Terrific Day

Glad to see the roads were dry,  I picked up Aline at 12:15 and we drove down to Ventnor.
As ever, the Players & Playwrights At the Jersey Shore gathering was great fun and very absorbing.  Before it started, I announced that Aline and I were going to Italian Gourmet for dinner after, and invited any and all to join us.
I submitted my first "telephone play," Telephone (#1) and it was performed by Lynne and Louise. I cast myself in a supporting role as the telephone bell.  (Joke--I simply rang it at appropriate times.)  It went over well, and in the discussion, some valid points were made, but I'm not entirely happy with it.  Guess I'd give it a B-.  Later, I was cast myself as an African-American attorney in the first act of Jim T.'s play (it's a work in progress) and it was fun to read.
It was an excellent session, although there were some trying moments with a woman who has irritated just about every member at most meetings and yesterday was no exception.  I was surprised to see an e-mail from her this morning, more or less apologizing for her words.  I wrote her back complimenting her in her courage in writing it and suggested we start over. on a friendly footing.
It was a pleasure to get to know better a guy I've admired (in the thespian sense) for some time.  "Gray"--his middle name, but that's what he uses--was cast yesterday as an attorney and happens to be one.  He's been in Arsenic, playing the sinister Jonathan, and must have been a terrific one.  No, no, there's no hint of romantic interest there--he's gay and I'm at least twenty years older than he is.
After, Aline and I were joined at Italian Gourmet by Louise and leader John, two of my favorite P & P friends.  We had a wonderful theatre/literature/arts-in-general conversation, ranging from the courses John teaches; to the original production of  Oliver (1963); to Shakespeare Uncovered, a program Louise had found on PBS; to Aline's many excursions to Broadway; to the books we were currently reading.  What a delight to be with like-minded people who share your intense interest in the subjects you love!  Much as I like my friends and neighbors, it gets wearing to hear them earnestly discuss reality T.V. shows and current movies as if they're what's meant by "culture." 
We said goodbye to our companions and drove immediately to the Stafford Arts Center in Manahawkin for Beans, Biscotti, and Broadway.  This Our Gang fundraiser was another pleasure to attend. It was a loosely hung together show which incorporated song and dance from bygone Broadway productions.  Very enjoyable, although Aline and I were both mystified by the inclusion of rather obscure numbers from Broadway bombs, such as Annie Warbucks, an ill-conceived sequel which sank without a trace several years ago. 
No matter, it was still fun and during intermission, an array of cakes, cookies, cream puffs, tarts, and yes, biscotti, was offered, along with coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.  I was pleased to see a number of Sunrise Bay friends there, including  Mary and Don S., Carol L, Lee S., and others.  Was also glad to meet other members of the Arsenic cast, who hadn't been called to rehearsal before.
Didn't get home until after 10:00 and to bed at 11:00, but it was worth it to experience such a terrific day.