Day Five – Plenty of Writing Time!
Today was the second full day, and the first to require few commitments to our program. The only thing on the agenda outside of individual writing and studio time was a French lesson from Lea, the delightful co-organizer of our residency. I did consider taking the class, because my French is awful and Lea’s very nice. But I was anxious to dig into my writing–indeed, that was the reason I came!
After breakfast, I hunkered down. I had brought a list of things I wanted to work on, in addition to an accordion file containing story ideas, notes for revisions, and play and poetry books for inspiration. First, I organized my list and made sure everything I wanted to work on was accounted for. Then, I did a revision on my short film script (which I am hoping to produce next year), and a one act play I realized needed some work. That was a good start, and I was happy to have those two pieces sorted. But I came here to be inspired and create some new works, and it was time I did so.
For a number of years, I have been intrigued by the idea that a side effect of prednisone is “inappropriate happiness.” (I’m serious–check your label.) I have known that I wanted that as a title for a play, but I didn’t know what the story would be. Using my brand new Orquevaux journal, I wrote down some ideas, and by the end of the day had the first draft of a five-minute play with that title. Ernest Thompson has emphasized to me the importance of the five-minute play; it’s a format I’ve wanted to explore more deeply.
After dinner, several of us gathered in the salon to share our poetry. It was myself, Emory, and two of the Australian writers: Tilly and Alyssa. It was a real joy reading and sharing everyone’s work, and they are all just the loveliest people. There are so many reasons to feel grateful to be in this place–the quality of the people might just be the most important one.
All in all, it was a splendid day, then Dusty the cat decided he would spend the night. As you can see, he is an adorable cat. Sharing the bed with him was just fine until about 4am, when Dusty decided that I was encroaching too far onto his pillow, and began swatting at my head. So, I rolled away. I didn’t mind–after all, at Orquevaux, its Dusty’s world, and we’re just living in it.
Day Four – Our First Full Day at the Chateau
Waking up for the first time in Orquevaux, the excitement was palpable. We had our first breakfast together, and then it was time for our proper tour. We were given a full tour of the entire building, including the top floor studios, the basement wine cave, and a brief history of the structure. It was the “small” castle in town, as the family that built it created it as essentially the hunting lodge, a complement to the “main” castle in town. This is why there are several tapestries in the building illustrating the theme of hunting.
The tapestries are also some of the last few pieces of art that predate the second world war. The chateau was occupied by the Nazis and when they fled at the end of the war, they did what the Nazis usually did: they took as much artwork as they could. The tapestries were left behind, likely too large and cumbersome for pillaging whilst retreating. Much of the other artwork on display was created during the Covid shutdown period. During the shutdown, the artists in residence were forced to stay longer than anticipated (something we all agree would be just terrible); to pay back the chateau for putting the artists up for an unexpected extension, the artists agreed to create works to display in the building. Thus, the decor is a lovely combination of 20th and 21st century works.
After the building tour, we visited other parts of the grounds, including the old horse stables that have been turned into beautiful artist studios, and we also went into the village (population: 58) where there are a number of buildings owned by the chateau–primarily living spaces, more studios, and the art store.
The art store is small but well-supplied. The only items of use to a writer were blank journals and pens. I am not in need of either, but I picked one of each up all the same. The store is only open for a half an hour each day but has the distinction of being the only retail store in France open seven days a week.
After the tour, and our lunch, the artists embedded themselves in their studios whilst the writers met with our writing director, Suzi Q. Smith. I had known that Suzi would be joining us, but I thought it would be in person. Instead, she joined us on Zoom from Denver, Colorado. She met with the writing cadre, and we all spent a bit of time getting to know each other better. Suzi outlined how the writing cadre would be meeting with a few times, how we would share our work, and how we would support each other. I am excited to not only work on my creations, but I am equally looking forward to collaborating with my fellow writers.
Following the writers meeting, all of us (writers and artists alike) met to share “Who Am I As an Artist.” Each of us were given three minutes each to introduce ourselves and answer that question that best way we could. It was a real opportunity to listen to each other’s stories, to hear about the work each resident does, what inspires them, and what brought them here. It is a very interesting, passionate, talented group, and I am lucky to be sharing this space with them all.
