Special day yesterday. Tutored in the morning in Jackson Heights (now traditional Sunday practice) then off tour Baruch to see The Tempest, performed by the Friends Upper School. Got to the area early (no surprise there)---probably my first real visit to the area post pandemic---lots of luxury building---coffee shops; found a nice sandwich place for lunch. Then to the play: Steve, the director, uses the whole auditorium to make performance space---Nina, the young woman playing Prospero, very strong (casting this role with a woman works)---the production extremely inventive and full of surprises--good performances from a very talented group. Steve takes the festival part of the play---the performances by the Goddesses that can stop the play cold---and turns them into somethng highly inventive. Some quibbles---sure, but that is what one does---really a remarkable project.
Before I got there I was worried about how I would be "noticed" but actually very few people there that I knew--only a graduate whose brother was in the play and who was happy to see me. No faculty, which surprised me--maybe they came to the first two performandces or the dress rehearsals. Rather than take the elevator to the lobby, I climbed the four flights of stairs--a lot of effort but not really tired at the end. I felt very good--I had accomplished what I had planned early in the morning with no hitches. Returned to the apartment around 5:30---tired (naturally)---called a cousin who lives in San Francisco----slept and thought.
Still haunted by my feelings about theater. A project as sucessful and inventive as Steve's was reminded me that there are other director visions that could be stronger (or as strong) as mine was. If I was working with high school kids I would try to strip everything down---the complete opposite of what Steve accomplished. Would it be effective...or potent...or received as well as these kids responded to Steve's vision? It is not to be anyhow---I am not doing this now---nevertheless--I try to remind myself that my work with the students whom I tutor is valuable and potent---a life in the "real" world, working to improve the lives of those less fortunate then myself---working with families who did not have the opportunity and don't posess the resources that mine had. Is this not what a true "progressive" does? Yet with theater, I am always "recieiving". A sadness---way past feeling excluded from that world...yet....On that note I sleep.
Today the tutoring work week begins---I expect three hours probably three days this week. Will be free on Friday and return to Friends for their Christmas Assembly and alumni gathering. Canceled my one tutoring session for that day---want the time to be completely open to all possibilities. Should be a better indication of where I stand at the school. Can't complain---I enjoy the tutoring in a way I have not before, and really like my students. Well, let's leave it at that.
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