Sunday, November 16, 2008

City Nemesis

Well, here I am in Phoenix, my city nemesis. I had to bring some general supplies here, drop them off in storage, and then I'm off to LA on Tuesday to find my abode for the next five months. I'll stay with my friend Kent while I'm searching for a home and rehearsal space. Kent is a friend of mine who produced my first NYC production, 'Cowboys, Indians, and Waitresses'. It was a magical time for me, as they flew me out to NYC to watch my play in The Director's Theatre on theatre row. Thinking about it now, it was like a dream coming true, and the production was very well done. Eventually, this was a play that won The Lovecreek Festival in NYC, and was published by Samuel French. Kent also produced two of my plays in Australia, 'Blackout Blues' and 'The Fish Must Die'. Although I didn't get to go see them in Australia, the reviews were favorable, and once again, while the plays were up, I was on a cloud. Kent is a great friend, how fortunate he now lives in Los Angeles. How wonderful to have friends such as Kent. 

I can feel the energy of theatre starting to pull friends and family into its vortex. I have always been amazed at how a play can do that. A piece of theatre is such a living work of art--it has an amazing cause and effect. While a play is in the process stage, it creates plenty to talk about, and draws people together in a powerful way. Manifesting a play that an audience will eventually see, often pulls you into a dimension that feels like an alternate universe. I have found it to be a the ultimate leap of faith, and now I'm on my way to LA to take another huge leap. I can feel the support begin to manifest--I think because a play is a foreign work of art to most people, as if is an impossible pursuit for one's life.  Although I feel like I have missed out in the pursuit of family and a conventional life, it feels as if it is the only thing I must do. This I owe to my Mother, whose life's work has always seemed like the ultimate leap. It is a risk that feels so frightening, and yet for me, the inside of a play seems like the safest place I could be. 
I think it feels safe because my plays are so personal, my life evolving  from one play to another. A play is a therapy of the imagination. During the rehearsal process, I feel as though some shaman takes over my life and spirit, as if God is communicating some unspoken revelation. 

I've started to revise the play, and am happy to find that although it needs plenty of work, after putting it down for awhile, it still reads really well. Finding the structure of a play is one of the most exciting parts of the writing process. When the structure begins to reveal itself, I feel as though its something beyond something a human could find. this is where the spirit takes over. Bohemian Cowboy is structured as seven parts, three parts in each seven. The first part is the story I'm telling, the second part is speaking to a mythical character, and the third part is the song that pulls everything together with emotion that cannot be spoken. I don't ever sit down and decide on a structure, one must begin writing believing that it will reveal itself. When it comes, it is the key that becomes the purpose, the revelation that my life is being revealed through the imagination. What a joy! 

The structure of this blog and journal is something that I've yet to find, but it will come. Today, I feel gratitude for all of those who are listening and supporting me in this venture. Thank you, all! 

2 comments:

Pamela said...

Hi Raymond! I am a friend of your Mother's. I live here in LA, too. She and I plan to meet and attend your show together when you are ready. I have invited her to stay here and she has accepted, which I am thrilled about! I also look forward to meeting you. I feel as if I already know you.
You have a love of theatre as my sister does. She works for a theatre in Laguna Niguel (Orange County) and it's her life. I understand how it can engulf one's life.
Anyway, I just wanted to say hi.
Pam

Gerry said...

You have managed to start getting me excited about this play already. I know that old feeling of excitement about a play, and I was excited to think that Anchorage Press still has "Dreaming in Color" considering for publication. Now with Obama elected, there would never be a more favorable time for that play. But I can understand why it would take a lot of thought for a publisher to take on. As there are some disturbing things in it depicting prejudice and that of course is the great fear that prejudice might emerge in acts of violence that will upset us all at the start of a new era in race relations with an African-American president. I would say that play seemed very realistic for some places. And it also seemed upbeat for tackling prejudice. Mom