Before dinner, I visited the wine cave, which, unsurprisingly, sells wine, salty and sweet snacks from around Europe and the U.K. It also sells toiletries, in case you discover late in the residency that you didn’t pack quite enough toothpaste. I bought a non-alcoholic chardonnay and a bag of Tyrell’s Cheese and Rosemary kettle cooked potato chips. I enjoyed them both.
Tomorrow will be the first full day where I will have large blocks of time to work on my writing. I am looking forward to having the opportunity and space to do so. I’ll be back tomorrow to tell you that part of the story.
Day Three – Orquevaux!
After a good night’s sleep in my hotel room, I gathered my luggage and taxied to the Gare de L’est train station to catch the 1:21 train to Chaumont. We were told to wait near Paul’s Cafe, as the trains to Chaumont would be at the nearby gates. Slowly, the residents traveling on the train begin to assemble. It was very hot in the train station (just like everywhere in Paris), and thus a bit uncomfortable, but it didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirits. We spent some time getting to know each other as we waited for the announcement. Near 1pm, we learned our train was on platform nine. By then, there were 24 of us!
The ride was a quiet and gentle one, and there were three other residents in my carriage: Sharon from Toronto, Sommer from Australia, and Anandi from Virginia. There was some chatting, but mostly we sat in silence. That was the energy in the car, and I think we all responded to it. There were only two stops–after nearly two hours we stopped in Saint Dizier. Forty minutes later, we arrived in Chaumont.
We did have a rather special traveler with us:
We arrived in Chaumont, greeted by staff members from the Chateau. They did a roll call, tagged our luggage, organized our bags into a trailer, and herded all 24 of us into three minivans.
The Chateau staff organizing us for the trip to Orquevaux.
We then headed to Orquevaux for the 45-minute ride to the chateau. It was very exciting to see it from the road–we had all seen it countless times on the website. But here it was in real life!
We were greeted with champagne, cheese and charcuterie. Warmly welcomed by the staff, we were given a brief orientation, but the employees were careful not to overload us with too much information. It had been a hot day; we had been traveling and many of us were jet-lagged. After the initial welcome, the employees took us to our rooms; we would be shown our studios and salons tomorrow. Lea led us upstairs (and we discovered our luggage had already been brought up) and directed us each to our rooms. I was elated to discover mine:
After settling in and unpacking, we headed back downstairs for dinner: vegetarian shepherd’s pie, with potatoes, green beans, salad and chocolate mousse for dessert. The dinner was delicious and we spent time connecting even more. After dinner, I took a walk with Emory, a writer and English teacher from Brooklyn, and by all accounts a first-class dude. We encountered many of the animal residents of Orquevaux.
All in all, it was a full day! I am excited about the creative energy brought by my fellow residents (there are over 25 of us) along with the inspiration from this beautiful place. And I am so grateful for the time to create. I cannot wait to discover what awaits us all the next three weeks.
Day Two – Arrival in Paris
One of the things I enjoy about international flights is that they are very much how air travel used to be, even if you were only going to Cleveland. Pillows, blankets, and headphones all provided. Two full meals, and not one that was a snack box which required payment on the spot. It sometimes seems hard to imagine that was once the standard for air travel. As I arrived in Paris early Tuesday morning after a red eye flight, I was certainly sleep deprived, but I had been comfortable in my seat and my belly was full. I was ready to go.
On my taxi ride from the airport, I was driven by an enthusiastic cabbie who spoke no English but seemed to mostly speak Italian. He was very excited when I agreed to let him play music and spent much of the drive bopping his head and drumming the steering wheel to his beloved French pop music. Not to worry–we were mostly sitting in stop and go traffic, so at no point did his antics seem unsafe. He got very excited when Celine Dion came on the radio–I don’t think he would have been more excited if he picked her up as a hitchhiker along the way. Throughout the ride, he offered me sparkling water, still water and an apple. Each time I accepted his generosity, he shouted, “Good taxi!” whilst pointing at himself. I could only laugh and shout, “Oui, good taxi!” right back. At the end of that eventful ride, my new best friend dropped me off at my hotel.
