Hello Beautiful People,
On May 19th, 2013, I say the final Broadway performance of Orphans, by Lyle Kessler, and it continues to be a show that I carry with me. See, that’s the beautiful thing about brilliant storytelling – it stays with you. It takes up residence in your heart and your memory, and that story just continues to live.
On October 28th, 2014, I directed a production of Orphans at Guild Hall of East Hampton. And it was pretty damn good – if I do say so myself. Of course, there were moments that I wanted to fix. Things that I wished I had worked more, worked differently, finessed a bit more. I mean, we’re talking about live theater – there’s always something that could change. All in all it was a wonderful experience, one that I’ll always remember.
At this point, I should mention that one of the audience members who came to see the show was the playwright, Lyle Kessler.
Yes, you read that right.
LYLE KESSLER CAME TO THE SHOW.
And then, he told me I did an amazing job.
And then, we all went out to celebrate.
The lesson in all of this? Oh goodness, I don’t know where to begin. But perhaps, let’s start with this – don’t let people dictate your path. Don’t let people dictate your dream. Don’t dictate the dreams you have for yourself, and try not to listen to the little voices that sometimes tell you to quit.
Because, shit, if I gave into any of that – last night wouldn’t have happened.
Nobody knows what the future holds. There’s not one person out there who can tell you what you will become – not one person who truly has the ability to say whether or not your dreams will come to fruition. Might they try to take you down? Dissuade you? Discourage you?
Sure.
But really, you’re the only person who decides what becomes reality, and what’s cemented as the daydreams of yesteryear.
Don’t. Forget. That.
Live, Love, Learn,