i dreamed in 2012 this year’s highlights:
1. sadie reading bedtime stories from the bob marley biography followed by sadie’s pitch perfect rendention of buffalo soldier….
2. sitting at a burger joint in my formal gown before the drama desk awards killing some sweet potatoe fries….
3. working so hard and being so tired that i almost cut my finger off and my friend travis allen saying, “boss lady, sit…i got this…” and he did….
4. running across the lobby of the beacon in a formal gown after the tony announcement sobbing uncontrollably cause of all the black faces in the winner’s circle and a black usher turning to me and saying, “girl, go get that for us…” she broke my heart and put it back together….
5. finally hearing my play read aloud and listening to my dear brother Ron Simons weeping behind me letting me know i got something right….
6. looking up to the balcony of the walter kerr and seeing a clybourne park standing ovation for a broadway understudy and then my cast mates turning to me and giving me love…
7. my sister jessica blank texting me every 5 minutes during the tonys letting me know she was there with me every step of the way giving me such courage….
8. watching my student and friend lee colston look at me with tears in his eyes and saying, i don’t want that uniform, i’m gone do this juilliard thing and he did….
9. watching my friend travis allen find love and loving it….
10. 3rd row, opening night of porgy and bess watching audra crawl across that stage weeping and broken and singing at the top of her register and holding my brother ron’s hand and weeping and laughing….
11. learning to love and be loved unconditonally
nothing, i mean nothing has ever been like 2012….ache….
“Good Bread Alley” Cast
LaChanze, Elvis Nolasco, Liza Colón-Zayas, Seth Gilliam, Hubert Point Du Jour, Tamela Aldridge, Angela Lewis, Keith Randolph Smith, Lee Edward Colston II, Jessica Blank (dir) & April Yvette Thompson (playwright)