parsleys ponderings

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

W is for West

The Quote of the Day that inspired my A to Z Blogging Challenge theme -
A Word for the Day that takes on many meanings.

Quote of the Day: A writer lives in awe of words for they can be cruel or kind, and they can change their meanings right in front of you. They pick up flavors and odors like butter in a refrigerator. John Steinbeck

Word of the Day: West

West is a word that shows direction, a place or region, The Wild West, the wicked witch of the west. We have the West Coast. It's hard to remember when it should be capitalized and when it's lower. But, most importantly today, it is a name. I'd like to introduce you to playwright Cheryl L. West who wrote the stage adaptation of Lizzie Bright and The Buckminster Boy, a play that I thoroughly enjoyed at the Children's Theatre in Minneapolis in March. You can read my review here. I asked Annie Rees, public relations at the Children's Theatre, if I could ask the playwright a few questions. She set up an email interview. I am honored to have this award-winning playwright here on my blog. (My appologies. The spacing gets a little weird when you cut and paste onto blogger.)

Traci Allen as Lizzie

Photo by Dan Norman, CTC

First, thank you for the fabulous production of Lizzie Bright and the

Buckminster Boy. I was captivated by the story and thrilled with how
well all of you brought it to life on stage. I had listened to the
audiobook before I attended the performance. You did a marvelous job ofbringing out the main elements of the story and translating them to the

stage. The scene with the whale was amazing.

Thank you. It was an amazing experience to collaborate with CTC.

1. I was wondering how much you consulted with Gary D. Schmidt for the

play adaptation? The only major change I noticed was that Turner's

mother was dead in the play version, but not in the book, sort of a

reversal of what happens to his parents. I think it worked. In fact, it

made the relationship between Turner and his father even more tense and

important.

I didn’t consult with Gary Schmidt at all. He was generous enough to allow

and trust my vision for his work. Always, my goal when adapting is to do it

with integrity and with the original author’s vision still a part of each

decision I make.

2. Do you have a strategy for adapting other work, like novels, into

plays?

First and foremost, adapt something you love. When I first read Gary’s

book, I knew immediately it was a good fit for my sensibilities. The book

was charming, interesting and so compelling. I knew it was going to be a

play that featured the importance and the drama of the sea. Second, it’s

important to know what to include and what doesn’t yield itself to live

dramatization. Some things are better read and some things live

beautifully on stage. A playwright has to know the difference. On my

second or third read of the source material, I like to mark it up with post-its

and highlighters for situations I want to use or specific dialogue.

3. Have you written other plays for a younger audience? Do you usually

write for adults?

I adapted for American Girl and Seattle Children’s Theatre – ADDY, THE

AMERICAN GIRL STORY. It premiered at Seattle Children’s and then did a

21-city tour, which included, I think, a stop at the Ordway. Yes, I’d say

most of my work has been for adults but I wrote and directed plays for my

kids elementary school every year as a way of giving back. They are now in

high school.

4. I thought the pacing was excellent for a children's play. Do you have

tips for playwrights who write for a younger audience?

Be stingy with exposition. Kids like discovery, not lectures. Show don’t

tell. Sprinkle humor throughout. We all love to laugh – parents and

children.

5. Did you have a breakthrough moment, or work, as a playwright?

What/when was that?

I wrote a play called Before It Hits Home back in the early 90’s. It won a few

awards including the Helen Hayes, and the international Susan Smith

Blackburn playwriting award.

6. I have a writer's blog and I try to keep it inspirational. What are

some ways that you keep your enthusiasm up for new work, and how would

you encourage other writers and artists to keep trying despite

rejections and set-backs?

Continue to work on your craft. Read, write and read more. Find a

community of folks who will support you through the ups and downs of

this business. I have always had a few key people who always urged me to

keep going and would be “duly outraged” that others didn’t recognize my

talent in a timely fashion. I love them for that and it was and remains so

helpful during the occasional midnight hours of doubt.

Thank you for your time and talents for this play and in answering my

questions. I am inspired by your success.

You’re very welcome. CL. West

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt: Have you ever made it a point to seek out an artist and ask them about their craft? What would you ask your favorite artist/writer if you could spend a few minutes with them?

