The farm girl in my soul desperately needs some sunshine and fresh air.  I was in West Virginia a few days ago and saw crocuses.  Ya'll!  What a joy!  However, in southern PA, we still need a few more weeks of cold to kill the ticks and keep the fruit trees from budding too early.  I guess God knows what he is doing.

In any case, I wanted to share a couple of my favorite plays and projects that are helping me get through this funky season.

People, Places, & Things by Duncan Macmillan.

This show was on at the National Theatre (Laurence Olivier's brain-child) in London and came to NYC in the fall.  I happily made the trip to see it.  The main character, Emma, struggles to come to terms with her addiction, need for help, and her struggle to return to the "People, places, and things" that urge her addiction.  I love the rawness of the show--these characters are people struggling to function at the edge of their capabilities.  

Eleemonsynary by Lee Blessing

Three generations of women on one stage--one quirkily dysfunctional, another independent and angry, and one desperately fighting for the love of her mother.  It sounds angsty, but the story is about forgiveness.  The child's final monologue says it best:

"I could live without the one thing I wanted.  But I kept hearing your voice.  That voice on the phone, hiding behind spelling words, making excuses...wishing.  I don't even remember what you said, just the sound of it.  Just a sound that said, 'I love you, and I failed you.' I hate that sound.  And I will never settle for it, because no one failed me.  No one ever failed me.  Not Grandma and not you.  I am a prize among women.  I'm your daughter.  That's what I choose to be.  Someone who loves you.  Someone who can make you love me.  Nearly all the time.  I'm going to stay with you.  I'm going to prepare you for me.   I'm going to cultivate you.  I'm going to tend you. [Do you think I'm a garden?] Yes.  And you need work."
--Echo, Eleemonsynary by Lee Blessing

Projects!  Oh, joy.

Gettysburg College's King Lear goes up on Thursday.  I'm so excited for the students and proud of the way the combatants picked up on the choreography.  This was my first fight choreography gig.

How I Learned to Drive with Maryland Entertainment Group starts rehearsal in two weeks. I'm playing Lil' Bit--so have fun memorization ahead.

Also, teaching gigs! I have combat teaching gigs lined up with Waldo's (March 24) and NewSpire Arts in Frederick (Weekly through June).  If you want to learn how to safely punch your friends...this is your chance! 

https://www.waldosandco.com/events/2018/3/24/theater-and-songwriter-workshops

http://newspirearts.com/workshops/

Friends, fellow artists, and others,

    This part of the website will highlighting the companies, businesses and artists that I love, plus projects that are upcoming for me.  After all, we are all in this together.  And if it's cool, it's worth sharing.

HOWEVER, it's the new year.  I'm in a place of complete upheaval (yet, as safe as I've ever been), so I'm going to selfishly allow my personal life to steal the limelight.

2017--I built a tiny house and found a place to live within easy distance of NYC, which I was sure was my next step.  However, my priorities changed.  My family in South Central PA had just been through a tumultuous season.  My house took forever to build--much longer then I had planned.  And, I started to love the people I had been given.   The goal was to move before I could begin to love them.  Hilariously, time ran out.

2018--Two auditions, several meetings, several teaching appointments in (I live by my calendar and cannot be trusted without it), I am so happy and so bloody scared.  What the heck AM I doing?  Will God really provide enough work for me in South Central PA?  The town I live in runs farm equipment through the town square.  Yet, I just got an email from another theatre teaching opportunity twenty minutes away...and my calendar is overwritten in several colors of pen.

Psalm 37 is terrifying for the likes of me.  By nature, I'm a do-er.  I will work for love and money.  Yet, Psalm 37 promises good for the people who trust in God's provision rather than their own strength. It says "Be still." "Wait patiently." "Fret not yourself."  If you're not sure why that is terrifying, look back at "2017."

So, this is Psalm's challenge--the best challenge that 2018 could offer--
    Trust in the Lord (even when the next step is murky)
    Do good (which means looking outside myself and my selfish worries)
    Dwell in the land (which means claiming South-Central PA as home)
   Befriend faithfulness (follow through on my commitments, even if something "better" seems to come along)
   Delight in the Lord (because he will be my only constant through life and beyond)

    And, that's plenty for now. 

       Love,
            Anna