...To Bring You This Message

Week Twenty - Nine / Day Five

Well, the rug has been pulled out from under me, but I have not lost my balance; in fact, I find I may have gained an even stronger footing...

The business expansion that was envisioned in bringing me on board has not materialized, while the universally fragile economy has continued to wear away at the work that existed, going in. Much that was on the books is now off those books, and there is, quite simply, nothing for me to do at this company. So, I am returning home, to the U.S. and NYC...and someone very, very important to me.

This time, in Australia, has not been wasted; despite the scuttling of what had been planned. I have had an opportunity to test myself in a vacuum, and have come out on top. I have been able to make a difference in the work of a few, good organizations and help them to tell their stories more compellingly. I have met some GOOD people and tested my own mettle with some of the best professional talent that Oz has to offer; then delivered with resonant excellence. I have brought some theatre to a few ballrooms.

There has been frustration and profound loneliness; no question. The nights were never fully peaceful for the distant absence of one to whose heart I am so linked.

Personally, I think this is The Universe giving me the opportunity to make good on my promise to myself; to never again allow work to take precedence over relationship and commitment. It was the surfacing of this sojourn in Australia that brought to light and crystallized the depth and power of what exists between me and S.OMA*, and we were more or less ambushed by what we hadn't seen.

Now, more than a hundred days of further separation have been erased. I'll be home in a few weeks, and can live the commitment I harbor. That means, though I may travel for the work that I do, my home will remain close to where my heart is. From now, I will be available to nurture and support this precious, growing thing as it evolves into whatever it can become. Without attempting to predict an outcome, being present and available and giving it what it needs to unfold and to be.

We shall see.

Meanwhile, on the practical side, I'm packing up what's left of my life's evidence and accumulation that I brought over here, and tossing much that has revealed its extraneousness in this process. I'll come home with a few suitcases and my laptop, while storing the music and books and kitchen and artwork over here, until I have work that supports me and a destination to which this stuff might be shipped.

I'm putting out feelers at various projects, and this dispatch might light a fire or two (all 'round the world, we're hearing, "...thank GOD he's available; what's his email!? Get him on the phone!").

I may also be seeking a string of guest rooms and sofas as I seek my next project or affiliation. I don't want to burden anyone for more than a few days, unless it is sunny and you have a pool; in which case I wouldn't mind the sun on my skin...I haven't lived in summer, now, for a year...

So now, with steady breath and lightened shoulders, I turn my eyes to the sky and bid farewell to the Southern Cross. I'm going home to a new future; one that I will build from scratch, once again.

This time, though, my materials are far richer...

*(S. the Object of My Affection)

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Week Twenty - Nine / Day One

It has been a quiet week; we've received a tremendous amount of positive feedback from last week's RMHC Victoria Charity Ball...from the client, from the Public Relations agency, from the talent and from many who have been coming to this ball for some time. I'm glad that the changes we made to format and presentation have been so well received, and that our bit of theatre was able to touch and move an audience somewhat more and differently than they might have been expecting.

Circumventing Preconception and Comfortable Disorientation...works, every time! Add to that the nuance of Successive Revelation, and y'can't go wrong. Not to toot m'own horn...

It wasn't a "perfect" evening from a production point of view; we had a few loose ends, going in, as there had been many hands stirring the proverbial pot...not all of them under my purview. But, I had my eye on them and was very fortunate to have our entire Team of Producers on board as the Stage Management Team: a wealth of individuals familiar with the process and able to think on their feet and take action when it is needed without prompting. We were covered for pretty much anything short of revolution.

So, of course, we got a mini-revolution of enthusiastic dancers who insisted on dancing, onstage. Eek: liability issues! Fortunately, that, too, was handled with alacrity and no one was hurt.

The audience had, it seemed, a darn good time.

---------------

The pace of life, here, is calm and open; and most people seem fairly forthright and straightforward. My experience, working with Jason on last week's show, rejuvenated me and re-enlightened me to the freedom and exhilaration of working with confident, creative professionals who are good at what they do.

I simply know that, irrespective of where I am, that he and I will work together, again, and deliver something far more powerful. This was simply setting the stage.

---------------

Yesterday was my weekly session with Magdy, the Egyptian gentleman whom I am helping with his English in order that he might return to teaching math here in Australia as he did, back home in Egypt. He has his English class immediately prior to our meetings, so comes armed with questions of clarification of words, tenses, plurals...fortunately, he brings his workbooks with him, as I sometimes have to refresh my own memory about rules and the like.