Spaghetti with Tuna (Pasta al Tonno)

There is just no excuse not to make this dish. It requires no cooking at all, just a well stocked pantry. Good, imported, European Tuna is worth the extra money. Good quality tuna is the center cut, belly of the tuna (fillet), under olive oil. Keep it in your Pantry. If you love Tuna fish in general, once you taste this, you will be using it instead.
This is my "Go to" recipe when I am home at lunch, but just can't bring myself to eat a sandwich. Whatever for? In just a few minutes you have a tasty, healthy, dish that will fill you up in a hurry. A little drizzle of fresh lemon juice and some extra virgin Olive oil and you are quickly on your way again. I make it sometimes for dinner on a Friday night. It's quick, simple and delicious. My favorite kind of menu.
Ingredients for 2 servings
Into a bowl:
One can of Italian Tuna under Olive oil, drained
2 tablespoons of Capers salted, rinsed, or under vinegar, rinsed
1/4 cup extra Virgin Olive oil
Pinch of hot pepper flakes (Optional)
1 cup pitted black olives cut in half
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
handful of parsley chopped in pieces
One squeeze of lemon (optional)
Extra drizzle of olive oil (optional)
6-8 ounces of Spaghetti
3 liters of water to boil plus 2 teaspoons salt in the water
Bring your water to a boil and cook your pasta. In the meantime, place all your ingredients in a bowl and mix. Drain and toss your pasta in your bowl. Serve warm and Enjoy! Buon Appetito!

Special Note: There are some fantastic Spanish as well as Portuguese canned Tuna products in local supermarkets. Look for the kind packed in Olive oil. The flavor and quality is above any American product version. Use it in your Tuna Salads too. You will never go back to anything else.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

V is for Victory

n. pl. vic·to·ries

1. Defeat of an enemy or opponent.

2. Success in a struggle against difficulties or an obstacle.
3. The state of having triumphed.
Definitions according to freedictionary.com. One of the phrases they associate with victory is carry the day.

The success of my first original play Coffee Shop Confessions is a triumphant victory. Yes, I overcame obstacles to even write it, then to gather the cast, set the dates, rehearse, and all the while fight down self-doubt and artist angst. After seven sold-out shows, we truly did carry the day. I'm still carrying it with me. Maybe I'm in denial, but it doesn't feel over. Krista said, "It's not over. It's just the beginning." I'm going with that. Who knows what will happen next?

A friend asked me if this experience changed me life. Oh, yes. There is something wild and wonderful about being in a play. New relationships form. I've been the conductor on this creative train, inviting others to jump on board, and together we ride on to victory.

Look at this crew! The two cut-ups were like that at every rehearsal. It was like Evening at the Improv at the Senior Center, our rehearsal space. In this photo, we're waiting to go on for our final performance (for this run) at The Shante. What a joy this has been.

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt: Write about a victory. When did you carry the day?

Monday, April 23, 2012

U is for Understudy

An understudy in performing arts is someone who studies, or learns, a role so they can replace someone who might not be able to perform. This happens more in professional theatres, not so much in community theatres. I did not plan for an understudy, but life has a way of making our plans for us. Kate, who played Micki, had a conflict with a performance. Her choir director had a last minute add-on mandatory workshop the same night as one of our performances. Before I had a chance to panic, she had asked her younger sister Ashley to fill in.

Mary (in her Aubrey outfit), Ashley, and Kate

Ashley watched two of our performances and came to our walk-through at The Shante. Kate grilled her on her part. Ashley read the entire script, and according to Kate, probably had it memorized. "She has a mind like a steel trap," she said of her younger sister. Ashley slid right into the part and was a shining star. I am so proud of her. In fact, hearing her do the part, minus the singing that Kate added, gave the character of Micki another dimension. I thought of her as a writer, a poet, and an artist. I was giving her a future, combining her poetry with her art and some day having a room of her own at the Minnesota Institute of Art.

I asked Ashley if she wore her own clothes or if she used Kate's. She used Kate's and said that was all cool, now, but there was a time when they would have killed each other for wearing each other's clothes.

