Coming in 2017: "Shearwater"

Well, it's up on the interwebs, so it must be true! I'm thrilled to share that The Living Room, a fantastic, innovative theatre in Kansas City's Crossroads district, will be staging a two-week run of my play Shearwater in January 2017, starring the peerless Peggy Friesen, who so wonderfully originated the lead role in the play's staged reading last fall. More information to come, but right now I'm just beyond grateful and gratified that this will be happening.

#TookThePlaque

Well, this is just exciting. Some of you may remember when the Royals won the World Series last year. Apparently, I won this simply for talking about it on the radio...

As for the piece that won, it was certainly a fun one to write and record. You can read and hear it here.

The other March madness...

One of the first things I tell my students and their parents is that the only "best school" is the best school for you. Frank Bruni's piece in today's New York Times is exactly right:

[F]or too many parents and their children, acceptance by an elite institution isn’t just another challenge, just another goal. A yes or no from Amherst or the University of Virginia or the University of Chicago is seen as the conclusive measure of a young person’s worth, an uncontestable harbinger of the accomplishments or disappointments to come. Winner or loser: This is when the judgment is made. This is the great, brutal culling.

What madness. And what nonsense.

Read the entire thing.

Words fail me...

Contrary to the very premise of what I do for a living (and enjoyment), not every emotion or reaction can be expressed appropriately through words. That's more or less why the arts exist, why humankind has always created visual imagery, music, and dance.

Last night, the Kansas City Royals' wild wild-card victory in 12 innings was...wilder even than what I remember of their last postseason in 1985, when I was 11 years old. I don't paint, draw, or compose music, and I sure as hell don't dance, so I am left only with words. And I have none.

I need to come up with some, though, as I'm honored to have been invited to share my reaction on KCUR in just over an hour. I feel numb. Perhaps I'll talk about that.

UPDATE: I talked about that, and rambled on from there. I just hope I didn't sound too giddy. Those who may be so inclined to listen and judge for themselves may download the audio here--my part begins at about the 6:35 mark.

One day more

 And, why yes, tickets are available now. Thanks for asking. Simply click below...

Post by Midwest Dramatists Center.