Last Saturday, I attended the No Kings event in Studio City and came away feeling energized and maybe even a little hopeful. There were thousands of people there, and signs were pointed and punny. I saw all ages of folks, from people with walkers to people pushing strollers. It was definitely a family event.

Great sign!
More great signs

Last Sunday evening on Father’s Day, I went to the Kookaburra Lounge, a swanky cabaret in the complex at the corner of Vine and Highland (formerly known as the Kodak Theater) complex. My brother, Don and his wife Terry and I attended an evening of music by Brett Ryback and Jeff Luppino-Esposito. They performed work from three musical theatre projects that they have been working on. Brett and I were colleagues at USC School of Dramatic Arts, and it was wonderful to see him Sunday. The performers there were terrific and the big takeaway was learning about their podcast, In Strange Woods, a musical theater podcast launched last December. I promptly went home and listened to all five episodes. I’m panting for the next installments. Great format and excellent performers.

Wednesday night, I attended the first preview of “The Reservoir” at the Geffen Playhouse, and it was a bit of an old home week night – I attended with my friend Rob, who had worked at one time in the box office, while I was stage managing there. We ran into Kate Schaff (Asst. Scenic Designer), Lisa Tudic (ASM), both USC grads, as well as PSM Liz Brohm, PM Matt Sweeney, producer, Dan Ionnazi, and after the show, the actress who played the Josh’s mom, Marin Hinkle. (Mind you, this isn’t a review, as the show isn’t open yet.) The show was complex, both technically and emotionally. Takeshi Kata’s elegant echoing portal set hosted over fifty different configurations of scenic elements to accommodate the quick moving and cinematic play. The crew was efficient and became like old friends as we watched them shift the lead character’s world as his choices were shifting his world. The story revolved around the young man’s return home for a semester from college, and his engagements with his mom and grandparents. The actors were all on stage most of the show, with the exception of two characters who had multiple quick changes. I was impressed with the physical dexterity of all the actors, and the humorous and candid ways that the grandparents interacted with Josh, the main character. I highly recommend this show. I can only imagine that it will get even more fluid with a few more days. You can get tickets at the link above.

I’ve been going out a lot this week. Last night, my friend Norma invited me to see The Enablers, at the Echo Theatre Company at Atwater Village. It was an evening of monologues “written for the people that enabled Trump and his crew to take over the country.” I didn’t know what to expect, and was feeling a little nauseous at the idea of spending the evening with those enablers. The evening, hosted by Artistic Director Chris Fields, and emceed by Politics Girl, Leigh McGowan absolutely delivered how to speak truth to power in so many ways. I’m so used to seeing @Politicsgirl in front of her fridge in her facebook posts, but it was invigorating to see her as she wove together the segues between pieces easily with her political savvy and intelligence. I don’t know if there are other performances coming up. Kudos to the twenty or thirty wonderful actors and writers from all over the country who included pieces. I was especially affected by the monologue written by Marlane Meyer, delivered by Steven Strobel (I think – apologies if I got it wrong as I didn’t get a program), in the sincere voice of a young man who resorts to joining the National Guard to move out of his parents’ basement and better support his family, then finds himself at the service of ICE in Los Angeles. In between the moments of shame and regret, the evening’s material was funny and restorative – one monologue by an actual Trump turd delivered by Tom Irwin. Each of the actors brought their zeal to the material in a way that was electrifying for the audience. At the top of the evening, the emcee shared a number of groups who could use help politically so that we could get activated by giving at intermission. Here’s the list – give if you can:

This week I volunteered three days at the LA Food Bank. I love the people, and seeing all the volunteer groups who come out feels really good that there is goodness being done in the world. I usually go to their impressive City of Industry warehouse, which has an opulent volunteer center. I love the distribution opportunities like today’s in East LA at Obregon Park. You get to see the impact hours of sorting of potatoes actually has when you hand a bag of potatoes to someone in line and they beam back at you. (I handed melons today, but the potatoes we’ve been sorting all week were there at the start of the line.) Someone probably got a little of the potato love I shared earlier this week.

Today I went to my first afternoon movie as a retired person. People have shared with me that was something they enjoyed doing. After my morning at the distribution center, I came home and snacked on some homemade guacamole and chips before heading out to the movie, Mission Impossible, The Final Reckoning. I’d bought a ticket at the Universal AMC, which was scary when I pulled up to pay for parking and it was $35.00!!! (Twice the ticket price!!!!) But the attendant then said I could get $30 of it back when I went into the theatre. I proceeded into the theatre, which was pretty deserted but then maybe not for a weekday matinee. Soon I was embedded in the ridiculous action of this franchise, but in a wonderful and relaxing way.I won’t spoil it for you if you haven’t seen it but suffice it to say it was just what this Friday afternoon demanded.

I continue to do physical therapy for my knee, which gets better each week. I’m not almost 16 weeks past my surgery. I’m happy to have found a spin gym very near me, called the Cycle Bar, and am trying to go once or twice a week. It’s been great. Yesterday I even graduated from a few of the exercises I’d been doing and got some new ones.

On Monday, I turned in my final manuscript for the book, and expect it to come back sometime next week in proofs. I’m very excited and grateful to those who have had their eyes on the manuscript. Special shout out to Scott S., who helped me enormously with his edits. I feel really excited about it and will start sharing more soon!

In the meantime, I’m trying to get out and see as many things and people as possible in this non-travel month of June. This Sunday, there is the gala for In Other People’s Shoes. You may still be able to get tickets if you go now! Maybe I’ll see you out and about!

Would love to hear what you are thinking!