Still Here!

 Even though Covid still exists, so does the world. I've been filling my time creating new works in theatre, film and even a touch of music creation. 

 

I'm still here, I've just been not worried about travel writing as much anymore. I used to save all my money to go places and report funny things back. But people are assholes in a bad way and like to ruin fun things for people like blogging and having opinions. Sad state of the world when people seek you out to do harm for something as silly as not liking a hair color brand or an ice cream shop as much as someone else thinks they should but worse is that they won't even sign their names to it. Why bother being so hateful and calling me names if you can't even own up to it? So I started doing other things instead.

I've started, well, since 2019 if you remember, writing plays. My first play since college, Eyes on the Flag, was showcased in the NY Winterfest in November of 2022 and while there it was submitted and then accepted into Emerging Artists Theatre's SPARK festival where it was chosen as one of forty total acts for the festival including plays, music, dancing, short works, poetry - you get it. And that group over there, Paul and Bambi and the team are all so wonderful that I hope I can be accepted again this coming winter. I've also had a few plays in a few other festivals and won a prize or two. So I'm still reaching for those stars. Last summer I also taught a playwright theatre camp for a couple of weeks for kids 8-14. I don't think I'd do it again of my own accord but if asked I'd go. This year I also, noticing the disparity of playwright resources so I co-founded the New Playwrights Workshop for staged readings and talkbacks of plays still in progress. It's the only one of its kind that I can find locally. Eyes was the first play read/performed and I have a spooky short in for October and, because I'm using my committee chair card for the first time, my TV Pilot is being read in November because I need feedback for it. I'm really excited about that one! I'll be in Austin for Halloween so my buddy is directing my short for me and it's the first time I'll be handing my work over to someone else. But I trust Stein with everything. They'll be amazing.

I've also gotten back into film. My second degree is in filmmaking and writing for screens - I've taken writing for radio, for TV and for films and my teacher even asked me whilst reading a serial killer script if I'd ever killed someone. High compliment! So, my cousin and I started a sort of ragtag team of nerds to make some films. We're reshooting Evening Etiquette for festival releases later this month and another project of his, a feature length, this month as well.

On top of all of that, I changed jobs. I left my theatre job after seven years because I realized and physically felt how replaceable I was there after that long. They started contract hiring dudes from other orgs to do the jobs I was already doing like rigging, A2 sound and set building and painting. So I'd become, say, A3 which means I'm the A2 backup while the A2 gets a stipend of roughly 6 times more money than I'm making for the same job because they don't work there or know where everything is but wanted to act like they did as I come from behind with the cords, tapes, and battery packs people needed with no credit or a thank you. Some of them refused to even learn my name. My name is Kate. It's very common and not difficult to remember at all. But when people stop using your name at work and instead call you "young lady" or "that girl over there" at 38 years old - it's time to go. I run a comedy club now and I'll leave that vague. My boss is very thoughtful and I have a lot of fun there. People should drink less and do less coke, though. Please do less coke.

I'm also now a screening producer for the Austin Film Festival. So in October I'll be flying down to Texas again for the ten day festival to network, take in some films and shake some hands. I'm very excited and will be going back to pink hair for it. Perhaps I'll blog about it. It's not as snark filled as I am, I'm sure. But perhaps I'll make some friends to rise up with, take some good classes and the like.