Women wearing striped prison robes cry “All hail Comrade Beria! Hurrah!” as the iron prison bars close with a loud clang cutting off the stage from the audience. This is the end of Journey into the Whirlwind, a play recounting the soul-crushing horror of political repressions that took place in …
There is a first time for everything. And first times can sure be nerve wrecking, especially when they require putting something of yourself out there for people to evaluate and judge. Like, uh, I don’t know, let’s say when you decide to direct a play you wrote. Which is exactly …
Diagnosis: Stage fright, nervousness, anxiety. Symptoms: Butterflies in the stomach (or worse, an upset stomach), nausea, headache, racing heartbeat and a need to pee every 10 seconds. Cure: Deep breaths, some stretching and a silent cry as you enter the stage. It happens every time, no matter how well prepared …
