I wondered if there are any other playwrights on here.

I think Garrie may be doing something along that line and it would be interesting to know about the experiences of others. Anyone who has not yet seen their work come to life on stage should try it.

I too live being published, but the rewards are different. There's more immediate feedback from a production. Seeing something you have only dreamed in your creative mind come to life on stage is like giving birth, both painful and wonderful. Then sitting in the audience to feel people all around you react to your work, is such a rush. You own every laugh, every tear, and every hand clapping. It's all just for you.

I've done some documentaries that I was proud of and had one screenplay produced. That was a similar experience, but not as great a rush. Not even close.

Anyone else feel that way?

smile

[ January 31, 2004, 11:28 AM: Message edited by: smilinize ]

Hey Smili! : 0 )

Who you should really talk to is my (Boomer) sister, Dolores. She it at www.DWGregory.com

She is a published playwright (Radium Girls). I think back when you or I joined the boards I mentioned that to you when I saw you do plays.

She had the most wonderful production of her play, The Good Daughter this autumn at New Jersey Rep. in Long Branch. Check her site and maybe e-mail her. Tell her y'know me from here. Who knows -- maybe she'll even stop over here if invited. She's only 1 year older so she's a Boomer gal, too. Come to think of it, ALL four of my sisters are.

Anyway, my involvment in theatre was mostly the "other" end -- my degree is in Theatre Performance even though I wound up in another line of work (I always joke bein' a cop was the best piece of actin' I ever did)!

Right now I do have a piece about to premiere, though, on stage: Carlos Inside OUt. It's acctually a short story but the InterAct Theatre in Philadelphia does staged reading of short stories and I won a spot on the 2004 schedule. I had actually sent it in about two years ago, and apparently the director's been holding onto it, wanting to find the right spot to use it.

The put a series of short stories together on a given monday night reading and they try to group them thematically.

So if anyone's in the Phily region, I'd love you to come to the INterAct on Feb. 23rd. Tickets are only ten or twelve bucks. See them at www.interacttheatre.org I believe.

I'll have to see if these links work when I post this.

-- gar

[ January 31, 2004, 06:47 PM: Message edited by: garrie keyman ]

Thanks Garrie. Your sister's site is great. Sounds like she is doing some great stuff also. I sent her an email and I'm looking forward to hearing from her.

How insteresting that a theater major winds up at the police force. And I bet you are right about the police force being an acting opportunity.

Life is so weird.

Thanks.
smile

Yeah, I like her site, too. Some of it really cracks me up. She is somethin' -- lemme tell ya. I think the play she's workin' on now will be bigger than any.

She's really busy right now cause she's teachin' a History of Theatre course at George Mason University. She's one smart cookie and the sibling closest to my heart.

We used to fight and my mom would say, "When ya grow up you'll be best of friends."

Funny -- the older I got, the smarter my mother became!

-- gar

It's nice to hear the approval for your sister's work in your post.

Thanks for the site and for sharing your sister. I hope she will answer my email soon. I'll let you know.

smile

Garrie, I would love to get to Philly for that. These are the kinds of activities I look forward to doing when I'm an empty nester. Still so many things to do in this life! WIll you and your family be going?

Dots, I am going and I have four additional tickets on reserve right now because I have four friends who have expressed an interest in going, too. My hubby will take a half day off and stay here with the kids.

I need to go early to sit through a rehearsal. The authors get to hear a read-through and give any pointers they feel important to the actor who is doing the reading. The actor also gets to ask questions and discuss interpretation, etc.

Then there's a supper break and the curtain goes up at seven.

So my "fan base" isn't going with me but are planning to be there for the show. One, who is a writer/assistant producer for a Harrisburg-based production company isn't sure now if she can get away so I may end up with a spare ticket.

As far as I know, Tickets are still on sale. I don't think it's sold out, or anything. So feel free to "come on up!" Why, that'd certainly be awesome.

If you can't make it I can always send you a copy of the short story (it's only 1,000 words) that they're including in the evening's readings, though it'll be interesting to see it "performed." This one's never been published, though it's taken a second place in a fiction competition out of Florida and a mention in an Australian writing competition.

I wish my playwright sister could come, because she and I have discussed her possibly adapting it into a children's musical, but she will be in Florida at rehearsals for her latest production at the same time mine goes up in Phily. Ah well.
At least the director in Phily said he will record the reading and give me a copy. They record the shows and some wind up selected for public radio broadcasts, in which case the author gets a bit more money and a bit more exposure.

Today I got a commission to write a series of animated videos to teach Biblical principles.

For some reason, I'm not even excited. But then I guess I never am at this stage. I only get excited when something actually hits the stage or the screen.

I'm praying that I will do it well and that it will be well received and make an imact on both the children who watch, and on me.

smile

Jan, you'll blow "Vegie tales" outa the water, eh?!

I would love to even come close to veggie tales. What I'm doing now is really small potatoes in comparison. Probably just distributed locally or maybe regionally.

I have a producer looking at a series of musicals I did as puppet shows for a theater in Milwaukee in which the life of Jesus is viewed by the animals in the Bible plus a silly parrot. While the producer tries to get the animated feature together, I'm in the process of writing children's books to accompany the series. Not sure anything will ever happen, but...

Anyway, no where as neat as publishing a book, but it keeps me off the street.

smile

Well, I think it sounds totally awesome, woman, and I hope you'll keep up updated!

smile, your project interests me. How thrilling to be working on something that can change the lives of children.

How are you researching for these books, or is this all creative juices flowing from ears of writing and being faithful?

Please keep us posted. Do you have a deadline for the animated videos?