Community Matters

(Community Matters) We arrived about 8. Drove in through Alpine – lots of scorched earth and some smoke drifting up from the south but didn’t see fires. Will explore tomorrow

(Community Matters) Enlightening article in the NYTimes

(Community Matters) NyTimes critic Ben Brantley on Sleep No More. Great review (more a narrative) of Punchdrunk’s Chelsea show.

Brantley – usually not ambiguous about his feelings – describes the experience rather than critiques it. I think this signals that, like me, he needs to see it again. I’ve already written our friend, Punchdrunk’s producer & creative director, Colin Marsh, to learn if it might be extended beyond May 14.

(Community Matters)

‘In his Wednesday speech, Obama took on the Ryan approach in harsh terms, calling it a vision that would see “roads crumble and bridges collapse,” young Americans unable to go to college, seniors left uncared for, Medicare ended, and 50 million Americans left without health insurance.’

“I will preserve these health care programs as a promise we make to each other in this society,” Obama said in his speech. “I will not allow Medicare to become a voucher program that leaves seniors at the mercy of the insurance industry, with a shrinking benefit to pay for rising costs.”

love, love, love that the President agrees and did preempt his entire speech with the narrative of what we stand for (the belief that we’re all connect; some things we can only do together; public schools & universities; we’re a more prosperous country as a result; each one of us deserving a basic measure of security and dignity) and how we got into this mess (how our fiscal challenge was created, we were on the path to no debt until 2000 – increasing spending for two wars and prescription drug plan while irresponsibly cutting taxes).

fantastic that he pointed out the 2/3^rd of budget is SS, Medicare, Medicaid & national security, and that 20% is really discretionary

the vision of America we want to see!

Very good that he points out the Rs goals would lead to a “fundamentally different America”

R’s are telling Americans to fin for themselves.

The average income of average working Americans declined, while top 1% say income rise by an average of $250k each – “that’s who needs to pay less taxes?”

33 seniors to pay $6k more for healthcare costs to finance the tax cut ($250k) for Pres Obama – that’s not gonna happen while I’m president

The R budget is “Less about reducing the defiict than about changing the basic social contract in America”

(Community Matters) The storm was big last night – definitely big thunder. Wish I’d seen the strikes

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(Community Matters) Ballroom Marfa’s NY Art Auction benefit last night – much fun in a cool Chelsea space. Guests arrived and were transported via a huge freight elevator to the former DIA space third floor, lined with art, free flowing Casa Dragones tequila, unpretentious hors d’oeuvres, then further upstairs for a South/West Texas flavored dinner and the live auction of art and vacation weekends – even telephone bidders, one winning a particular piece for $86k.

Friends in attendance included: Suzanne Deal Booth, Virginia Lebermann & John Wotowicz, Fairfax Dorn, Tim Crowley, Deborah Green, Chris Mattson, Ross Moody & Agapi Stassinopoulos.

(Community Matters) Letter from director David Lambert to Board of Visitors:

Friends,

McDonald Observatory had a narrow escape this weekend when a fast moving fire began between Marfa and Fort Davis on Saturday afternoon. The Observatory was put on high alert, but is now (Tuesday noon) returning to normal. Continue reading →

(Community Matters) Last night attended Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More. The earlier post about the McKittrick Hotel was about the play – a site specific, very audience interactive piece set in the faux McKittrick Hotel in Chelsea. A take off from McBeth, I’m not sure I can yet put together all the pieces into a McBeth, though I was admittedly handicapped last night since my arts tutors weren’t able to attend (Steven wasn’t able to make this trip & Rob was called away on family business). My surrogate date, Diego Arango was delightful and seemed to enjoy the show as well; he’s a new friend, a Point Foundation Scholar attending Columbia.

Doesn’t matter if you don’t get all the story; what matters is being present for the roving scenes, learning how to follow the lead actors so you eventually see all the important scenes – which are spread out among 5 floors in a 100,000 sq ft warehouse retrofitted as a haunted hotel. I’m eager to see this again and have just written our friend in London who’s Punchdrunk’s producer and artistic director to learn if it’ll be extended.  They are one of our favorite London theatre companies and we try to see all their work; I think we have all but one.

Urban Daddy review

(Community Matters) pulling from MPR site: ELECTRICAL POWER: More than 300 residents & businesses are still without power. According to AEP, restoration of service is anticipated to be 90 percent by midnight on Wednesday.TRAIN DERAILMENT: Last night’s train derailment at Valentine, involving two rail cars carrying automobiles, has been cleared up. The Amtrak, though, stopped in Marfa, blocking traffic temporarily on Highland Avenue, because a passenger required medical attention. RELIEF EFFORTS: The emphasis is on monetary donations to the funds listed elsewhere on this page. Fort Davis residents with specific needs can call their County Judge at 432-426-3968.

(photo: Crystal Chavez via KUT News)

(Community Matters) prep for my transfer to the McKittrick Hotel this evening

(Community Matters) Wild prairie fires have consumed over 50 homes and knocked out utilities in Ft Davis – down to but not including Marfa. I’m eager to see the damage and figure out what type, if any help our neighbors need. Very proud of our staff at Marfa Public Radio who continue to serve as the major source of news in the region – live streaming most of the time since power was cut to our broadcasting tower (wouldn’t you know it; the back up generator is being installed at the remote, mountain tower later this month).

updates: late yesterday back on the air

Austin American Statesman story

(Community Matters) The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures – saw last night at Public Theatre with my friend Andy Tobias. It “explores revolution, radicalism, marriage, sex, prostitution, politics, real estate, unions of all kinds and debts both unpaid and unpayable.” It’s not really a “gay play”, but I like that homophobes are likely to deny themselves the pleasure of seeing it.

It’s big – layered, whipsaws, sophisticated, emotionally violent and lost me (you know, those 90 second places where one’s mind wonders) very few times during what turns out to be three long acts (though you don’t realize it; okay, maybe in the third act I realized it, but that passed; the play ended strong). Straight out of the gate, the dialogue blew me away – later, the parallel dialogue is so well written I could almost keep up with four conversations (ode to a great director & actors as well as a brilliant playwright). The layered topics are timely, even if the rest of us didn’t see the Wisconsin style GOP dismantling of unions forthcoming. Kushner pulls no punches of how we brought much of this on ourselves.

I want to see this again. Like Steven’s plays, I know if I saw it 16 times, I’d see something new each time (no, I wouldn’t/couldn’t see a near 4 hr play 16 times, maybe 3 or 4). Beyond outstanding direction and actors. Public acknowledgments to American playwrights O’Neil, Miller & Williams – even design of the play’s title.

Like Stoppard, Kushner (best know for Angels In America and the screenplay of Spielberg’s Munich) continues to earn distinction as one of the living great, to be included in the canons.

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