Figuring Out How to Say Goodbye

A couple of posts ago I mentioned that I had no idea how I was going to say goodbye to Friends Like These. For now its journey has ended, which means my journey with it has ended. How do you say goodbye to something that has taken up 14 months of your life? A project you completely and fully believe in, something you've focused on for so long, that life without it doesn't seem quite right.

We did say goodbye, first in tears, then with photos, then with more tears and then a few more tears. It was a perfect ending to a perfect run. Three amazing NY reviews, listed as one of the things to see in NYC this week, we were truly embraced and blessed by the city of New York. To end on such a high note was indeed an incredible feeling.

The emptiness was still there (it will be there for a while). What to move on to is a question many of us are pondering now. I decided to keep a part of Friends Like These and my New York journey close to me to remind me of the memories, the experience, and the journey. So on Sunday I made my way over to the East Village, to a shop named "Whatever," and had an artist place two cherries on the inside of my right ankle. Cherries for The Cherry Pit Theatre -- the first theatre I SM'd in in New York City. Inside on Cherry are the letters FLT. The first show I stage managed in New York, the show that gave me so many experiences, helped me grow in so many ways, introduced to me incredible people and helped me create amazing bonds with some great friends. These letters also tie me forever to one of my best friends, Greg Crafts, without him none of this would be possible and so I proudly put the initials of his play inside the first cherry. Inside the second cherry are the numbers 14, 31, 4. Standing for 14 months, 31 performances, 4 productions.

It felt right to say goodbye to Friends Like These this way. Now no matter where I go or what I do it will always be there, reminding me why we do what we do and why all of this is absolutely worth it.

The End of the Journey (For Now) Fringe Day 9

The last of the lists. I promise, in fact my place for the next few hours is to take a bit of time and extend these lists, reflect on the more important facts write a few more entries. But to finish what I've started here's the Day 9 list:

Sleep (much needed)
Breakfast at the diner at the Metropolitan/Lorimer stop (where the G train meets the L train)
Back to our place
Clean and pack
Taxi to airport
Goodbye NYC
Five hour flight
Home to LA

Moving On -- Fringe Day 8

Yet another list, I'm sorry :)

Breakfast at the Oldest Bar in New York, near Union Square with Jenn's family
Morning with Jenn at South Street Seaport
Text Message from Greg made me jealous, I want want he's getting
Discussion with Jenn, I'm getting what he's getting :)
Travel to East Village
Mysterious Facebook posts from Jenn
One hour later something new on my ankle (I'll post more later)
Dinner with Jenn and Greg
Off to Fringe Festival Awards
Back to Brooklyn for our last night in NYC :(
Not ready to go back to real life
New York has been good to me!

Closing -- Fringe Day 7

I'll write a bit more later on my feelings on closing the book on Friends Like These, for now here's the Fringe Day 7 list:

Slept in a bit (very nice)
lunch with Greg and Jenn's families at a pizza place in Times Square, used to be a church, very cool
Last run of Friends Like These
Dinner with Jenn and Greg's families near the theatre
Ice Cream and Serendipity with Sarah, Matt, Jenn and Greg
Long subway ride home at 2am
Short list -- good day :)

A Mess is What I'll Be

How do you say goodbye to something you've worked on for 14 months. How do I do the show tomorrow knowing this is probably the very last time I'll run this show. This is a project I've believed in, lived with and loved for nearly 1.5 years. We've closed before, but always with the phrase, "can't wait to do it again in ______."

Those comforting words aren't around anymore. Tomorrow truly is the end. The very lasts. I hate goodbyes. I can do "see you later" very well. I've done it three times with this show, but goodbye is an entirely different ball game. This truly is goodbye.

I want to savor it, remember it, enjoy it. This has truly been one of the more defining shows in my career as an SM. Not because it's technically challenging, but because I've never been with a show for this long. It's part of me, part of my routine. And so tomorrow as the lights go out on the final song plays, the cast takes their last bow and the lights go out on Friends Like These I can guarantee that I will be taking it all in through teary eyes that don't want to say goodbye.

Family Reunions -- New York Fringe Day 6

Day Six list:

Family Day -- in New York to see the show were my family, Matt's family, Jen's family.
More Families tomorrow
Morning Coffee at Starbucks
Reading another great review (that makes us 2 for 2!)
Train to Manhattan
An hour in St. Patrick's Cathedral
Walk towards Central Park
Down to Wall street to meet my family
Lunch with family
Walk through South Street Seaport
New dress
Buy consumable props (I finally remembered tonight)
Head over to theatre
Largest audience yet
Fantastic show
Birthday cupcake with cast and Jen B.
Birthday dinner (after cupcakes -- we have priorities) with Jen B, the cast and friends
Walk back to subway with Jenn and Greg
Can't believe we have only one show left.

The Arrival of Jenn and the Sun -- New York Fringe Day 5

The Day 5 List:

Jenn arrived
The sun came out
Morning in Central Park
Ride back to Brooklyn to make sure Greg is awake
Fantastic performance by our incredible cast
Dinner with Jenn's Brother, Andy, Jenn and Greg in Times Square
Wandering through Times Square and Toys R US
Ride back to Brooklyn
Update facebook
Write a bit
Cravings for chocolate shakes
Decision to go to the diner
Long wait for the G-train
Chocolate shakes with Greg
Back to the G-train, wait for many minutes
Back to our neighborhood
Must sleep!