What Would Hallie Do?

Things are bleak in the world right now. The economy is still recovering, the arts are still suffering, things are still tough.

Today, as I drove home from a long, long day, I racked my brain over how to put into words the turmoil of life. And I thought of Hallie. I often find myself thinking about her statement that "Theatre, when it's good, is always dangerous" when I feel lost. When I question why I am in this field and what on earth I do it for.

Hallie Flanagan's Antony & Cleopatra 1934 at Vassar

While I don't really know what Hallie would do in my position, I know she wouldn't give up. She'd continue to pour her heart into the theatre, believing that it is important to explore our world through the theatre. She'd probably stage some amazing piece about the economic crisis, subverting all kinds of things, maybe even convince Obama to resurrect the Federal Theatre Project, and generally be a bad ass. While I'm not likely to do much of that (yet), it's good to be reminded of Hallie's spirit and gumption.

As a very intelligent person tells me often, you have to work your way up in the game of life. While I know that I've put in many hours on the low end of the totem pole, sometimes part of the low end of the pole is the hard-knock part of life where you scramble to make ends meet while doing the thing you are most passionate about (sometimes all over the Bay Area). It's rough, but paying your dues only makes you stronger and better. At least, that's what I keep telling myself. That, and asking what Hallie would do.