My Artful Life

An update, a plea for money, and a sincere request.

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UPDATE:

There's quite a lot going on in this little life of mine. On June 19th, 2011 Matt and I will have been married for one year. I can't tell you how much fun it is being married to not only my best friend, but my favorite artist and most important collaborator. You can see pictures of the wedding here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24561787@N03/sets/72157625723091641/

I'm working now at Theatre Bay Area as a Membership Associate. It's good to have a theatre job that I believe in and makes me feel like I actually contribute, in some small way, to the theatre community.

May 27-28 - HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOST MY VIRGINITY - by Aileen Clark and John Caldon, produced at The Box in Albuquerque.
That's right! I'm taking the one woman show I directed to Albuquerque! I'm very happy to be on the road, and very happy to bring this wonderful show to my home town. If you are or will be in Albuquerque, come and see it! Aileen and I will also be teaching a class in solo performance on Saturday. Not to mention, if you are around, Aileen and I could use some help celebrating after the show. Shoot me a line and we'll meet up! http://www.theboxabq.com/

June 9-July 12 - JUNO EN VICTORIA by Stuart Bousel, produced by Wily West Productions
This wonderful play, which I had the honor of directing a reading of for the 2010 Olympian's festival, is one of my favorite projects. It is the goddess Hera brought down to earth, in a way. The play sets her and her family in the Victorian era as she struggles with Zeus's infidelity, her youngest daughter's wedding, and a serious disagreement with her sister. Shouldering the burdens in a way only the British can, JUNO is funny, beautiful and touching. Come and see it!http://www.wilywestproductions.com/pb/wp_967611cc/wp_967611cc.html

July 8-23 - SALTY TOWERS - Thunderbird Theatre
This company is near and dear to my heart. I directed a reading of this piece and I'm so happy to see it go on and have a bigger life! This comedy is laugh out loud funny and will remind you to DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY!

July 16-September 4 - TWELFTH NIGHT - AtmosTheatre
Have you ever hiked your way through a Shakespeare play? No...you are missing out my friend. There's Theatre in the Woods...and then there is AtmosTheatre. It's a guided hick through a beautiful wood as the players move around you and tell their tale. I can't think of any better place to put TWELFTH NIGHT, a story about being lost and found. I'm working PR for this company and they are precious to me.

August - dates unknown - FRINGE NYC!
Aileen, John and I are taking VIRGINITY to the next step...NEW YORK CITY! We will be taking part in the NY International Fringe Festival (where shows like Urinetown got their start). We are so excited, so honored and so nervous!!! We don't know the details yet. Keep an eye on www.amp-sf.org for more information as I get it. And if you live in New York and want to help with the show, we could use a hand (and maybe a couch).

October 6-29 - SF OLYMPIANS: HEAVENLY BODIES
Last year I directed two staged readings and wrote one play (DEMETER'S DAUGHTER) for this wonderful reading festival. This year I'm writing three short pieces: Canis Major (October 7), Hesperus (October 21), and Europa (October 28) go tohttp://www.sfolympians.com/ It was wildly successful last year. Writers and actors where paid, three plays have gone on to full productions and this years festival is even bigger.

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Money.

I'm going to be blunt. This email has an alternative motive, which is cash. Two of these projects will need to be sustained almost entirely through support of friends and lovers of theatre. I'm reaching out to you because we need help.

Olympians: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1845570251/2nd-annual-sf-olympians-festival-by-no-nude-men-pr?ref=live
We've started a Kickstarter fund to help raise money. All the money will go to paying such frivolous costs as theatre rental and script copies and insurance. You know...stuff we could probably do without. (Read deep sarcasm that was written in the hope that a flippant manner would produce a laugh.)

Fringe: This is a huge opportunity, not only for us, but especially for Aileen who is building her career out in the big apple. John and I need money to buy insurance, do promotions, fly to New York, leave our jobs for two or three weeks so we can put on a show and play with the big boys, and staying in New York for all that time. It's a big big
deal for all of us and it's going to cost more money then we have in the coffers. We will also have a Kickstarter up in a few weeks, but with out being polite or gimmicky, I'm asking for money. Anything, even $1 toward the cause will help. email me at Claireannrice@yahoo.com if you would like to contribute.

Or you can wait for the Kickstarter to go up...keep an eye on www.amp-sf.org for that. Or, if you know Aileen better, just sent money to her. Or, you can just send her your love and support.

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A Sincere Request:

Please write me a similar update on your life. As long or as short as you like. You can shake your virtual fist at me for not being in contact with you before now, be angry that you got this email twice, be sad that I didn't send it personally to you, or disturbed that I never sent thank you cards after the wedding...I do everything wrong. (You can also say you are confused because you honestly don't remember who I am....but I want an update none the less.)

But, after you've let it all out, tell me what you are up to. Where you are. Your birthday. Your children's names and favorite colors. Everything.