Saturday, March 1, 2008

The Joy of Writing????!!!!!

I was a bit surprised to learn through Facebook that a friend of mine in Turkey is apparently a big fan of the late Bob Ross who hosted a PBS show called "The Joy of Painting."

As an amateur playwright, I am not so sure I can say that I take joy in trying to write a complete play before I get to be Neil Simon's age, but one can try.

This leads me to a quote in the back of an English book that I am using to teach students this semester. It comes from the late Southern writer Jesse Stuart:

"Write something to suit yourself and many people will like it; write something to suit everybody and scarcely anyone will come for it."

Time permitting, I am hoping to write a poem or short play for No Shame Theatre in Roanoke, Va., next week.

No Shame is an enterprise of Mill Mountain Theatre, which is currently producing the great Larry Shue play "The Foreigner," which reportedly has a cameo from  one-time No Shame regular John Brill.

I, myself, have not acted in a play since a production of Joseph Stein's "Enter Laughing" at Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke in 2004. As my friend Greg Wood who just finished a play at Live Arts Theatre in Charlottesville, Va., tonight, it is indeed hard work!

 

Useful Links:

http://www.millmountain.org

 

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