"I don't want to live. I want to love first, and live incidentally" - Zelda Fitzgerald

Last night I read The Violet Hour and instantly became of fan of Richard Greenberg. I relished in the language of the play. It is not often that I stumble onto a modern piece of theatre with such thoughtful, eloquent and sophisticated language. Surreal and magical in every way, The Violet Hour explodes off the page, manipulating time and toying with the concept of fate. When a strange machine arrives in John Seavering’s publishing office, spewing out premonitions, reality is questioned and John must choose between publishing the memoirs of his mistress, or his best friend’s book. Either choice may prove disastrous for the unpublished writer, but both will lead to Seavering’s ultimate success. I immediately connected with this piece, especially the characters of Denny and Rosamund – who seem to be portraits of the young Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. When I reached their final, intimate scene together, I began to read out loud; as such an emotional journey could not be left on the page. There is something very sincere and real about how the words are spaced on the page and how they sound when spoken aloud. From an actor’s perspective, there is a special emotional journey for each character clearly reflected in the dialog, which somehow manages to be heightened yet conversational at the same time. The Long Beach Playhouse has included The Violet Hour as part of their season this year, and I sincerely hope that the production will do justice to this wonderful play. I can't wait to see it on the stage!