Winging back to Camden and saying goodbye [for now] to Tennessee Williams

Another amazing thing happened as we took off into the blue, clear Key West sky headed north . As I adjusted my earphones [badly as I am prone to do], I heard Dick Haymes singing "Blue Skies" on the XM radio. This is very special as it is Dick Haymes' version of "I'll Get By" that opens my play "Last Rites". Because of the song's message, I wrote the opening song into the script years ago and now, hearing his velvety baritone voice as we left Key West, I realized that it was in Camden I needed to be as Waterfront South Theatre's opening of my play was now only 76 days away. My week visiting with Tennessee was over and it was now time to get back to work. It is time for a new theatre to be born in a section of Camden that is crying to be healed. You have the same opportunity to hear your own siren leading you home starting September 10th. Come see what all of the excitement is about. Come back to Camden and join us.

Seventy Seven Days

Relaxing in inspiring locations is always wonderful. We all know that, though, the time for relaxation is fleeting and must always come to an end. After returning from my third time visiting Tennessee Williams' home I took a look at the calendar and realized that we are 77 days from the opening of my play "Last Rites" in our beautiful new theatre. It is with my internal batteries recharged that I head back to the work and preparation that is required and cannot wait to see this corner in Camden reborn. We all need to recharge from time to time in all that we do and my visit with Tennessee has done exactly that for me. So get ready, recharge and move forward. Waterfront South is rising before us. We will all need our energies to meet the call. As Tennessee ended many of his letters....En Avant!

Waterfront South Theatre - Waterfront Playhouse

At the beginning of the process of the design of our new home, the Waterfront South Theatre, I was asked what we should name our beautiful new building at 4th and Jasper. One of the names that was also considered was Waterfront Playhouse. So, it came as a big surprise to me, that upon arriving in Key West I discovered that one of the theatres here is indeed called Waterfront Playhouse and that Tennessee Williams not only supported it financially but actually performed here in 1970. He read from his poetry during a fundraiser for the local library. Our shared waterfront reaches from Camden to Key West with theatre serving as our long cable of connection. The angels continue to land........

Of Key West, Tennessee Williams and Angels

One place I always wanted to visit is Key West, where Tennessee Williams spent a lot of time and wrote some of his finest plays. So..on the plane to Key West, Gus reaches into the seat in front of him and pulls out one page from the NY Times. On this single page is a review of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE now being presented in Chicago. Why that seat? Why that page? That was the first sign he was leading me. So, after, I look out the window, and think of the ending of GLASS MENAGERIE with his line [to paraphrase] "bright colored small perfume bottles like pieces of a broken rainbow". Just then, a large cloud ahead of us passes and UNDER us, as we are at 30,000 feet, I see my first rainbow from above. Another sign that the man himself is guiding me to his home that I have so long wanted to visit. Tennessee Willimas is here among us in his work, and, luckily for me at 30,000 feet and in Key West. Angels continue to gather.......

Happy Bloomsday!

Take a moment today to remember James Joyce. Remember him in his work. I'd like to share with you my favorite Joyce quote from his short story"The Dead".

"Better pass boldly into that other world, in full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age."

A lesson for us all.

THANKS VOLUNTEERS!!!

Thanks again to everyone who helped with the staining, painting and cleaning up of Waterfront South Theatre yesterday. I would also like to thank Councilman William Spearman for taking time to come into the theatre and take a personal tour. We are starting to discuss some exciting work involving young people in Camden and I will keep you informed. Bill was at the Hearts and Hands Festival to hear his son play with the HS of Creative and Performing Arts Jazz band. All of this on a sunny afternoon in Waterfront South!

LAST RITES OPENING NIGHT IN THREE MONTHS!!!

I stopped by the theatre yesterday afternoon and found four different work crews working on different parts of the theatre. One crew was finishing the drop ceiling, working high on the theatre ceiling, another was installing the heating and air conditioning system in our new rehearsal space, the electricians were there bringing light to a long darkened corner and the theatre lighting men were there installing our light grid that will bring many plays to life in the theatre for years to come. It was an absolutely amazing sight to behold. All of this preparation in advance of the opening of Waterfront South Theatre and our new season 3 MONTHS FROM TODAY! Please go online and buy your season pass. Be a part of all four plays this season as Camden returns to it's former glory. we will also begin selling advertising space in our season program. Please email me or any board member to find out how your business could be listed in our program. THREE MONTHS TO GO!

Plays and Players Gala

I wanted to thank Tom Tiernan, Phialdelphia Regional Director of the Dramatists Guild of America and board chairman of Philadelphia Dramatists Center for inviting me to Plays and Players Theatre's Gala on Wednesday evening. I met many Philadelphia theatre artists and plans are afoot to bring even more art to Waterfront South Theatre with some other theatre groups. You'll be hearing a lot more about Tom and his work in the near future. We're still in the planning stage but our goal is to bring more new plays and writers to Camden. Stay tuned!

NJ Theatre Alliance Visit

Thanks to John McEwan and Bob Carr of the NJ Theatre Alliance for visiting Camden and the theatre yesterday for an updated tour. Along with our board president Bob Bingaman we discussed SCTC's future and how the Alliance will continue to assist us in bringing professional theatre to Waterfront South. We discussed many exciting things to come and I will fill you in on all of them as we go forward. Don't forget your season passes! "Last Rites" opens the new theatre three months from tomorrow!

John Cazale Special on HBO

I just finished watching the special about the late, great actor John Cazale [Godfather, Godfather II, Deer Hunter and others] and his work reminded me why we at SCTC started in the first place and now exist....and that is.... to bring intensity and reality and stories about real people to you. As a company we always pledge to do our best and bring whatever we need to to the stage every night to make your evening with us the most intense theatre experience we can create. I just felt after all of my blogging about our wonderful, new bricks and mortar that I needed to discuss the heart of our company...the plays we produce. THIS is who we are at SCTC. Inspiration is what guides us.

Join us.

I hope to see you this season.