Trista

Had a great time working with playwright trista baldwin the past two days. She's an excellent playwright and a great soul. I think she made some masterful changes to her play during the workshop.

Polly Carl had to double as actress for one of the days - an actress got the schedule wrong. But otherwise, all went without a hitch.

Its heavy material though not without humor.

Forgetting

Arrived in minneapolis at around 12 and started the workshop at 1. Sort of. One of the actors didn't show, so polly, the artistic director and dramaturg, sat in.

We got some good work done, until our brains began dissolving at 530. Then we took a break and reconvened at 730. We worked until 930. And now, we'll be back at 930 for a few hours. Presentation is at 7.
(And my flight to la is at 7 am tomorrow!).

It was great working with trista. The material is difficult - three women (or three version of a woman) dealing/coping with the suicide of a brother. Its intense and moving and oddly funny at times. Her writing is really rich - we met when I fell in love with a short play that she wrote for mark armstrong's production company.

So far so good. We are very compatible and I can tell that we both have questions about the same moments.

Really glad I came out to mn. You cannot believe the guthrie. Its enormous. Looks somewhat like I imagine a theater complex on star trek might look.

Madame walker and being thom pain

So - the show went on without a hitch. Nilaja heard me call go a few times. This was my first time having to stage manage a show and well, it wouldn't bug me if it were the last. Still - probably something every director should do. Like act.

Last time acted was the 10 minute version of thom pain 5 years ago already. Urbaniak had to fly for an audition of a show called come to papa and I went on. I put on the black suit and had some index cards with the text on them. I was terrified - but did ok. In attendance, oddly enough: friends dan and paul, then-girlfriend eve, sharr white, will, keith reddin, and current producer anna becker. A number of other people have mentioned to me over the years that they attended. Bizarre.

It was a good experience and probably one I should have again.

Back to madam walker: it was a huge house (seats 900) and they had about 125 in attendance. Nilaja loved the crowd, and they her. You could tell that the cursing freaked them out. Still - it was certainly well received but it impressed upon just how crucial mark bartons lighting design is: it doesn't force you to feel, but reinforces what nilaja's characters are feeling. It also places the scene so simply and elegantly. He's damn smart.

Off now to minneapolis for trista's forgetting.