February's Show Notes
Patterns, Destruction, Re-creation, Survival
Welcome to this month’s Show Notes!
The Open Rehearsal: New Works in Progress
Incidental Scenography
In Dialogue
The Reprise
A month has passed too quickly in a haze of painkillers and antibiotics—in a haze of headlines that are so surreal, it’s difficult to actually accept it all. As my bones are growing together, I’m watching too much Netflix and—oh! these dystopian stories!—we’ve known what is coming. We’ve practice how the world falls apart.
In ancient Greek comedies, when the world was hopelessly tangled, a huge crane would swing in, dangling an actor-as-god. He’d put things to right. I don’t see that happening. Maybe theater is a poor reflection of nature as it is, in that we flatter ourselves.
We—who’ve lived in relative peace and safety,
watching the news on a screen
or hearing the stories of strangers
from a time we weren’t yet,
or from far-off places
where things are otherwise—
We are at the start of something.
America, yes, but all of us, because viruses spread beyond the imaginary borders we draw in the wind. We need to take care.
I’m writing more—which means thinking more deeply. I’m crying more, too—which means I’m still human. I want to “hold a mirror up to nature” as Shakespeare said. I want to hold it up for all of us, and by doing so nurture empathy.
Writing is my manifestation of hope.
What are you doing to keep hope alive?
Here’s this month’s notes:
The Open Rehearsal: New Works in Progress
The first night of the new Pop-Up pub theater project. Mindy Christensen performs Else, in the monologue “Absinthe and Cigarettes”, which is a character sketch for my current work in progress.
Incidental Scenography:
In Dialogue:
The Poetry Contest Leslie mentions in our conversation: ACES National Grammar Day Poetry Contest
The “She was Good on Facebook” obituary she wrote for herself: here
And her list of things to do while sitting, when we feel helpless in these difficult times:
I’m so grateful to have had a chance (an excuse) to talk to Leslie. And I’m happy she’s agreed to help me edit the anti-fascist anthology. When considering who would be a good person to help me, she is the first person who came to mind—and then there was no need to continue thinking about it.
As I told her: Leslie will keep me brave. Here’s information about the anthology that Leslie and I are editing, please consider submitting your poetry, photography, comic strips, or collages:
The Reprise
The poem
The essay
That’s all the Show Notes I have for this month. I hope you’ve been inspired, and please do let me know what you found this month—how you’re coping. Leave a comment, share the post, and/or join the chat.
I’m not one for large communities, but I value deep, meaningful conversations about nature, poetry, and the stories we tell—I’m glad you're here and eager to hear your reflections.
Thank you for reading!
Warmly,
Ren
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