First Day of Rehearsal at Ashland

Hey,

Tonight was the first rehearsal for Ashland University's production of "In the Event of My Death". Scott had Lindsay and I each call in to say 'hi' to the cast and to share with them the process thus far and what our goals were for the project. My goal was to have the play grow and develop as much as possible and that I was looking forward to hearing about their discoveries throughout the process.

When I got off the phone I was exhilarated. I knew that the next thing to happen was probably going to be them turning to the first page and reading the script together, for the first time, as the ensemble that would be bringing this play to life. I was excited to see this photo on cast member Eryn Tramel's (Becky) Facebook page.

I wanted to be in the room to see it. I also was grateful to know that they were going to have their own process and that I am even more excited to experience the process through their lens. That they were going to bring their voices to the world of the play.

At 10:15 tonight Scott Hudson sent a text to Lindsay and I saying "We tracked the play tonight. It grounded us in facts." Attached was this video:

Scott talked with me after the rehearsal and said they didn't do a traditional read through of the play. He didn't want them to get attached to the emotion of the world. He wanted to ground them in the facts. They did a dig for facts. It was a bit of archeology of the world. In the video they identified the facts of events that lead up to and occur during the play. I love this video. It is incredibly specific. Scott talked about how specificity of the circumstance brings the emotional life.

He wanted them to hear the play in a different way. As they dug into the specifics of the events the room went from the giddy feeling of 'we're putting on a play' to a sober feeling. A positive sober room. Through answering the questions of what, when, how -  they became aware of what the event of the play was and what, as artists, they were being asked to confront. Through their investigative work it became clear that events of the play were all plausible. And it began to become real.

Also in the room from Ashland was Dr. Kimberly Field-Springer, Associate Professor in their Communications Department. Scott shared her enthusiasm for the play. Dr. Field-Springer specifically talked about the value of the play regarding the media and social issues in society and during their discussion confirmed that this is how events like this go down. I am grateful she is in the room and will be part of this process. Hopefully at some point she will add to the blog her perspective.

Scott let me know that we have two more team members to share:
Rebecca Lyman - Stage Manager
Leslie Nunez - Assistant Stage Manager

Scott also shared that a student, a journalism major, will be taking on the role of reporting on their process - I look forward to meeting her and reading her perspective on the process.

Thank you all for being part of the process.

Talk with you soon.

Padraic

Ashland is cast

Hey,

Talked with Scott Hudson Thursday night after his callbacks at Ashland. It was thrilling to hear about the process. It was exciting for a lot of reasons. The first being that the college collaboration play is cast. That is an amazing step - these are the first people that will bring a new play to life. It is an honor and a responsibility to breathe life into a character for the first time. To hear about who was selected and why was exhilarating.

Scott had a wonderful audition process where he created an environment for the actors/students to truly embody the characters as well as to experience the play.  Everyone was auditioning in the room together. Actors took turns and the ensemble was created as the audition went along. Scott created an opportunity for each actor to step in to the ensemble and play fully in the world.

As a director it sounds as if he got the right people for the right roles. A lot goes into casting - chemistry of the ensemble, people connecting internally, and feeling the potential for the play in a new way. I heard all of that when I heard him talk about his choices.

I also heard the enthusiasm of an educator. My favorite phrase of Scott's is when an actor 'catches' something. He shared how each actor came in with a general understanding of the character they wanted to play but after working with each - when the specifics dropped in for the actor and they 'caught' something about the character, I could hear his enthusiasm. Each time it was about surprise and growth. Surprise of the life breathed into the character and the potential growth for the student actor entering the role. That is the excitement as an educator - how will a role facilitate the growth of each particular artist. Also, there are exciting moments like when a non-major shows up to an audition and surprises everyone with their passion and commitment. There is also an exciting element about the process of casting which is watching the fight drop in for an artist. He was proud of the commitment of each student as they realized they had to dig deeper and bring their best because the competition was clear.

The other exciting thing that happened was the enthusiasm he described that started to come out of the students about Lindsay's play. They all liked it before but as it came to life during the audition it became clear to them that it was special. It was written in a voice familiar to them. With humor and understanding of them. That too is the goal of the college collaboration. To connect artists to new plays, new voices, that reflect them - give them an immediate voice in the world. It feels like this play is doing that and I am thrilled.

