Month: February 2024

One of the strange things I’ve had to do lately has been to actually do thank you notes to booksellers and other such folks. Some of these, I’m told, are headed out of the country, but who knows where the others may end up? These started out with my co-author, Tobias Buckell, and then he handed them off (literally, meeting around halfway between our residences) and I added my own two cents, and practiced my signature.

And yes, practiced. Ever since paper checks went out of style, I don’t get many opportunities to sign things.

It’s definitely not something that I ever saw as part of the publishing process, but I gladly threw myself at the task because, hey, it’s good to be grateful that I’m here at all, and getting this chance. Something to keep in mind for other opportunities that might spring up.

And if you, reading this, happen to be one of the people who got one, then hi! Thanks very much, again!

Another show is in the books, done, complete. Romeo & Juliet at Stagecrafters, in Royal Oak, Michigan marked my fourth adventure on stage with this particular text (though twice it was as embedded in Shakespeare in Love), and I don’t think I’m nearly done yet. This was my second time playing Prince Escalus, also known as the guy who shows up late and yells at everyone for fighting and/or dying. This was also the most rage-filled time playing him, as the director capably supported choices that really let me touch on this character’s feelings of pain and anger at the proceedings in Verona. It’s not a huge part, but I made it mine for a few weeks.

This was a very special show for a lot of people, not the least of which was the director, who was accessing some very personal elements in the show, though unrelated to young love and feuding families. It was very much an honor not only to be part of that, but for her to encourage me to audition in the first place, wanting me to be part of it. I am very grateful that she did.

As usual, I met a ton of cool people, worked with some very cool people for the first time, and got to spend quality time with others that I’ve worked with often before. In all, a beautiful blend of the new and the familiar. This was also my first show at Stagecrafters, which has a local reputation among community theatres as being top tier. That is very much reflected in their facility which, while definitely vintage in many ways, also seems to have the space and facilities of something more on the professional spectrum. In that, it was a very interesting experience to work with them. I’m not sure when I will again, since they (along with many of the other community theatres) seem to be going in for more and more musicals, which I’ve usually avoided. But maybe it’s time for me to start taking voice lessons, or something.

All in all, a wonderful experience that is bittersweet in its conclusion. Loved being a part of it, but happy to be moving on to other things, both in and out of the theatre.