It's been a long day

7/11

Final Analysis: the Play

Over coffee, I hear a report from Jon on his recent work with El Sistema in Venezuela. Hoping to bring a touch of that Freirian music project to West-Park, hopefully in collaboration with Martin and Noche. And now possibly Ethel. I hope when Martin gets back to get them together. 

Jane and I meet. We talk about that Times op ed on the gospel according to me. (http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/29/the-gospel-according-to-me/) That temptations to self-absorbtion that is always there in new religious movements. Jane's rootedness  in the black church will always be a vaccine for her, protecting her from any new age ethereal spirituality. Something in the  black church keeps her grounded, uncertain as the future may be. She’s been through Presbyterian, African Methodist Episcopal , United Church of Christ. She knows where of she speaks when she sees the same death cycle that I see. She’s fresh back from a visit to Chautauqua, that bastion of open minded liberal whiteness. Where new ideas are carefully considered, explored in dialogue, carefully considered. The best (and worst) of that culture. Admirable. Important. and very, very white. And despite best efforts, so it will be. 

Marie is a friend of Glen’s. She’s in theatre. She’s a mother. She’s a producer. I give her the whole tour. Top to bottom. Bottom to top. We finish in the Papp theatre. She has lots of questions. And even more ideas.  I’m never sure. But we’ll see where this might go. 

Phone conversation with Tara, talking through a September wedding. She’d been a guest at a  previous wedding I performed. Turkish and German, as I recall. Another Tara. This one will be simpler.

Skyping with my son Micah in Berlin. So strange to be immediately hooked up visually with someone a half world away. And Jeremy’s there visiting.

A Spanish-speakimng  woman has come in. Asked for classes we don’t have. Like helping her child to learn to speak English. She turned to Danielle. who’s spending the summer learning Spanish, asks her, will you help? and without hesitation, Danielle answers yes. 

I go with RL to visit Harvey. He brings a newspaper for current events. Harvey’s almost done with an old Nero Wolfe trilogy. Even in the  Kateri residence, her keen mind is always right there. I enjoy not only their emotional connection, but the clear incisive meeting of mind and wit.  They are both engaged in an intelligent and informed dialogue with the world around them with enough biting humor to keep both of them alert and alive. 

Ludovica is celebrating having raised enough  money to take her Final Analysis play to 42nd Street. It makes me feel happy to have provided the place for the play to come together last summer. . Glad to have helped them give birth. ( http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1318667716/help-move-final-analysis-to-pershing-square-signat) 

It’s been a long day.