Wow. I am exhausted. Today is the first real day off I have had in a looong time. I watched the Patriots dispatch the Dolphins this afternoon and ate Pizza from 'Bottom's Up' in Shockhoe Bottom. Then I updated my computer's virus protection software. I also listened to my new Aaron Copland CD.
Good times. And great oldies.
Jen & I have been going full bore for more than a month. We're in the process of looking for an apartment in the Fan District, as our landlords will be moving back in in January. (They bought a house in Rockville 2 years ago & the commute into Richomd is quite a chore-- plus they have a new baby, making things even more hectic) we've loved living in this great old house in Northside for almost 2 years, but it's time to move back into the Fan.
Jennie is in THE CONSTANT WIFE at Barksdale as well as teaching enrichment classes for SPARC and holding down the fort at the dentist's office 3 days a week, and I am performing in I AM MY OWN WIFE at Firehouse and getting ready to start rehearsals this week for the FTP production of THE SECRET OF MME BONNARD'S BATH while trying to research and write a touring show for Theatre IV. I also applied for part-time work at the Carytown Starbucks, and we recently bought a used Saturn which we will pick up on thursday.
It's crazy being an actor sometimes-- you don't keep normal hours, your income comes from various and disparate sources, everything you own is used (for example, my TV, my Playstation 2, our Car, and even the computer I'm using to type this-- all pre-owned and given to us by really cool people!!)But worst of all, you never 'switch off' or stop thinking about work, because in order to feed yourself, you've gotta keep hunting for that next gig or side job or audition or what have you.
I have a hard time convincing myself to RELAX. Of course, looking for a car & an apartment while juggling a one-man show can make you crazy. Sometimes I'm amazed by how we get by doing what we love, but that is the really wonderful thing about this community of like-minded artists-- It is really Possible to do great work here and have the kind of artistic life that can can be really rewarding.
For instance, Friday's performance of I AM MY OWN WIFE was a priceless evening for me. My Mom came and saw the show, and the Folks at Firehouse presented her with flowers and a gift certificate to Cabo's Bistro on Broad st. She loved the show and she cried, but probably because her son was wearing a dress.
I also had a great experience last sunday night, performing in Leftover stories to Tell, an evening of reading of works by the late, great 'Monologist' Spalding Gray. I got to read my favorite account of his, about a performance of OUR TOWN he was in in the late '80s (Playing 'the Stage Manager') in which the kid playing Wally Webb projectile vomits all over the place in the act III 'Graveyard' scene. Hilarious. I also got to meet Spalding's wife, Kathy Russo, and his 10-year old son, Theo. Theo and I got along really well, since he's also a big Red Sox fan. I told him about the time I got David Ortiz's autograph, and his eyes got as big as pumpkins.
I have to get crackin' on writing tomorrow, but I'm gonna take it easy. I hope to see everyone at the Firehouse Theatre on Tuesday night at 8pm for the benefit performance of I AM MY OWN WIFE. The performance will benefit the Richmond Performing Arts Fund.
Oh, and before I forget, condolences to the New York Yankees... HAHAHAHAHAHAAAHAAAA!!
1 comment:
Scott- figured this might be the only way to let you how impressed we were with your performance in I AM MY OWN WIFE -- the best work we've seen in Richmond in the 10 years we've been here and way up there with what we've seen elsewhere. Congratulations.
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