There is a part of casting that is not wonderful, which is there is a limited number of roles. So not everyone will be cast. Scott and I didn't talk about that part. What I heard in his description of the night was his pride of what everyone brought to the room and him seeing a strong interest in people wanting to be involved in the play regardless of role in the process.

I wanted to post the cast on Friday but he was waiting for the notice to go up in the department first because then they would announce the entire team. Meaning that all of the roles of crew would be announced as well. I love the idea that it is a team. Very much in line with The Farm Theater. And it is a team. Everyone is part of bringing the play to life. I look forward to meeting the entire team.

Here is the cast list:

Mason Adams--- Connor

Alyssa Angie---Meg

Natalyn Baisden---Amber

Ariel McCleary---Kate         

De Andre Peterson---Trevor

Ceyanna Stasick---Brianna

Nick Seeman---Peter

Eryn Tramel---Becky

All of the players will be shared as we get that list.

First rehearsal is Tuesday.

Talk with you soon.

Padraic

Reflects today

Hey,

The weekend workshop of the play went wonderfully as reported. The day after our workshop Ashland University held the first round of auditions. I was thrilled to talk with Scott Hudson the night before auditions and learn that after speaking to those interested in participating in theater this semester the audition sheet had filled up. Auditions were Tuesday and callbacks are Friday.

In preparation for the auditions Scott and I discussed the characters of the play and a theme that resides in the play.

First I will talk about the theme. It was the issue of suicide. What caused the character of Freddie to kill himself? Was it because he's gay? This was part of the discussion that we had during the workshop. It was a topic that Gino, from Clark University, had expressed interest in after hearing the reading on Wednesday. The faculty at Centre College had expressed a similar interest in the reason for the suicide before arriving for the workshop. When I told Scott that we don't know the reason for the character's suicide. That he didn't specify a reason and one of the wonderful things about the play is that it recognizes that we will never know what ultimately pushes someone to take that action.  Scott was very interested in that idea regarding a discussion for the school. It makes the discussion  more accessible on campus and something that isn't about one social-political issue. I think that is true for all three schools. The play seems to be addressing the powerlessness of not being able to stop it. The guilt of what someone did or didn't do. The blaming of others. The inventory of their life and friendships after this happens in their life.

The week prior to the workshop suicide was in the news a lot because of the death of Robin Williams. There was a lot of discussions about why, shock, and never knowing what someone else's struggles are.  We will never know what makes someone take that final action. It is a private decision. Lindsay has done some wonderful things in the play to create a picture of someone that it is possible would commit suicide - without making it a clear cut and dry reason. One sister says, he was incredibly sensitive and gives examples from his childhood. The other sister rejected his call the night  before. The note left on his computer gives no answer. Friends haven't visited enough. His boyfriend wanted him to come out so they could live freely, get married, and have a full family life. He didn't go to art school after graduating for fear of rejection. He helped a new friend out of a dark period of her life recently and she couldn't help him. There are no answers. Freddie is a major character in the play - but I don't imagine that we will be able to answer the question of why - no matter how successfully Lindsay paints a three dimensional picture of him through the individual relationships he has with each of the characters.

One thing that I think is interesting is that there is a belief that we have moved forward as a society and that it is too naive to think that someone would kill themselves because they are gay. Yet it still happens. I don't believe that it is the theme the play is exploring. But to say it is too simple an issue negates the power of the individual's experience.  I am grateful it will be part of the discussion. There was an article recently about playwrights dealing with the complex issue of suicide throughout the history of drama. Lindsay has successfully utilized the issue of suicide that is occurring in this generation as a way to evaluate friendships, values, openness, life goals, societal pressures, definition of success, communication, and a whole list of other large issues of our every day life.

