Fun as a Necessity

I had a blast last night hamming it up on stage, running away like a cowardly superhero from Caroline/Point Blank's Kali stick (she does wield a mean stick and it'd been a while since I did an unchoreographed martial arts demo), reassuring Dennis/Allegorical about his poetic talent. The Chatelaine graced us with her presence and we all witness Rhett/Tatang's great acting debut as Blockhead, who wields a writer's-block inducing gun in a diabolical attempt to stop creativity from flowing. Thanks Michele/Gura/The Muse (fo' real!) for the opportunity to have some fun on stage.

When M. asked me to be in her short, 10-minute play for last night's SPT Poets Theater, I was a little hesitant. The first quarter of this year is just HECTIC for me--work at CFJ, work on this, my writing, and just trying to stay healthy and sane and balanced--and I was reluctant to take on another (albeit quite temporary) commitment. But I've been thinking about acting as another possible mode of creative expression for myself, and said 'yes'.

I knew this would be a low-pressure gig, barely any rehearsal and I wouldn't have to memorize my lines (although I did anyway, what can I say, I'm a perfectionist Capricorn), which would mean I could just have fun with it. And having good, clean fun, I've realized the hard way, is just as important as rest or a healthy diet or getting exercise. It made me feel damn good, alive in a way that my work and my writing (as much as I love them both and am driven to do them both well) just can't.

After the play, we all went to dinner at Eliza's for Rhett's and his brother's birthdays. Yummy, well-presented Hunan and Mandarin food, including ostrich with mango, sunflower seed chicken, thick, saucy chow mein, and the best peking duck I've had in years. I'm hoping that R. will post the pics we took of the food so I can relive the experience.