Writers and Their Friends

(click on letter at right to enlarge)

Every two years, the Poets’ and Writers’ league of Greater Cleveland holds an event wherein they honor some twenty-five members of the Cleveland writing community.

I was informed several months ago that I would be one of those chosen this time.

This evening was the performance. It’s an odd event, Toni and I got to attend in 2002 when she was getting her Masters at CSU. Then the theme was "Garden Party". Everyone on stage at the Drury Theatre at the Cleveland Playhouse was wearing light, summery outfits and hats.

The event features Cleveland-area celebrities, from television and radio and print, as well as a few actors, who do dramatic readings of bits of the selected works. The writers themselves have no input on what is read or who reads it or anything else, we are only to show up and watch.

I had to admit was not envious of whoever was going to be reading from my show. I don’t mind the idea of others reading my script out loud, but who would want to? I mean, it’s pretty personal stuff. Toni and I made jokes about who might be asked to read it, jokes I would rather not share publicly, even though they were pretty funny, two glasses of cheap white wine notwithstanding.

The theme for this year, held in the Bolton, was "Funeral". Quite apt, as it turned out, as a good two-thirds of the pieces chosen were about death, including, of course, mine. It was like a big joke, every reader making some smart comment to the bereaved before beginning their piece. It actually worked much better than the garden-thing.

I was surprised to see that the one politician on the roster, Sherrod Brown, U.S. Representative, was going to be reading my piece. And he read it very well, it was quite moving. It is hard for me to assess the experience entirely, I don’t even remember if anyone applauded, I was feeling terribly self-conscious, and hated myself for it. He read "Rocking Chair", which is perhaps the most upsetting scene from the play, at least to me.

We spoke briefly after the show. He checked to see if we live in his district (we don’t) and I got to tell him I am taking this show to the NY Fringe. I need to remember to send him a copy of the entire script, he only got to read this bit.