The Poe Birthday Celebration in Baltimore (at Poe's final resting place) was a smash this year! All performances were sold out, and audiences were thrilled. I wrote, designed and directed a theatrical staging of "The Fall of the House of Usher" to wild applause. There was also a live radio drama of "The Cask of Amontillado," and Mr. Poe recited some of his poetry. Very exciting, very meaningful...
I must admit to a complete lack of modesty in feeling extremely pleased with us. We really cared about the work, we really cared about the script, and we really cared about each other. Then we got to perform for an audience that really cared about the piece, and they immediately recognized that we cared, and that wonderful energy just kept feeding the momentum of the piece.
We did the right piece at the right time for the right reasons and everything went right! Now, how often does THAT happen? There may have been no set, but there was a beautiful set on that stage -- we conjured a world! My actors (that I've worked with for 20 years) were the living embodiment of Poe's characters -- the Friend so grounded, strong and solid, Roderick so painfully delicate and ruthless, and the heart of the piece, the beautiful and tragic Madeline. No illustrator has even come close.
We're beginning the second act of this astounding chronicle of our lives, and the plot and the purpose seems to be coming into focus... I have to admit I'm liking 2005 a lot more than 2006.
I must admit to a complete lack of modesty in feeling extremely pleased with us. We really cared about the work, we really cared about the script, and we really cared about each other. Then we got to perform for an audience that really cared about the piece, and they immediately recognized that we cared, and that wonderful energy just kept feeding the momentum of the piece.
We did the right piece at the right time for the right reasons and everything went right! Now, how often does THAT happen? There may have been no set, but there was a beautiful set on that stage -- we conjured a world! My actors (that I've worked with for 20 years) were the living embodiment of Poe's characters -- the Friend so grounded, strong and solid, Roderick so painfully delicate and ruthless, and the heart of the piece, the beautiful and tragic Madeline. No illustrator has even come close.
We're beginning the second act of this astounding chronicle of our lives, and the plot and the purpose seems to be coming into focus... I have to admit I'm liking 2005 a lot more than 2006.