Back to One part One

When I was at SUNY Purchase, I remember going to the theater on campus to watch a Jerome Robbins review. He was in the audience with Baryshnikov. There was electricity in the air. I remember leaving the theater and going to the dance building , entering a studio and meditating there afterward. "Those were the Good Old Days." As the devil from the musical Damn Yankees would say.


 May I share the following quote with you?  It is from Pat Riley's book "The Winner Within A Life Plan For Team Players":

"A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams."  John Barrymore.

One of my all time favorite films is Twentieth Century. Barrymore and Carole Lombard were brilliant.

Mr. Sam Shepard sat in the audience for the writer's rehearsal of his new play Heartless. One can see a glimpse of the East Village performance art of the 1960s of this playwright's foundation. Thank goodness. The collaborators really do an awesome job with the staging, lighting, costumes, and come to think of it, a microphone-less production? Theater, raw and rare made by the people for the people.



Mabel , the role that Lois Smith plays is a character to be treasured, and this type of character I hope we will see more of throughout the acting mediums of theater and film. Of course , none will ever compare to Mr. Shepard's creation of rock your socks straight shootin' easy on the toppings writing style. Years from now, it will be quite a recollection to be able to say :  I was there at the Signature Theater in New York City, and howled with the audience watching with awe when Lois Smith originated the archtypal role in Heartless. One of the women I saw the show with called this character "Patrician".


Great theater , like great comedy is when everything is fair game. The writer says some interesting things about Los Angeles culture. Poetically he weaves a movement of family drama . Go see it.
Enjoy the film noir moments .  Shine the mirror ever so clearly as Hamlet would agree.

I rented the film  A Letter to Three Wives to honor the passing of Celeste Holm. May this screen and stage actress rest in peace.  She did the voiceover for the antagonist character for this award winning film. .  Wow! The classics rock.  And there was a great actress in this film that went on to play a supporting role to Marilyn Monroe in another favorite film of mine The Misfits.


And now, "Everybody back to one."

Twenty First Century Innocence

Hello Again! Last blog I was celebrating first experiences. Well, I must tell about the Oak Tree that is growing outside my building. It was a gift to me, just below a foot high. Now , Merlin, whom I successfully transplanted in April is branching out before my very eyes. Before the end of this year he must be planted into the earth and as Nietzsche said :  " In order to grow big , a tree wants to strike roots in hard rocks."

This week was a truly magnificent week..


I went to the theater to see the fully realised  Broadway play Harvey.  Fortunate to see on it's closing night, it was such a delight to watch and experience well conceived characters come to life through brilliant acting live on stage. The theme of innocence was played out to a T. The lead character is kind of like the Chauncey Gardener from Peter Sellar's film Being There.  Both had no ulterior motives, and both looked for the goodness in human beings or the purity in every situation.


 Film buff that I am, I have not seen any screen version of Harvey. And probably will have to revisit Jimmy Stewart in Bell Book and Candle first to finish watching that to its end. I know , it has nothing to do with the previously mentioned works, and represents a different decade altogether.

I  will say that seeing live theater is really a transformative experience and I recommend it highly. The 21st century is still young in it's evolution. And there are masters all over the world dedicated to bringing lucid storytelling to their audiences. Have you allowed the art of the theater to transform you lately?  Or live performance in the arts? If so, how? Please share!

I remember being at a writer's birthday party. All his women friends were there and we all met for the first time. One woman got up and recited a poem so passionately. She was a writer and reporter. Not long after that event, she was killed in a foreign country. This the writer conveyed to me years later. Her recitation was a theatrical experience. I will never forget her thunderous voice. We must enjoy every moment with our friends and family!


 Sunday, tonite,  I go for the second time to the Pershing Square Signature Center. My colleague is taking me to see "Heartless", by Sam Shepard.

New Experiences

Where do I begin to speak about all the blessings that have come in their own time?  I just received the gift of    continuing education credits from a fellow healer who wanted to attend a full day workshop with Priscilla Bright. Gratefully my friend hipped me to this seminar and I had the whole week to look forward to it. Incredible, right? We got to experience this together. Now, the work continues. Blessed by the clarity brought from lightning speed soul talk.


The photo above came from an impromptu photo shoot that took place during the heat wave last week. Again, I have gratitude and respect for the artistic freedom that the photographer brought to this shoot.



