Creating and COVID 19: How's Your Spring 2020?

So...

I've been released from production contracts (for reasons of protecting ours and our Neighbors' safety, with I 100% support) from Friday, March 13th (that's right, Friday the 13th) until September.

I know my situation is not unique as millions of people around the country and even more around the world commit to social distancing and shelter-in-place orders are set in place to try to manage the spread of the Coronavirus.

I have a lot of time... to figure out how to spend that time...

Some days are easy--"I'm working from home like I usually would outside of rehearsals..."

Some days are... not--"This is all so BIG..."

So, I'm practicing checking in with myself (as well as others).

How am I today?
How am I right now?
How are you?

I am grateful,

And

It is hard to process the gravitas of this global crisis.

And

That's okay.

I hope that you are healthy and have what you need.

If you're an essential worker, THANK YOU.

If you've lost/are continuing to lose income, I HOPE RELIEF COMES TO YOU.

If you're structure has been shaken and you feel lost, I AFFIRM YOUR VALUE OF BEING YOU.

And if you're like me, and you need to be reminded of all these things when your mind spirals and gets swallowed by the gravitas, let me remind us

To

BREATHE.

If you can support essential businesses, please do.

If you need help, please ask.

You are loved. We are Neighbors.

Be gentle with yourselves, especially during this time.

Also, stay home stay home stay home whenever you can and Wash. Your. Hands.

Taking a Moment to Breathe...

Hey All Hey!

I hope all is well and/or you are seeking and finding the support, rest, motivation you need.

I'm working with a wonderful team, getting ready to open (THIS WEEKEND!!) the Chicago premier of THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW at Chicago Children's Theatre (link for show info).

While I have a moment, I'd like to share with you a new poem.

Grief Doesn't Expire

I am grateful,

I am healing,

I am hurting,

I trust in process,

and I acknowledge

the pain of missing your dear hearts

          is a non-perishable item,

even when it exists with joy.

Be kind to yourself as you heal. Some days are easier than others. That's okay.

#youareloved

In Real Life...

Today
I spent the morning
Meeting with
Three
Amazing
Humans,
All in the same room at the same time,
To continue the journey
Of bringing something I wrote to life.

Honored/Grateful/Excited/Terrified
feelingallthefeelings

Team,
Thanks for saying "yes".

Time/Occupation
Do what matters
Or
It won’t matter

Time Traveling Poet

This SciFi lover has been doing some time travel.

I found this poem I wrote in an old 'zine. Enjoy!

May your day be restful and/or productive!

loved, loving and alert #youareloved

Seven and a half Years Later...

She remembers she has a blog.

Wow. Fam. Friends.

So much L.I.F.E. has happened, that instead of trying to give you a summary, I'm just going to jump right into the now, and fill in context as is necessary.

I'm grateful to
A) be alive (praise the Lord),
B) be acting full-time (check out for all the ways you can follow my career), and
C) continue my first foray into independent film/web series making.
(Among'st many other wonderful life-things!)

That's right! This DarkNLovely is combining her skills of poetry, playwrighting, screenwriting, acting, producing, and theatre admin work to create and star in my first web series!

I'm honored and excited about the team that's coming together to bring this original comedy series to life for you. I'll share more details soon, but in the meantime, since it's inspired by a book of poems I wrote, (The Distancia/Imbraccium Poems), here are some nuggets to carry us all through the weekend:

To My Dear Family and Friends
Thank you for sharing your hearts with me
While mine has been breaking
And reshaping itself.
Thank you for picking up the pieces
Too small for me to see
And too big for me to lift alone.
Thank you for being precious.
You are precious to me.

Remember Life
We will
Drown in sorrow
If we forget
To dream
And love

Breathe. Live. Love.

Every 12 months or so....

I remember I have a blog. And I like to write stuff...

More to come...probably later this evening...

Humility, Thy Name is "This Summer"

It's only been two months since my last entry, but so much has happened...
Allow me to process a little and remember WHAT HAPPENED...
(Thanks for the prompt, Mandy :) )
This is going to be a jumbled mess, I think...


Touring "Romeo and Juliet" with Suitcase Shakespeare has been going very well.
We finish up our run at the Bristol Renaissance Faire this weekend (Sep 4-6th).
Come check us out!!

I discovered I still have asthma, but I have an inhaler again,
And my wonderful fellow company members are great at telling me
to SIT DOWN when I'm worked up enough to need it.

I went on a boat for the first time in a long time and didn't throw up.
It was a big boat, and we were inside for long enough for me to forget
that we were on a boat...

I don't like cilantro. But I still love Latin food!!

I am probably allergic to rabbit...meat...yup
Ironic: Rabbit meat garnished with carrots
(It happened. For real. Go to the Girl and the Goat in the west loop----it's shut-your-mouth-and-savour-that-flavour-with-a-"u"-amazing)

I've been listening to the musicals, "In the Heights", "Caroline, or Change", "Boojum!", and "The Color Purple", and the Dinka music we were given during "The Lost Boys of Sudan" at Victory Gardens pretty much non-stop.

A lot of people know me as "Captain Safety"--
but thanks to a wonderful group of brunchin' yoga practitioners,
we now have a whole regiment:
General Caution*
Private Fore-cite
Corporal Punishment
Lef-tenant Right*
Major Withholding

I'm sure there are a couple more I'm forgetting...
*'s have already been assigned/acquired by specific people :)

Oh, and if you haven't seen it already,
I have been honored and humbled to be recognized in this yearly article...
HOT%20NEW%20FACES%3A%20Our%20annual%20picks%20of%2010%20actors%20to%20watch%20for%20on%20Chicago-area%20stages

I wept with joy and humility and sorrow when I read the article,
because I was thinking of all the people who are so proud of me,
and the few that aren't around anymore...and the sacrifices
that have been made by others and by myself so that I can do what I'm doing...
God is GRACIOUS and GOOD. I am undeserving and great full. And God is GRACIOUS and GOOD.

The plants in our sunboxes are growing and sprouting flowers and arms.

My hair is getting really long and loc-ing out awesomely.

I'm going to two weddings really soon and I'm REALLY excited!!!

I am transitioning into a better way to keep track of my schedule
which might include the acquisition of a fancy piece of technology in a couple weeks...

Still writing poetry. I think I have about thirty pages now. I have some up on my facebook page.

I'm rambling now. And I should be sleeping. Well, that's the same as always.

"It's time to call it a day--DAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!" LC