I did work in theatre in August (remarkably), so at least for this month I’m going back to posting in my more “normal” schedule and format. This update covers a little recap on that summer work, plus some things I’m looking forward to in the fall.
Quote of the Month
“We imagine that as soon as we are torn out of our habitual path all is over, but it is only the beginning of something new and good. As long as there is life, there is happiness. There is a great deal, a great deal before us.”
- Pierre Bezuhov, War and Peace
(Yes, I finished the book!!)
Current & Upcoming
A spectacular August sunset over the Back Yard Stage
In spite of power outages, summer storms, and just about every kind of insect, this month we completed our run at the Shakespeare Theatre of NJ’s Back Yard Stage, which was extended multiple times due to popular demand! In the year we’re having it was such a gift to have the opportunity to house manage some true live theatre, while remaining outdoors, masked, socially distant and everything else needed to keep our performers and audience safe. If you missed this run of our Crazy Love! performances you can read a lovely account of the experience from the New York Times here, and keep an eye out for a few more Back Yard Stage offerings in the fall!
As I’m finishing up this post, I’ve also just found out that a very short little play I wrote for one of the student theatre groups at my college will be included in their alumni-written festival this fall! I don’t have many details on this yet but I do know the festival will be largely virtual this year, so stay tuned because there’s a good chance you won’t need to be in Ohio to check it out...
Autumn Opportunities
In this relentlessly stressful year, I’m finding it helpful to always have a few small, relaxing projects or activities to look forward to which I can work on at my own pace. While I don’t particularly need the days to get shorter any time soon, the cozy weather and mellower pace of fall seem particularly well-suited to these types of projects. (And I will never turn down an excuse to create some spooky crafts and rewatch some X-Files.) If you’re looking for some fall inspiration, here are a few things I’m looking forward to:
My To-Read List
I usually only discuss books on here once I’ve finished them, so it seemed time to change that up! My to-read list is perpetually a mile long, but these seem most likely to set an autumnal mood:
- Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts, by Kate Racculia
Focusing on a group of misfit characters who find themselves on a treasure hunt through Boston in search of a recently deceased billionaire’s fortune, this novel promises an ensemble cast, a puzzle, and a prominently featured ghost.
- The Year of the Witching, by Alexis Henderson
Described as a “dark, feminist fantasy debut,” this novel builds a world similar to that of 1600s New England, and explores what happens when real witches with real magic decide to claim power in the story.
- Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
On the election-year centennial of the passage of the 19th Amendment, it seems a perfect time to move this non-fiction work to the top of my list. In this book prolific historian Ulrich explores a diverse range of women who have challenged the way history was written, from the fifteenth century to the present.
Traveling Without Leaving My Kitchen
As I’ve previously mentioned, one of the things I miss most this year is travel. Fall likely won’t change that, but at least the cooling temperatures will provide an opportunity to turn the oven back on and get back to some recipes that make me think of being other places! I found an excellent (and surprisingly simple) British scone recipe in the spring, and there are definitely some tarts and cakes I’d like to try for autumn. I wonder if there’s a recipe that would help me imagine I’m at a Renaissance Faire...
At left:
During college, fall was always Ohio Renaissance Festival season
A Crafty Closing
This is my little monthly plug that in addition to my theatrical work, I also contribute to the Etsy shop Queequeg & Paulina Vintage (on Instagram at @Queequeg_PaulinaVintage). Stay tuned for shop updates as I ramp up my knitting activity for the cooler weather!