I stored my luggage at the hotel and headed into the heart of Paris. I only had one day, so I had four items on my agenda, the first of which being my first trip the Rodin museum. It was an enjoyable museum, the highlight being the gardens that decorate the great sculptor’s work.
After the museum, it was time to head deeper into the left bank–my favorite Parisian neighborhood. I hopped on the Metro and headed towards the legendary bookstore Shakespeare and Company. I had visited the store when I was last here thirteen years ago, and no trip to Paris is complete for me without it. Those of you know me might be surprised to discover I only purchased one book–Anthony Horowitz’ new Susan Ryland mystery. There was a line to enter, and patrons are not allowed to photograph inside the store, so I only have an exterior photo:
After this, I noticed my phone power was getting low–and the phone had become central to my travel day. My museum entry tickets were on it, my taxi app, my Metro ticket app, my dinner reservation info, not to mention the GPS needed to get around the city. I stopped at the Shakespeare and Company cafe, which served a lovely ginger lemonade, but had no clear interest in allowing patrons to charge their phones. A quick Google search sent me to the Bibliotheque Sainte-Genevieve. Paris libraries are open to all, and I was able to sit and relax whilst charging my phone. However, in order to enter, the library had to create a temporary library card for me:
Even though I was there largely to charge my phone, I was impressed with the library’s design. I was also not allowed to take photos, but I managed to sneak this one:
After my literal and figurative recharging, it was time to head to Luxembourg Gardens, one of my favorite places in the city. And while it was 95 degrees in Paris that day, the gardens were beautiful. In spite of the heat, I am very glad I showed up.
Before I headed off to Marais for dinner, I wanted to check out the nearby St. Sulpice Church. It was my understanding that this was a stunning church, but given its proximity to Notre Dame cathedral, very few people visited it. Best of all–it was just a short walk from the gardens. I was a bit surprised to pass this one the way, as I didn’t think this was actually a French company:
The church did not disappoint. It was a gorgeous example of 17th and 18th century design and artwork. As expected, I was among a very small number in attendance.
After visiting the church, I crossed the Seine and hopped back on the Metro and headed off to dinner.
I met four of my fellow residents at an Algerian restaurant called Salon Marais. I was joined by Ambrose, another writer from Vermont, and three visual artists: Joe from New Jersey and Cate and Deanne, both from Melbourne, Australia. It was great to finally meet some of the people I would be joining me for this experience over the next three weeks. The food was very good (the hummus and falafel were delicious) and the company was excellent.
After dinner, I headed back to the hotel for a shower and some rest. Our adventure at Chateau D’Orquevaux would begin in earnest tomorrow.
Day One – The Drive to JFK
For those of you who don’t live in New England, you might not be aware that the only two weather patterns we have experienced this summer are: oven and shower. In some cases we’ve gotten both. Oveny showers? Showery Ovens? That last one sounds vaguely like the worst stripper name in the world, so perhaps not.
The short version: it’s been hot and rainy. Today the warmth backed off, but the rain showed up in full force. My drive from Connecticut to JFK airport would have made an excellent scene from a Wolfgang Peterson film. The visibility became so poor that virtually all the vehicles were driving with their hazard lights on. At one point, the traffic came to a sudden halt, and for a moment I feared I hadn’t enough room to avoid the car in the lane before me. However, my mechanic just replaced all of my brake pads, shoes and calipers. He did such an excellent job on the upgrades it is likely the reason I am writing this on the plane, and not in the emergency room wondering how much the charge nurse reminds me of Katherine LaNasa.
When I use airport parking, I have a knack for finding a parking service with a 24 airport shuttle that shuts down every day for four hours. That four hour window is almost always aligned with my arrival or departure time. (I suppose “20 hour airport shuttle” hasn’t the same ring.) Happily, my luck has changed—the airport shuttle was running and I was dropped off with over two hours to spare.
As it turned out, I needed that time. By the time I checked my baggage and went through security, I had just enough time to get to the gate and board. So here I am, awaiting the plane to leave the gate and begin its taxi. Tomorrow I have a day planned in Paris.