Most of our hour, though, is spent in conversation. Work, his family, life, business, society; the conversation weaves through all sorts of subjects, while I try to remain alert to his pronunciation and his most recent lesson so that I can offer subjective examples of word usage from his own life. Meanwhile, I am learning about his religion (Coptic Orthodox), the magnitude of the Egyptian Community, here in Melbourne, his family and history and simply getting to know a very gracious, earnest and humble man.

He has been profuse in his thanks to me, and I told him that it is I who am grateful to him for this opportunity. When he indicated he needed help in learning to write and speak better English, I immediately knew that this was a chance for me to extend myself and help someone else. It completely takes my head out of work and reminds me of what is important in life. Helps me gain objectivity and distance from some of the things with which I am dealing.

Which further reminds me; I had wanted to mention the sort of "tapestry of conversation" I experience, here in Melbourne. People are quite open to conversation, and I have several just NICE conversations, every day. Sarah at the restaurant, next door to the office, where I get coffee in the morning; Aleesha, the almond-eyed beauty behind the counter at "Madonna's" lunch counter in my neighborhood; Ali, who works with Madgy at the grocery in my building; pretty much every taxi driver. Sitting next to the driver sure opens up the space for conversation; and I've had plenty of great conversations from philosophical to humorous as I've moved about the city.

Last week, I was buying a copy of "The Little Prince" for an acquaintance of mine who had never heard of the book (had to remedy THAT) and, in speaking of the book and some of my favorite passages to the woman in the bookstore I got a little tear-y ... she walked right around the counter, threw her arms around me and gave me a wonderful hug! She said, "it was clear that you could use that!"

Ironically, later in the week, my chiropractor - one of four hot, straight, brilliant, accomplished professional brothers in this holistic clinic - said he'd been thinking about how to increase the effect of the work he has been doing on my neck and spine. He said that, in addition to my muscularity (hey, I can't help it; I'm buff) and innate strength, it is clear that a deep-seated anxiety and stress exacerbates the problem...hence, the pain.

So, looking me right in the eye (and these are not "airy-fairy/metrosexual" guys - they are solid, Aussie, Professional blokes) he said, "I think we need to take a softer approach with you..." Then, seriously, "...I think you need more human contact; so, I'm prescribing that you cannot leave this clinic, ever, without a minimum of five hugs from the staff. The women here love you, and I'll be the first..." And, he gave he a good, solid hug!

Then his (also hot) brother, the head of the clinic, came over to do the same thing, cautioning, "...and no 'pats' - I'm not a 'patter,' these must be full-on, unwithholding hugs." Who am I to argue with that?!

On the way out, one after the other, the women who work there approached me to administer my prescription; the Surprise Upside for them being that I am a consummate hugger, and DO hug, completely and unrestrainedly. I smiled for the rest of the day. I smile, now, writing this.

When I arrived home, I had a note from one of the women in my email. It says, "When you arrived at Vitality the first day, it felt like I was connecting with a friend I hadn't seen in a long time. You're the king of hugs and we adore you."

Monday, July 20, 2009

Week Twenty-Eight / Day Two

Images...well over 1000 words:

"Wilkommen"

"Two Ladies"

"Money"

"Heal the World"

Images courtesy of

Stephen Harman/www.captured.net.au

and Mango

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Jason and his Fabulous Fosse Chicks rehearsing "Money"

Week Twenty-Eight / Day One

Well, I do believe we did a pretty darn good job of creating an experience that delivered a message in a way that our audience did not expect; and the night was all the more resonant for it. Ironic, that ten or fifteen minutes within a four- or five-hour context can have so much impact; but that is the nature of this sort of experience...to punctuate the arc of the gala experience with one or two moments that stick, that have effect not only at The Moment, but will continue to reverberate in the hearts and minds of those in attendance for some time, beyond Curtain.

As long as the rest of the evening goes smoothly and remains enjoyable, the theatre of the night can take hold and remain present, long after the dancing is done.

The accepted Culture of the Fundraiser, here, leans toward Masters of Ceremony and a great deal of talking and "housekeeping" during an evening. Those who know me know how I feel about speeches being great in number or in length. In my experience, while the concept of an MC is to move the night along; the net effect is most often the opposite - much talking that ends up protracting the night. Audiences get used to this and learn to tune-out the speaker; thus missing much important messaging and often critical information.

Ergo, I'm always looking for other ways to get the message across, such that an audience ultimately learns that if someone is speaking, it's probably worth listening...so y'gotta be very careful of when you ask for their attention and what we do with it when we get it.

