Julie Jordan Scott - My Life on Stage - The Stage In My Life
My travels on-stage (and backstage) in Bakersfield Theatre
A blog about Arts & Entertainment, Health & Wellness, and Personal Journals.
Real Name: Julie Jordan Scott Member Since: April 01, 2005 Last Signed In: January 08, 2009 Profile Views: 10021 Blog Views: 16260 Being Noticeably Better If You Were A Reporter, Telling about YOUR 2008, What Would the Stories be? An Apt Metaphor for Me What did you say? Another Theatre Beginning.... Today's Daily Stuff... Let Me Straighten this Life Coaching Hat.... Preparing to Burn Again WOW! Its been forever and then some As It Should Be, For Me August 06 September 06 October 06 November 06 December 06 January 07 February 07 March 07 April 07 May 07 June 07 July 07 August 07 September 07 October 07 November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 October 08 November 08 December 08 January 09 
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I Wait for Sleep - thanks to Matt and Bakotopia
We sat in a circle, five women in all.
They read, I listened and nodded… reveled in the words and in the beautiful beings gathered there, on stage, for a first rehearsal of “I Wait for Sleep” – a One Act Play which will be performed as a part of the 20th Annual One Act Festival at Bakersfield Community Theatre beginning in June.
The last line was spoken by Janice Bondurant, who plays woman.
She said, “This script has… something… like a drumbeat.. no. Not exactly that. It has a heartbeat. That’s it. It has a heartbeat.”
I turned my head and let the tears come.
The script is written by Laura Maxwell. Someone I am very close to and know quite intimately. You could even say she was me.
I first used a pseudonym when I wrote a creative non-fiction article, an essay for a national newsletter that dealt with Infant Loss. I was the Contributing Editor in the Infertility Section. I wrote an article sharing my choice to no longer seek to have children, not in the current state of my marriage.
I wrote using a pseudonym because it felt both highly personal and I was being sensitive to my family. This being a Journal with international readership, one never knows who will pick it up, read it, and jump to conclusions.
Laura Maxwell came in handy that time, although I can still remember one person close to me who recognized me – and called me out.
This time I pondered my choice.
Who might I hurt in telling this story, with honesty, with truth? Who might be bruised to see the bare, raw, naked truth performed on stage?
My main focus in writing is in the Life Story or Memoir genre. Family members have been known to wag their fingers at me, “I don’t want to see this published somewhere!” and then, there are those moments that transcend so much of life to that point that as an artist I simply must bring it to life with words.
Writing “I Wait for Sleep” was one of those moments when pieces clicked into place and it went from “I wonder what it would be like to take this, weave in that… “ to being “Ohmigawsh, I can not wait to see if this would work….” To the moment hearing Janice’s comments….
And Kayleen’s comment, “Ohhh… so painful, so intense…”
And Joy’s words, “Julie, you are such a one of a kind… which is why I love you so much.”
And then I thought how none of this would have happened if Bakotopia didn’t exist.
My Muse and I, afterall, first made contact through this special place, yes - right here.
There is a strong element of risk in telling this story.
What if he hates it? What if his perspective all-these-months-later has diverted west in a way that makes his view completely different than mine?
I took a moment just now to pause, to reflect, to laugh at myself a little.
Wednesday night after this first rehearsal I went to The Junction, my favorite place to sing karaoke. I said to someone, I can’t remember who, “I feel like I am pregnant and have just seen the first ultrasound!”
There is the heartbeat Janice heard. There are all the body parts and the organs – all recognizeable. Now, it is time to simply bring them all to maturity and health.
Because now, there is no turning back.
In less than a month, the doors will swing open and audience members will walk through the doors and this story will be told.
Thanks to Matt – and Bakotopia.
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Local time is currently Fri Jan 9, 2009 4:22:08 am PST
Bakotopia is 100% local to Bakersfield, CA, USA