Earlier this year,  my friend Cesare shared his love and history of Beethoven. He wanted me to tune into listening to one of his symphonies, Eroica. This experience was unique for many reasons. Mostly because of the place I listened: underneath the grand piano on the floor. It was simply a meditation of sound and a unique storytelling journey that Cesare took me on.  I cannot give away any more details of this genius' moment except some of us may think "modern" is 20th century, and that is simply not true. Artists, Pioneers, Inventors and the people who listen to their true calling have been paving new forms for centuries.


If you are interested in watching a unique presentation on Beethoven please log into Beethovenfestivalorchestra.org . You can see the video of Cesare's expert lecture and hear him play.


Another New York Moment,  I had at a bus stop. A woman from the islands, with the most melodic voice, Judy was her name, she told me about a revelatory experience she had had. That enriched me for the entire weekend, listening to her story .  Her words were most welcomed and encouraging.

Two weekends in a row , I am so grateful for these blessings and for my winter weekday morning under the piano. I was actually blown away by this presentation, and considered myself to be very fortunate to get this very rare history lesson about Beethoven's struggles that he channelled into his art.

I am actually looking forward to revisiting and completing the many projects that have been patiently awaiting on my bookshelf. If I can find a new or old form to weave expression needed to reveal the true nature of each project I will be very happy. I welcome the experience . Now, off to my day job.

Happy Monday and I wish you all fulfillment in your summer yearnings.

Art: Photos From New York

Goodbye Flower Moon Hello Strawberry Moon

Keeping time is an ancient art.  Here in New York, Memorial Day and the prelude to it, resembles the epic ships coming into the harbor carrying many men with white caps and tan caps. Excuse me, many men and women with said respectable caps are seen in  pairs, solo, groups, touring the city.  Gracing the city if you will.


 This year, I really felt the significance and the dramatic quality and observance of this day.


Just below 23 rd street , I saw the ships stunningly approaching their destination. If ever , I saw a ship on the Hudson, never before, have I seen one with such presence.  yachts , tourist boats, look nice in the setting sun, but this was entirely different. this had history. It was, as I said "epic".


The day before , I got a glimpse of the freedom tower . I was visiting a friend who had a lovely view of the Hudson River and there it was, the new Freedom Tower.


I don't really want to write any more on this topic .  except that , I hope to one day fully realize the significance of Memorial Day. I don't know if that is even possible. The scope of what our ancestors and fellow countrymen have done for us,  and it just seemed strange that we , or most of us had the day off.
So many men and women have given their lives, and can we fathom, can we take pause to know what they gave for us? Will we as a nation ,  realize what America really means?

On a brighter note, I got a taco from a local Mexican restaurant, and I saw the most beautiful image: the sun holding the moon.

Tony Awards

Theater is sacred and the weekend is sacred. However, I know that some New Yorkers, and perhaps Americans,  do not have a traditional weekend off.  So,  you figure out what that means.


I was excited that the Tony Awards were on tonite.  But, for some leap of faith, I began gardening at 6 pm and as any gardener can attest,  got lost gardening beyond sunset and did not land in front of my television until 915.


I did get to see Neil Patrick Harris' Medley , and a beautiful Sheryl Crow right after that , then following for me the highlights of the night.

 Clybourne Park winning best play, and the  speeches, their representatives said it all. Until Hugh Jackman received an award from the presenter: his wife. Well, both these moments were amazing.

Tyler Perry also was a gracious presence.


This weekend was amazing, and like many people,  do not want it to end.

Briskly, 2012, keeps moving along.


 Get your surfboard .

Goodnight Mr. Chips, I mean Mr. Big

New York Got MoJo

I wonder what the electrical charge was last night around Times Square just before sun down.  The Theater District always enticing. I mean there is always a mystique no matter what time of day it is. Do you agree?

While I was walking by the Broadway Play, A Streetcar named Desire,  I saw a group of four people meet, and a photographer snap a photo in tandem. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Mr. Big, well,  not really, I saw the the man, the actor ( with beard and mustache) Chris Noth among the four people.

This week I went to see The Medieval Play at the Signature Center. This play is a hold no prisoners comedy. The eight ensemble actors move the play along with such skill, fun, and energy. A big bravo to them and the writer Kenneth Lonergan! Oh and a bravo for the fight choreographer David Brimmer. It is a short run so go see this joust.

There you have it, the old and the new : a touch of theater in the ever changing New York City.