Catch me at The Parlor – a former funeral parlor converted into a pop-up arts space! I’ll be performing as the opening act for Ben Wasserman, who is bringing his fantastic show called “Live After Death” to Baltimore audiences. I’m honestly really looking forward to seeing the show – you can hear him talk about it with NPR (at the 12:15 mark)!
My piece is…honestly still being workshopped (😅), but as of now it is taking the shape of storytelling about my relationship with my father, utilizing found and puppeted objects. The show is literally the day before Father’s Day this year. It was on Father’s Day two years ago when I discovered, in this order:
- my dad was critically ill and hospitalized
- my dad had cancer
- my dad had been having cancer, for five years
That summer caught me in chaotic waves of sudden and chronic grief, simultaneously. Regarding the show – I feel alternating pangs of guilt (is it too soon for me to be talking about this, as entertainment no less?) and motivation (I need to talk about this, if nothing else, to retain some lingering existence of my father in this world).
Motivation wins. It always did with my dad (he was the most motivated person I’ve met, especially when it came to digging every last weed out of his immaculate lawn), and so it goes with me.
If you’re local, hope to see you there! Stop by, have a drink in the speakeasy next to the crematorium, have a laugh and a cry if you’re so inclined.
