“To learn one must be humble. But life is the great teacher.”
James Joyce, Ulysses
The truth is, I’ve never seen Dublin. Not Ireland anyway. I’ve been to Dublin, Virginia loads of times. I don’t think they’re all that similar.
Today is Bloomsday.
Taken from the novel Ulysses by writer James Joyce, Bloomsday recognizes the day the novel’s protagonist, Leopold Bloom takes his walk, his very long walk, through the streets of Dublin.
That day was June 16 and it’s celebrated in Dublin, and around the world.
Just before the beginning of our forty-seven year lockdown, I played the character Robert in Bloomsday by Steven Dietz at Chamberlayne Actors Theatre.
The play is a time-travel love story that takes Robert back to Dublin where he met Cait some thirty-five years ago. Through the magic of theatre Robert and Cait retrace their steps through Dublin and encounter their younger selves. It’s a beautiful play and I am grateful that I had the chance to be a part of it.
We won’t talk about all the Guinness.
It was research. Seriously.
That was February of 2020 and I immediately began working on my next production. I was to direct Sam Shepard’s True West in Williamsburg. I had an amazing cast and it was set to be a powerful show. But it was not to be. We shut down just weeks before opening.
Available at The Write Side Shop (click the pic)
As the pandemic was settling down and life started coming back to some sort of normal, I took a break from theater. Of course that was also in the midst of Last Summer’s Great Unpleasantness™. I’ve written about that on more than one occasion.
I’ve come to realize that I can’t go back to my former level of involvement in theater, but the itch, so to speak is there. I’m cautiously looking at opportunities to direct or perform.
And, as always, if you’re producing any of myBucket List shows, hit me up.
Chances are, I’ll never get to the real Dublin. I’ve got neither the time nor the resources to do all the traveling I’d like to do before that one big trip home. You know what I mean.
And, that’s okay.
Today, I’m grateful for the chance I had to play in the faux Dublin of Bloomsday.
Still, if you’d like to buy me a Guinness, hit the tip jar on the way out.
BORN ON THIS DAY
1723 – Adam Smith, Scottish philosopher and economist (d. 1790)
1890 – Stan Laurel, English actor and comedian (d. 1965)
1917 – Katharine Graham, American publisher (d. 2001)
1937 – Erich Segal, American author and screenwriter (d. 2010)
1955 – Laurie Metcalf, American actress
THINGS YOU SHOULD READ
Latino Group Torches Biden After GOP Victory In South Texas: Democrats Make ‘A Mockery Of Our Culture’
Daily Wire
“While gas prices go through the roof and families struggle to find baby formula, Biden and the left have weakened our communities, radicalized our school curricula, and even tried imposing offensive terms like ‘Latinx’ to upend our language.” Read More.
Richmond car thefts up 42% city-wide, up 218% downtown NBC12.com
Richmond Police are now sounding the alarm, saying the stats show it’s 42% higher compared to this same time last year. That’s 421 cars reported stolen, including one overnight. Read More.
Republicans, Look To Florida For A Lesson In Dealing With The Corrupt Corporate Media The Federalist
Not only is Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis an expert in dishing out cheeky responses to journos during press conferences and exposing the corporate media’s hoaxing, but other bureaucrats in the Floridian’s administration have also taken hints from the state leader and begun to tactfully reject the press’s deceitful advances. Read More.
The kids aren’t alright
Hadley Freeman at UnHerd
The first generation of kids who grew up with the baby-led approach are now in their late teens and early 20s, and we are currently living in a baby-led world. Young people have always believed that they know better than the older generation, and now the older generation agrees with them. Read More.
LEGO is coming to Chesterfield WTVR
The LEGO Group announced Wednesday it planned to build a manufacturing plant at Meadowville Technology Park in Chesterfield. The toy brick maker plans to create at least 1,760 jobs. Read More
12 Things To Do To Distract You From Your 401k The Babylon Bee
Okay, we admit it. The economy is tanking. Stocks are taking a huge dive and inflation is high. It’s almost like a perfect storm that will lead us into an obvious recession… but Biden says that won’t happen so we’re not worried about it. Read More.
BENEDICTION
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
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The truth is, I’ve never seen Dublin. Not Ireland anyway. I’ve been to Dublin, Virginia loads of times. I don’t think they’re all that similar.
years ago. Through the magic of theatre Robert and Cait retrace their steps through Dublin and encounter their younger selves. It’s a beautiful play and I am grateful that I had the chance to be a part of it.
