12 Comments
User's avatar
Brew's avatar

Looking forward to reading your play. Great idea.

Expand full comment
A. Jay Adler's avatar

Thanks, Brew. Looking forward to your reading it. Would love to hear your thoughts along the way!

Expand full comment
Maureen Doallas's avatar

Good introduction, Jay.

I do hope you are able to develop some connections from the serialization.

When I was growing up, the greater D.C. area used to be quite the desert for play-going but in my post-college years and for decades after, the area exploded with wonderful venues (Woolly Mammoth, Arena Stage, Studio Theater, Signature, Olney and Round House, among them) that offered black box spaces, experimental and avant-garde stagings, summer and regional shows, and pre-Broadway runs. I've been away from the area for four years now, so can no longer attest to how many venues survived the pandemic or will survive the axes taken to the arts by what's-his-name; I can say, I do miss the variety of offerings I took in before my move.

Expand full comment
A. Jay Adler's avatar

Thanks, Maureen. From your lips to God's ears, as my Aunt Goldie use to say. :)

During my year living in Arlington (Glebe Road!) and Alexandrea in '78-'79, I recall being excited to visit Ford's Theater, which memory tells me had recently reopened. I saw a couple of plays at the Kennedy Center. L.A. is a much greater theater town than it was in those days, too. It was only a week and a half ago that we saw the enthralling The Life of Pi at the Ahmanson. All of its West End and Broadway awards for set, lighting and sound design -- the life-size puppets! -- were well deserved. Talk about reconceiving for the theatrical space. A triumph in that regard. I'll be in New York in a couple of weeks and, of course, have my sights on a couple of plays.

Expand full comment
Maureen Doallas's avatar

Yes, Ford’s is still around and has had a renovation - no more uncomfortable chairs.

Travel safely to NYC and have a great time there.

Expand full comment
<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

Wow! Looking forward .... xx

Expand full comment
A. Jay Adler's avatar

Thank you for that enthusiasm, dear friend. I'm enthusiastic about your reading along!

Expand full comment
Holly Starley's avatar

Great intro. Intrigued!

Expand full comment
A. Jay Adler's avatar

Glad to hear it, Holly! I hope I keep you that way. Next week, we get into the actual thing. BTW, I've been seeing commentary on Notes about some extraordinary piece of yours -- something about a bear? I need to pay you a visit -- later this evening, after I return from Dodger Stadium and the Yankees have hopefully not wrecked my heart for the third consecutive day. :)

Expand full comment
Holly Starley's avatar

I’d be delighted to have you visit any old time, my friend.

The bear project has been a delight. It’s with my newest venture Caravan Writers Collective. We called it Bears and Bears and Bears, Oh My! and asked whoever wanted to to contribute a story about a bear or a “bear” or bearing up or bearing gifts or whatever “bear story” calls up in them and tag Caravan to be included in the community writing project. Would love you to join if you felt called to! My contribution was “One Woman’s Gaping Maw.” :)

Hope the Yankees did your heart well.

Expand full comment
Jeffrey Streeter's avatar

This excellent introduction makes me look forward to reading the play itself. I learnt a lot! And the section on Hollywood producers was funny.

Expand full comment
A. Jay Adler's avatar

Thanks, Jeffrey. Funnier in the telling than in the living Ha Ha :)

Expand full comment