Went to the "Thespians" gathering at the Ventnor Library and was surprised that all parking spaces were taken. Parked all the way over across Atlantic Avenue in the St. James lot. I walked in the front door to see a line of people that, as I fought my way through them, I realized stretched all the way through the lobby, up the stairs, and across the upper floor. These were people who suffered some kind of "hardship"--lost wages, need to pay for lodging, or whatever--from the mandatory evacuation before the storm-that-wasn't, hurricane Irene. As a good progressive, I guess I should approve this action, but I'm not sure I do. I certainly favor using tax money to benefit people, rather than more military action, but--. Must think about this.
Anyway, I attended the meeting and found it a mixed bag. The "leader," Jerry, seems a tiresome windbag, self-important and dictatorial. He favored us with a list of the ten things a play must have: "number two, conflict," "number six, "believable dialog," "nine, favor action over talk," and blah, blah, blah. (If people who write plays don't know these points and plenty more, why in the hell are they writing plays?)
Anyway, there were about twenty-five people there, and Jerry decided on whose plays should be read and who should read them. It's evident that he and Rachel K., who's in a leadership position--I think secretary--are very much at odds. She indicated this when I talked to her on the phone and they had several little skirmishes throughout the day.
I had brought several short plays--skits, really--and submitted "The Truth, The Embellished Truth, And Nothing Like The Truth" to be read. I had wanted to do the Shelby Nameless character myself, but Jerry overruled me and gave it to a woman named Naomi, who actually did a pretty credible job. I did suggest Rachel for the alter ego, and Jerry allowed that. The skit, with lots of gags, got a gratifying number of laughs, starting with the title.
I read a short part in another play, a pointless, completely boring thing about three college students, sitting and talking... And that's the problem with most of these things: You've got two, sometimes three, people sitting and talking, invariably on great and ponderous topics and/or their tortured love lives. Couldn't be more boring and I was amazed the participants didn't seem to take the admonitions about "conflict" and "action" to heart.
Nevertheless, it was generally enjoyable and I met new people, which I always like to do, including Marlene, who lives in Mays Landing, and sings; John, who's in Student Affairs at Stockton and also teaches (I'm sure adjunct) there, and Linda, who doesn't seem crazy about Jerry, either. They meet only once a month and I think I'll go back.
Got home about 4:30 in driving rain and was glad to stay in the rest of the day.