Before I go, I noticed this little guy waiting to board his flight to Paris. It doesn’t look like his first one…
A Residency in France
For the rest of the month of July, I will be in France.
Not for a vacation, or to flee the horrors of Trumpism (although a short reprieve is not unwelcome).
Last summer, I applied for a writing residency at the Chateau Orquevaux, and I was accepted. I will be at a chateau in eastern France, using the time to write and share my work with the other writers, artists and musicians in my cadre.
I leave tomorrow, catching a red eye out of JFK, and I will spend Tuesday in Paris. I will be having dinner with some of my fellow residents, before we catch the Wednesday train for the two-and-a-half-hour ride to our destination.
And my plan is to write, whilst posting photos and videos of my experience, on a daily basis. Some of these posts may contain a number of details, whilst others may be rather brief. But posting on this blog will be part of my accountability and discipline–if I will be reporting to you on the progress of my day, I need to make certain I am using my time well.
So, beginning today, expect to see a daily blog post. Tomorrow’s will be near the end of the day, probably from the plane. Hopefully, it will be brief, and I won’t have a dramatic story to tell you about the journey into New York to catch my flight.
Either way, thanks for joining me. I will endeavor to make it worth your while.
Until tomorrow, then.
Summer Shorts in Owensboro
Owensboro, Kentucky is known for a number of things: the hometown of Johnny Depp, the birthplace of bluegrass music, and according to Food and Wine magazine, the best BBQ in Kentucky. While I was happy to partake in two of those distinctions (I’m afraid I did not cross paths with the estimable Mr. Depp), that was not the reason I spent a long July weekend in Owensboro.
I was here because I had submitted my ten minute play “All Sales Final” to the Theatre Workshop of Owensboro’s Summer Shorts Festival. There were 105 plays submitted, and mine was one of six accepted for the festival. I was excited that my play was being produced, but I wasn’t sure what to expect upon my arrival. What I ended up with was one of the best theatre experiences I ever had.
I was met at the Evansville, IN airport by Lisa Mingus-Tullis, the Theatre Workshop Board President. Lisa was helpful in introducing me to the theatre (about to begin its 62nd season), the town of Owensboro, and the history of both. She was also kind, excellent company, and enthusiast of both tea and eighties heavy metal.
I had arrived on Thursday, before the three weekend performances, but Lisa invited me to see the rehearsal on Thursday night. I met more members of the staff of the Theatre Workshop, all of whom were very kind and welcoming. I took my seat, and watched the performance of all of the plays. All six were good–it was an excellent show, and the director and cast did a splendid jon with my play. I would go on to watch every performance over the weekend, and the cast would nail it every single time. I felt honored to have such a dedicated and talented cast and director bring my work to life.
I was treated like an honored guest. I was chauffeured about by Lisa, John,and Spencer. John and his lovely wife Kathy invited me to lunch on Saturday, after which John and I braved a thunderstorm to visit the Bluegrass Hall of Fame and Museum. I knew very little about bluegrass music, but learned some surprising things: it is a relatively new genre, its origins tracing back to 1945. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn bluegrass was influenced by 1970s progressive rock. There was an extensive exhibit dedicated to Jerry Garcia, who began his musical career playing bluegrass. At the Saturday show, Courtney presented myself and Spencer with her beautiful painting of hydrangeas, which are featured in the play. The paintings were created to thank me for writing the play. I didn’t know what to say.
After the final show on Sunday, I was introduced to Owensboro’s other claim to fame: BBQ. The entire cast, plus director Spencer, producer Leslie Morgan (also cast member Hayden’s mother) and actor Erin Grant (who appeared in “Going Up,” an excellent play) brought me to the Old Hickory, the place where everyone seemed to agree was the best BBQ. I had a lovely meal with these kind and wonderful people, and was often the case during my time in Owensboro, my money was no good.
