Do I imagine that most people I meet are scared of me, or am I actually scary?
Thoughts.
Ralf: What would you say makes a player great? Is it- Bill Walton: Brains and heart. Ralf: You wouldn’t add talent to that? Bill Walton: (Shrug) … Everybody has talent. The best players are the smartest and most commited. The ones with the most passion, and who have the grandest vision.
Gonna be rolling into San Diego early afternoon.. Been invited to participate officially at the Youth Shakespeare Fest.. But I still don’t have a place to stay. Gonna be in town 4 nights. Anyone have any leads???
From Buckeye, AZ, to Quartzite, AZ. I NEVER want to do that again.
15 mi to California.
Please donate. I need to eat. A LOT.
So Micha Espinoza, the voice and acting professor on the ASU faculty, who was kind enough to invite me into her class, shared her discount code with me to attend a one night only Shakespeare revue starring Kevin Kline and three other lovely actresses called “The Lover and the Poet”, presented by the Southwest Shakespeare Company at the Mesa Arts Center.
I knew before the evening began that I was supposed to meet him. I’d read quite a few books and articles on Shakespeare, especially Shakespeare in America, and encountered Mr. Kline’s work so much in my studies, as one of our preeminent actors, Shakespearean or otherwise, that it only made sense if I ended up at this show, in the middle of my tour that I was meant to meet one of my forebearers. Speare Bearer meets forebearer.
It was a really fun show. It was a bunch of mashed up Shakespeare scenes about love that Mr. Kline and his lovely cast performed. It was definitely a stunning night of watching an old master at work, and really have a good time with the language, and the audience. I watched with eyes wide.
The second half of the show was an extended Q&A, hosted by Jared Sakren, artistic director of SW Shakes, who was classmates with Kline at Julliard, where you really got the full breadth of Mr. Kline’s unbridled timing and wit. I mean the guy is quick, he’s sharp, and a ham, in the best, most charming sense of the word. In retrospect it was terrific to see a performer who had nothing to prove, have so little ego, and just a real delight to perform.
Well I just knew the Q&A time was fated and I couldn’t blow it, so as soon as I gathered the nerve, I got up and went to the mic. When it was my turn I introduced myself, explained my project briefly, which did turn a few heads, and cause a few titters and murmurs, that I had ended up there through Miss Espinoza of ASU, and I asked Mr. Kline to talk a little about one of our mutual influences, Joe Papp, which he did graciously and eloquently.
Afterward, I kind of lurked around, in the lobby, where some folks recognized me and stopped to ask about my project, and kept an eye out for an opening. After a bit I got on my bike and did some lurking around outside hoping to catch Mr. Kline at the stage door. No dice.
Finally miss Espinoza texted me that she’d try to maneuver to get me into the after-party, but no promises. And after a few breathle minutes of waiting she did indeed emerge and escorted me back. At the after-party I met some interesting folks, including company members, the Artistic Director, Mr. Sakren, and his daughter. The whole time I’m really trying hard to play it cool, when finally Mr. Sakren brings Kevin Kline over. What a gracious man. He was really curious about my project, had lots of questions, and gave me all his attention, as he did with all his admires who vied for an audience with him. He took my card and told me he’d look me up and that he hopes to “see me out there.”
As a man, I’m not ashamed to admit I nearly swooned. But again, because my phone died, I didn’t get a picture. Dammit.