We were fortunate, last week, to have a client willing to trust us, and we more or less turned the format on its ear. "Cocktails at 7:00 - Dinner at 7:30" we took very seriously...and set about teaching our audience that we meant what we said... I think the way this year's Ball was experienced may evolve the way this and other balls are presented, in the future. Treat an audience well, and they will return the favor - but first, we do need to get their attention and alert to the fact that things are changing...

The Doors to the Dining Room opened at 7:10. At the same moment, Liam the Destroyer and his phalanx of bagpipers (with Drum) launched into song from a distant corner of the property ... on the same floor as the Ball, but far from view. This did not mean they couldn't be heard, though; far from it. Just as the pipers used to march across the misty moors to instill fear in their foe, these pipers marched down hallways and into the foyer, through the crowd and into the ballroom.

It was pretty clear that something was up.

They played a selection of numbers from the center of the room, as the lights began to slowly dim. By nearly 7:30, the house was quite dark and the pipers played themselves out the rear doorways. Meanwhile, we began to close the doors to the ballroom, with about 30% of the audience remaining in the foyer, evidently assuming they knew what was going to happen first. When they saw the doors closing, they turned from their conversations and picked up the pace, into the ballroom.

The Opening Number launched, right away. Jason Coleman (one of our two Hosts and the Hosting Judge on "So You Think You Can Dance" Australia) performed to a medley of three songs from "Cabaret" with some of his best dancers in an updated, Fosse-esque revue. This was the audience's first surprise; they know Jason as a Judge and Choreographer, few have seen him perform since his name has become Household; and even fewer have ever heard him sing. The songs, "Wilkommen," "Two Ladies" and "Money" were combined to introduce Jason, then Gorgi Quill (Miss Georgina Quill - a stunning soprano with a face and personality to match; our other Host), and to "obliquely" introduce the concept of giving Money.

The audience wasn't expecting "substance" so soon; and the number was planned as such - Gorgi appeared at the end of "Two Ladies," then she and Jason played off the original Liza/Joel interpretation of the song; bringing focus to the center of the room (the stage was a runway to a satellite stage in the center) and introducing the Chair of the event, whose speech was on video. Then, a bit of "don't forget to bid" and the inevitable housekeeping and the evening was off like the proverbial shot.

Midway through the evening was our Act II...the "Heartstrings" moment for which we had been planning for so many weeks...

The house lights faded to a deep, cobalt blue and the main stage began to shimmer with blue and white as Gorgi appeared, wreathed in white that sparkled, billowed and flowed about her gracious form. As the first notes of "Gone Too Soon" sailed from her, a lone mother danced onto the stage, holding an empty picture frame and mourning the loss of her child...

As the song continued, a young family appeared; father, mother, young son and the teddy bear of the missing sibling. As the mother comforted her child, the anguish of the father was articulated on the stage in powerful movements of anguish, rage and pain. Finally comforted by his son and wife, and making contact with the single, grieving mother across the stage, he and the cast faded from view as the notes of the song quieted...

With a gentle shift in the light, the addition of some stars and haze, Gorgi began to walk slowly down the runway while singing "Heal the World." As she reached the center of the room, two of the smallest, most pure and adorable children came down the runway, dressed all in white and walking through the mist to join her. She kneeled next to them as the song continued; then, as she stood, six or eight more children of different ages and colors, all clad in white, came down the runway to join her.

Finally, Gorgi was surrounded by nearly 20 beautiful children and, as she sang the chorus, they joined her...

"...Heal the World

Make it a Better Place

For You and for Me and the Entire Human Race

There Are People Dying

If You Care Enough for the Living

Make a Better Place for You and for Me..."

The sight of those tiny, beautiful children singing with virtually untrained young voices this plea to take care of one another, here on this planet...doing their little choreographed steps was easily enough to bring tears to one's eyes. Mine, certainly (but that pretty much goes without saying...)

So, there they are, onstage; surrounding Gorgi, moving left and right, singing through the key change with excitement and enthusiasm, unrestrained as only the young can be... The chorus comes to a gentle close, the audience is rapt, most every eye is a little misty and hands are clasped to chests at the innocence before us and the need for the plea....

Then, the key changes again, the lights drop lower, all the children pull little flashlight torches from their pockets and turn on the intense whiteness as the doors all around the ballroom open and another 80 white clad young people pour into the room from all sides, singing at full volume and waving their torches in big circles as they envelope and fill every open space in the room and stand there, singing at the top of their lungs...

