feeling "groovy"...

maybe because I finally received my first pay check of the year from Friends Finally, some money in the bank---I realize now how much pressure I had been putting on myself in the past two weeks, not to use my credit cards, even as the cash flow was low. A nice sense of relaxation has come over me---even as I write about it, I am still trying to figure it out.
  And what of the West Side Story reunion on Wednesday evening. Well, it was nothing short of remarkable. The eleven panelists, all members of the original cast had amazing memories to share with the audience. And more, they were focused and direct---Carol Lawrence, in her eighties, has a memory of the time of WSS' creation that is so detailed, she could probably take you on a day by day narrative of the rehearsals and early performances. It was great to see, eleven people about 77 and over, functioning like totally focused adults---as if their age (and mine) simply disappeared. One of the things that we learned is that there will be a movie, a documentary, about the making of WSS, featuring only the 21 remaining members of the original cast. No replacements (like Elliot Feld) no  London or movie cast people (like George Chakiris) ---just the 21 who participated in the creation of the piece, in the original process. I am really looking forward to that-the memories Wednesday evening were so gritty---I felt like I was there at rehearsals and runthroughs. Lots of praise for Jerome Robbins---as difficult as he was, from the panel, it seemed like he really "made" the show. a strange man, full of contradictions---very enclosed. In later years, I would see him sometimes at a West Side restaurant or on the subway (the subway?) coming back from BAM. His companion at those sightings was Aidan Mooney, someone whom I had interacted with in the late sixties and had remained cordial with as the years passed. So I could always say, "Hello, Aidan, Hello Jerry" and Robbins would give me a small nod (never a word), and it was clear to me, that I should move on. Well, no matter---it is his legacy and vision that remains. So I can't wait for the movie.
  The past two days have been work at Friends, so the nights have been "dull", in other words, I just come home and rest. Tonight a last play by Brian Friel at the Irish rep, tomorrow..? Not sure---might be a good time to simply make my visits to Cobra and South fourth---or find a bar that will show a baseball game, if the Yankees and Red Sox are still in play for the American League East (which is possible). Will let you know soon, how all this turns out.