I credited Mariele of Centre College for shifting the thinking of one character's guilt about the suicide to possible blaming of others because of the 'hetero-normal' societal views. Well, another issue came up while looking at character descriptions. There are eight roles. Three male and five females. Lindsay intentionally created more roles for female college age actors to be able to play. When Scott and I were talking about the characters, regarding his breakdown for the auditions, concerns about physical appearance came up. It only came up regarding the female characters. One character is the former Prom Queen - what does she look like today? Freddie's oldest sister holds a high place of status, like the stern maternal figure, but is also flirted with aggressively with by one of the boys - is it because she's physically attractive? And one girl is said to have lost 'her baby fat' from high school - is this literal? Was she heavy? Did she lose weight? Is she big now?
All of the answers regarding character came back to the internal need of the character and what they internally represented to other characters.  However, none of the questions regarding physical appearance ever came up regarding the three male characters. One guy is considered to be smart and could've done anything but he stayed in his hometown, the other is a successful nerd who is too obvious with him flirtation, and the third character is the a out gay male. None of the female characters refer to their physical appearance and none of their needs seem to imply a physical appearance.
Christine, my girlfriend, sent me an article today to illustrate what it is like to work in the corporate world as a woman. The article is There is No UnMarked Woman by Deborah Tannen. It is about her awareness of how she was summing up the women at a conference she was attending by their appearance. And how she didn't do this with the men at the conference. I don't know if this has anything to do with the issue of the play or the behavior of the characters. I do know it has something to do with our society. I know it is important for the college collaboration to create production opportunities for female playwrights. I know it was important to Lindsay to create five interesting roles for young women to play.

I have said numerous times that the goal of the college collaboration is to allow us to have a long conversation generated by the creation of theater; inside the rehearsal room and outside the theater with our community. The individual responses to suicide, the personal reasons for it, the societal causes, and all of the perspectives on that topic that the play will spark I am excited to hear them discussed and participate in the conversation as they are considered. I am also interested in being able to look at more global issues that come up in the process that may or may not relate to the play but are illuminated through the process of the collaboration. And when they appear - maybe this a form to discuss them in and to figure out how to address them as this program continues.

Talk with you soon.

Padraic

College Collaboration Workshop - Day 3

Hey,

The three day workshop exceeded all expectations. Actually it met exactly what we set out to do. Which means to say it was ideal and rarely are there ideal experiences. There is usually a problem or two. Our problems were not process oriented. We had 8 incredibly talented and smart actors, two faculty members, engaged students, a director and dedicated playwright - all focused on the development of the play and the development of the artists. We couldn't be happier.

Okay, what happened today. Well, we did a reading of the script for about 15 invited guests. The reason for the reading at the end of the workshop was to hear the play through a new lens. Audiences alway heighten the awareness for what is and isn't in the story. It was a useful and final step to send Lindsay off on the next stage of rewrites. We are grateful for our audience. What we learned or confirmed is that the play is engaging and moving. It also confirmed where the play can, needs, and wants to go. So, thank you to all who attended the reading. We're glad you are along for this journey.

Before the reading we worked through the remainder of the play. We had more thorough discussions. Beat by beat. And through the discussion we discovered a deep understanding of  each character. What their need is. It was an incredibly valuable archeological dig. Lindsay brought in about 12 new pages today. The end of the play was not worked on yet...only so much can be achieved in one night. And the depth of the work on the play was forcing the end of the play to change. If not to be theatrically different the meaning of the events would shift to a deeper place.

I'm interrupting this blog post to say that three days around the table to discuss the world of a new play with incredibly smart and talented artists is an incredible gift and one that I appreciate tremendously. I am grateful for everyone's input. I am also grateful for the discussion with collaborators, like Scott Hudson, afterward who encourage me to write about the specifics of the discovery so that the students who weren't in the room can be part of the conversation as they enter into the process through auditions this coming week.

Lindsay has each of the characters fully loaded emotionally for needing to be in this room with these people. Each of them is fueled with guilt, anger, and love. Along with many other emotions. The premise of the play, for anyone that doesn't know, is a high school friend (Freddie) has committed suicide. Friends are gathering after the funeral. The discussion today revealed a lot of important information about the world of the play. All of it is in there or we couldn't have discovered it. The talk was what needs to be brought out in the play and what can be left unsaid in order to increase the experience for the audience.

I'll give a couple of examples. It is casually mentioned that Trevor leaves Freddie's family's house earlier than expected. Why? There were a lot of clues mentioned in the script: He wants to get to the house where he can do drugs and escape. He wants to be in the comfort of his friends. He wants to get away from the girl that everyone thinks is Freddie's girlfriend. The reason isn't given. But when that last idea is spoken, the room can immediately picture the reality of Freddie's family consoling, comforting, welcoming the girl as if she were the love of Freddie's life and not Trevor who actually is. Now that is a reality of what is happening. But it isn't mentioned in the text. Our discussion becomes about how deep and wide does the play want to expose the details of the world - and what makes for a greater experience for the audience. We all leaned towards wanting the world to be exposed more and to make it a larger view for the audience to experience these people's stories because they are complex and loaded.
Another idea that was discussed is about what pushed Trevor to threaten to out Freddie to his friends and family. This video, captured by Hayley of Centre College, shows a great discussion of the realization of what motivated it and why it is justified behavior - even if it is not 'nice' behavior.

