We're Receiving Great Reviews!

Last night "Pear Slices 2009" opened at the Pear Avenue Theatre in Mountain View, California and in the gala afterwards, I received a ton of accolades for both the writing and acting in my piece "A True Apology."

I know this happens at every gala of every opening night, but I think this was genuine and heartfelt praise. It was very humbling and gratifying to hear. Again, I salute my fellow actors Helena Clarkson and Lindi Press, director Troy Johnson, and especially, Diane Tasca and the Pear Slices producers for taking a big chance on a really difficult piece. I'm as pleased as I am punch-drunk.

Play with Characters with Disabilities Previews Tonight!

Pear Slices 2009 previews tonight. Well, it's come fast...that happens when you've only had a week of rehearsal. But frankly, that's all I needed. Of course, I wasn't very impressive last night in our final dress rehearsal of "A True Apology" dropping a line that throw us off-course a bit. We wobbled through the 15 minute piece, but we got through it. No matter what, that's the most important thing. Getting through it.

Biggest laugh in "A True Apology" last night from the small audience of directors, producers, crew and fellow actors was after calling my "mother" (Lindi Press) an "old, blind bitch" and waiting for Helena Clarkson's character to interpret; I was blocked from seeing my mom's face. So when I leaned around eagerly to see her reaction to being called an old, blind bitch, the house busted up. I liked that.

One of the points of the piece is to show "the disabled" in certain emotional situations, being mean and cruel and "normal." Needless to say, I'm really, really looking forward to seeing what "regular" folks' reactions will be tonight. Check out http://www.thepear.org/ for show information.

"A True Apology" Rehearsals

I have written a play about a family that has two disabilities and a big challenge to communication. The story is how a Deaf man apologizes to his blind mother for running over her seeing eye dog. A third character is the sister of the man who has to act as the go-between. It's a short play that's very emotional as they all are frustrated with the lack of communication and the misunderstandings.

I don't believe this kind of play has ever been staged before, where a blind character and deaf character are left alone on stage together. In away, it was inspired by the Deaf students at CSDF. I remember asking my daughter what she thought about the blind students at the California School for the Blind that share a portion of their campus with the California School for the Deaf. I laughed heartily when she told me that they make fun of the blind students with their canes and stumblings as they walk. Leave it to kids.

Of course, this always brings to mind famous quote from Helen Keller when asked which was worse, being deaf or being blind and she said deaf because blindness cuts you off from things, while deafness cuts you off from people. With all due respect to Ms. Keller, I honestly don't think she got this one right. I'd much rather be deaf than blind when I compare the two. How about you?

Anyway, I am acting as the deaf character in my own play because the actor original cast did not know ASL and was overwhelmed with other commitments in the Pear Slices program of new works at the Pear Avenue Theatre. Check out the performance dates and times here: http://www.thepear.org/.

"And the Story Must Go On..." Closes

Yesterday's final two performances of the California School for the Deaf's plays went well. I almost got through the evening performance without even referring to my script. I was very proud of my daughter and how she and her cast mates got better with each performance.

I sent the tiniest bouquet of petite pink roses back via the assistant director. The rose bush that I'm raiding for these little gems is quite tall and the barely blooming ones are way at the top. I was straining mightily to from the top of a ladder to snip roses that were blooming or about to. It occurred to me that if I slipped at all, I'd fall and probably break-a-leg, which would make another great Theatre story, but probably not be worth the pain and inconveniences.

It warmed my heart to watch Miranda in the lobby after the final curtain. I watched her as she greeted her fans and took their compliments gracefully. It was nice to see her get a big hug from Dr. Hank Klopping, CSDF's long-time superintendent. Charles Farr, the principal of the vocational school, who's two daughters Brittany and Valerie played the key roles in the "Randi's Story" part of the show (which Miranda narrates about her eating disorder experience), said he thought it was really healthy for Miranda to talk about her experience.

At the cast party in the school's Elementary School Activity Center, Ethan Bernstein (producer and dean of students) and Heidi Burns (director and elementary school teacher) talked about the show and how they had to pull the plug on a "monkey girl" play because some in the Deaf community thought it would be offensive and decide that the show must go on by creating a new one from scratch.

Miranda's mother, my ex-wife, stood next to me for awhile and confessed how upsetting she found it to watch "Randi's Story." I admitted I was not as moved, but I had been warned by Heidi. I assumed that Miranda had told Brenda about it, but she hadn't. It's true that Brenda was more involved with Miranda, staying over night at the hospital almost every night when she is in hospital for 9 days with a bunch of hearing staff. It was a horrible time that scared us all. I remember Miranda saying "I just want my life back" and I said, "Just eat!" It was so frustrating because the solution seemed so simple...but obviously, nothing with anorexia and eating disorders is that simple.

But my princess is better now and I hopefully will be able to control the negative demon in her head, but she has her whole life ahead of her and as one of her biggest fans, I can't wait to see what she does in the next stage.