Waiting for Godot

Though I could’ve read a Shakespeare play to brush up on the classics of theatre/drama, I instead opted for something more modern. I’m sure most people have heard of Waiting for Godot and have gotten the references — two men waiting for another who never shows up — but reading it turned out to be a much deeper, philosophical experience than I thought. The play calls itself a tragicomic, which surprised me even before reading (how could this play be tragic?).

I underestimated Mr. Beckett: that ending was depressing as hell. To be fair, I’ve really been considering moving to another city for a while now but haven’t really looked into it so that likely had something to do with it. Although I think the play is deceptively simple, it’s one of those that can definitely be interpreted in numerous ways. In my case, I felt it was about existentialism.

Ugh. Now I’m depressed thinking about it again.

The Glass Menagerie

Is it wrong to be disappointed when something isn’t as depressing as you thought it would be? I thought this play would be sad and there are certainly layers of sadness but not an overwhelming sadness that I expected.

Also I like this shirt. And of course the awesome Gravity Falls cap that is slightly too big for my tiny head.

Didn’t I say I was going to post every day again? Whatever happened to that? Hmm…

The Laramie Project

This is a fantastic play that everyone should read. That is all.

Death of a Salesman

Everyone considers this to be a classic play, and that is depressing as hell, which basically sold it for me. Maybe because I was prepared for depression, I wasn’t really all that depressed by it. Sure, the ending is devastating on different levels and I’m a fan of Miller’s criticism of the American dream, but some of the scenes seem to run too long and too repetitive. Still a decent read though.

I thought I’d take a picture of me in normal clothes for once. (Much to the relief of many, I’m sure)

Gross Indecency: Three Trials of Oscar Wilde

I really enjoyed this play.

Also, this is what I looked like at work today.

End of Brave New Play Rites

Well, it’s been fun. I caught my play twice, and I’ll be attending the second program tonight for the first time. When I signed up for the class and even when I was told that my play would be produced for the festival, I didn’t really know what that looked like. To me, my play was still words on a page, even when there was a director attached to the project and it was being workshopped. It was really only when I sat there on Wednesday night, after the second play was finished and they began laying down the walls for the house that I had written in my play, that I realized my play was now real. It was when the actors wandered on stage, embodying the words that I written months ago.

I’m just really happy that play was chosen, especially when, at the time, I really didn’t know if it would be or not, since I didn’t feel all that confident about my writing. But as I watched the actors say the lines I had written, as they walked on stage and then off, as the play ended unhappily, I felt confident. I felt like I belonged, that I had worked hard to get to this point, and that my writing was good. I think that’s something I’ve been trying to get over, and it’s been a slow process, but watching my play — and all the other ones in the festival too — has helped with that, for sure.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to dress fancy for the last show and getting drunk at the closing party tonight. Yeeeeaah!

Ga Ting

I just want to congratulate my friend Minh Ly for his fine play, Ga Ting, which I managed to catch earlier this afternoon. I will freely admit that despite some humourous moments, I cried a bit during certain parts. It’s a really moving play that I think does a really good job at starting conversation and bridging the gap between being gay and traditional Chinese culture. There’s only one more performance left — Sunday March 30th at 2pm. Buy tickets here: http://www.vact.ca/index.php?id=398

Check it out if you have time! It’s well worth a watch.

 

Watching my play

It’s strange because you know how the words sound in your head, the details of how characters move about the stage, but seeing it on stage — watching actors say words in surprising and different ways, watching them move around differently — is like a different version of the story in your head. It makes sense, since the director of the play is not me, but I found myself constantly thinking about the next line and the next line, rather than enjoying the play and becoming immersed in the production. All  that said, I thoroughly enjoyed the night of plays, including my own, and I’m really happy with how it all turned out. I also had no idea one of the actors was a first-time actor!

In the Movies and the rest of Program 1 of Brave New Play Rites will be showing again on Friday March 28th (tomorrow!) at 7:30pm, as well as Sunday March 30th at 2:00pm. For tickets and info, visit http://bravenew.ca/

Play Day

Not to be confused with playing around, but I spent the day writing a play. And now my brain is exhausted and wants to dream but I’m forcing it work overtime because I gotta get this damn thing done already. Self-agony! Yay!

Come watch my play — In the Movies!

For those who are in Vancouver or somehow willing to travel to Vancouver, I blogged about a play I wrote a while back titled In the Movies and it’ll be on stage in a couple weeks as part of UBC’s Brave New Play Rites Festival! It’s the story about an average gay guy named David, and the drama that ensues when his first boyfriend seemingly randomly shows up at his place after they haven’t seen each other in sixteen years. It would be super to see you there!

The dates for my play are Wednesday March 26th at 7:30pm, Friday March 28th at 7:30pm, and Sunday March 30th at 2pm. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for students. My play will be part of a program with five other plays (there is also a second program held on different days with a whole other set of plays too). If you’d like to read up on Brave New Play Rites and the other plays, check out the website: http://bravenew.ca/

And once you’re done deciding which day (or days, if you’re a keener) you’re coming, you can either buy a ticket on the Brave New website above, or follow this link and select Program 1: http://ubctheatre.universitytickets.com/user_pages/category.asp?id=52

I hope to see you there!