Matthew Clark Davison's blog

Kings Play Chess on Fine Green Satin

Tue, 07/31/2007 - 3:57am
Matthew Clark D...

Last week I had the pleasure of hanging out with my friend/colleague/former professor Michelle Carter, whose brilliant play "Kings Play Chess on Fine Green Satin" had a staged reading at the Lion Theatre @ Theatre Row.

It was a perfect NY night. I took the subway to Times Square and walked to Hell's Kitchen. With a growl in my stomach and 30 minutes to spare, I searched for a place to eat and found heaven. Finally! A fast food joint made for me! I don't eat sugar or msg or mayo...all of which can be challenging at any given food moment...but in Times Square with thirty minutes? Seemingly impossible. I thought I'd have to make a meal out of the almond and date bar in my bag. 

But then I see the big orange dot that would come to save me! better burger:

(that's my actual drink and here's my receipt:) 

Fries that aren't fried. Whole wheat bun with no sugar, organic beef, I'm so happy! Plus it's delicious. 

So fed, I make my way to the theater

There was Michelle, ready to go. I took my seat next to partner of one of the actors. She and I chatted until the reading began. 

Michelle is my hero. Or as I like to say my "tied-for-first-place" hero. Her work does what I want mine to do. It tosses up unanswerable questions, it takes risks, it ventures forth into terrain that risks sentimentality without succumbing to it. This play is funny, fun, off-center...but also it explores some deep and meaningful questions about parenthood and aging and sex and life. My hope is that it will find a producer and play here. Give me an excuse to come back. 

Afterward we went across the street for a bit to eat with the actors. Here's a pic of Michelle and me. 

And one Michelle, the actor Ian Kahn who played the character Roosevelt in Michelle's play, and his wife (whose name I'm forgetting because she looks so much like a friend of mine in Italy I kept looking at her and thinking "Lorella"). 

And then after THAT I met someone I'd known of 15 years ago in San Francisco. I walked out of the cab and into the apartment at 3am. How does that happen in New York?  

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