The video shows the discussion of why Trevor did what he did - and does the audience need to know this or is it enough for the character to know this. I love how inclusive the conversation is and how you see Lindsay taking it in, and balancing what has to be included into the story. I also like that the word 'explosive' is used. That indicates it would be nice to see in the play. It will upset the world, knock it on its side, so we can see it another way. It will give us, but also the other characters, a different perspective on the character. Of course the choice, if it is in the play, is when is it best to shift that perspective. That's the craft that Lindsay is balancing.

This truly was the topic of the day. How much of each story needs to be brought out into the script. Lindsay's play has rich characters which are confronting large ideas about today's world. The work of the last three days allowed us to know that the story can hold more. The world and the needs are greater. This is a goal of the college collaboration - to let the artist enlarge their canvas. If it needs to be bigger that's an option, but definitely to allow them to go deeper. Here is a video Hayley captured of me talking about this idea. It is also excellent product placement.

I am excited to watch the characters of the play be brought out and developed over the next seven months. Lindsay has three productions to sculpt the world she is creating.

The three days were wonderful.  Scott Hudson and his students were very present in our discussions. Grateful that Gino, from Clark, was at the reading and part of the discussion and that Centre College was present for all three days. Just a privilege to have everyone engaged.

Next step in the process is auditions in Ashland. I know that Lindsay is going to keep writing and letting this work inform the next steps of the journey.

Talk with you soon.

Padraic

College Collaboration Day 2

Hey,

Well yesterday's conversation was fruitful. Lindsay came in with approximately 12 new pages. We picked up the day where we left off. Reading the work. Talking beat by beat. Asking questions of the characters. Discovering what the impulse is for each action. Again, mainly probing through questions. Trying to learn and uncover who these people are - and not trying to dictate who we think they are. It is an exploration to learn about them, but also a chance for them to grow and become who the plays wants them to be in the world.

It is challenging when working on a play not to take things for granted. Meaning moments. It is rarely interesting to say, oh that's just how we are - because there is little discovery or drama in that. There is drama when characters expect each other to behave how they have in the past...and don't. Also, we witnessed in how what seems like a casual comment is actual where the stakes lives and the behavior is shaped within those rules. When something new is introduced. We saw that a lot in the play today.For example when one friend says to another "If you don't like it - leave." It is really early in the play, and we recognized it isn't 'you can leave.' The choice is 'leave' - and that line in the sand shapes the behavior for rest of the play, it also dictates that there is a new relationship between the two characters - it is not what it was when they were in high school. Yes, it's a small moment. But the small moments define the moments of drama - they frame it. There are many moments in this script that shift the relationships and the dramatic pleasure is watching the characters navigate their expectations with what is actually happening.
Today the conversation focus seemed to be on how they are no longer children any more. They can't hide from the uncomfortable.

The main rewrite we experienced today is Lindsay had Trevor share his secret relationship with Freddie with someone completely surprising. Surprising to him and to us. Also, she revealed the secret much earlier in the play and which moved the stakes of the scene much earlier. Interesting that revealing secrets feel like an event in a play and an unraveling but most of the time the information in the secret is where the drama lives. It becomes a lot more alive for the audience when they are in on it. I believe that is true most of the time. It was today.

The value of the process was revealed very clearly when I spoke with Hayley from Centre College after rehearsal today. After a day of probing questions, I asked her what her experience was - and in the video below she shared that she learned about the depth in which actors learn about their motivation. There is a lot of back ground noise in the video because I wasn't planning on taping her. But I appreciated the answer so much, I thought I  would share.

Hayley talking about the process

The play dropped to a deeper level. I am excited about where it can go. Today I was excited again about the process. It is a gift to be able to have this depth of exploration on a play. The play is clearly benefiting. Today it was clear that the students will clearly be benefiting. This video is of Mariele talking about the process of the day and how the characters represent the millennial generation. Mar
Mariele talking about the process.

Tomorrow we will be getting rewrites for the end of the play. Working through the remainder of the play. Then we will have a reading for ten invited guests and a classroom of a students in Ashland University via video conference.

