Reading Reading Reading

That's all I do these days. And it will be like this until July. And then it will start all over in August. I'm sure I'm going to need glasses soon.
What is really sick about all this is...I like it. It's Saturday night and I'm 20something and instead of boozing it up on the town (which I know how to do very well thank you.) I'm in my sweats reading. READING! It never ends. And I just cannot turn off. I go from work to home where I work some more. The only thing that slows me down is feeding myself and my dog. The dog I can break for, but me no. I hate cooking and I lost my chef in August to grad school. soOOoo...it's back to salads with hard boiled eggs and veggie patties. Sometimes I get inspired, but mainly it's about making the hunger go away so I can get back to reading damn it!

What are you reading Megan?
So glad you asked. I'm reading:

• scripts for JAW; a playwrights festival

• scripts for CoHo Fresh Northwest New Works Competition

• Krishna's Folly by Eugenia Woods (which I will be workshopping and directing for the Fertile Ground Festival)

• How To Disappear Completely and Never be Found by Finn Kennedy (I am the dramaturg on this American premier at PCS)

• Fool for Love by Sam Shepard (because I'm hoping to direct that with Val Landrum and Chris Harder)

• A Director's Craft by Katie Mitchell (because she fucking rocks and I want to learn)

• The Actor and the Target by Declan Donnellan (this is for an actor group I'm thinking about starting...& Ken Rus Schmoll suggested it)

• Understanding Comics the Invisible Art by Scott McCloud (because Kristan said I should)

• What of the Night? selected plays by Maria Irene Fornes (because Ken Rus Schmoll said I should)

but you know. that's it. I think.

you should read this

Annie Leibovitz

Tonight I went to see Annie Leibovitz talk as part of the Literary Arts & Lecture series. Annie Leibovitz was kinda incredible. They were completely sold out. You could tell she didn't really like talking so she showed pictures and read from her book. She had a very special career path and just seemed to be one of the lucky ones who was in the right place at the right time. She was taking pictures for Rolling Stone Magazine at 21 years old...umm. not fair. It seems like she didn't really have a life outside her career. But that's what being an artist means.

Or that's what I'm trying to find out. Do all the really incredible artists only focus on their careers? I'm sure they don't look at it like that. Leibovitz seemed to express that she became a person through her work; she was able to loose herself in her work. And here I mean to suggest work means her art work not work work. Its seems like she couldn't do it any other way. She couldn't work at half speed so that she could focus on her social life. She actually mentioned towards the end of her talk that she had to teach herself to slow down and make room for more things. Now at almost 60 years-old, she has an established career and three children. And she seemed to carry on a very long and loving relationship with Susan Sontag. Seems like she had it all, love, life, career, and family.

The New Kids on the Block

Last night I had the privilege of seeing AFTER ASHLEY by Gina Gionfriddo at Portland's new theatre company: Portland Playhouse. These crazy kids just landed here and are kicking ass and taking names. They found space, actors, an excellent season, and support. Go and see their work and introduce yourself to the new kids. Who's excited?!

After Ashley

by Gina Ginofriddo

Directed by Brian Weaver

November 13 2008- December 6 2008

602 NE Prescott Street Portland

Previews: November 13 & 14 at 8pm

Opening Night: Saturday November 15 at 8pm

Sunday 5pm performances on: Nov 16, 23, and 30th.

8pm performances: Nov 20-22, 26-29 and Dec 3-6.

Final Weekend Only: Dec 6 performances at 3pm and 8pm

The Play

After Ashley premiered at the 2004 Humana Festival of New American Plays. After Ashley is a blisteringly funny and deeply affecting story about a teenage boy navigating the joys and terrors of life—all through the distorting prism of a media firestorm. When a family tragedy deals the Hammond family a dose of dubious celebrity, Justin finds himself paralyzed, unable to fully grieve or grow up. The only bright spot is a girl, only Justin can't decide if she's a saving angel or a self-interested groupie. In a world as weird as this one, she might just be both.

The Playwright

Gina Gionfriddo has received the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the Helen Merrill Award for Emerging Playwrights, a Lucille Lortel Fellowship, and Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Fellowship. Her work includes After Ashley, Safe, Trepidation Nation, U.S. Drag (published in Women Playwrights: The Best Plays of 2002) and Guinevere. After Ashley and U.S. Drag are published by Dramatists Play Service, Inc. Her plays have received development support from Denver Center Theatre Company, Trinity Repertory Theatre, ACT (A Contemporary Theatre), Philadelphia Theatre Company, Basic Grammar, and Chicago Films. She has held residencies at the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo and Hedgebrook. She is a graduate of Brown University's M.F.A Playwriting Program. Production History This play was originally commissioned by Philadelphia Theatre Company and was supported by a residency and public staged reading at the 2003 Eugene O'Neill Playwrights Conference. It premiered at the Humana Festival of New American Plays in March 2004. Subsequently, it was performed off Broadway at the Vineyard Playhouse in March 2005 with Kieran Culkin as Justin and Anna Paquin as Julie. The Company Portland Playhouse is a non-profit theatre company based in North Portland. Our Mission: Portland Playhouse is dedicated to producing quality, intimate, live performance in which the interaction between artists and audience is paramount. We hold theatre to be a community space in which people of all social, economic, racial, and political backgrounds can come together to celebrate the complexity of our shared human experience. You may, of course, decide to attend a special invite-only performance on November 23rd at 5. This will be a fundraiser: silent auction, mingling with the cast, and cornhole contest! Tickets are $35.

Fall of the House Season 3

OMG. I can't even get these words out fast enough...but if you haven't seen Fall of the House this season (or ever for that matter) you need NEED to check it out. It's back and better than ever. And I seriously recommend calling ahead for a reservation because they are selling out. There are only two more episodes this season so make sure you're caught up on the draaama for when it comes back in January. I plan on going to all of the shows this season, I'm super addicted. Maybe it's because I don't have a T.V., or maybe it's just really that good, my hunch is it's really that good...but you won't know I'm right until you check it out.
AND it's for everyone, it's uber Portland and there is nothing we love more than reminiscing about how we all belong to Club Portland.
For more information check out the action/adventure website.