3/10/14, Day 13,801: The Lark’s 20th Anniversary Benefit: A Transformative Moment
This day is so named for the Lark’s wonderful 20th anniversary celebration honoring Edward Albee. The evening had the Lark’s usual spirit of warmth and joy, featuring short plays from luminaries like Katori Hall, Theresa Rebeck, Rajiv Joseph and Doug Wright, and speeches honoring Albee from Sally Field and others. They also created a moving video honoring Albee, and as is often the case with the Lark, I felt dazzled and grateful to be in the room. It was great to have the opportunity to celebrate a company that has meant so much to me and to so many playwrights, and to honor their extraordinary 20 years of achievement.
The theme of the night was “A Transformative Moment,” and it was certainly that for me, though in an unexpected way. In college, I read all of Albee’s plays, (yes, even Box), and studied his life, and in reconnecting with his work and legacy I found myself in the suddenly in the company of my college-age self and his seemingly endless reserves of faith in what he might accomplish as a playwright. In the years since, I have needed to kill that younger self in order to survive the realities of my actual accomplishments, which could of course never match the hopes of that fervent young man. In the place of where that faith used to live, I had thought a hardier and wiser hope had grown, a hope that valued community and service more than self-centered striving.
And yet, there he was, returned from the undiscovered country and as outraged as the Danish king that he was poisoned in the garden by a brother. Now I’m thinking through what do with him, as he shows no inclinations of returning to his exile. It’s too soon to say much more than that, but it doesn’t surprise me that such a spirit would walk again at the Lark, which might more rightfully be called the Lark “Playwright” Development Center, as what makes them unique is less their development of so many important plays as their development of the playwrights themselves. Their nurturing faith in playwrights, the healing and diverse community of artists they sustain, and the creative freedom they provide, together plant that eponymous songbird inside you and it won’t stop singing, calling you back to your calling…
3/11/14, Day 13,802: Naming the Jane the Plain ForePlay
This day is so named for a super-fun Flux Creative Partner meeting. Among the things we covered was the potential name for our Jane the Plain ForePlay, and it was a particularly productive and funny brainstorming session. More on all that very soon!
Technique never stands still: it only advances or retreats…
Writing: 62 out of 72 days (Faust)
Spanish: 61 out of 72 days
What small things did I do the past two days to help build the Honeycomb?
(And what does it mean to “Help build the honeycomb?”)
- Hosted and participated in a Flux Creative partner meeting;
- Asked U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to give emperor penguins Endangered Species Protection;
- For TCG, helped launch the Canadian side of our World Theatre Day salon with posts from Chantal Bilodeau and Vincent D’Arbouze; and a continuation of the Disability in American Theatre series;
- Signed a petition in support of Debo Adegbile’s nomination to lead the Department of Civil Rights Division;
- Signed Louise Slaughter’s petition in support of legislation to protect service members from sexual assault;
- Celebrated Orange pulling their ads from Red Pepper, the tabloid that targets LGBT* peoples in Uganda;
- Cooked and ate all vegetarian meals (mostly organic, some local) and added no direct food waste (plastics bags, plastic water bottles, etc.);
Corinna Schulenburg 