I really need to do this more...

This is going to be a generalized relfections on my past few months . . . I'll also speak briefly about my future plans. Thank you all for coming to this news confrence.

Alright . . . The lab was easily the most important thing I've ever done. I made more solid connections and came to more realizations about theatre and myself than at any other time of my life. It was just amazing...

I could talk for hours on end about the experience, but I'll hit you up with some quick highlights:

1. I had my NYC debut and directed a show at The Cherry Lane Theatre. It could not have gone better! The guy who wrote it, Ross Berger, was a Cherry Lane Fellow and was mentored by Michael Weller, who came to see the show. We wound up having a nice chat after the show, and he told me that I did a great job with the show. I told him that he must have done a great job mentoring as well.

2. Dolly, a lab director, saw the Cherry Lane piece, and asked for a copy of it to translate into Chinese. She also said that if it works in Chinese, she would like Ross and I to come to China to work on a production . . . since she's working in a National theatre, I really think there's a shot of this
happening.

3. I've been offered a show in the Strawberry Festival in Sept. in NYC. No pay, but we'll see . . . the script is not that great, but if I like the playwright, maybe it could be a doable situation. I'll know more late next week. (I since turned this show down, but it was nice to be thought of)

4. Paula Vogel. Oscar Eustis. Ming Cho Li. Andre Bishop. Anne Cattaneo. Warren Leight. Donald Marguiles. Michael Weller. Samm-Art Williams. Dan Sullivan. Ira Wietzman. Lloyd Richards. Edward Machado.

5. Fredrick is actively seeking a way to get me to assist him on some shows in Denmark.

6. Lauren is actively seeking a way to get me to assist her on some shows in Melbourne, Australia.

7. Ashlie is actively seeking a way to get me to direct a show in Toronto.

8. Alexandria is wanting me to help with the English version of this website that is an online "hotel" for playwrights, where they can meet up and co-write if they want to. It's sponsored by a bunch of private funding in Belgium and Sweden.

9. I'm good friends with the co-founder of the new DC Fringe.

10. I have more playwrights at my disposal right now than I know what to do with.

So . . . since the lab, I spent a week in Vegas and tore it up, and I had a dance floor gig in Atlanta for 2 weeks. It actually wasn't in Atlant, it was in Athens. Which I've heard nothing but great things about, and saw non of them . . . this town sucks. Don't go there. I did, however, go to see The Dead Sixties, The Bravery, and Weezer at a free show in Downtown Atlanta. Thats was pretty great . . . I also rented a car and headed out to Asheville, NC. This town is AMAZING. This is truly one of the coolest places I've been in my life . . . I want to go back, and direct a show there, just to have an excuse to hang out there for a month or so. I went to see my friend Joanna, who I haven't seen in 7 years. It was realy great to see her, she seemed very happy. If she was a butch lesbian, I'd want to marry this girl. I've got a huge intellectual crush on her.


Then I cam home . . . I've been working in the corporate lighting field for about 9 months now, and while I'm VERY happy to not be in an office, and to make my own schedules, I'm also a bit exhausted by the whole thing. Trust me,, I'm grateful, but I'm still just helping to facilitate that in which I do not believe in, even if what I do is interesting. I love lighting, and I want to know more about it in the future, but man . . . you know what I'm saying. I am NOT, however, saying that I have any intention of leaving the corporate lighting field, as it frankly pays too well.


OH! This is a good one . . . I got an email from John Hopkins University, and their board wants to interview me for their upcoming fall production of "The Adding Machine." I've always wanted to check out Baltimore, and this would exceed the most I've ever made directing by THOUSANDS of dollars. So, here's hoping . . . I'll have a phone interview on August 30th . . .

I also talked to a producer yesterday, and I might be preparing a solo performance piece for the ONE Festival in NYC in November . . .

I think my biggest news, however, is that I'm leaving. I think I'm about 2 years behind schedule, and it's time to go. I'm applying for anything I'm remotely qualified for (mostly art management stuff that I have an interest in . . . I've managed to work in this field for this long, I'm not stopping now . . .) I'm not sure where I'm going, but if no great offers arise, NYC it is. I can't be in Dallas, TX any more. The theatre in this city is too depressing, and I don't think I can change that any time soon. Good luck to those that do, but I, have no school funding to work with, nor do I have
someone paying my bills, so I can concentrate on a theatre company. I've got too many connections elsewhere now . . . it is time . . . I want to be gone by my birthday (Nov. 15th) I WILL be gone by the new year. I've gotten some great advise about this thing, and I've come to two realizations:

I'm never going to have "enough money." I'm never going to have "solid enough connections." And it's never going to be "the right time." I just have to jump in, because once I'm there, it will all work out.

And, I'm not going to wake up when I'm 75 and say "Man, I wish I would have stayed in Dallas."

This past year and a half since I graduated, has been remarkable, and I couldn't have done it if I was living anywhere other than here . . . but I think I'm done, and I have to go . . . =)


So, Dallas/Fort Worth . . . I bid you farewell. In a few months anyway . . .

Peace.Love.Cheers.