Ashley, you are a beautiful, talented young woman. Thank you for lending your talents to Coffee Shop Confessions.

Her mom and sister said that she's been interested in trying drama, but we have almost no opportunities for young people in our community for theatre. I know! I'm embarrassed to even confess it. I do have a calling to start some theatre programs for young people. It's time to get something started. Anyone want to help?

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt: Have you ever been an understudy, or fill in, for someone at the last minute? Do you feel a calling to start something in the arts in your community?

Sunday, April 22, 2012

T is for Tumbled Dry

I would like to introduce you to another client of Blue Cottage Agency, Charmaine Donovan. She is a poet. I first saw her poetry in Her Voice magazine. Then heard her read it live at the Senior Center last month. There is something so magical about hearing a poet read her work out loud. I felt like I could slip off my shoes, wrap up in a blanket, and drift off in her words. Here she is.

Krista, Publicist Extraordinaire, and Charmaine Donovan, Poet

T IS FOR TUMBLED DRY

When my nephew read the title of my first collection of poetry, he thought that it would be easier to say “tumble” rather than “tumbled.” But I explained that TUMBLED DRY stems from my experience of tumbling which occurred early in my life, therefore the word needed to be in the past tense. But, tumbled is an active word, a word in which one can picture an object (or person) flip-flopping around while covering a lot of territory in a short amount of time before it lands. That was me. I was lucky to finally land on my feet and in one piece!

In my world, tumbled means to have the rough edges smoothed off—like agates in a tumbler. To throw all reason to the wind, to recklessly toss oneself into the thick of things and not have a clue how circumstances will end. Perhaps you were a “wild-child” once, or have considered embarking down that slippery slope. TUMBLED DRY will give you hope because it describes the change in a person’s life over time. The joy in daily living is evident in the final section, “Cast On/Cast Off” and no, the poem is not about knitting. You’ll have to buy a copy of the book to enjoy the humor in this poem.

TUMBLED DRY is a finalist for a Northeastern Minnesota Book Award. I hope that it tumbles into the winners’ circle. Awards will be announced in Duluth on May 17.

TUMBLED DRY

While watching The Lawrence Welk Show

our parents called us wet behind the ears

as though we had a condition to be cured,

smoked to smithereens, or hung out to dry.

But, we teenagers were old enough

to know better and too young to care.

Whether the backs of our ears were dry

or not, we dared to tumble carelessly,

rough edges chipped off like agates

within a barrel, or dare devils who slid

down Niagara Falls on a whim. Scratched

and bruised, we usually survived the plunge.

Dryness may have implied a certain oldness,

bones creaking with old-school authority,

a Hee Haw humor we couldn’t swallow,

spit out before its redneck reckoning set in.

Billy Graham's drive to save our souls

couldn’t save us from the persuasive draw

of the draft, free-love, and mind-blowing drugs.

Tune in, turn on, drop out was our motto—

champagne music and tiny TV bubbles were unreal

compared to acid rock, electrified wine, or keg beer.

We got lucky and had a second chance

to tumble dry, grab hold like drowning

victims seize lifelines, pay a quarter or more,

for what once cost a dime at the Laundromat.

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt: Write about a time when you felt tumbled dry in life. What refreshed you and brought new life?

Merluzzo con Patate e Cipolle (Black Cod with Potatoes and Sweet red Onions)

Ingredients: 4 servings

4 thick cod fillets

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

4-6 small/ medium red potatoes sliced thin

2 cloves garlic minced

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 med-large sweet red onions (you may use sweet yellow onions), sliced

One cup white wine

One large deep skillet to poach your filet's.

You will use the same skillet to finish dish. Be sure that it is oven proof.

Method: Fill about a liter of water in a deep skillet. Add one teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil. In the meantime, slice your garlic, fine. Slice your onions thin. Slice your potatoes in thin rounds. Mix in a bowl with teaspoon salt, pepper and tablespoon of olive oil. Set them aside, you will use them in just a few minutes. When your water comes to a nice even boil, slide your filet's in your water. ( It
Should be simmering. If you must, turn the heat down. If it is boiling to hard, your fish will fall apart). Let cook 2 minutes. Please wait until your water comes back to a boil, then wait 2 minutes. Remove them on to paper towels and dry them, one at a time. You will notice your fish will remain quite firm. This method of poaching your fish first will help your filet's finish cooking more quickly and the texture remain somewhat dry and firm. This is the correct consistency. You do not want it to fall apart.

