The Homeless Monologues: Watching your words performed is a spiritual experience
Goodman Theater in Chicago, Illinois. April 30, 2018. It's closing day for the month which means it opening night for "The Homeless Monologues" 7pm! It's go time!
But, first...
This was the second annual performance of "The Homeless Monologues"...at least it better be annual....so let's start with how I got involved. Why me? Because it's my blog. DUH!
For the first version of the show, I wrote one general piece about the topic of homelessness. Nothing personal. I thought who better to perform it than me? I'm still in therapy over that one thought.
But after the first one, I knew I knew I wanted to have a bigger role in number two. Why? Because: 1. I'm a writer plus 2. I was homeless = 3. I could write a big piece of a production about homelessness. Simple math, right?
So the homeless writer dude ends up writing fourteen monologues with a couple more that didn't make the final cut. Sigh! In the credits, I'm listed as the head writer. I felt like Rob Petrie in the "Dick Van Dyke Show." Hmmm...can I get a staff? I'll take Buddy and Sally.
People, people, people...there needs to be a more manageable number between one and fourteen for next year. Hmmm...maybe that math isn't quite as simple. We have a year to figure that out.
Anyway..enough about me...for now.
It's January 2018 and there's four months and a ton of work to do before showtime. There's getting a theater to donate a room..check. There's finding a director and actors who will donate their talents...check. There's finding sponsors to donate money, drinks and snacks...check. There's selling tickets...check. There's interviewing and writing...check. It's all going good and it's time for the rehearsals....check....oh not quite so fast. Back to me for a sec...
I made a vow not to be in this year's show. I even gave away the two very personal stories that I wrote about myself. But, there was one piece left and not enough actors to go around and if I wanted it in the show, I was going to have to do it myself. Damn, you people..damn you. Ahhh...wtf...why not. So my insurance pays for a little more therapy. All for the cause!
On to the game night....I've been to all the rehearsals and I've seen how the actors are getting into the words and into their performances. I know this show is going to be good. Two hours before the show, we have a final dress rehearsal on the stage and I'm watching from the side. This show is better than I thought. It's going to be great! Back to me for another sec...hey, it is my blog...my thoughts are pretty much, please don't let me fuck this up. Okay...there you have it.
Seven o'clock and as Bugs Bunny once said "on with the show we must go."
The theater is packed. The show has been sold out for a couple of weeks. It's filled with supporters, family and friends. No pressure...none at all. OY!
My performance is number fourteen out the eighteen monologues. I'm sitting backstage with the rest of the cast and although I'm stressed and thinking about taking a few Valium, I can hear the performances and listen to audience react to the words. Let me tell you a little about this...I've seen words I've written published on paper and the internet and it's very cool when that happens. But to hear words that you know so well, that you've lived with for months, spoken on a stage and hear the laughter, sighs of sadness and I'm told, even a few tears, is as moving an experience as you can imagine. It's almost spiritual. It makes you want to do it again...and again...and again. It's addictive!
It's eight o'clock on Monday night. The show is over. It went better than even the dress rehearsal. Even that homeless writer dude didn't fuck up his part. It helps when the words are on a music stand for you to refer to...or even read. Phew. Everyone is basking in glory. I see actors meeting and mingling with the characters they played. That had to be pretty surreal for all of them.
Now for the real good news....this production of "The Homeless Monologues" raised more than $8000 to help Lincoln Park Community Services provide help to homeless people in the area. The sad news is after leaving the theater, I saw a few homeless people sleeping outside in doorways and benches. We're going to need more than that $8K to help all of them...a lot more.
I guess that means "The Homeless Monologues" version number three is a go. Oh man...my therapist is going to be moving to the number one spot on my phone.
Shout out and thanks to our cast: Angela Horn, Harsh Gagoomal, Luis Ortiz, Vicky Garcia, Luigi Ricchio, Kevin Gladish, Stephanie Shear, Tom McElroy, Zac Goodspeed, Ron Butts, Laura Harrison, Jen Buhrow, Hannah Toriumi, Ashley Dearborn, Rich Saint-Victor, Mimi Sagadin and Ali Asadi. Our director: James Fleming and our leader Laura Salter. Hire these people for your next production!!
Related Post: There's acting homeless and then there's being homeless
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