Archive for June, 2009
Chrysalis (featured in the Strawberry One-Act Festival)
In the winter of their life together, George and Millie realize they never got to know one another. Husband and wife consider the vows they’d made so long ago…
Tickets for Chrysalis are now on sale here or by calling 646.623.3488.
This is a competition, and the way we advance to the next round is with your votes. We’d love to have many family, friends, and fans support us.
In addition to some prize money, the Riant Theatre will produce a full length play by the winning playwright — which would be an amazing next step for me and Two From the Aisle Productions.
–Sue
June 30th, 2009
- From “1000 Times No” by Tom Warburton
Sometimes, we know how far we’ve come not when we can say “yes” to something, but when we can clearly, and easily, say “no.”
I remember a screenwriting class I took in grad school in 2000. I got so many “helpful” suggestions from my classmates and instructor that I turned my screenplay into a psychological thriller.
Here’s the thing: I don’t like psychological thrillers, and I don’t watch them.
But I wasn’t sure of myself, or my work, so I took in everything everyone said and kept changing it to satisfy them and make it “better.”
I never did finish that script.
So now, nine years later, when an actor asked me to change my entire script (which was already accepted to the festival as is, and beat out a bunch of other scripts to get into that festival), I easily said no.
One word can say so much.
–Sue
June 29th, 2009
On the way into the city for auditions today, I wondered what it will be like to get my first mediocre review.
I got it at the audition.
The actor looked at me, and said the monologue we gave him to read wasn’t “the most interesting thing he’s ever read.” Then he went on to lock eyes with me for the entire audition, not looking at my director or co-producer.
And I sat there with a straight face the entire time.
When he left, we all just looked at each other, remarking on how odd that was.
The universe works faster than I thought, but I’m glad to have gotten that out of the way… Now we can move onto bigger and better things.
–Sue
June 27th, 2009
I’m blessed. I have a beautiful niece whom I adore, and I got to see her and play with her on Tuesday. I relayed a story to her dad, about an in car sing-along, and as I did, I heard us singing all over again.
Here’s the song we sang (it’s one I’m sure you all know):
Sing a Song
Words and Music by Joe Raposo
Sing, sing a song
Sing out loud
Sing out strong
Sing of good things, not bad
Sing of happy, not sad.
Sing, sing a song
Make it simple
To last your whole life long
Don’t worry that it’s not good enough
for anyone else to hear
Just sing, sing a song.
Sing, sing a song
Let the world sing along
Sing of love there could be
Sing for you and for me.
Sing, sing a song
Make it simple
To last your whole life long
Don’t worry that it’s not good enough
for anyone else to hear
Just sing, sing a song.
By song’s end, my niece, sister, and parents were all singing along. It made us all happy, and for a moment, we were all kids again.
Sometimes, it’s good to just be a kid again…
–Sue
June 25th, 2009
A wonderful actress I know, Rachel McKinney, and my hubby, both told me about the same Times article today. At its essence, it basically states that men aren’t the ones standing in the way of female playwrights, it’s other women.
I can’t and won’t name names or point fingers. That’s just not my way, and I don’t find it a constructive use of mine or anyone else’s time.
What I will do is say that I’ve encountered other women standing in my way. Many times. And I wish it weren’t true, but it is.
But I don’t think the answer is slapping a woman’s hand, or telling women to blame other women — or worse yet, hate them.
At the heart of the problem here is a feeling of lack… That there isn’t enough opportunity or abundance to go around.
And when we keep living into that notion, we make that notion a reality.
There’s more than enough to go around… But sometimes, it takes making that opening when the door slams in your face.
If you can find the strength to do that, you’ll make it in this business or any business.
–Sue
June 24th, 2009
As of today, I’ve begun getting spam for this site in another language, Cyrillic.
Does this mean I have global appeal?
–Sue
June 24th, 2009
Summer’s officially here, and Two From the Aisle Productions is celebrating the season, and our first season. Hope you can join us!
–Sue
June 22nd, 2009
Audition was interesting…
What it came down to was choices. The choices actors made about what they did with their voices, accents, bodies, hands…
And now, we have some choices to make…
–Sue
June 20th, 2009
You’ve all seen the awards show speeches, right? Where they all thank their moms (and dads)… Well, my mom proved again today (for the millionth time) why that is.
I was telling her about the auditions tomorrow… How challenging it will be to find the right woman to play Millie, because of the talent pool for that age group and because there’s a lot of memorization… and that requires time… which we don’t have much of.
I said to mom, “If we find the right woman tomorrow, I’ll be happy. If we find the right woman, and the right guy tomorrow, I’ll be dancing on the ceiling.”
And mom, without missing a beat, said, “Be prepared to dance on the ceiling.”
In that moment, my anxiety dissolved and I laughed for the first time today.
How is that oftentimes, mom knows exactly what to say?
–Sue
June 18th, 2009
A veteran Broadway producer laughed when I told him we’re doing two festivals this summer (our first time out).
“Baptism by fire,” he said.
I thought he was being funny, so I smiled… a little nervously I must admit.
And I’ve finally stopped being nervous, not only because I’m excited, but since I’m finding I don’t have much time for nervousness these days.
I hate doing things under the wire, like writing blog posts at 11:45 pm… But sometimes, under the wire is the best it’s going to get.
–Sue
June 17th, 2009
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