Once upon a time, your very own Sue Hodara wanted to be a journalist. Can you believe it? (Editor’s Note: Sue’s mom is convinced (even to this very day) that she would have made a good TV anchor. Sue’s aspiration was to be a print journalist.)
After seeing a sad film by Denver’s Rocky Mountain staff, I felt compelled to share it with my readers.
Theatres have been closing left and right, and newspapers are dealing with the same sad fate…
My heart goes out to everyone at the (former) Rocky Mountain.
Though Hebrew might sound like Chinese to the untrained ear, the two languages couldn’t be further apart. And yet (as my hubby found out), China and Hong Kong have fallen in love with Israeli singer Sarit Hadad’s “In the Heat of Tel Aviv”. A version translated into and sung in Chinese is sweeping through their dance clubs.
One of the most gorgeous cards of the New Palladini Deck is entitled simply “Strength”. I thought I understood what it meant… Taking a situation and being a mediator, bringing everyone together with a quiet (feminine) strength, as opposed to applying brute force.
Tarot.com offers a lovely explanation about the general meaning of the card:
What has traditionally been known as the Strength card represents Nature which, however wild in its primal form, is tamed by our subtler, finer (feminine, interior) self. The will and passion of our instinctive nature does not need to be broken, but refined and brought to consciousness — so that all levels of Creation, inner and outer, may come into harmony.
The thing is, I never applied it to myself, within myself… I always thought IT WAS OUTSIDE MYSELF, ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE.
Today, I applied it to myself, and realized how difficult it is to not defend yourself, to hold yourself back and in check, to speak softly.
I do these things, but it’s usually it’s who I’m being for others, not for myself. And it’s usually not when I am “fighting” for what I want.
So, I marshalled that strength I always knew I had, listened to what the other person said, actually TOOK IT IN, and then respectfully, and softly, asked what I was missing.
The most wonderful thing of all is that some of what the other person said WAS RIGHT, and it actually made my work better.
No doubt there was a lot of talent on that stage, and everyone worked hard up there… But instead of feeling excited or proud after that number, I felt sad…
To reduce a show to a few lyrics and bars (and blown way out of context) isn’t any way to fairly represent any or even one of those shows, and isn’t going to foster any kind of appreciation amongst an audience — reminding them of the thrill of seeing a musical live in the theatre.
And then to announce that the musical is back because a few shows made it to the “big” screen!!! The whole point of going to the theatre is that you get that live energy that you can’t get on TV or film. You watch people, LIVE people, right before you eyes.
You can have a screen the size of a football stadium, projecting the most lavish movie ever made, but that won’t ever match a living, breathing person right before your eyes on a stage merely feet away.
Instead of making musicals seem so big, maybe we should focus on their immediacy and intimacy.
As I know, being one who’s gotten good at creating something out of nothing, the only way to get the breathing space you need is to create it.
I’ve already mentioned the obvious ways… yoga and meditation, but my sis sent me the link to an adorable way to do it online, and benefit the earth as well.
The nice people at Celestial Seasonings decided to help the earth by planting trees, with donations from their sales and through a matching program with the virtual trees you can plant on their site.
I wrote about it last April, and yet, it seems I’m still holding on…
And though my stubborn nature (I think tenacity sounds better)… Though my tenacity serves me well, sometimes, I just have to let go.
I’m lucky to be the daughter of immigrant parents. (Though they may not appreciate the label, considering they’ve been here over 30 years.) I grew up in a house filled with other languages (English, Hebrew, and Spanish were spoken at home). I heard the music in language at a very young age.
I also grew up watching my parents work incredibly hard to make something out of nothing. (They’ve had many businesses, and done well for themselves for many years now.) I learned about having a strong work ethic and being strong enough to push things through.
What they didn’t teach me (and I’m not sure they know how to do this themselves) is how to be okay with the down times. And unfortunately, entertainment is full of those.
I learned how to take risks watching them — that’s how I ended up here in the first place. Maybe now, it’s time to take another leap to find my own freedom…
I do have a clue… I read it many years ago in a Playbill before a show. Unfortunately, I don’t even know her name, but I remember reading an interview with an actress who said she wasn’t much good at the down times either, until she moved to New York…
She said a roommate (her first in New York), taught her to ENJOY the down times… to read the books she’d been meaning to read and do the things she’d been meaning to do.
And I thought it was kinda cool what she was saying, but I didn’t really get it. Now, years later, I’m finally getting the wisdom in the simplicity of the sentiment.
The fear, and the worry I’ve been filling those times with don’t hasten action, they only push things away… and that’s no way to attract what I want and need.
I think it was a Secret deoderant campaign that made the tagline “Never let ‘em see ya’ sweat” a household phrase. And though it is catchy, sometimes, it’s actually good for others to see you sweat.
I’m not talking about hygiene here, I’m talking about the exertion of effort.
A family I know went to see a VERY famous revival on Broadway this past Friday. The single comment I heard about the show was that the leading male “never broke a sweat… I could have done it better than he had.”
Especially if it’s a revival, and people already know what they’re coming for, it’s an actors job to sell it like it’s new, like it’s fresh, like it’s something the audience has never seen before and will never see the same way again!
Actors, you should look like professionals up there, but the audience still needs to see that you’re working — part of what they’re paying for is to see you!!!
Okay, okay, I know when it’s time to stop typing. I’m starting to work myself into a lather here…
My wonderful hubby took me to see Paul Simon Saturday night for Valentine’s Day. As most readers of this blog know, I’m a huge Paul Simon fan (this will be post number five with a mention of Paul).
I was hoping to hear “Darling Lorraine”, as it was my inspiration for Chyrsalis. A sad, but ultimately loving valentine. I had also hoped to hear “Further to Fly” from the Rhythm of the Saints album. But Paul had other songs in store for us that night.
We were treated to four songs from The Capeman album/show. (Though this was not the first time he revisited that show, which had opened and promptly closed on Broadway almost ten years ago.)
Paul really rocked it out… He did a rousing rendition of “Call me Al” that brought the house down at the end of the first set. A great rendition of “Proof” off of the Saints album, and many other standbys and favorites.
His most rousing song was a tender rendition of “The Boxer“. Some of us in the audience even clapped along. It wasn’t the song of a man who was resigned, more of one who was done fighting… And I felt it in every bone of my body.
Years ago (many years now) I used to think of that golden oldie as a quasi theme song. Now I’ve gotten to the point where I’m done struggling.
Free sample! Free sample! Would anyone like a free sample? 
