on the road

I am writing this in a hotel room in Portland, Oregon, having arrived here this afternoon from Wisconsin, where I spent yesterday watching two performances, matinee and evening, at a theater in Kenosha, where THE GIVER was being performed. The two not-very-good-cell-phone photos (click to enlarge) are of me after the evening performance, with two of the stars: Terry Lawler, who played The Giver, and Nathan (drat! I'm going to get his last name wrong!) Fosbinder? (Nathan, if you read this: post a correction. I'd hate to ruin your career in the theater by botching your name) who played Jonas. Both of them are great performers.

Tomorrow I will attend, in Portland, a public reading of the play "Gossamer" which will consist of the actors at microphones, reading the script to an audience who then will be invited to give their reactions: was there something they didn't understand? something that didn't work? something they especially liked? My only role will be to listen, take notes, figure out what needs work. The next step..in June...will be a week in New York working on the play with the director, set designer, actors, and others. Such a lot of preparation goes into the production of a play! The writing of the script is really just the beginning.

Tomorrow I'll get to have lunch with my very dear friend Allen Say...we were children together and neighbors in Japan in the late 40's, though we didn't know that and realize that connection until we met as adults. Allen lives in Portland. Tomorrow he will get to lord over me the fact that I will turn 71 this month...and he won't turn 71 till August: a mere child in comparison.

It was cold and snowy in Wisconsin, and also in Minneapolis, where I changed planes. But Portland is beautiful today: clear and sunny, so Mt. Hood is visible in all its splendor.

Comments

[Daria]

Welcome to the PNW!

[Liana]

Hi! My class is reading The Giver together. We are only up to chapter 5, but i read way ahead and can honestly say that the plot not only makes an awesome book but will make an awesome movie too! I found out how The Giver was being made into a movie from a Harry Potter podcast and was pretty excited. When is the movie coming out? Has it started to be filmed yet? I'm not really sure whether or not you actually respond to comments (this is my first time at your blog) but I hope you get a chance to read this. I really can't wait for the movie, and i also can't wait to find out about the rest of Jonas' "adventure!"

[Nathan]

This is Nathan (Jonas)- and you got the name perfect! It was wonderful meeting you!