Quill #115 - the Workshop

45 students, 7 teachers, 3 librarians, 3 assistants and 25 classes later, we can say it was mostly successful.

Quill #84 - Public Stocks (2010)

It was too good to last,
This Maudie from the past,
Though I still love my part,
I am suffering for my art.

The director's nice enough,
Though sometimes a bit gruff,
When he doesn't get his way
Every second of the play.

He thinks all should know his mind
And respond to thoughts in kind
By moving just the way he wants.
If you don't, he gives you grunts.

The he yells to drop the books
And proceeds to give us looks,
Tells us, "Just walk over here."
"You, there, don't come near."

And instructions never given
Become cats that must be driven,
When it's all reality,
One he first refused to see,

That dealing with child actors
Requires patience, other factors,
Like directions, blocked on stages,
Or else children just learn pages.

And they stand in place, refraining
From any rudeness, that's good training.
But the cast is just confused;
All the pleasant ones amused,

At this train wreck of rehearsal.
Many sane ones want reversal
Of their membership in Bird,
But we gave the man our word.

(pictures from lolcats and royalty-free images online)

Quill #44 - Challenged (2010)

"Write something humorous," he says,
"Not so depressing."
I frown at him and sigh.
Toy planes could land on my nose
And he would grin,
But I never know what is funny.
Whole audiences at theatres
Consider me warped.
And I'm always in the
Most
Visible
Spot
When laughter catches me
And tears me apart,
Helpless to defend myself.
It's always a wry moment,
A peek into painful,
Something revealing,
Poignant,
Stubborn,
Childish,
A human moment
That unguards me,
And every row of heads
Stares
At
Me.
I snicker at my own thoughts
And he says, "Yeah!"
"Write about that."

Quill #23 - Facade (1979)

An empty stage,
In an empty room, dark,
Strewn with cobwebs, and dust, and old programs.
Only a few hours before
The stage was bright,
The room filled with people,
A play was performed.

The curtain closed.
The lights went off.
The cars left.
The characters that were brought to life for a few short lines
Disappeared as though never there.
Gone forever,
Except in the hearts of the players, and the old programs,
Waiting to be swept away...