OK - So I'm thinking more and more about my piece "Angel in the Fire" as of late. Below is an excerpt of one scene. Emily is the grandmother, Halle (short for Hallelujah) is the mother. Claire is the daughter. Three generations, two different stories. They are woven together as our memories of life, reactions to moments, and relationships with our mothers and grandmothers most always are. Do they work, evoke something when you read them...?
CLAIRE
The moon blocks out the sun today.
For a brief moment, night at noon.
I am eight.
The cement steps
on our stoop have
a hole beneath them.
Bees dip and fly
silently between my legs,
waiting for me to move.
HALLE
We steered clear of that field
mostly.
The bull hunched like a tank,
afternoons.
The sun was down before I knew it,
the rock getting cold
beneath me.
EMILY
When your sister came home
alone, I wanted time
to deal with her.
First, we got that bull
back in his pen,
then I turned to her,
a good switch from the elm
in my hand.
CLAIRE
You came and picked me up in the dark
And we watched the moon do-si-do with the sun.
HALLE and EMILY
And when I came and picked you up
HALLE
from the stoop,
visions of old apocalyptic stories
fresh on my mind,
ALL THREE TOGETHER
The sound of the bull
In the field across the way
Startled me
HALLE and EMILY//CLAIRE
And I took you inside. //And you took me inside.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Twenty Days After...
Yes, it sounds like a scarey film! But it's just how long it's been between posts. It's another snowy day today. Spring seems infinitely far away, and this weekend is the VATTA (That's the Vermont Assocation of Theater and Theater Artists to you!) Town Meeting on "Staging Original Works in Vermont." I'll be co-facilitating with Dana Yeaton. There'll be so many cool folks there that you should come too!
WHAT:Theatre Town Meeting
WHEN:Saturday, March 1st from 4:30 – 6:00 pm
WHERE:McCarthy Arts Center, Saint Michael's College, Colchester,Vermont
WHO:The Vermont Association of Theaters and Theater Artists, (VATTA) in conjunction with the Vermont Playwrights Circle
PRICE:$7 Donations at the door*
*Artists participating in VATTA's Statewide Auditions and Networking Event admitted for free.
DETAILS:
Despite tighter financial times, arts organizations in Vermont remain committed to staging original works written by local authors and – more and more – artists are taking production into their own hands. Their can-do attitude, spit and vinegar, and moxie have spawned an innumerable number of original artistic projects over the past few years. What does it take to mount an original production? How much risk does an individual artist or arts organizations take in mounting a piece by an unknown artist rather than staging a classic/known piece? How rewarding is it to see a piece rise to its feet for the first time? Join us for a brief presentation of two short original works by local artists (TBA) followed by a community discussion on the risks and rewards of staging original theater works in Vermont.
The discussion will be co-facilitated by local writers Dana Yeaton of Middlebury College and Kim Ward of The Vermont Playwrights Circle. Speakers will include the following local authors: Jeanne Beckwith, Sarah Dawson Brock, David Budbill, Maura Campbell, Monica Callan, Marisa Krauss, James Lantz, Kim Ward, and Dana Yeaton.
Along with playwrights, several local organizations committed to staging original works in Vermont will be present, including Lost Nation Theater, Moxie Productions, The Parish Players, The Valley Players, The Vermont Playwrights Circle.
For more information, or to RSVP for the Theater Town Meeting
(not required) call: 802-229-0112 or Email VTPCirc@yahoo.com
For information on The 20th Annual Statewide Auditions and Networking Event from 9:30am-3:30pm, please contact Veronica Lopez, VATTA Coordinator at 802-862-2287 or email catalyst@gmavt.net
WHAT:Theatre Town Meeting
WHEN:Saturday, March 1st from 4:30 – 6:00 pm
WHERE:McCarthy Arts Center, Saint Michael's College, Colchester,Vermont
WHO:The Vermont Association of Theaters and Theater Artists, (VATTA) in conjunction with the Vermont Playwrights Circle
PRICE:$7 Donations at the door*
*Artists participating in VATTA's Statewide Auditions and Networking Event admitted for free.
DETAILS:
Despite tighter financial times, arts organizations in Vermont remain committed to staging original works written by local authors and – more and more – artists are taking production into their own hands. Their can-do attitude, spit and vinegar, and moxie have spawned an innumerable number of original artistic projects over the past few years. What does it take to mount an original production? How much risk does an individual artist or arts organizations take in mounting a piece by an unknown artist rather than staging a classic/known piece? How rewarding is it to see a piece rise to its feet for the first time? Join us for a brief presentation of two short original works by local artists (TBA) followed by a community discussion on the risks and rewards of staging original theater works in Vermont.
The discussion will be co-facilitated by local writers Dana Yeaton of Middlebury College and Kim Ward of The Vermont Playwrights Circle. Speakers will include the following local authors: Jeanne Beckwith, Sarah Dawson Brock, David Budbill, Maura Campbell, Monica Callan, Marisa Krauss, James Lantz, Kim Ward, and Dana Yeaton.
Along with playwrights, several local organizations committed to staging original works in Vermont will be present, including Lost Nation Theater, Moxie Productions, The Parish Players, The Valley Players, The Vermont Playwrights Circle.
For more information, or to RSVP for the Theater Town Meeting
(not required) call: 802-229-0112 or Email VTPCirc@yahoo.com
For information on The 20th Annual Statewide Auditions and Networking Event from 9:30am-3:30pm, please contact Veronica Lopez, VATTA Coordinator at 802-862-2287 or email catalyst@gmavt.net
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Interminable winter...
I woke up the other day to this view. I thought "Gee, if I only had a camera," then realized I still had my mother's digital which she lent to us over the holidays so, Voila!
I love the snow. So much prettier then rain or dry, brown grass.
Of course, I walk to work, so you're probably all thinking "of course you love it!" but Terri and I DID spend about two hours today digging out because we hadn't moved the car in several days! Plus, we had to buy a new shovel as we broke the old one.
This is what winter in Vermont SHOULD be. Even though I could really spend some time on a sunny island right now to store up on some vitamin D.
Let me know what fun things you've been up to in the snow, folks!
I've been playing leap frog over deep puddles on main street, walking IN the street rather then on the tiny path that used to be called a side walk, and thinking it's time I got my sled out and went up to Hubbard Park, where all the good sledding action is in town: http://www.montpelier-vt.org/parks/hubbard.cfm
We went to the gym twice this week, only to find hardly anyone there. We're sure it's because people are using their shovels for 'curls' and 'biceps' and getting all the cardio they need on their walks to work and during driveway shoveling.
I love the snow. So much prettier then rain or dry, brown grass.
Of course, I walk to work, so you're probably all thinking "of course you love it!" but Terri and I DID spend about two hours today digging out because we hadn't moved the car in several days! Plus, we had to buy a new shovel as we broke the old one.
This is what winter in Vermont SHOULD be. Even though I could really spend some time on a sunny island right now to store up on some vitamin D.
Let me know what fun things you've been up to in the snow, folks!
I've been playing leap frog over deep puddles on main street, walking IN the street rather then on the tiny path that used to be called a side walk, and thinking it's time I got my sled out and went up to Hubbard Park, where all the good sledding action is in town: http://www.montpelier-vt.org/parks/hubbard.cfm
We went to the gym twice this week, only to find hardly anyone there. We're sure it's because people are using their shovels for 'curls' and 'biceps' and getting all the cardio they need on their walks to work and during driveway shoveling.
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