, it felt better than being kissed. It felt like being loved.
She looked around at all the others, wondering if they saw her playing her role, watching them watching her-to see if there were any cracks in the facade.
The notion of imposter syndrome was strong in her, except it was true. She was the real imposter.
The longer she stayed there, and talked to the others on the career ladder, in the cubicles, in the lunchroom and the hallways. She wasn't sure about her uniqueness anymore. Nobody else wanted to be there either. Everyone else had a dream as well.
But she had lived hers. She had been on the stage, she had been singing. She had lived inside the music in a way that she couldn't find life anywhere else.
She wasn't sure that she was ever going to focus on getting a promotion, but she knew she was disappointed when she didn't get them. The coffee wasn't her driving force, but it helped the mornings pass and it made her happy.
On the weekends, when she didn't drink it, she might spend the morning crying, which ruined her voice for singing for the rest of the day. So she made sure to remember her ambition on the weekends, ambition not to become CEO of her company-but to SING. Not even onstage again, but just to carry the music in her throat. In her mouth, it felt better than being kissed. It felt like being loved.
Friday, November 30, 2018
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Elyse, Ntozake, Maria
Three Giant Women of theater have passed away in the space of just a few days.
An influential director.
A playwright of African American women and expanded territories, opening her arms to inclusion of multiple communities. (For Black Girls who have Considered Suicide when the Rainbow is Enuf, a Choreopoem)
A playwright of Hispanic women, opening the theater walls to audiences to Fefu and her Friends. Staging was nontraditional, taking people beyond a stage to different areas -seeing scenes in various order.
The world is better for them all.
An influential director.
A playwright of African American women and expanded territories, opening her arms to inclusion of multiple communities. (For Black Girls who have Considered Suicide when the Rainbow is Enuf, a Choreopoem)
A playwright of Hispanic women, opening the theater walls to audiences to Fefu and her Friends. Staging was nontraditional, taking people beyond a stage to different areas -seeing scenes in various order.
The world is better for them all.
Ntozake Shange at the Dodge Poetry Festival, Sunday, October 21, 2018
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