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	Tuesday, June 24, 2003

We just returned from an evening reading/monologue by Patricia Neal based on her autobiography As I Am. It was absolutely fabulous. Mom declared it one of those peak lifetime moments. Her 45 minute reading was absolutely riveting - what an amazing life. I would love to have access to the text of her reading - however, it does not appear to be available on the Internet. However, I bet her book is just as compelling as the monologue. 10:25:57 PM    comment []

Today would be have been my Dad's 73rd birthday. 5:58:05 PM    comment []

A jumble of boats in the Valdez Harbor. 5:56:04 PM    comment []

Oh, and speaking of Laura Linney, I got her autograph for the Ski Boy on our DVD of "You Can Count on Me." Peter will probably go to sleep with the DVD under his pillow. 5:54:51 PM    comment []

There was really some good stuff today at the Theatre Conference. Romulus Linney quoting Stella Adler: The talent is in the choices. Laura Linney's method of maintaining continuity in her character during filming - which is invariably out of sequence: She creates index cards for each scene, no matter how small. She then pastes the index cards, in sequence, up on the wall of her trailer. After each scene is filmed, she makes notes on the scene's index card about that scene, the weather, etc. And then, however many weeks later, when the subsequent (or preceeding) scene is filmed, she refers back to her index card notes. 5:53:31 PM    comment []

Today is our second day at the Last Frontier Theatre Conference. This is the first time at the conference for Mom, Peter, and myself. I have to say that we are absolutely bowled over. Here we are in little, isolated, albeit spectacular, Valdez rubbing shoulders with Edward Albee, Laura Linney, Paula Vogel, Romulus Linney, Patricia Neal, Michael Learned, and the list just goes on. The conference is organized around morning play labs, afternoon panel discussions and master classes, and evening performances. It really is conference like - spiffy little name badges etc. But it is certainly not like the tech conferences I usually attend. For one thing, this is extremely entertaining and challenging. And the intellectual horsepower here is off the scale. To hear Edward Albee, Romulus Linney, Paula Vogel, and Emily Mann critique a playwright's work in progress after a play lab is an amazing experience. The poor little playwright was quaking in her shoes. Albee is so tough - brilliant, ego, a master at wordplay, and has so much history in the theatre that he is the theatre. Peter and I definitely felt like mental midgets. Even the crowd is high powered. Yesterday, for the first time in my life, I heard the word veritas used out loud in a sentence and used correctly. However, it's not all intellectual gymnastics - at least for Peter, Mom, and me. Peter is busy mooning over Laura Linney - who I must say that even in Alaska chic of polar fleece, jeans, and running shoes is just really hot. Mom and I are in awe of Patricia Neal - she is amazing. And oh by the way, Mom, Peter and I just happen to be having lunch with Miss Neal tomorrow. But that's another story... The critique portion of a playlab. From left to right: Emily Mann, Paula Vogel, Romulus Linney, Rebecca Hughes (the rookie playwright), and the very intimidating, Edward Albee. 9:29:02 AM    comment []

The pictures below (including the pics posted yesterday) were taken on Sunday when we drove from Anchorage to Valdez. Normally, I absolutely hate road trips. But this one was so much fun. The seven hour drive is spectacular - Alaska at its best (except,perhaps for Glenallen). Plus Mom and Peter are the best road trip buddies! Funny all the way - even when we were almost pulled over by a Trooper for going 85 mph in a 55 mph zone. He took pity on us - he gave us a warning flash of his lights and then let us go on. We did slow down to 65 mph. 9:03:49 AM    comment []

Just after the crest of Thompson Pass heading down towards Valdez. Typical and gorgeous Alaska alpine terrain. 8:57:59 AM    comment []

Mom and me both looking a little squinty eyed. The base of Mt. Sanford is in the background. 8:53:27 AM    comment []

© Copyright 2005 Stephanie A. Kesler. Last update: 3/5/2005; 8:33:59 PM.