Taking Flight

Often it seems that it takes real suffering to move someone to produce intensely beautiful art. This was surely true in the case of a play that my daughter, Xochitl, and my Mom went to go see at Teatro Vision (San Jose) on Valentines Day. I felt it was theatre art at it's very best. The name of the play is 'Taking Flight' and is a monologue, written and acted by Adriana Sevahn Nichols. Being a monologue, she is the sole actress, and uses only a chair for the stage set. I found it astonishing and also deeply moving how effectively she was able to recreate one year of her life near Ground Zero in post 911 New York City, starting right after the disaster. She revisits her efforts to attend to a friend in a hospital who, based on the severity of her injuries, probably should not have lived. Adriana was heroic in her efforts to bring beauty, fashion and loving care to her friend and help both of them rise above the smoke and wreckage that was New York City. Some of this was difficult, because it brings so much back. But if you have a chance to see this play, I recommend you do so. I understand it is going to San Francisco next.

As an aside, I did manage to use many 'found things' on this gourd, particularly for the representation of urban debris, from which Adriana is rising.

Be safe and warm.
Margie Lopez Read

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