The invisible gasp, the spiritual jolt this gave the room was virtually palpable.

Before even half of these kids had arrived at their positions, the audience had begun to applaud...what could they do; they were so struck by emotion and surprise...

As this final chorus ended, the children all ran to kneel at the edge of the stage and shine their lights on Gorgi, creating a sparkling, brilliant tableau of happy, smiling, exuberant children and one very misty-eyed Host...

Many eyes were wet at that moment. As you know, I'm not truly happy with my work unless an audience cries, at some point.

I am VERY happy with our work, on Friday night. I love this work at times such as this.

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So, I have some photos, taken with my iPhone during our rehearsals. First is a small group of the kids; having just learned the lyrics we had them sing their own backup. It would be an understatement to say this excited them; bringing them into the studio with our Sound Guy (Yuri Worontschak) to actually tape themselves, singing...

then, check out the looks on their faces as they hear themselves, singing, for the first time ensemble...LOOK AT THOSE FACES! (Were we EVER that cute?!)

...and, Show Day...

I do have some photos of the actual performance -- but I will have to await Official Permission from the Photographer and the P.R. Company to post them. While Australia may have been originally populated by lawbreakers; such is frowned-upon somewhat, these days, with often uncomfortable ramification...

I will let you know when I can post photos and video...

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By the way; I miss-labeled the "J" turn I described in last week's missive. The correct term is "Hook Turn." So noted: see below...

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Week Twenty-Seven / Day One

It has been quite a fowl week; I mean, they were just everywhere! The shots above and below were taken on the fly with my trusty iPhone as I zipped past the museum in a cab. When I say there is Art, everywhere in Melbourne, I'm not depending on your GULL-ibility...

...I mean, there they are, just waddlin' down the street in the middle of the week; I thought for a minute that I was quackin' up. The sight really beaked my interest...knew I had to post an image or two on the....web....you "down" with it?

Okay, I'm done.

The good mood pretty much remains. Many of the undercurrents to which I have alluded, before, remain dynamic and active; but working on this fundraiser for this coming Friday evening has been such a tremendous shot in the professional (and personal, for that matter) arm for me.

Working with such an accomplished group of ego-free professionals, focused on creating the best possible experience, no matter where a given concept, idea or facet originates, has been exhilaratingly reassuring...and a damn lot of fun.

I wish I could tell you more about the actual performance; and I will be able to do that with the next post; but what has managed to remain a surprise, until now, I am compelled to keep as a surprise so that our local audience is able to experience without preconception. It will come as a surprise, however, to no one who knows me that there have been, oh, one or two moments of quietly emotional tears washing the face o'Kile, at some point during most of these rehearsals.

At least we know that I'M gonna like the show!

-------------------

There is a traffic signal, here, that I have seen no other place in the world.

When one wishes to turn right from a thoroughfare, one gets in the left lane and plants oneself in the intersection and watches this light...

...then, after all oncoming traffic has been allowed-through, the Australian J-Turn is executed.

Go. Figure.

Not a bad idea, this: keeps the two lanes of traffic clear, blocks no one behind the turning driver, and they zip off to the right and through the intersection the moment the coast is clear.

Imagine trying this on the left-turners in Ellay, hm?

(Remember, traffic flows on the opposite sides, here, than in the US or on the continent...)

-------------------

I've been tutoring the manager if my local IGA (that's Independent Grocer's Association, here - similar to a family of small markets; one of which is in my building) in speaking English, on weekends. He learned that part of what I do is write, and was asking me questions about writing. It turns out he used to be a math teacher, in Egypt; emigrated to Oz with his family and went into the grocery business...but with a shady partner. Lost everything and is now managing a store with the idea that he really wants to return to his passion; which is teaching.

The only thing in his way is his thick accent and our wacko sentence structure. So, I meet with him for an hour a week to have coffee and talk, in preparation for a course he is about to take in writing. Not that I'm a qualified teacher, but we ALL know I know how to talk... And, I think this is good for me, simply as an occupant of the planet, to reach out in this way when I see a need.

He studies voraciously, reads constantly, and I told him I thought he might do better to read aloud, repeat aloud the news on tv, repeat talk shows aloud, get used to hearing the way the words actually sound and be more clear on pronunciations. (Try explaining "read, read, reed, red...") I believe it is helping him, already...

In our first conversation, at our first meeting, he began talking about his family: three kids and a wife whom he loves and who has stood by him, how working at the store then studying at the library has taken so much time...how he needs to provide for his family but how he misses time with them. He began to share what he has learned from being with his three-year old boy...how it reminds him of what's important in life...