Talk with you soon.

Padraic

College Collaboration Workshop Day 1

Hey,

Today was the first day of the workshop of the College Collaboration Play. Today is the day that the collaboration began. Everyone has been working on this project in their own way but today was the day we were in the same room together. Today was thrilling. It was exactly what was envisioned when the project was first imagined. There were 14 artists in the room ready to work and share their experience with the play.

The actors: Jacob Perkins, Blake Merriman, Rachel Berger, Jessica O'Hara-Baker, Jordan Kamp, Amanda Dieli, Jamie Dunn, and Sevrin Mason are excellent. I had worked with all of them before and was excited to have them in the room. They are all experienced at working on new plays, understand the role of the actor but also are more than generous in sharing their insights and life experience that relate to the play. Also in the room from Centre College were Hayley, Mariele, Matt and Patrick. Matt I have known for many years.  It was more than a pleasure to have them in the room.

First we read the play. It is a good play. It is an excellent first draft of a play. The story is about 8 people in their early twenties, 7 of them knew each other in high school, convening after the funeral of one of their classmates. Lindsay's writing is engaging, entertaining, and honest. Everyone of the characters is recognizable from our own lives and more importantly each of them are vital to the play. It was good to hear the play...that was needed so that we can then discuss the world of the play.

The discussion of the play was lively and thorough. It lasted two hours. Lindsay spoke about where she was in the process, what she heard, and the rhythm of the play. I spoke a little bit about how I felt the play was fertile for greater exploration because each character has a strong need for why they are where there are at that moment. And then Patrick spoke up, explaining that Trevor, the one gay character, was militant in his belief - and that the strength of that needed to be recognized. 'Militant' - a great word. A strong choice. And correct on the character. He then went on to speak about how all of these characters were representative of the generation just exiting and still in college. He used a great phrase that I can't fully recall - hopefully someone will share it in the comments section. This statement and appreciation for each character inspired each of us to talk about the needs of each character. What it means to stay in your home town. What it means to return. What it means to not be enough for someone. What it means to love someone. One of the things that I recognized is that all of the conversation evolved back to where the love is for each person.

All of the actors shared with great detail and passion about their thoughts regarding the play. One moment in particular that struck me was when Centre College student Mariele spoke about Trevor and that his point of view was not one of blaming Freddie for his suicide but framing in the hetero-normal societal views. This was wonderful because it reframed the thinking of the character to what was probably closer to his thinking regarding his closeted lover. And it shined a light on the issue and the thinking of Freddie and Trevor that allowed everyone in the room to have compassion and to see the love that motivated each of them, as well as, to tilt their perspective on the character. Also, there is one character that didn't attend the funeral of Freddie - and as we all spoke about why that could be or might be; Mariele, again, pointed at the specific action in the past that this character had done to Fred that would cause enough shame to keep her away. Nailing the specifics. I loved this moment in the room because it grounded the conversation in specifics and it created a way for all of us to talk about that character with empathy and appreciation. Mariele is a Centre College student who was a tad shy to jump in but when she did - she captured the room. I am excited for all of the students throughout the process to have a opportunity to work on a new play, learn their craft - but most important to me is for them to recognize the value of their voice in the collaborative process. That value was on display today.

Everyone brought their 'A' game. And everyone in the room, actor, student, directors, designers - each contributed beautifully to fueling and feeding Lindsay as she thinks about the play.  Like the characters in the play - all of the voices in the room are valuable.

The discussion truly enlarged the play today. The topic of the play is important. The people in the play are needed. Loved. I am excited about the collaboration for the process of the long conversation that a play can create with a community. I am grateful that the conversation has begun.

Creating a play, a world carries an incredible responsibility to the needs of the individuals involved.  Each of them. And today we heard those needs. We respected those needs. And we know there are more to learn about them.

We ended the day talking about how the play is good and that it is clean in its structure. The exciting thing now is to let it 'sit in the mud of process' and discover where it wants to go next.

My goal with the project is multifaceted. It is to have a long conversation with a large community around and through the experience of creating a play. It is to foster community through creative collaboration. It is to educate and empower students of theater and to connect them to working artists.  And it is to give an emerging playwright a full experience that will allow them to reach the next level of the artistry. Today, the collaboration in the room, laid a strong foundation for Lindsay to take the step to the next level.

I am looking forward to Day 2.

Talk with you soon.

