Origin Story

Welcome to Theater Zen a new blog about the business and art of theatrical storytelling.

I still remember the time I was bitten by the theater bug…

My parents had taken me to Knott’s Berry Farm while on a visit with some relatives. I was between 7 and 10 yrs old. While there we went to one of those cheesy shows. It was a pretty big concert at an outdoor amphi-theatre type place on the park grounds. The type of show with canned music, super-sized smiles and cheerleader-type choreography. A similar show today would play alot of Celine Dion and “Wind Beneath My Wings”; alot of sap for the sake of sap which I would hate to love.

This show was enthralling to my 7 to 10 year old self. I sat as a statue, completely absorbing all I could. At one point, three black girls came out in their afros, and pink-sequined gowns. I couldn’t imagine a finer trio of singing girls anywhere. With bright pink lipstick against smooth black skin. They were singing the oohs and aahs of some favorite song of the fifties and I was in my 7-10 year old groove. At one point they emerged from the stage. Broke the fourth wall and brought their afros, pink sequins, oohs and aahs out to the audience. Encouraging people to sing along and sway to the music. One of these Bright Pink and Black Angels of the Knotsberry Theme Park came to me. Her face was dripping with sweat and makeup and I remember looking into eyes full of the dreams of fame. Eyes hidden by a thick coating of sagging fake eyelashes laden with mascara. She brought her cordless mic to her bright pink lips and crooned, “ooh, ooh, ooh.”

I was mesmerized and a little shocked when she brought the mic down to my slackened lips, not pursed, not smiling, relaxed in awe and wonderment. I finally realized she wanted me to sing into the mic and just before she gave up hope and turned away disappointed, I did just that. “ooh…ooh…ooh”. Thus a star was born. No, not a star. And maybe not born at all. It was at that moment I was knighted into the vocation. I dub the a singer, an actor, an artist. I pulled the sword out of the rock and I have been fighting the good fight ever since.

Years later as I discovered my yen for producing I realized that theater was more than any one vocation. So many theater artists have an interest and enthusiasm for so much more than their own artistic track and skillset. Whether we are an actor, writer, technician or producer we all want to be part of the community that tells stories to other parts of the community.

As I continue on my own path in the arts, I realize that we all have a story to tell. Theater Zen is one aspect of mine.