At which point, surprise of surprises, we both began to cry.

I know; what GOOD am I, dammit! Hold it together!

Anyway, I asked at that moment, "Magdy, where is your family, now?" He said, "they are at home." So, I said, "well, you get your ass home and go read to your son. THAT is how you should be practicing English... Do not miss a minute more from your family than you need to miss!" He laughed, and we packed up and left the cafe.

I saw him, in the grocery store, later in the week; and he's already doing better. He called, yesterday, running late... I said, "Are you at home with your family?" He laughed and said, "yes!" I said, "Stay with 'em; I'll see you, next week. There is nothing more important than being with the ones you love."

There is NOTHING more important than being with the One You Love.

Nothing.

Not. One. Thing.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Week Twenty - Six / Day One

This

Has

Been

A

Great

Week...

I am in the final weeks, the proverbial Home Stretch, of creating the experience for Melbourne's annual Ronald McDonald House Charity Ball. It is a 17 year-old event, and has been shepherded by a wonderful group of committed individuals who have brought it to a place where it is one of the most important, iconic events in Melbourne.

That being the case, I am doubly honored to have been trusted and given the creative leeway to make some of the changes I have been able to affect in the format and unfolding of the experience that is going to take place, on the 17th. As the concept has evolved into the multifaceted experience that we will be sharing with this audience at the end of next week, I have been lucky enough to be working with the most professional and creative individual I have encountered since departing from NYC.

Jason Coleman, to give y'all a context, would, I suppose, hold the Simon Cowell position, here in Australia, in the context of "So You Think You Can Dance - Australia." That, and he has over twenty years experience in the creating, directing and choreographing of major spectacle...including having been a member of the creative team of the Sydney Olympics Ceremonies (and several, similar spectacles, before and since). That, alone, is enough to give those who know me a strong sense of why I'd like workin' with the guy. There is no bullshit; there is only positive, creative energy.

For the first time since arrival, I am working shoulder-to-shoulder with a gent who is focused on achieving the best possible result in the full realization of vision; committed, dedicated, assiduous, energetic, toughass, exceptionally creative and sensitive. Yeah, sounds like me and most of the people who've been on my teams in the past, doesn't it?

He is, above all, a Professional. Check out his Ministry of Dance at

www.ministryofdance.info

He has a team of professionals who work for him that is, again, the best I've encountered in Australia...and of the best I've seen anywhere, for that matter. Sharp, professional, dedicated, gracious, committed (and, of course, they're ALL hot: they're DANCERS fer chrissake); each person I encounter, over there, is a pleasure to work with; nobody drops the ball. I like that.

I don't mean to be writing an ad for the guy; I'm just so damn exhilarated to be working with someone who shares ethic and ethos.

Working with Jason has been like coming home, in a sense. Ideas fly between us like tennis balls at Wimbledon; when we hit an obstacle, we immediately have at least two ways around or over it, or find a way to work it into what we've got. It's damn refreshing and revitalizing to find a professional who works this way; and I think this will be the first of many projects on which we collaborate. Sure hope so.

This guy's great. I can't yet share with you what we have planned for the 17th; as I'd hate to tip our hand with the local audience. Rest assured that there will be video available on our company website and YouTube channel, as soon as the edit is complete...

So, this week's been great; as will be the next two weeks. The TimeLine is coming together, the professional and tech team is Ace; the producer from our company, Simon, is another solid professional...20 years in Corporate Communications, along with even more than that racing sled dogs in desert and snow, makes for a man who knows what's up and gets it done. He's amassed a good, solid production team that is coming together, cohesively, in order to deliver what I envision - what we all envision - to be an exceptional production.

[Which isn't to say that I haven't also lit candles, drawn pentagrams and beheaded chickens in support of this show; no sense tossing out what we KNOW works...]

Do I sound as though I am in a good mood? I AM in a good mood! It's great to be fully immersed in a project and able to Direct, Inspire & Be Inspired, Lead and Collaborate and work unrestrained with another creative individual of like ilk.

It ain't the biggest show in the world; but it's great to be doing something different and (hopefully) resonant and compelling on a solid, professional team in support of such a worthwhile cause...making the most complete difference possible...

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As I posted twice, last week - once on the double-circumcision and once on the gothic nature of my compartmentalized emotions - I'll keep this one short... Couldn't help the Tuesday missive; I awoke and it was there, in my head -- hadda share it. Thanks to you who read me; I simply feel that much more connected, knowing y'all are out there...