It has been a long time that I have written my column consistently. In January, I took over the artistic direction of a small theatre in Los Angeles and getting them on the right path plus directing 5 plays in 6 months has pretty much taken all my creative time. Not all my personal time, because one cannot live by theatre alone, but all my creative time has pretty much been taken up with running this theatre.
But I also do Fringe festivals around the world presenting my one man shows that I write and produce. And for summer 2018, I am doing PortFringe in Portland, Maine. Literally in the opposite corner of the country. I thought since my duties at the small theatre in LA (the SkyPilot Theatre) were winding down for the summer, this would be a good chance to return to my writing by documenting my Fringe experience at PortFringe, and then take a week-long tour around Maine, a place I have not been since my early acting years when I was based in New York City.
This will take the form of stories, photos and possibly daily diary entries.
Friday, June 15 – Los Angeles
It is 11:59 PM and I am sitting waiting for a United flight to Chicago that is now running thirty minutes hour late. Everyone by now has noticed that the airline business just seems to get worse and worse, and they seem to care less and less about customer service. I will eventually take off one hour late putting me in Chicago about 20 minutes after my connecting flight to Portland has left. Free water and pretzels for a 4-hour redeye to Chicago. No movies to even rent, but I did get free wifi!!
I walked off the plane in Chicago having no idea where I was supposed to go to find out about a new connecting flight and I was greeted by a United rep who handed me a ticket for the next flight to Portland at 8 AM. Cool and my luggage would be transferred as well. She promised!
I hate to fly and the only way that I can do it is to take Xannax with a vodka tonic. That chills me out enough that I can usually stand anything, but I can never sleep on the plane, so I always arrive in a zombie state. Got a lame airport breakfast and Bloody Mary and boarded the next flight. Arrived in Portland on a warm bright summer morning and took a taxi into town to the waterfront, where PortFringe had arranged for a couple (Laurie and Ross) to put me up in their condo next to the marina. The view from their deck is truly beautiful.
I dropped off my luggage and walked up to Fringe Central to check in and drop off some promotional material. As I wandered through Portland’s down town, I realized how little I knew of Maine and its history except for Steven King books. Portland was having Gay Pride that day and the town was live with people and colors of the rainbow. Beautiful buildings and a vibrant downtown. I had the feeling this was going to be an extremely fun festival.
Fringe Festivals are all alike and all different. What they have in common is the passion that one or more people have in presenting theatre pieces from all over the country and sometimes the world to their home audience. The difference is how they operate, and most are operated by well meaning and dedicated but underpaid staff plus passionate volunteers. The all have different rules and operating procedures that you as the artist just have to deal with because they are not going to change for you. The fact that you are getting to present your work in another city on the other side of country is an amazing thing in the first place.
You are self-produced and self-funded and if you make any money it is because people at the festival come out for your show, but there is no guarantee that will happen. Some festivals you can play for large houses and some you will play for crowds of 3 or 4. I have had both experiences. Sold out shows in Harare, Zimbabwe and played for 2 people at Hollywood Fringe one night. You just never know.
I went why do it? Because you have too. You have a need, a desire, and passion to tell a story and connect with an audience of perfect strangers.
After lunch, I went back to the luxurious condo – believe me the living conditions are never this nice – and took a nap. As I write this little report, I am sitting on my hosts’ deck watching the sun set over the river and marina. Lovely and relaxing and very nice after the hectic past months.
Meanwhile, my writing partner who is coming to join me has been sitting in the LA airport for 7 hours because of a delayed flight by United. They offered to pay for a hotel room and gave her (2) 10 dollar food voucher. In LAX you cannot buy anything for 10 dollars. Ouch!
Tonight I caught the new show by my road warrior friend Les Kurkendaal called While Walking Black in Moscow with fellow road dogs Nicole Cabe and Chris DeFilipp. Very funny show and descriptive about what it is like to be gay in Russia.
Home to bed about 1:30 AM – theatre life on the road again.
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