Living Sunday Times in New York

Last Christmas, my family gave me a wonderful gift...a year's subscription the Sunday New York Times. One has to appreciate men who love me enough to bring nyc to me every weekend. My preference is to read it slowly over 2 pots of coffee and a glorious quiet 3 hours in my livingroom. If we do catch brunch on Sundays, we shift between the two eateries that are the most reminiscent of the city: The Diner and Cafe 334. I have asked that for next year's Christmas gift, they employ 3 to 4 families who all speak different languages to sit around us at our weekly Sunday meal to add to the authenticity. Also, if the powers that be at the said establishments would back off on cleaning, I would appreciate it. For some of us, grime and grit are wonderfully nostalgic. Ironically, here it is...Sunday in the city....and I did not have time to read the Times!

I went to Theresa Rebeck's new play Mauritius. This play had it all: solid writing, acting and design support. It was rich on all levels. Afterwards, I spoke to one of the actors Bobby Cannavale (google him - he does a lot of tv and film). He owned the stage. He owned every cell of his physicality on stage, and he was sharing it with actors such as Dylan Baker and F. Murray Abraham. I told him about the comparative study on Broadway directors that I am writing and gave him my card explaning that I would love to interview him about his experience with Douglas Hughes as a director. Hopefully, he will carve out some time for me.

Tonight I went to a solo performance art piece by Karen Finley entitled, Wake Up. In any Introduction to Theatre text ever written Karen is the example given of a quintessential performance artist. She is continually at odds with the NEA on the definition of art and censorship. I met her last year in line for the bathroom at the Public Theatre. I recognized her and struck up a conversation. We have email edperiodically since. I contacted her last week when I arrived, and she told me about this new piece.

Ann Weisbecker one of my former O'Gorman High School and University of Sioux Falls students (and one of my favorite people in the whole world) accompanied me. It was so different than what I expected. Karen Finley has the reputation of being confrontational and contraversial, so I was expecting....I don't know what. Nudity?Ranting? Obsenities?

Instead I saw a raw yet fresh exposure to today's political and social issues. I was uncomfortable, humored, provolked and inspired. Ann and I were still talking outside the theatre about the topics she exposed and what lines really punched and connected when Karen left the theatre. We talked for a moment, and she told me that she had sent my vitae on to the Women's Expressive Theatre and that she would find time to get together before I leave.

Again, it has been a full day....I am now going to go read my New York Times.