I had an emotional moment this past weekend that gave me pause.
I was thinking, when exactly did I stop thinking about theatre in terms of the "me" and more in the terms the "we"? Because to be an Arts Advocate, you have to be thinking more in terms of the unit rather than a single actor.
Some news.
My daughter Aurora, born with a Partial Trisomy of the 16th Chromosome, turns 16 years old today.
Learning to not say no and taking opportunities as they present themselves, I'm going to direct.
Just a few words. One of the Greats, Sam Shepard, has passed at the age of 73.
I got into the car after work on Thursday and my alternative station was on. The first thing I heard was Chester Bennington of Linkin Park was found dead in an apparent suicide. And I froze. How is it possible, just two months after the suicide of Chris Cornell, we are now mourning another of the community of another hanging? One who penned his own letter after Chris' passing? One whose own letter says the very things anyone could also say about Chester? Why?
Being an actor has caused me a lot of pain over the years. Auditions give me massive anxiety, and not getting a role I was made for can break my heart. Yet through it all, I wouldn't give it up for anything. I wouldn't have had a place of refuge when home was a place of turmoil, or direction and purpose when I felt life was meaningless. In fact, I may not even be alive today without the art I love so much.
As life would have it, I only have one child. A girl. I was 23 years old, and had no reason to believe she would be anything other than a healthy normal kid. Until the doctor said, "She looks a little weird. We're gonna run some tests."
I've made my choices.