Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Mid-October Check-In

A List

What I'm doing:

  • my RACC (Regional Arts and Cultural Council) grant was approved and the workshop, "As on the Stage," to train POC interpreters in performance interpreting is under way. I am honored and thrilled that they approved my grant application.  I have a wonderful cohort to work with and I am thankful to the POC interpreters who are joining me on this journey, to the POC mentor who will be joining us in 2019, and absolutely to RACC for see the need and the vision to make this happen.
  • in a chapbook making and writing workshop online with Ariel Gore in The Literary Kitchen. This is very exciting and even though the timing is tough (because I am so happily and creatively busy with other projects) it is just what I needed - for me, for my writing. 
  • I recently interpreted "Elephant and Piggie's 'We Are In A Play;" for NW Children's Theater and School. Twice. A weekend morning matinee and a weekday midday matinee. It was so much fun! We got to wear our own version of costumes and interpreting children's theater is a world of difference from the adult shows; especially a very young childrens' play, as this was.
  • I am in the final days of preparation to interpret "Wakey, Wakey" (this Wednesday 10/17). I am the main character, who has the first 2/3 of the show on his own. It is a lovely, well written, well directed, well acted play. It is hard to put into words, but it moves me in a subtle, thoughtful, delightful way.
  • There is another interpreted show the next night at another theater I work with, Portland Center Stage. No, I'm not interpreting that one - just supporting the interpreting team, and available to help if there is need.
  • The next night there is another interpreted performance at Profile Theatre. This is a solo show - one actor, 26 characters - and there is one interpreter; also not me, although I am the understudy and will interpret the pre-show event at the theater. I have to be ready to interpret in case something comes up (I have attended this show and been preparing it, as well) and to support the solo interpreter in his preparation.
  • I am STILL editing the memoir. I have made great progress. I don't see how I will get this draft editing completely before NaNoNovember, but I'm not giving up yet. I have a lot done and two more weeks to go; I may sill finish the edits before I go to an interpreting conference at the end of the month.
  • The first White Bird Unchanged performance is this Saturday. Right now, with being so busy, I question if I can go, if I want to go, since I am doing something every day this month. But I also know - I remember - that these performances are always restorative and I am able to sit back, watch, take it in, relax, be inspired. So I will go. And I will love it.
  • And I will be doing NaNoWriMo again this year. I will be at the work conference when it starts, so will be starting from there and missing the midnight kickoff write-in at the airport. But I am going to the conference with a friend, who is also a writer, so we will do our own midnight write-int, then get some sleep because we have to be at a workshop the next morning.

And all of the other regular life stuff. Not that theater and writing aren't regular "life stuff" for me - they are.

November will be a little slower, theater-wise. But not writing-wise!

My creativity is high right now and I sometimes have to remind myself that things are actually okay. There is the turmoil in the outer world, the bigger things. But that doesn't mean I should stop the flow of creativity. I should actually turn it up. In times of dis-ease and unrest, we need the arts even more.
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