ciao, bella!!!

Toward the end of last year, I deleted my Kickstarter account.

It had been years since I'd spent any time on that site, so I ditched it.

Today, I opened a new account on Kickstarter... to help JinHi.

She has written an autobiographical play about her life with cancer, and the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, has accepted it at that prestigious event.

Wow.

She has an entourage who will travel with her: stage manager, producers, light tech, sound tech, prop master, director, wardrobe mistress, and all the others who help bring this creation to life on stage.

This won't be the first time I've helped to send a production across the Atlantic Ocean, but that time was well over a decade ago.

Here's the difference: I know JinHi Soucy Rand.

I've supported fundraisers for her benefit before.

The first time was for the very first 24-Hour Play Festival here in Savannah, a fundraiser promoted by her one-and-only brother, Chris Soucy.

I treated that as a birthday gift to myself, as it was in May (of 2011).

The next time was also promoted by her brother and was that same summer, as a way to bring new folks to the fledgling Muse Arts Warehouse performance space that JinHi created for this seaport and its artist community.

The third time was in 2015 and was also to raise funds for that space, with artists contributing their creations as repayment for the lives JinHi had enriched.

The fourth time was two years later, with her brother putting on a one-man show titled "Fears My Sister Taught Me". 

Now, it's all about JinHi.

The kickstarter campaign, started by Erin Muller, has a big ask of $15,000.

Erin created a special funding opportunity just for me: Pen Pals Plus.

That's because I wanted to get a postcard from Scotland, but also wanted a ticket to the premiere of the show here in Savannah next month.

Like magic, Erin made that opportunity happen!

So far, I am the first to make that choice.

Sure, a postcard for $77 sounds a bit steep... but it's for my bday68... and it's doing the traveling for me, to benefit my friend.

That's worth every penny. 

bye, bye, blackbird

Savannah Stage Company, the troupe I've endorsed for well over a decade, has a new play that I've never heard of before.

"Blackbird" deals with childhood abuse from the past, rearing from the depths into the present day life of one of the characters.

As this is Sexual Abuse Awareness Month, the timing is impeccable. 

Ordinarily, I'd definitely make plans to see this modern play... 

but this is no ordinary time for me.

Still, I didn't want to not mark my support.

So, I've purchased a ticket for a show I will not attend.

I also sent an email to Jayme Tinti so she won't wonder where I am when I don't show up at the Sentient Bean.

"Hey, Jayme!
I just wanted to let you know that I bought the ticket in support of the show, but I will not be attending.
I know Shawna will do an amazing job with the material!
However, I cannot drive at night right now.
It's an anesthesia-recovery thing from the inguinal hernia repair on the 1st, and I expect to be dealing with this brain fog for a while.
Still, I wanted to show my support for this brave venture!
Hope you have a full house!"

Break a leg, y'all.

(smile!)

encouraging children of savannah to SING

I know, I know, I'm not supposed to make financial decisions whilst recovering from anesthesia, but the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one...

or something like that.

I recall Spock saying that to Kirk in one of the "Star Trek" movies, and it seems to be just as apt here.

The children's choral group, SING!, is having a concert later this month.

Titled "How Can I Keep From Singing?", it has drawn me in! 

That concert is free, as have been all of their concerts at Asbury Memorial.

Sure, they usually pass the hat, so to speak, at some point in the show, but the draw for me is that the music is free for the soul.

This event on the 25th will differ, though.

While the concert itself is gratis, the Italian dinner afterward is not.

That will be a fundraiser for Savannah Inspiring Next Generation - that is, SING - and I intend to do my part, both with the eating and the giving, that is.

An actual chef is doing the cooking, so "That's Amore" should bring a taste of Italy back to my heart and spirit.

Plus, there will be more music woven into the meal!

That's why I chose to donate the money "in memory of", rather than having it be counted toward one of the competing teams.

The Asbury Memorial songbird was the person that came to mind.

I know in my heart that Joan Hester Byrd would dearly love these kids.

(smile!)