On Monday, Lisa arrived to pick me up and return me to the airport in Indiana, I was rather sad to leave. True, I didn’t win either of the prizes (both went to a terrific play named “Thank Thee, Ten” which certainly deserved the award). And after Lisa dropped me off, I didn’t exactly have any easy trip home–my flight was delayed for an hour, upon returning to my vehicle near the airport, I discovered I had a flat tire, and by the time AAA arrived to help and dispatch me, I didn’t make it home until 430 the next morning–I wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything. The theatre community of Owensboro is filled with talented, dedicated, passionate and very kind individuals. There is nothing more you could ask.
And I hope I get to return. Very soon.
“Invincible Summer” On Stage
First of all…the blog is back! I hadn’t posted anything since August, and its hard to keep up during the school year. But things really got away from me this year!
Thus, I have some catching up to do. I never wrote about the production of my play “Invincible Summer” last May at the Hole in the Wall theatre in New Britain, CT. I also completed an entertaining and successful film festival “tour” in the fall (that brought me from Mystic, CT, to Philadelphia, Hamilton, Ontario and then back to Philadelphia again.) And I also made my film acting debut in a short film. Oh, and I have a play premiering in Kentucky next month. So there is much to report.
As the school year winds down, I expect I will have an opportunity to catch you up on all of these. I also have been ruminating on some posts about the current state of education since, oh, around January 20. So look out for that as well. But until then, let’s go back about twelve months…
It’s Finally Produced…!
As I detailed in my last post in August, getting this play to the stage was quite the journey. I won’t rehash it here, but feel free to take a look if you’d like a reminder. Now, we had three performances in front of a live audience, plus a talk back on Sunday. We had a stage, a stage design, props, costumes. Not a zoom screen to be seen–a real performance in front of real humans. I recall the first time that something I had written had been presented in front of a live audience–it was instantly thrilling, and knew right away I wanted to be a playwright. That was one performance of one short play. This would be different.
And how did it go?
The cast (Mark Gilchrist, Allan Church, Valerie Solli, Christie Maturo, Lois Church, Jerry Rankin, Liz Harnett and Frank Dicaro) did a terrific job. They worked so hard to ensure every scene was infused with all of the heart, humor and pathos required. Our director, Dana Sachs, worked closely with the cast to be certain the blocking and the pacing was used to maximize the performances, and his better half, Cynthia Parisi, assembled the props and the stage design, making sure it took advantage of the L shaped space of the audience. It was all a thing of beauty to behold.
And the audiences were great. Friday and Saturday were approximately 2/3 to 3/4 filled–and Sunday was a sell out! All of the crowds seem to respond well to the energy of the cast. I was touched by how many people I knew personally attended: not just many local friends, but several of my work colleagues, former students, members of the Connecticut playwriting community, cousins from as far away as Maine, members of our hiking club in New York, other friends from as far away as Philadelphia and Virginia–even two members of my old Sea World crew came down from Boston. It represented quite a mosaic of the various aspects of my life. And, everyone seemed to react very positively to the play, which was intensely gratifying.
On Sunday, the final performance, we had a talk back with the audience, which was incredibly enjoyable. I really liked discussing and reflecting on the work, even knowing we had finished. I appreciated what the audience had to say, enjoyed answering their insightful questions, and it was fun to essentially be on a panel with the cast.
And then it was over. Everybody went home, and while we are all still in touch, and I have seen several cast members doing other productions since, I do miss the weekly rehearsals, the performances, the camaraderie. I had only done 24 hour play festivals, so I never really had a chance to learn so much from this process and bond with a cast and crew. I know it won’t be my last time, but I will always cherish the first time it happened.
Just gotta keep writing more plays.
Producing “Invincible Summer” for the Stage, Part One
It took a long time to get here.
We did a Zoom reading in 2021. We had a production scheduled in late 2002, and began rehearsals over the summer. But they the theatre changed their mind and canceled our production.
We had a production booked in another theatre in June 2023, but the deal eventually fell apart.
Late in 2023, we received word that the Hole in the Wall Theatre in New Britain, Connecticut wanted to produce the play. I was excited about the possibility, but leery–when is the rug going to be pulled out from under us this time?
But that didn’t happen. I guess the fourth time’s the charm. Well, fifth actually, because “Invincible Summer” was accepted into a Brooklyn, New York theatre festival which was going to produce the play …in summer 2020. So, no.
