Update from Minnesota

Hi all,

Not much to report here.

I was diagnosed with Shingles nearly three weeks ago and it's really slowed me down both mentally and physically.

I guess, my case is pretty bad.
The rash wrapped from my chest to the middle of my back
And covered my entire underarm to my elbow.
I also had an infection so that didn't help.
The level of pain fluctuates
From burning, to needle pricks, to stabs, etc.
It's manageable, mostly.
Meaning, I've gotten used to it, for the most part.
It's the worst at night.

In spite of the Shingles (or despite)
It's been a productive few weeks.

1. Took a trip to Chicago with the Playwrights' Center to meet (re-meet) Artistic Directors and Literary Managers there. Several of the theaters we met with are institutions that I would LOVE to work with so... it was good to get the face time.

2. Finished a re-write of my play AND ALL THE DEAD, LIE DOWN just in time for the first rehearsal of the piece at Studio C Artists (a small theater) in Los Angeles, California. It will be presented next month.

3. TheatreLAB in Richmond, Virginia has begun rehearsals for their production of WHEN LAST WE FLEW. It will also be presented in April.

4. I am now officially the bookwriter for a brand new musical called MADIBA about the life of Nelson Mandela. The music and lyrics are by Greg and Shaun Borowsky. They are from South Africa and have the support of the Mandela estate.

(That makes FOUR musicals!)

5. Lastly, I found out that I'm a finalist for the O'Neill Playwrights' Conference (http://www.theoneill.org/summer-conferences/npc/). There were 1,300 entries this year. They identified 65 finalists.

Well
There's my update.

Ashley and Jonathan--yay on the house!
Q and Lee--yay on Savannah!
Megan and James--yay on the job and on having the cutest baby ever!
Mom and dad--yay for pressuring us to blog!
(And for being WONDERFUL)

Love love love,
H