Snapshots

— On Friday night, I went to see Citizen Kane with Cashel at a theatre in Santa Monica, part of its tribute week to Bernard Hermann. Cashel had seen the movie before, but never before on the big screen. I have also seen it before, but never on the big screen. So it was a blast! I flew into Los Angeles, touching down at 5:35. I picked up my rent-a-car and was on the road to Maria and Cashel’s by 6:30. I reached Santa Monica at 7:05. I had spoken to Maria on the phone during that drive and she told me that Cashel had made plans for us that night and we would be going to see Citizen Kane. The movie was at 7:30. So I pulled up in front of Maria’s, the two of them were waiting for me, and we drove to the theatre. Maria dropped us off (she had made me a turkey sandwich which I inhaled during our short drive to the theatre), and then Cashel and I went in, got some popcorn and soda, and settled in in the giant theatre for the movie. I didn’t even drop off my bags. It was totally awesome. Cashel and I walked home after the movie, having a great conversation about Rosebud and the movie and what we liked about it, and what we thought it was about. I haven’t seen Cashel since last summer, which is painful to even deal with. Seeing Citizen Kane with him was so so special.

I mean, it’s just so crazy beautiful here.

— Rehearsals. We have an incredible director who really GETS the play and its underlying THEMES … and also is specific in how she thinks those themes can be brought out more. I’m learning so much through this process. And the two actors are blowing me away. I didn’t know either of them before this and it is such a head trip to see two smart emotional actors pick up my script and … read it, work on it, make it come to life. There are some strange out-of-body experiences, like: “Did I write this??” The good thing about it, too, which I have experienced before, is that it immediately becomes apparent what needs to be cut or trimmed or worked on – once you hear it read out loud by two actors who know what the hell they are doing. It’s so valuable. This is a really condensed process. We only have a couple of days so I have been in The Zone now for three days. I’m nervous and excited, but I have too much work to do to dwell on all of that right now.

— I am a little bit in love with driving on Wilshire Boulevard.

— Sitting in cousin Mike’s kitchen last night, talking about the play. His insight is always so good, so practical – he has a way of cutting to the chase – but he listens, too. He’s also hysterical. At one point last night he kind of became the female character in the play, doing his version of her, and I was dying.

— And while, yes, there are many things to see in Los Angeles, the most important thing to see during this particular trip was Whitey Bulger’s hideout. We walked by on our way back from the beach.