Through all of that, the director of the Zoom reading (Dana Sachs) stuck with the project and was instrumental in getting to the Hole in the Wall Theatre. His wife, Cynthia Parisi, acted as our stage and prop master, and worked closely with Dana, myself and the cast to ensure the vision we wanted was presented on the stage. And most of the actors from that Zoom reading–Mark Gilchrist, Christie Maturo, Allan Church, Frank DiCaro, Elizabeth Harnett, Lois Lake Church, Jerry Rankin, and Valerie Solli–all stuck with the play through its ups and downs and the false starts. Every time Dana went to the cast and said we’re doing “Invincible Summer” they were in.
Our production was scheduled for early May, so in March we began devoting our Saturdays to rehearsals in Dana and Cynthia’s living room. Dana very generously allowed me to be a part of every rehearsal, which gave me a chance to get to know the actors, but also to pay attention to how Dana works. I learned a lot watching his approach to the material, his vision for the play, his instructions to the actors, and his ability to successfully guide the cast through the production.
I also enjoyed discussing the characters and the story with all of the actors, and learning what they were bringing to each of these characters. So many of the actors had great suggestions, thoughtful questions, and I did my best to be open to any ideas or changes they might suggest. I really fell in love with the collaborative aspect of producing the play. Writing it is such a solitary experience–but working with Dana, Cynthia and the cast to make this the best possible show was exhilarating.
Everyone worked very hard, but we also laughed a great deal. I took that as a positive sign. I did not perceive it as a sign the cast were not taking it seriously–it was a sign of camaraderie, and evidence the actors were enjoying themselves. I also noticed that lines of dialogue were playfully finding their way into the ordinary conversations between the cast members. I asked Mark if that was common during rehearsals, and he confirmed that it was–but only if the actors are enjoying what they are doing.
My favorite example of the cast’s morale was a prank they pulled on Dana. Dana informed the cast that they would need to come to the following week’s rehearsal wearing the costumes they had chosen for their characters. The following Saturday, the cast arrived at roughly the same time dressed like this:
I already knew the cast was talented and hard working, but one thing was abundantly clear–they are just great, fun, people.
I couldn’t have asked for a better company. And after nine weeks of rehearsal…it was showtime.
Mid-Year Review
This has been, without a doubt, the most exciting year I have experienced as a writer.
It began with the news that my drama, “Ravine” finished third in the StoryPros Screenplay Awards. Six months later, my romantic comedy “Outclassed,” would finish second in the same contest.
In March, we began rehearsals for my stage play “Invincible Summer” in preparation for a production the first week of May at the Hole in the Wall Theatre in New Britain, Connecticut. I only missed one rehearsal, when I flew to New Orleans to attend the Tennessee Williams New Orleans Literary Festival–because I had won the one act play contest. A staged reading of the play was performed at the festival, and it will be published later this year by Bayou Magazine, the literary journal of the University of New Orleans.
I also received word from the Depot for New Play Readings will be doing a Zoom staged reading of my play, “Save the Man” for their autumn/winter schedule.
In April, rehearsals for “Invincible Summer” continued, and in May was the performance. I haven’t yet written about it, but that will be the topic of my next blog post. It was a wonderful experience, and I am so proud of the cast and crew that brought my work to life.
Also in April, a Zoom table read of my screenplay was held thanks to the good people at Actors’ Think Tank.
In June, I learned that my screenplay “Season of Mists” was in consideration by three different production companies.
In July, I learned that my screenplay, “Leviathan” was named a finalist in the Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival. Six minutes later, I received word that my stage play, “Save the Man” is a finalist in the Mystic Film Festival. I will be attending both festivals, which are the final two weekends in September.
I also learned that two of my stage plays were accepted for the Off Page Film Festival, also in Philadelphia. Since they festival only selects one play per playwright, I was asked which one I would prefer to see move forward and be performed at the festival. I have selected my play, “All Sales Final,” because it is new (I wrote it in January) and I am anxious to see and hear it on stage. The festival is in November, and I will be attending.
And guess what? It’s not even August yet. I can’t help but wonder what the rest of the year will bring…
Danger Is My Business 