Day #18

Didn't get any practice done today, but still had some good stuff happen.  Spent some time on Theory, but I am so slow at this stuff it takes me forever to do one exercise...gotta get those wheels cranking again!

LIVE PERFORMANCE VIEWING #1
     Kyla and I went to see a reading at Tisch of a play called "IYOM" by a second year MFA student, Lou-lou Igbokwe.  This was an all black cast that had Jeremiah, my old roommate, in it.  It is the story of a girl who has a traumatic experience and how the family copes.  It is well written - the focus of the first act is the development of the family dynamic between the Mother (Ruth), Father (Essien), daughter (Zacky), Grandma, and Zacky's friend, Steven, who is their neighbor and the son of the Father's boss.  The play opens with the introduction of Zacky and you see her doing "magic" and is a bright child; this is quickly contrasted to present day Zacky who is hardened and also saddened with the death of her Grandma.  The parents are emigrants from Nigeria and as the story unfolds we see the pressures by her Mother to be a certain way (for tradition) and the eventual molestation by Steven at the end of the first act takes away her "magic".  Zacky's savior is her Grandma who takes the time to talk to her and is Zacky's confidant.  Zacky's inability to communicate with her parents and the fact that she is sent away to school leave her empty, feeling emotionally abandoned and as if she doesn't have a "home".  At the end of the second act we see her confronting Steven at the wake, to no avail, and trying to reconcile with the parents, who it turns out knew what happened.  Grandma told them and although they had to continue on with their lives for their livelihood, was thus the reason for her being sent away (to protect her).  Although they cannot undo what's done, a new understanding is formed and it's left with the assumption that they will all move forward together.  In the flashback scenes, the Grandma's character had beautiful, yet sometimes heart wrenching, moments; one in particular as she explained to Zacky why she had to leave Nigeria - if nothing else this play effortlessly depicts the struggles that ensue when we feel the need to live up to expectations placed upon us.  
     When I agreed to watch this to support Jeremiah, he didn't tell me the premise and I was so glad.  I had an honest reaction to what I was seeing and it was such a well written script I now just want to see it staged.  There is well thought out character development and the topic is one that happens so often, yet nobody talks about. It was also nice that although it was a reading, the actors (for the most part) had a good connection with the characters, which made the story-line and emotional content easy to follow.

HEALTH CONSCIOUS MEAL #18

      After gym time I went to Marche and had some salmon...and a few things I probably shouldn't have had LOL but I think it was still a good meal...there's potato salad and couscous there as well

BODY CONDITIONING / FITNESS SESSION #11

     Intense leg workout plus abs and chin-ups!  I have been enjoying this workout - it hasn't gotten easy, it's gotten to where I can do a more intense workout.

...DAILY INSPIRATION...

if you don't want to put the effort into making changes in your life, it is because of fear...turn that fear into excitement!