In Awe After Or: My Take Away

It's been a while since I've posted an entry. Life has been crazy. I've been juggling work, getting married, and moving Karim into my mom's place. I know what you're thinking, still at moms. Yes, in spite of  the claims that the recession is over, I don't buy it. Karim are taking advantage of the opportunity to save, but that's another blog.
Lately, I haven't felt the need to blog, not until now. I'm going to do my best to keep this short and to the point (which is sometimes hard for me).
Last night, I saw the play Or, produced by Women's Project, written by Liz Duffy Adams and directed by Wendy McClellan. I was really looking forward to the production for two reasons. The first is that I can't even remember the last time I saw a play in the city. Needless to say, I was long over due. The second was that I was supporting women in theater.
Back in September, Halima Flynn, a colleague, fellow thespian and theater director told me about a meeting called 50/50 by 2020. The 50/50 by 2020 is a collaborative of professional women writers, directors, and actors proactively looking for parity in relationship to our male counterparts in the business of theater. After attending the meeting I felt energized and knew I needed to be a part of this cause. I personally believe that this movement will not just affect women in theater; it will have an impact for women across the board. I took my first step in actively supporting this movement by joining Women's Project as a professional member and attending the production of Or.
Or, is a fantastic play. I think I'm going to try and see it again before the extended run ends on December 13, 2009.
The production casts Kelly Hutchinson (Desire Under The Elms), Andy Paris (Laramie Project), and Maggie Siff (Sons of Anarchy, Mad Men). Although each actor gives a strong performance, I have to give it to Kelly and Andy for the backstage jostling to play multiple characters. Good acting, direction, and writing are fused together to give the audience a thought provoking comedy that shows the talent and complexity of Aphra Behn (Maggie Siff) a former spy who wants to get into show biz. If she can only write her play without interruptions from her love life—celebrity Nell Gwynne, King Charles II, and double-agent William Scott, among others. While war rages and Aphra and her friends celebrate free love, cross-dressing and pastoral lyricism, the 1660s start to look like the 1960s.

If you have the time I highly recommend checking Or out. For more information, visit their website at http://www.womensproject.org/on_our_stage.htm or become a facebook fan at http://www.facebook.com/WomensProject?ref=ts.