Tag Archives: theater

Day 192: Brätt Family

Today’s letter is for Sasha and Jamie – and their kids, although they are too young to read the letter. I met Sasha in 2009 when he directed me in the play The Laramie Project. He’s an insanely talented director and he offered to direct the play that some friends and I put together based on the Year of Giving.

His wife Jamie is a rock star. She does city planning so I thought of her as well when I saw I AM THE GENTRY Thursday night. In fact, I think she worked on some of the city planning for the area where the play took place around H Street in DC.

Day 192

Dear Brätt Family,

I hope that my letter finds you well. I enjoy seeing your Facebook updates – Mina and Austin are growing up and somehow you guys manage to stay the same.

I went to see a Fringe show last night – it reminded me of the fun (ok, so there was a little stress involved too) we had doing the Year of Giving play. The show last night dealt with gentrification and how that was changing communities and the people who make up the neighborhoods that are experiencing the changes. While it could have been many areas of D.C., it took place in an area near H Street, Northeast.

Day 192-2I think you both would have enjoyed the show. I found myself wishing you were with me. It would have been interesting to talk to Jamie about gentrification and get her perspective on what cities can do to improve things like access to resources and safety while not displacing the majority of the members of a community who can’t afford to stay. And I would have liked to discuss the play with Sasha and get his thoughts from a director’s point of view – it had some striking similarities to Year of Giving.

Anyway, it made me think of you guys. I miss you and hope that we find a way to get together this year (a way that doesn’t involve painting or moving, although, if forced to I will settle for that).

Have a great summer,
Reed

 

Day 191: Cara

The Capital Fringe Festival has begun and I went on opening day to see I AM THE GENTRY, a moving play written and performed by local artist Cara Gabriel. If you live in D.C., you should check it out.

Day 191

 

Dear Cara,

I was an audience member at your opening night performance of I AM THE GENTRY in this year’s Capital Fringe Festival. You did a fabulous job performing your masterfully written script.

Day 191-2Community is at the heart of a lot of my work and I felt that theme strongly throughout your play. There are of course the obvious physical and economic changes that occur with gentrification, but the social changes, particularly related to the sense of community that we feel, or don’t feel, within our neighborhoods, are difficult to articulate and even more complicated to properly value.

I believe it was Ms. June in your play whose death you said would forever change the ethos of your old neighborhood. It is sad when the stalwart members of a community die or move away – they often take with them so much more than their families and belongings.

I wish you well with the play. It is thought-provoking and entertaining, but more than that, it’s an important story and I hope that you will continue to share it with many more audiences.

With admiration,
Reed Sandridge

I made an envelope liner out of the program.

I made an envelope liner out of the program.