It has been a busy time lately. The opera has ended and it was incredible! “Of Mice and Men” is a very sad opera, but the whole experience from start to finish was one of the best I’ve had in 20 years with the opera. This was my 49th opera. It was also a chance to meet Carlisle Floyd. The opera really is a beautiful work. Essentially no worse than Butterfly or Tosca or Lucia. I think it’s the modern setting that makes it seem somehow more real and gives it a darker tone. But it is a fantastic work.
I’m directing a show for Salty Dinner Theater and really having a great time. I have the best cast and they are doing so well. Imagine, if you will, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, condensed to 6 actors, 4 puppets and mixed with The Philadelphia Story, Star Wars and ancient beauty secrets, and you will have some small idea of the fun in store in Pirates! of Penzance? opening June 1st. Go to Salty Dinner Theater and purchase your tickets before they are gone!
It’s been very interesting this year to see theater from several different sides. I have been an actor for a long time, but this past year I got the view from two new perspectives: director and reviewer. And I have come to the conclusion that you have to be crazy to be a director. Not that I don’t enjoy it and I freely admit that I am crazy. But it takes a certain personality to deal with the neurotic (I am neurotic) actors and opinionated producers and trying to gather props, costumes, rehearsal spaces, choreograph numbers ( I am NOT a choreographer) and try to appease egos, quirks and predilections. [And let me state right here and now, this is not specific to the show that I am currently directing. There have been a few over the years that have fit into this category.] And seeing shows as a reviewer I have come to see that there is a whole subset of people who take reviews or criticism waaaaaaay too serious. Please remember, people, that reviews are one person’s opinion. One. Out of how many people who come to see your show? Yes, they get their opinions published on a website or in the paper, but they are just people and it is just one opinion. If you are basing your life on that, you are giving too much of your life away to other people. Were you proud of what you did? Did your audiences enjoy it? Then you did a good job.
Quote of the day:
“A gourmet who thinks of calories is like a tart who looks at her watch. ~James Beard”
