Why did I ever agree to writing in this blog??

This morning I woke up to re-read my 2nd entry (panic). I promise never to write late at night again. I had to SOS Adam. Thank you, Adam, for watching out. (smile)

Well, I spoke with Lydia today. She has been busy re-writing our play. She sent pages to me and Emily. When I spoke with her this morning she said she is pleased with what she had done and knows there is more work to do. “I have to step back,” she said. We talked for a while, then she informed me she was going to bed. We hung up and I printed out the pages. I sat down in my favorite chair, looked out over the mountains, and inhaled a deep breath to center myself. I began to read. When I had finished, I spoke out loud: “No wonder she is tired, she has done major work.” The style of the piece is getting stronger. It flows. It is a good draft. (more…)

Sadly, Adam does not exaggerate about the state of my office (though I like to think of myself as more Hermione Granger than Gandalf, thank you very much) but digging out has been put on temporary hold because it’s time to start prep for STICK FLY. One of my responsibilities as literary manager is to gather material for both the program and actor packets. Shirley Jo and I had a great talk a few weeks ago about her ideas for the program, and with the help of our crack summer intern, Joseph Cermatori, I’ve been deep in the bowels of Firestone Library and the Princeton Public Library, as well as all over the internet, gathering books, photos, and information about Martha’s Vineyard and its history. We hope that this material will help immerse the actors (and eventually the audience) in to the world of the play.
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So take a typical day over the summer, when there are no productions in rehearsal (the first rehearsal of Stick Fly is August 10, though, so stay tuned). Where might you find McCarter’s intrepid and globe-trotting artistic staff? Read on to find out. (more…)

I just returned from the Greek Theater tonight and heard some Jazz (the Greek Theater is an outdoor concert hall) I listened to music under the stars. Tonight the moon is full and there are a couple of thousand people connected together through the music. I don’t care how plugged in our world becomes, there will always be a need for the communal experience.

Earlier today I went to a memorial for a friend of mine, Bob, who I have known for thirty years. He made his transition last year. He had prostrate cancer. He had been married twice and had one daughter by his 1st marriage. Last year, his second wife had a private service for him and spread his ashes in the Pacific Ocean. None of Bob’s friends and people whose lives he touched were there. His daughter, Jewel, never had closure. In most cultures when a person dies and is buried, people usually gather for a re-pass. That is usually the 2nd part of the death ritual. It did not occur. So a year later, she gathered her father’s friends and we celebrated his life at the Self-Realization Center, then broke bread, laughed, cried, and listened to Jazz (his favorite music). (more…)

I hate to sound like your Mom, but you never write, you never call. And your room is a mess.

Okay, that last one may be an exaggeration. I don’t know. But you should write to us more often. To post a comment on any of the content in this blog, you must be logged in to McCarter’s website.

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Posted by Adam Immerwahr, Producing Associate at McCarter Theatre

I am going to begin my stream of consciousness running dialog in my fragmented run-on -sentenced -circular -mad- woman -creative-self / in other words I am going to begin riffin’ about my process, feeling, dreams revelations. Oh yeah! Let’s not forget the all to familiar spaces-in -between -the -lines where spirit guides, inspires, speaks. (yes, I am one of those.) I trust the flow, the dream, I trust actors, I trust the process.

So if any one is listening or if you care to jump on the STICK-FLY express with me and take the free-fall-ride all the way to opening night just say “Yes”

This is first contact. (more…)

A few days ago on the train, Stick Fly director Shirley Jo Finney told me about her website. And from there, I found myself on the website for Infiniti luxury cars. Turns out Shirley Jo participated in a project called “Infiniti in Black,” which features three black artists riffing on their own artistic processes, the Infiniti vehicles, and the way they make art. Its great fun, and you can watch three really interesting video clips about Shirley Jo’s approach to directing. Enjoy!

Posted by Adam Immerwahr, Producing Associate at McCarter Theatre

The public radio show “Good Food” (KCRW) just had an interview with Jessica Harris, a cookbook author whose work has focused on the African diasporic culinary tradition. Her latest book, Martha’s Vineyard Table, focuses on the cooking of the African American families who have lived on Martha’s Vineyard for generations, and have come to influence the cooking of the entire island. Since this is the setting for Stick Fly, I thought it would be a neat way to get into the mood of the play. It might be fun to cook some of these recipes before you come see the show! (more…)