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Tonight is dress rehearsal for “Troilus and Cressida,” one of the plays in the Kern Shakespeare Festival. We open Wednesday at Bakersfield College. I am privileged to be making my first ever appearance in a Shakespeare play, portraying Aeneas.

Yesterday I performed in “Song for Vanya”, an adaptation of Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” at Theatre/Theater in Los Angeles. I have one more performance of that show this Saturday night. I will perform Shakespeare on Friday, also.

I am not sure but I am guessing read through and rehearsal for “The Importance of Being Earnest” will begin sometime next week, in preparation for our November opening at the Empty Space. I will be playing Miss Prism, a character I have fallen in love with, deeply.

“You are so busy!” most people say.

My response, “I am doing what I love. It is what is nourishing me.”

I have had more than my share of “life” these last six months. Theatre has been my ongoing meditation, my stabilizing factor – even within the off-stage drama that seems to unfold there constantly.

Soren Kierkegaard said, “Life has its own hidden forces which you can only discover by living.”

That’s what theatre has been doing for me, these past months, when I have been so quiet and away from here. My hidden forces have been discovered on an even deeper level as I continued to learn, to grow, to study and to simply show up – on time, as prepared as possible, and kept putting one foot in front of the other.

Last night as I drove home after the “Vanya” performance and after sharing dinner with my cast mate Heather and other friends and after we frolicked in the dry river bed playing a favorite game of “Two Truths and a Lie” I felt contentment to a near unfathomable level.

I have never felt such presence during such turmoil.

I am more grateful for the folks I have been working with these past few months than I can put into words.

Probably the best I can do to express my gratitude is to continue living, well, creating art on stage with them and doing the very best I  can each time.