Even Yet Still More Post Modern Living

Ok, here's the next installment in our seemingly endless stream of Post Modern Living posts.

This is a scene that happens early in the piece, with Chester (me) and Mitch (Richard Sheinmel) in bed first thing in the morning, and Mitch's "Spirit Guide" Louie (Chris Orbach) holding up our pillows. Now, maybe you'll be asking questions about the metaphorical nature of a Spirit Guide or guardian angel supporting us: pillow feathers representing angel wings? protective spirits as a cushion against the shattering blows of (post) modern life? If those are the questions going through your head, give yourself a hand: you're in touch with the finer points of performance art. But if you're like a lot of the people out there (including no small number of my friends and family members, and virtually all of my dayjob co-workers) your first reaction is apt to be "whoa - you're in bed with another guy?" Yes, it's true: in this show, my character is gay. Which isn't that radical. At ALL. But even in 2010, it gets a reaction. I've played murderers, rapists, incestuous lovers, but the response I get to those is pretty muted compared to the reaction people have when they find out I'm kissing a dude. For better or worse, there is very little in the way of a Katy Perryesque titillation factor, and a whole lot in the way of an "is there tongue?" recoil factor.

In any case, there is more to this show than man-on-man action: there is also some damned good music and acting, and a really bitchin band. Cue the Stephen Mosher photo essay (Stephen took all the photos in this post during a dress rehearsal):

Here's Joy (Wendy Merritt) checking out Mitch's situation.

Here Chris is playing the cabbie who takes Mitch to the doctor. One of Chris' friends had a fun insight to his character: "You're Snoopy! One minute you're the WWI Flying Ace, one minute you're Joe Cool, and when you're not any of those guys, you're one enlightened beagle."

This is Meg (Catherine Porter) and Mitch helping Gerrie (Briana Davis) get her bearings after one too many Run Run Rudolphs.

Here's Dr. Zappi (Frank Blocker) giving Mitch a consult about some post-op stitches that are about to come out.

Here is Grace giving Joy a consult. Hmmm... "Grace" and "Joy" - nothing symbolically significant about those names, is there? Wait a minute: what does that say about "Chester"?

Well, I'm doing the best I can. Here I am in phone conversation with Mitch. Don't worry - he's not cheating on me; his shirt's off because he's still at the doctor's office.

This is definitely the money shot. Joy is demonstrating - well, hell: come to the show and see what she's demonstrating.

And here's the lot of us bringing it all back home in the finale.

See you at La MaMa.