Being Famous Author Rob Byrnes

Last night I rehearsed the play for a staged reading I'm involved with on Monday at Artists Repertory Theatre. I haven't acted in anything since last summer when I did all my naked shows. ART is a great theater to be involved with, and I'm hoping this reading may give me some visibility so I can increase my chances of doing a mainstage show at ART someday.

The role I'm reading is that of a playwright, a role with which I'm somewhat familiar. But this playwright is not a corn-fed Missouri boy like me. He's a New Yorker. So, in my reading of this character, I need to convey that rapid, nervous, neurotic, insane, "whack" behavior exhibited by all New Yorkers. Actually, I'm kidding. I know some pretty laid back New Yorkers, but the director wants me to be a little more frenetic. So, I've decided to use Famous Author Rob Byrnes as inspiration. Now, I've only spent a few hours with FARB, but I think he has the qualities I'm seeking to imitate. FARB is a mover and a shaker. He is the type of man who will never miss his train or lose his bags. I mean, I don't know that for sure, but I imagine that FARB, when sober, is quite capable of catching trains and keeping track of his possessions. Not that I ever saw him sober.

It felt good to be back in the theater last night. I was Norma Desmond roaming the rehearsal halls singing, "I don't know why I'm frightened. I know my way around here...", and, yes, it truly was "as if we never said goodbye". Not that I have been on an extended leave of absence from the stage, but it seems very strange to perform back to back shows and then, suddenly, find oneself on hiatus for almost eight months.

Finally, I'm doing something other than blogging, drinking or dating. At last, I will have something to talk about at parties other than Hot Toddy's Toaster Oven, Maker's Mark and boys. I'm sure my friends are tired of hearing about all three of those subjects. Not that I plan to go on curbing any of those activities anytime soon.