New York is My Kind Of Town

I love going to theater and ballet, obviously, but I also love that there are so many cultural events around town.  Subscribing to so many newsletters and arts organizations allows me to check out other events at other venues, since I often receive emails with discount offers for related programming.  I've been fortunate to attend two wonderful evenings recently, both of which made me cry (in a good way)...

Last Friday, I wandered up to the 92nd Street Y because they were presenting a panel discussion around the new ABT ballet of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre.  It's no secret that Jane Eyre is one of my very favorite novels, and ABT is one of my very favorite ballet companies, so I was thrilled to receive a ticket offer.  Interestingly, it was mainly women my age in the audience, though there were also some younger women there, and then when the panel came on stage, I kid you not, my eyes just welled up.  The panel was moderated by a woman, the choreographer of Jane Eyre is a woman, and two of ABT's principal ballerinas (who are playing Jane this season) were also there.  I just felt so moved and empowered by the whole thing.  I'm just a big baby, I guess.

It was a really great discussion - the moderator was Elda Roto, a vice president at Penguin Classics (oh, they were selling a new Penguin Classics copy of Jane Eyre in the lobby and you have no idea how hard it was not to buy it [I have at least three copies already, lol]) and she was really terrific.  She talked a bit about what makes a classic and read some delightful quotes from other authors.  She then chatted with the panel (Cathy Marston, choreographer; Isabella Boylston and Devon Teuscher, ABT ballerinas) about books, Jane Eyre, ballet, being an artist, being a woman, and all sorts of wonderful things.  One thing I found particularly interesting is that they were playing the music for the ballet before the panel started - when the moderator asked Marston about it, she said the original music is by Philip Feeney, but they also used some music written by Fanny Mendelssohn!  Marston even noted how forgotten Fanny Mendelssohn is, so they used her music purposefully, which made me even more excited to see the ballet. They talked for about an hour and I could've listened to them for another hour more!  I'm ever so glad I went.

screenshot of the film's website

Last night, I was fortunate to attend a screening of The Rest I Make Up, a documentary about the incredible playwright Maria Irene Fornes.  I've been hearing about this film for a while, since even before Irene's death, and I've been so anxious to see it.  I met Irene once, very briefly, when I first started at my job in the late 1990s (she was on our board) - she was quirky and funny, but I didn't really understand how great she was and her place in American theater history until I went and bought her plays.  Jeepers.  If you don't know Irene's work, you should go out and buy her plays, too.  Now.  They need to be produced more often, for pity's sake - here's my review of the only one I've ever seen live: Drowning (at Signature).  

photo credit: Ruth Fremson

Irene is often referred to as the greatest unknown playwright (and teacher of playwriting) - so many current writers refer to her as a huge influence on their lives and careers, yet she's not well-known like her contemporaries Lanford Wilson or Edward Albee (they are both interviewed in the film and it was great, and sad, to see them again).  Maybe because her writing style was so eclectic, or maybe because she was a woman of color.  Who knows?  I just wish everyone could see this film and get a sense of the charm and genius of this woman.  Even as she begins her sad decline into Alzheimer's, she was still creating, still clever, still fascinating.  I found the movie to be delightful and heartbreaking at the same time.  There are so many scenes to think about, but the one that rather broke my heart the most was when she and her friend/filmmaker ran into playwrights John Guare and Constance Congdon in the Village.  They have a chat and share a fun unexpected moment - then when Guare and Congdon leave, Irene is left behind.  She looks so forlorn and lost and talks about what a fleeting moment that was, how it was only a few minutes and then it was gone.  Her face was so expressive, she could've been a silent film star.  I can't really do justice to her and how incredible this movie was.

After the movie, playwright Tony Kushner and the film's director Michelle Memran did a quick Q & A.  Tony was a big admirer and colleague of Irene's and he was quite undone by the movie.  It took him a few minutes to gather his thoughts and ask some questions of the director, who was so warm and interesting.  It was the perfect ending to the evening - two smart, interesting, empathetic people talking about the incredible Irene Fornes.  If The Rest I Make Up comes to you, please see it.  It's a beautiful story about an artist and woman who has lived her life on her own terms, then when sickness comes along, confronts it with compassion and courage, with her talent in tact though it needs to be accessed in different ways.  And if you are ever asked by an artistic director "Hey, what plays should I program next season," please answer by saying "anything by Maria Irene Fornes."  Her voice needs to be heard.