The latest bestest productions

As a novice playwright and, with my wife, an enthusiastic theater patron as well, I'm starting this blog to share notes on shows we see and hopefully, eventually, to record progress on the plays I'm writing as well. As of this moment, my first play, written in 2006 ("Conversations in a Cafe") is awaiting word on a possible grant to make its first production possible. I'll hear about that in early October, 2008. My second play, "All About Faith," is nearing completion -- some wonderful area actors are going to read it for me on June 1, after which I hope to wrap its final draft. And my third, as-yet-unnamed, play is partially written. I'm truly enjoying the process, and of course, hope to see them on stage some fine day.

In the meantime, we have been out and about taking in, as we often do, marathon play going events -- most recently, in New York City and in Washington, DC, where our son is a lighting designer. Over the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, we will also undergo our fifth annual Spoleto Festival marathon in Charleston, SC -- started when our son began working there each year while he was still at the North Caroilna School of the Arts.

What have we seen lately that was wonderful?

I would have to say Tracy Letts' "August: Osage County" and Conor McPherson's "The Seafarer" in New York City were both awesome, and as an overall production, Arena Stage's version of Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge," at the company's temporary location in Crystal City, Va. impressed us measurably as well. In our own region, we continue to be impressed, show after show, with Greensboro, N.C.'s Triad Stage, most recently viewing "From the Mississippi Delta" there. And a small production of a new play called "ANIMA" by the Doorway Arts Ensemble in D.C. certainly catches the award for most in-your-face show we've seen so far in 2008. Though Barter Theatre's production of "Blackbird" up in Abingdon, Va. comes in at a close second.

So much theatre, so little time ....