Padraic

imagination

Hey,

I believe in imagination. Believe in it as the greatest force in the universe. It is my definition and understanding of God. I am not religious. Well at least not a believer in a traditional religion. I believe in imagination. In the past I have thought, "I know God doesn't exist but my life is better on the days when I chose to believe he does." When wrestling with this idea of atheism or agnosticism I started asking myself the question if God created the universe - then where was god before the universe was created. Technically, no universe there is nowhere for God to be. And if it all started with the big bang theory, well there had to be something to 'bang' - where did those things come from? While thinking about it - I realized that there was nothing. There was a dark, dark, enormous amount of nothing. And then there was a strong desire for something. That desire for something created something. Whether it was a particle to bang into something or God to envision all of this, it was nothing and then there was something. That is when I realized Imagination is god. Imagination is the only thing that has the power to create something from nothing. I believe in imagination.

I believe in it. And the theater is my church.

I have been going through a transitional period the last year or so. A lot of great things have come out of that. Actually, one great thing: The Farm Theater. I am immensely proud of what that company has been doing, the artists we are working with, and the community it is building.  I may talk about that more here or not. I don't know.

I do know that the transition has been inspired by a decade of being part of a theater company that preaches supporting one another and the self generation of work. The Labyrinth Theater Company. I found that home over ten years ago when a friend invited me to work on a project. It is what I needed at the time. Last year I stepped away from the deep engagement with that community. I'm still a member of the company but I stepped away because they were no longer investing in members. The values had shifted. And I couldn't invest all of my time there - the return on investment was not was not equal to the time and energy I was putting it. At least not in a way that was feeding me. I don't know where I would have gone ten years ago if it had not been for this community. I had stopped pursuing regional theater work. Not because I didn't like regional theater work. I loved it. I loved it too much actually. I would attach myself to a community. I would invest in the audience as well as the artists. And then the play would open, and I would leave.

After a few intense years of working regionally I committed myself to working in New York. I was fortunate in that I was able to book a few Off-Broadway directing jobs at companies that had been goals of mine to work with since moving to New York. The plays were good. The productions all fine. However, I didn't love the process. Or the purpose of doing the work. It seemed to be part of a five show (sometimes more) season machine. I'm grateful that these theaters committed to the work - but there wasn't a passion for the development and discovery of the play which is what engaged me artistically. Now, years later, I realize that I wasn't demanding that of others and myself as an artist. I do have a stronger sense of myself  and can maintain that sense of passion for the individual project. I can infuse it to collaborators and shape the experience in a unique and focused way.

However, what I learned through those project that I love discovery. Discovery of new plays, new voices, new ways of seeing things. I love working with experienced and emerging artists. My joy resides in the discovery of what is new. When we know how a play works or how to get to some result - it is no longer exciting. I don't have to do that - we know that already.  I am not saying that I am constantly rediscovering the wheel through the process of creating a play, however, I love and am alive in the discovery of what is unique about the journey this wheel is going to take us on. Or the world of this particular wheel.

I also am inspired by others' discoveries. Discovering their talents, their stories, their possibilities. That excites me. I'm writing today for me because I am seriously considering what is next. I hope to build The Farm Theater into something that is able to sustain me professionally and serve a large community of artists.

In the meantime, how do I build a life that is sustained through the work I love?

I am fortunate. I get paid to teach, direct, write, and have had a film or two produced. But like many artists - not paid enough. I want to keep growing and building a foundation under me in order to feel secure while moving forward. I'm wondering today what that foundation is. I know that creating theater is part of it. I know that because, without being dramatic, I would die without doing it. That reality is clear. It is true. I had lunch with a friend yesterday and when I repeated that statement he said, "that is a good thing to know."

There is a saying a lot of experienced artists give to people considering going into theater as a career which is something like, 'if you can do anything else, do it.' I think this is not exactly accurate -  I know many theater artists that can do many things well. People should say, "if you can't live without it, do it."  While questioning myself regarding what would I do if I couldn't do theater - the only way I could address this was to ask, what would I do if theater hadn't been invented? That lasted about two minutes and then in my head I came up with - I would invent it.  So, that's a little stubborn and telling.

But imagination would have it no other way. Imagination is incredibly powerful. It can create something out of nothing. In the meantime I will imagine what that foundation looks like and will set forth on the path of creating that.

Talk with you soon.

Padraic