Creative History

Sucks being a Luddite.

Yesterday, I received the thumb drive version of one recorded Manhattan performance of the one-act play I wrote back in 1980.

I finally was able to upload it onto my laptop, but it was too long – 42 minutes – to send it to people, including myself, so I could then transfer it onto my desktop – and maybe figure out from here how to upload it to this website.

So I tried playing it on the lap top and copying it with my iPhone, which worked in a truly shanty way, the way Kramer recorded films in the movie theatre. But the end result remained too large a file to send to anyone or upload it here.

So, I’ll keep trying to figure it out, because it turns out that it has held up pretty well over time. I mean it is dated – written when I first went back to college (to be a writer) just after I got married. But it was ahead of its time – a trans love story. It was delicately handled. And good enough to win the CUNY Jacob Hammer Award.

I’ve mentioned the play and its performances in past blogs, and how I recently got my hands on the one copy of the video tape of one of the performances.

I enjoyed seeing the actors perform my words. Actors are so trusting, and really give their all to each performance no matter how low a level on the professional ladder a performance may rank. This was off-off-off (and maybe one more off) Broadway. These three actors were talented troopers.

I clipped that screenshot from the curtain call at the end of the performance – Ray Norberto (“Steve”), Michele Fulves (“Jack”/”Janet”), Mitch Poulos (“Barney”).

The video evokes the feel of early television performances of shows like the Kraft Television Theatre of the 1950s, which were performed live from Studio 8-H at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

Anyway, since I’m not precious over my early work (I mean, I wrote it before I had even experienced real life and before I even knew how to write – maybe I still don’t) – but I am really proud of the story – triggered by my sister coming out to me in the 70s – and also loved the work these actors performed for the Director/Producer – Pat Francis. So, I would like to figure out how to load it up onto the Videos section of this website, which can be found if you scroll to the bottom of a separate section: https://thewisenovelist.com/about/.

Keep your fingers crossed.

Even if I can’t upload it, hopefully, I can get it to my friend Packie Jo Gilheany to push him to stage it again at An Beal Bocht in Da Bronx. It’s a perfect size in cast and staging for their Poor Mouth Theatre.

We will see. If its meant to happen it will. And today is Friday, when lots of magic happens.

So, you fine, five readers get those last caffeine cuppas down the gullet and slip through part of a morning at work. Then go out for a coffee break and disappear into your weekends.

I’m going to go cuddle some kitties and make my rounds.

But, no matter what else we get up to, let us make today a great one.