Step 2: Remove the liquid from the pan and wipe the inside of the pan with paper towels. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place your onions and garlic on the bottom of the pan. Add your wine. Add your olive oil. You will be creating somewhat of a package. Place your filet's over your onions and garlic. Place your potatoes around your fish. They should line the inside of your pan, always with onions below the potatoes and fish. Your fish will be around the center of the pan of equal distance apart. Add two tablespoons olive oil. Add your salt, pepper evenly around the pan.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Your onions will be wilted and caramelized. Your potato's will be crisp around the edges and your fish, perfect every time. Buon Appetito!

Special note: A light, Pinot Grigio or Vinho Verde is perfect for this Mediterranean Dish. I had very few Asparagus, so I decided to top of the dish with a few just simply steamed. Drizzle some additional olive oil over each serving. It was so delicious. I hope you enjoy it too.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

S is for Spur

1. A short spike or spiked wheel that attaches to the heel of a rider's boot and is used to urge a horse forward.

2. Something that serves as a goad or incentive.

3. A spurlike attachment or projection, as:

a. A spinelike process on the leg of some birds.

b. A climbing iron; a crampon.

c. A gaff attached to the leg of a gamecock.

d. A short or stunted branch of a tree.

e. A bony outgrowth or protuberance.

4. A lateral ridge projecting from a mountain or mountain range.

5. An oblique reinforcing prop or stay of timber or masonry.

6. Botany A tubular or saclike extension of the corolla or calyx of a flower, as in a columbine or larkspur.

7. An ergot growing on rye.

8. A spur track.

v. spurred, spur·ring, spurs

v.tr.

1. To urge (a horse) on by the use of spurs.

2. To incite or stimulate: "A business tax cut is needed to spur industrial investment" (New York Times).

v.intr.

1. To ride quickly by spurring a horse.

2. To proceed in haste.

Candace Simar is a local author of the Abercrombie Trail series. She has the honor of being Krista's first client at Blue Cottage Agency. I love her books. You can check out my reviews and reactions under the Book Review tab. Candace won the Spur Award for Western Fiction in the young adult category. Here are a few words from her to spur you on to your own success.

S IS FOR SPUR AWARD

Simply spoken, I’m shocked and stupefied. It may sound silly, but spin me a little slack. Of course, I’m ecstatic. BIRDIE, my third novel in the ABERCROMBIE TRAIL SERIES, just won the 2012 Spur Award for best western juvenile fiction.

I didn’t see it coming though my sister, Claudia, tells me that BIRDIE is her favorite of my novels. It should be her favorite since Claudia first suggested that I write about the two little girls from ABERCROMBIE TRAIL. These small sisters, stolen by the Sioux during the uprising, play a prominent role in POMME DE TERRE. BIRDIE continues the sad saga of Ragna Larson growing up as an orphan. Ragna is the only survivor in her family. She doesn’t know what happened to her little sister and is obsessed with finding her.

Several have expressed surprise that BIRDIE was given an award for juvenile fiction. I must confess that I didn’t write the book with a particular age in mind. I just wrote the story. It’s stupendous that Birdie is enjoyed by readers of all ages. I’m ecstatic that it receives the prestigious Spur Award.

So I’ve bought my plane ticket and will travel to Albuquerque in June to receive my award at the Western Writers of AmericaConvention. The Spur Award is an actual western spur mounted on a plaque with the author’s name and book title inscribed. How satisfying for my work to be recognized with a national award.

Lest I become sidetracked, I will segue into my next thought. Writing is a mostly solitary endeavor. The hours spent alone at my computer seem worth it when I see that my writing connects with readers.

Does this Spur Award spur me on to more writing? Oh yes. It certainly does.

Thank you, Candace Simar, for sharing your success and spurring us on to...

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt: Have you ever won an award?