I began planning an event for February 13 almost right after the last event at YES Gallery. It's part of what I try to do there to have a smaller event each month so that Artists can be celebrated and community members can have a chance to come together for more conversation that they might usually be able to have at one of the regular openings. The opening parties are lots of fun, but there are so many people coming and going that it's difficult to take the time to really talk about the art and really see the work in the gallery in depth. The smaller events give people more time together to talk and share ideas and inspiration.
Right after the last opening, I was introduced to Commissioner Romano of Hudson County, and as I wrote last week he invited me to be on his show. While we were talking during the taping, I invited him to the event on February 13, but I know how busy he is and I didn't know if he would actually be able to make it. But on the day of the event he called me to say he'd be there, and not only did he attend, but he offered to speak to the guests, and he spoke such wonderful words that made the evening a very special one.
Years ago when I was just beginning to learn monologues for auditions in college and when I moved to New York City, I had discovered a book of plays by Sam Shepard and a series of monologues titled "Savage Love" that was meant to be performed as a one person play. I chose the first in the series, one called "First Moment" for my contemporary monologue and I auditioned with that for so many things. It had been many years since I had performed it, and I'd been wanting to for a while now. I had it in my heart that I wanted to do it again at an art event, and when I opened YES Gallery I started to think that it was finally the right time and place. I kept it a surprise and only told a very few people, and on the evening of February 13, I performed it again. It was in keeping with the Valentine's theme of the evening and as I prepared it and thought of all of those years ago, I remembered times past and the people I knew and where I had been and where I am now.
The food that evening was from Cafe Vista which is just around the corner from YES Gallery. I had stopped in there one day just before my birthday and the different things I tried were so wonderful that I decided to ask if they could prepare the menu for the next small event. Everything they served was done so beautifully and with such excellence, and the tables and counters glowed with abundance.
It was such a memorable time, with so many special things on a very special evening. Every time I think about different aspects of it, all I can think of is how much I am blessed. Sharing the history of the monologue by Sam Shepard and performing it again brought back all the old memories of how wonderful his writing is and how much it opened my world and my mind and heart to what playwriting and theater could be. There were so many lovely people in the gallery that evening, and to have the Commissioner attend and speak was an honor. YES Gallery is such a beautiful place to celebrate together as a community, and to join each other and share our gifts and stories and blessings.
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