Learning

I have been in a wonderful challenged state these days and not just by the wildly swinging weather of March/April. I hope that you are too, as being challenged, it seems to me, is one answer to the state of being.

How so? I have started a second theatrical adventure. This one involves the play: House of Butterflies. I have plays on the New Play Exchange and was informed of an opportunity at the RedTwist Theatre (which I, of course, did not get). (I am up to 30 submissions with lots of ghosting and two official rejections. I am told that I should rejoice in rejections as it means that I have skin in the game. Hah!)

But because RedTwist had my email I was subsequently informed of a grant opportunity for the Independent Producers’ Initiative. The IPI grants money to produce you own play here in Chicago. So I texted Tyler Nielsen who had read plays of mine, in particular House of Butterflies. At the end of the reading he said that he was both too old and too young for the characters but he would love to direct it. When the proposal came I asked Tyler about it and he is quite enthusiastic. I had started a budget but Tyler has taken it over and added in all kinds of things I, as a novice, had not thought about. We asked Jenny to be a consultant as she is extensively self-produced. Jenny threw out the fact that we would need insurance. Tyler the fact that we need in addition to lighting, stage design, and much much more a stage manager. All the things that go into producing a play. It really is an education.

And even more so it is gratifying to see that a second piece of work, apart from Cold Fusion the Rock Musical, elicits strong endorsements in the sense of other people joining in with extensive work of their own.

I have no illusions, we probably won’t get the grant, but it is a process and who knows maybe money will come from somewhere, i.e., the giant theatre goddess in the sky.

I sent a link to the demo of Cold Fusion to a friend, who waxed enthusiastic about Kyra’s work. I also mentioned it a FaceBook post and got a bounce from someone who knows about Cold Fusion saying that he would love to be at the reading but isn’t in town.

Also on the table, just completed a 10 minute comedy “Turkey Bones”; reworked Jessie and the Architect, and gotten out the books to begin research on John Quincy Adams.