Producing Robert Patrick Playwright

poster by Andrew Adam Caldwell

On Sept. 27, 2013 I produced the icon of gay theatre, Robert Patrick, in a brand new, one-man memoir show called "What Doesn't Kill Me...Makes A Great Story Later". It proved to be a very historic evening; not only was it celebrating Mr. Patrick's 76th birthday (our original title for the show was "The Spirit of 76"), but the audience was filled with long-time RP friends, fans, the "newly converted", and several performers from The Caffe Cino, THE historic NY performance venue that became the origin of Off Off Broadway theatre. Robert Patrick has done a great job of archiving much of the Caffe Cino history - one can see his presentation about it here.

Myself alongside 4 Caffe Cino "originals": Gwen Van Damme, Jacque Lynn Colton, Robert Patrick, and Jenny Ventriss

Robert Patrick thrilled the audience, taking them on a 90-minute ride through his humbling experiences of celebrity, with occasional outbursts into song and supported by video clips from various theatrical productions. He transformed the tragic into magic, bringing laughter through his witty remembrances, which hindsight has redefined into a very memorable and informative history.

Robert Patrick was a triumph! (photo by Jason Wittman)

His performance was a revelation to many. Only a theatre professional with the pedigree like Robert Patrick could pull off the amount of memorization, character impersonations, and a cappella singing as he did. Here are a few comments/responses to the show:

"I was expecting a good evening, but this was much more than I anticipated. It was a wonderful evening from a gay pioneer." - Wendell Jones 

"A brilliant evening of theatre. Wonderful to hear of your work through such a talent of story telling. Enjoyed meeting you and every moment of the show." - Robert Babish

"What a fabulous show. I'm so glad to finally get the full story on Robert! It was hilarious, and moving, what a ride!!"-  Ian MacKinnon

"Bravo! The singing, the stories, the celebs, quite the sleigh ride!" - Duane Otis Boyer

Robert watches Shirley Knight perform in his play "Kennedy's Children" for which she won the Tony for Best Actress in a Play (photo by Jason Wittman)

It was a sublime honor to work with Robert in producing this show, and naturally it feels good to have inspired such fantastic, new work from a pioneer of gay theatre. 

THERE WILL BE MORE PRODUCTIONS OF THE SHOW TO COME - DATES TBA!!!

PRODUCER'S NOTE (from the program)

Whenever I meet Robert Patrick for coffee or lunch I always leave having been entertained by his stories on a multitude of levels. They usually contain some element of theatrical history, a twist of fate, a dash of wit, a heaping helping of philosophical perspective, a dirty detail or two, and a rotating cast of celebrities thrown in for good measure. 

As a gay performance artist and writer I relish this unique and vibrant connection to the origins of gay theatre and these lunches become extravagant banquets for feeding the mind and spirit leaving me filled with ideas and chuckling amused by his.

It became obvious these memoir stories deserved sharing with an audience. We set a date for the show (which just happened to be his birthday), I left for the summer, I returned and he had a whopper of a story ready to tell as only he can. So now there is a fabulous opportunity to celebrate and go along on his journey with his new piece. One feels there is much more to come! The man is a walking treasure of stories and consummate entertainer, but with a very unique point of view that is singularly Robert Patrick playwright.

ENCORE! A bit more about Cavafy's Relevance

Well, the creative honey continues to flow - as is appropriate in the blossoming springtime of May.

Cavafy's Caress had an encore presentation in Long Beach at the Affinity Gallery - May 7th at 6pm. As noted in many recent blogs it is an intimate exploration into the world and words of the remarkable poet who lived in Alexandria, Egypt most of his life from 1863-1933. Much of Cavafy's poetry is rich with the concepts of history, memory, and longing - as if the grand city itself, once home of the famed Ancient Library of Alexandria, infused its soul into his work. He was sensitive to the past greatness and reveled in moving among both the cities most vibrant and bustling areas, along with its cracked ruins and most seedy nieghborhoods. All of it comes through in ways that resonate with today's modern world: full of beauty and hope, chaos and uncertainty.

I had no idea going into this project just how deeply I would fall in love with his words. I've been intoxicated by the profound meaning he executes so elegantly. In many ways I feel a sense of relationship to him. One of those is that I have lived in the Los Angeles neighborhood of MacArthur Park for the past 6 years. While no Alexandria, it was once one of the most opulent and wealthy parts of the city, but after WWII and the overpowering force of cars spread people out, it collapsed. For a period of time gangs, drugs, and poverty reigned, but in recent years a revitalization has occurred that is still not fully realized, but yearning for it. I've documented my own exploration of the neighborhood for years and look forward to sharing more insights of its fascinating dichotomy.

A view of downtown LA from a hillside in MacArthur Park

It seems that Cavafy's works resonates with everyone in remarkable ways. Young and old, male and female, and of all sexual preferences enjoy the production. It is truly universal work. There is a reason why Jackie Onassis requested that one of Cavafy's greatest poems "Ithaka" be spoken at her funeral - because it captures a whole lifetime of experience and advice so elegantly. There is a reason that other respected writers, like EM Forster, WH Auden, Christopher Isherwood, and Gore Vidal, hold Cavafy's work in high esteem and praise. I have been graced by some beautiful comments from those who attended the original production and were equally moved by his works and the way the production presents them. You can read about them at the following link:
http://www.arttoartpalettejournal.com/2011/05/performing-arts-theatre/

I am ever so grateful to Tony Clark of the Affinity Galleries and Stathis Orphanos, whose book and exhibition "My Cavafy" (with original photographs side by side with corresponding poetry by Cavafy) sparked this journey. I find myself excited by the opportunity to share this fantastic poet with more and more people as I continue my own exploration of the art of life. Having a guide and inspiration like dear Constantine has been such an unexpected, but most welcome blessing in my life at this time. I'm learning a lot from him, and it feels so good to focus on some one as remarkable as him and weave his essence into my own journey.

MUCH MORE TO COME!