Monthly Archives: August 2020

Plays are damned hard to read – – even after years and years of reading them, I struggle with most plays.  I can’t even consider it read until I have gone through it at least 3 times.  Of course, plays were NEVER meant to be read.  I am sure most playwrights would be chagrined to know that their plays are being simply read and discussed in some dusty English class.  I am sure that even Shakespeare would be falling asleep in most of the classes I have taken on the Bard.  Teaching plays is also very difficult. Plays are not novels or essays, and to teach them like this is wrong. Read more →

I have learned over the years that my role in a production goes beyond the words.  If it is a well-written script, the words will take care of themself.  And where that well-written script will lead you to is moments of meaningful silence.  If the script is not leading you to silent events then you might as well save the time and money and stay home and read the play.  The magic of theatre lies in the DECISIONS and DISCOVERIES that a character makes – and it is my opinion that those moments never happen WITH the words or AFTER the words.  They ALL happen before the words.  The words are only the result of the silence that needs to hit a target. Hence I find the directors real role in the process to stage and focus the moments of silence.

Years and years ago I earned my MFA in Playwriting from Pennsylvania State University.  It was a wonderful experience that had me up and writing almost 10 pages a day – a feat I can only imagine today.  I am thinking I may go back to this practice – although I’ll be lucky to knock out 3 pages a day.  All the retirement books that I have over-read this past month encourage us seniors to go back to where we were the most creative in our life and try to rekindle the flame. Read more →

One of the true quirks of teaching is that you work in a world in which everyone is 16 or 17 every year – year after year – until you retire.  In your first year of teaching they are all 16 or 17 and then years later they are still 16 and 17.  This is especially true if you are, like I was, a bit of a hermit and kept in your classroom most of the day seeing only students.  It is spooky to work for years and never see them age -as if they are frozen in time.  Read more →

Today began with a most exciting trip.  I needed a new belt and thought I would drive to the local Stein Mart that was going out of business.  I found the belt I wanted – no problem – but as I headed to the cashier the thought of “Last Time” hit me hard.  My mind started with, “This will be LAST belt I will ever need to buy.”  Wow!  Then my mortality springs went into action, and I thought that I am now driving the last car I will ever buy to the last house house I will ever buy to watch the last TV I will ever buy.  It just made sense.  Read more →