Thursday's Food For Thought #2

What do you sacrifice when you follow your dreams? 

Is following those dreams ultimately worth it in the end if you believe deep down that they'll essentially turn into reality? Or is it better to be practical by releasing those dreams and leading an ordinary life? 

The Philanthropist - Opening Night Party

On Sunday evening I had the opportunity to attend the opening night party of “The Philanthropist” starring Matthew Broderick, since I work for the Roundabout Theatre Company they invited us. I couldn’t have been more delighted because I knew that Sarah Jessica Parker would be there and she was; she looked amazing. It’s interesting because I did think, “wow I’m in the same room as Sarah Jessica Parker. Who would’ve thought that this would happen?” I did get a bit star-struck, but not as much as the first time I saw her at the second preview of the play when she walked right by me. I grabbed my friend Z.’s leg after gasping I’m sure. I wanted to take a picture with her at the party, but I did contain myself, I had to respect her privacy. The party was great, there was plenty of free food, alcohol and cute guys. I did meet someone, so we'll see what happens with that, he's adorable; the whole night we keep giving each other eyes. I'm excited. 

This Thursday I’ll be attending the opening night party of “Waiting for Godot” starring Nathan Lane, Bill Irvin, John Goodman, and John Glover. I saw the play on Saturday, I didn’t have high expectations because it’s not one of my favorites and I had seen a bad production of “Godot” in undergrad. The play was wonderful. The chemistry between Bill Irwin and Nathan Lane was incredible. Nathan Lane was Nathan Lane but toned down. Bill Irwin is an extraordinary actor and he was stunning in this production, he understood what Samuel Beckett's intentions were and I feel that has plenty to do with the direction of Anthony Page. I hope Bill Irwin gets nominated for a Tony. I highly recommend this play, not just because I work for the Roundabout Theatre Company, but because it's truly what theatre is all about. 

Gym Membership

Three days ago I finally made up my mind and joined NYSC (New York Sports Club) I had been procrastinating joining the gym for the past ten months; finally last weekend when the weather was so nice and all the gays were out and about wearing their plunging v-necks and scoop neck tees I decided that it was time for me to join the ranks of the people who go to the gym.

The guy signing me up asked, "why today?" And I told him, "why not today?" He asked my fitness goals to which I responded, "hot toned summer beach bod," which he wrote down. 

Yesterday was my first day back and this morning my whole body is sore, in a good way. I just feel that everything is coming together in my life and the one thing that was holding me back was not having a tone sculpted body, I took care of that by joining the gym. I'm looking forward to the results; I just have to watch what I eat and "consistency is the key" as my friend A. says. 

I'm off to the gym...

Thursday's Food For Thought #1

Starting today and every Thursday from now on I will pose a question that I've pondering for a while or just recently, here's today's food for thought:

Is three the new two? Why do gay men who are in relationships bring in a third party? Is it for variation? Are they bored in the bedroom? Or is it a way of cheating without excluding their partner? 

Today is the Day!

Today is the big day...the stage reading of my play Chloe's Autumn. 

I'm excited. I'm nervous. I'm scared. I'm tired. And I need some sleep. 

I met with the cast and director on Friday, the gave me some amazing feedback and compliments. On Saturday I put that feedback into work and I did a small rewrite. I'm off to copy those changes, give it to them, rehearse for about four hours and then today at 5:30PM see the result. I know the play is hardly finished, but I'm really proud of what I have accomplished in the short week and a half that I had from the workshop with the Unit until now. 

I'm really looking forward to this. My debut (I love using that word) as a professional New York playwright happens today...!

Here's the Info if you happen to be free, interested and want to support me...

Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre

304 W. 47th St. (between 8/9th Avenues)

Absolutely FREE!!!

Do New Yorkers Work?

Every day I find myself at different Starbucks tip tapping on my Mac computer writing a new play or rewriting an old one. The question that always comes to mind is, do New Yorkers ever work? The Starbucks is always filled with people either reading the latest New York Times best-selling author, or chit-chatting away about work or relationships, or typing away in their computer like me, or just staring into space contemplating life's existence.

I'm sure this question coming from me sounds inane, since I'm the one always at Starbucks. (My favorite one is located at the World Wide Plaza on 49th & 8th). Maybe all these New Yorkers that I see during the day work at night like I do, but can they all really have night jobs? I remember last summer sitting in one of the biggest grassy parts in Central Park around one o'clock in the afternoon and asking myself the same question, it was filled with people of all ages, tanning, reading, playing sports, having picnics - but the thing they weren't doing was working.

I guess this question will have to stay unanswered...

Will He Come?

New York has an interesting way of placing you in a location where you see a person you haven't seen in a long time. Like today for example, it put me face to face with G. who I haven't seen since last time I catered at the New York Public Library in January. Actually I had seen G., last Friday night at Barrage, but it didn't dawn on me that it was him until I was turning the key to my mailbox later that night. I may forget your name, but I'll never forget your face.

I thought that G. was cute when I had catered with him, so I did what any normal person my age would do and I found him on Facebook. I sent him a message to see if he wanted to hang out or grab coffee (something very casual) when he never replied, I figured his answer was no. Now four months later I find myself sitting across from him at Starbucks. He recognized me and stopped to say hi. I invited him to my play reading on Monday. He congratulated me for having the reading and then he was gone making his way through the rain. I hope he comes. 

Rewriting for a Deadline

On Thursday I had a workshop with the members of the Professional Playwright's Unit at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre for "Chloe's Autumn" the play that I'm having a stage reading for on April 13th. They gave me some great feed back. I've digested it and today I started rewriting the play. 

The entire second act is being rewritten. I'm cutting one character that I added, but realized that I shouldn't have. I'm developing the relationships of the four characters, because one of the notes the Unit gave me was that "they were too on the surface, that I need to go deeper." I'm not sure if I can pull the latter off in three days, but I'm sure going to try.

I decided that the title "Chloe's Autumn" doesn't work anymore for the play, I'm going to re-title it "A Room For Four". I'm notorious for changing my play's titles; just ask the Nevada Conservatory Theatre, who produced my thesis show. I changed the title of the play after they had published the marketing and the tickets; let's just say they weren't happy with me. All I had to say was this, "a new play is always changing and so does it's title".

Next time around this week, I'll have had my first rehearsal with my actors and director. Am I scared? A bit. I just hope I haven't bit more than I can chew. 

Stage Reading: Chloe's Autumn

My full-length play "Chloe's Autumn" will be having a stage reading at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre as part of the 2009 Professional Playwright's Unit Festival of New Play Readings.

Here's the Info:

Monday April 13th at 5;30 PM

304 West 47th St.

(between 8th & 9th Avenues)

New York, New York 10036

Admission is FREE! No reservations required!

Here's the Official Blurb on the Play:

"A traditional vacation to Cancun turns upside down when two married couples are forced to share a hotel room. They must deal with each other and the problems that have been escalating."

I hope you can all join me for my NY Stage Reading Debut!

Welcome!

Welcome to A Playwright's Stride!

I'm Oscar and this is my new blog site dealing with the trials that come along with being an artist in New York City.  

Follow me along my stride as I discover success, failure and love in this wild city known as Manhattan.