Reflections on opening night

I thought the opening went very well indeed. Aside from a somewhat exploding tomato all was well. The audience was responsive, and full of people I know . . . and they were very attuned to what was being presented. The space was a warm little spot, seating 33 or so . . . perfect for this intimate piece. Good comments from people who were there, genuine positive feedback (which you can tell from the faux sort of 'gee that was nice'). It was all I could have hoped for as an opening salvo. Now a night off . . . some touch up work the next couple of nights to keep it fresh, and then a barnstorming last weekend with performances on Saturday and Sunday. I'm still working the industry types to try to get them in, but we'll see. It's doing it that matters, results be damned (though it would be nice to get a little traction here).

On that note a friend asked me yesterday what I hope to achieve with all this (not someone in the arts). My answer was somewhat boiler plate, industry etc. But that question stuck with me for a long time, in fact here I am the next day still thinking about it. It's sort of one of those questions that if you have to ask there's no way to answer. You do it because you can, or must. You do it because that's what drives you. Because there is something inside that has to get out. HAS to get out. Whether it's visual art, writing, acting . . . any form of expression is just that, a form of expression. You want to say something to the world. To make something that wasn't there, and make it as good as it can possibly be. You want to tell stories or enlighten people, or both. But what you really know is that without that means of expression nothing else matters at all.

I have a great deal of respect for the guy that asked me that question, and it wasn't a judgmental question from him at all . . . he really wanted to know. In the moment I couldn't answer him coherently because it was one of those questions you can't be prepared for, or that since it was sincere you don't want to give some half assed answer to. He came to the show last night (drove from Nyack for a 7:15 show - that's a friend). I think after the performance maybe he had a somewhat clearer idea of why I do this . . . I know I did.