Wow!

I absolutely cannot believe how quickly time goes!!!  It was just a mere year and a half ago, Amy Crider, playwright extraordinaire, was asking me if I was interested and available to be in a production of Buddha's Birthday, a play that began as a 10-minute scene in a workshop and blossomed over a decade into a full-length play, many rewrites, many readings, all a wonderful experience.  I had my doubts that this would happen, because, well, theater in these troubled times - art in these troubled times! - is really suffering, but Amy persisted, pursued, and self-produced this wonderful play, getting together marvelous artists Chris Hainsworth, Kathy Ruhl, Ada Grey, and fabulous puppeteer Emilie Wingate and Bowie, the raccoon, with Iris Jullar as our fearless director, Nora Cashman as our assistant director and ultimately backstage crew, and Anna Zaczek at the helm, beautifully stage managing at The Edge Theater in Chicago.  What a delight this whole experience was!  And after a fast three-week run, we're over, just like that!  So many friends and family came from far and wide!  My siblings, who are scattered around the country in Washington State, North Carolina, and Texas, all journeyed here to support me.  My oldest and dearest friend came in from Pittsburgh.  We had so much love and support throughout this process, it was uplifting and incredible!  I have to say it - say it with me - it takes a village :-)