The Show: the Big (unexpected) Finish

Let’s cut to the chase. “The Concert,” for reasons unknown (though hardly un-speculated), did not advance to the second weekend of the Aery Theatre’s Third Annual 20/20 Short Play Festival and Competition. You may have a moment to recover. And please, despite your best intentions, no hostile letters to the good, though misguided, organizers of said festival. Put your rage to better use. Like sending a hostile letter to a member of Congress … any one of them, I don’t care which.

Composed? Okay, let’s move on.

Well, we did it. Got there on time, enjoyed another nice afternoon along the river—with good people, pizza, and wine—and did our best. Giselle was good and Tim was on. To me it seemed slower and better executed over all. And at the end of the day, we just didn’t get the votes. I had a judge in my corner, supporting my writing and ambitions, but apparently “The Concert” was neither critically nor popularly well-received. And perhaps the worst part of all this, I had to watch all the other shows which were not good enough to automatically make the next round—and watch these dramatic travesties pass me by to that very round. A raucous band of high schoolers had thrown their show into the mix, and also went home losers. But they carried themselves with an upbeat bounce in their step, whereas I tried to ignite a smoldering rage. Youth did not carry the day, nor did my urban topic and its “Sports Night”-esque delivery. Fortunately, the long trip home—filled of course with hilarious and subversive ideas for the next play—ended with a few Hoboken margaritas and a few of Walter’s yarns featuring more than one gender-bending local police officer. God, we must get him on stage.

Time to go home kiddies. The concert is over. Please pick up your empties on your way out. Thanks for coming. Travel safe.