Sterling's Costume After Two Long Days of Work

Next Show: Rita

I have a strong idea for a project: A show about Rita. It is a delicious story. Over the next few months, I will be thinking about how to tell it. Rita the musical? No. Rita and Me, a straight play. Nope. Done both those forms. Rita and the Lonely Angry Boy, a stylish fable? Maybe. I am not sure of the form, but there is a great story in our relationship. They say, "Write what you know."

Then there's what to do with it. There are options. I could produce it myself at PAL or At Presentation House space and earn a considerable return. Or I could pitch it to Presentation House where I am creating a good relationship, but to be part of their season, not an add-on as has happened with Trudeau.

But then there’s Pacific Theatre, given the nature of the story. What is remarkable and wonderful is that I have confidence and I think I have choices. I am not the inexperienced insecure writing man/boy any more.

With both Knock Knock and Trudeau heading into production, I am an “emerging” playwright and screenwriter of promise. Finally, at age 67, that is true and I can fairly expect producers to read my work with interest.

With each success my audience builds. I filled the teeny-weenie PAL theatre for four shows with friends. After Trudeau, that audience will grow because I am going to offer them a print or something so that I can capture their email addresses to add to my mailing list.

After Trudeau, I will be able to self-produce at PAL for a week with my own audience using my expanded mailing list, thereby earning enough to continue this new career in perpetuity. I can only write work that gets seen. 

I don’t believe in possibilities, I believe in certainties.

Sterling Gets Character

I was sad to find myself uninspired when I realized after the workshop that Allan would need another costume for his scene as Sterling Christopher. I was not looking forward to another 100+ hours and more sewing.

Yes, I loved making the costumes, but that is what it is to be me. Once I have done something new, and feel satisfied that I have mastered the art or craft or skill, I don’t want to do it again. I want to do something new that I haven’t done before.

But when I woke up yesterday, I got an email from my friend Bruce who is in Florence and then read my friend Beth’s blog who is in Paris and that got me in the mood to look at some great art on my computer to compensate for the museums I do not have access to and about which they are constantly writing.

And as soon as I saw one of those ridiculous Flemish collars, I was off. Hence the collar that you see in yesterday’s post… and that collar inspired a character for Sterling: He will be a Flemish fop—I love that word “fop” — but a poor fop, not a rich one.

In she show, Sterling is me—me in my own imagination, so Sterling is supposed to be how I see myself in a scene with Vivicean. She is a cartoon; she is a characterization of all the women who opposed my plans to professionalize Presentation House. I was taking their sandbox away from them. So it is true to make him a fop. And I think making fun of myself in this piece apt wherein I am author, performer, designer and costume and prop maker.

So today, Sunday, with the rain pouring down, the sky dark and lots of choices of fabulous movies to watch via Apple TV, I am stoked about making this costume because last night inspiration hit.

I had this idea: I was sure Shoppers Drug Mart, which is just down the street, would sell cotton balls for women to use to remove their make up and if they did, I was going to make Sterling a pompom shirt. I loved the idea of that and sure enough, they sold a bag of 300 little cotton balls.

Sterling Christopher's Collar

Today I started Sterling Christopher's costume Allan will wear it. I started with the collar I will use because I have decided that Sterling is a fop. I was most definitely not a fop but Sterling Christopher is an exaggeration of me in a comedic scene, so….

Starting out. It is interfacing and some kind
of stiff material used in suites.

"Pearls" help identify the top.

Long, Exhausting Thursday

Vivicean (Lois) times three.

It’s 9:00pm and I am exhausted. I was up really early, unable to sleep and I got into the re-write of Trudeau. I have LOVING doing the re-write, highly energized by the enthusiasm of Lois and Allan. I worked until 10:00 and then I headed to Clubcard (a printer) to get my posters and more postcards.

Then I came home to meet Kim who is directing and producing the play. He brought over thank you letters for me to sign for all my friends who have donated funds for the set. And then Lois arrived for a costume fitting.

We had such fun. It was like having a sister and playing dress up. I have lots to do to adapt the costume to her size and she will come back in early May for another fitting.

And the re-write made it clear that Allan needs a second costume for when he plays a version of me called Sterling Christopher. He will have to wear a paper version of the suit I buy.

All in all, not a too demanding day, but I am going to bed totally knackered.

Tuesday

• Last night the bruise came up from the guy pushing me over in the street yesterday. It hurts to sleep on my right side now.
• I have started re-writing Trudeau. I am incredibly energized and inspired from the workshop yesterday and so I am absolutely loving the writing.
• There was wonderfully satisfying respect and admiration for the costumes and their aptness for the show was not questioned in any way at all. I am so happy about that.
• Today Costin (Fish Boy) comes to do a fairly big redesign of my aquarium. I am seriously looking forward to seeing him and watching him work.
• At noon, Hudson (age 10) arrives to spend the day, overnight and all day tomorrow with me. He is a special friend to me. We are lucky his Mom is so generous and trusting, but then it was one his mom who was (and remains) a very special friend. Jessica is my surrogate daughter. I plan to take Hudson on several adventures while he is here.
• Today the cheques to the beneficiaries of Rita's will get written and I move closer to having no further reason to ever deal with the lawyer again.

An AWESOME Workshop

Oh my God. What an experience the Trudeau workshop was today.

First of all, I went in optimistic because the sun came out for my whole trip over to the theatre. I felt God was with me on this adventure.

Next, I saw Allan from a distance and it excited me to see him. Everybody loves talented, kind, generous Allan. And then—THEN—I met Lois. What a treat. Her enthusiasm for the project was uplifting. And then she told me her partner was Joel.

Joel and Deborah run The Flame. And it was The Flame that got me into all this stage and screen writing and performing. The symmetry was another good omen.

The best part of the workshop, for me and I think for everyone, were the Basil and Vivicean scenes. Allan and Lois built such wonderful characters from my words. I was laughing often. The scenes work really well. They are funny like comic relief scenes in Shakespeare.

My prologue works well but needs a bit or pruning, and the bulk of the remaining problems are with the “telegrams” which need to be edited. It was gratifying to hear that most all the notes were about the telegrams. My ending rocked the house. It works.  I am proud and happy.

Oh …. And I got paid.

Then, on the way home, a man started getting angry with me at a crosswalk. He was mad I did not give him money, so I said; “I have nothing to say to you.” I wanted to keep things calm. He followed me across the street and kept yelling at me so I stopped and turned and he came up and pushed me into the street.

I fell on my hip in the rain and was soaked. My umbrella was wrecked, but a stranger came to intervene and the man walked away. Another passer by asked if I was okay. At this time, I am so grateful for the kindness of those observers. That is what I am left with.