Fri. Oct. 25, 2024: When Colleagues Are an Inspiration

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Friday, October 25, 2024

Waning Moon

Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde

Cloudy and cold

We’re at the end of another week!

I got out of the house on time yesterday, and had a lovely drive down to Lenox. It cleared up, and turned into a lovely, crisp autumn day.

I’d given myself enough time so that, even with traffic, I didn’t have to stress. And it’s not like traffic here is anywhere near as intense as in NY or even on Cape. It was just more than usual, with school buses and people headed to work.

I still arrived at the theatre early, which gave me time to sit in the garden and read a book until the house opened. The House Manager was interested in what I was reading, and made a note of it (Janet Malcolm’s book on Sylvia Plath, THE SILENT WOMAN).

I had a great seat, and the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre on the Shakespeare & Co. campus is a lovely space. It was a 10 AM show, which we used to call, not-so-lovingly, the “brat matinee” meaning school groups. However, this particular school group was theatre-oriented, and engaged. They had some good questions after the performance, during the talk back.

The show itself, GALLILEO’S DAUGHTER, is wonderful. The writing, direction, acting, and design are all terrific. The attention to detail, the sustained connection between the actors in each moment, and the commitment to the work was a delight. It was both funny and poignant, and, as someone who spends a lot of time digging in archives researching women forgotten by history, I related to it on many levels, especially the ferocity of love the writer felt for the woman she researched. It’s the kind of show that reminds me why I fell in love with theatre in the first place, and chose it for my career.

If you’re in this area, I hope you go and see it. If you’re on the other side of the state, it will be at the Central Square Theatre in Cambridge for a short run in mid-November, once it’s finished here, in early November.

GO SEE THIS SHOW!

Everything about the experience makes me want to work with this theatre company even more.

I floated out of the space, delighted. The kids stayed to have lunch in the lobby, and were all excitedly chatting about different elements of the play, including tech, as I left. Which is cool – theatre kids! The future of our profession, and this group gave me hope.

Had a lovely drive home. Stopped at Adams Fresh Market to pick up a few things, including my mother’s favorite rye bread (baked by a Pittsfield-based bakery).

While I was out, my mother watered all the plants; one of them overspilled its saucer, which she didn’t notice, soaking the whole kitchen table. So I stripped everything off and hung it all up to dry. We used the bare table for the rest of the day. Everything should be dry by this morning, and I’ll put it all back after breakfast. At least it was water, and not red wine or something chocolatey!

No coverages came in, but an unexpected payment came through on something, which takes off some of the immediate pressure. There’s another contest deadline today, so hopefully there will be coverages through the weekend and into next week.

Still waiting to hear from the director if he wants more changes or will just send on through the script to the cast.

Did I get any writing done yesterday afternoon? Nope. I just floated on the pleasure of the production I saw earlier in the day. I wrote notes to the theatre company, telling them how much I enjoyed the show. A friend who is in Cambridge for a couple of months and I are trying to sort out when we can get together. I’m hoping she can come out for a weekend, once the show records.

My mom is getting a pile of cards for her upcoming 100th birthday from so many people! She’s very pleased. I’ve set up a folding table in the living room, so we can display them all. A long-time family friend also sent her a Harry & David box full of cheeses and meats and mustards, some of her favorite things.

Bea is racing up and down the big kitty condo in the living room, having the Best Time. She tried to get Charlotte to play with her, and Charlotte had no idea what was going on. Tessa is the Queen, Charlotte is a Princess, Willa is Court Jester, and Bea is the Knight.

On today’s agenda: writing, revisions, errands (bank, grocery store, library). Coverages if they come in. Reading. The weekend is supposed to be pretty nice, albeit cold, so we might take a short jaunt somewhere, an early birthday celebration.

Our next rehearsal will be either Monday or Tuesday, and probably start at midnight my time, so that schedule will be wacky, too.

Have a good one, and I’ll catch you on the other side!