Author: chasbelov

Representative Tlaib is redefining for us what Muslim Women can do – and we’re freaking out


(Updated Monday, Jan. 7, approx. 10 pm PDT) I am not a fan of public cursing. Not to say that I never do it, but I think it is often overused. I do use it in my plays where I believe it illuminates the world of my characters. Some of my plays have extensive cursing, … Continue reading Representative Tlaib is redefining for us what Muslim Women can do – and we’re freaking out →

For the record, I loved Krista Knight’s (Un)hinged


Krista Knight is a young playwright well-known and well-loved in the new plays community. She’s well-loved both for her work (her plays have been produced all over the country) and for her personality, which is supportive, generous, and kind. If you scroll through her Instagram (@playtrixx), you’ll see her promoting the work of other […] via … Continue reading For the record, I loved Krista Knight’s (Un)hinged →

This is Not a Pipe, 2017 Version


Apologies to René Magritte. And apologies to Randall Munroe if xkcd got here first with this joke. Of course, if Magritte were in charge of this, the correct action would be to click Skip. There are no images of pipes; there are only images of drawings of pipes. Nothing would happen, of course; this is an drawing of … Continue reading This is Not a Pipe, 2017 Version →

Processing “Do Black Lives Matter at Your Theatre? In Your Films?” by Bitter Gertrude


Melissa Hillman's post came just in time for me to see Brownsville Song (B-Side for Tray) by Kimber Lee at Shotgun Players. It's great to know that at Shotgun, the answer is yes, both in front of and behind the stage. At Marin Theatre Company as well, where they regularly do more than one show … Continue reading Processing “Do Black Lives Matter at Your Theatre? In Your Films?” by Bitter Gertrude →

Theatre Resistance Plan, 2017 – 2020


Theatre during the next four years – read this!

Bitter Gertrude

There is no more powerful tool for changing ideas, shifting cultural zeitgeist, and resisting authoritarianism than art. While theatre is not the biggest bat artists wield, our impact on the culture is not nil, especially if you include community theatre and school plays, and we must. Resistance to the Trump regime is the most crucial political battle of our lifetimes because this regime– and the zeitgesit behind it– stands to undo progress in every area of our society. Trump, Pence, McConnell, Ryan et al are actively seeking to impoverish you to enrich themselves, roll back every civil rights and workers’ rights gain of the past 100 years,  eliminate every consumer protection, eliminate the social safety net, and pretend you begged them to do it. It’s telling that the very first appointee of the incoming administration was an amoral white nationalist, and the very first act of the new Congress was…

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Academia, Love Me Back

Academia, Love Me Back


Latina scholar gets called out for alleged plagiarism in front of class by prof for using the word “Hence”. Totally unprofessional behavior (even if the charge were true) gets magnified by years of microaggression.

Not that she needs my approval – she doesn’t – but her writing ability is clear from her blog post.

TIFFANY MARTÍNEZ

My name is Tiffany Martínez. As a McNair Fellow and student scholar, I’ve presented at national conferences in San Francisco, San Diego, and Miami. I have crafted a critical reflection piece that was published in a peer-reviewed journal managed by the Pell Institute for the Study of Higher Education and Council for Opportunity in Education. I have consistently juggled at least two jobs and maintained the status of a full-time student and Dean’s list recipient since my first year at Suffolk University. I have used this past summer to supervise a teen girls empower program and craft a thirty page intensive research project funded by the federal government. As a first generation college student, first generation U.S. citizen, and aspiring professor I have confronted a number of obstacles in order to earn every accomplishment and award I have accumulated. In the face of struggle, I have persevered and continuously produced…

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Theater Around The Bay: Self-Care And The Actor, Part One


This has something to say to playwrights as well.

San Francisco Theater Pub

Bay Area actress Ponder Goddard offers up some thoughts for actors on keeping it together in today’s theater world.

The Problem

Actors are the foundation of theater. You can take away the lights, costumes, sets, you can even go Original Practices on Cymbeline’s ass and take away the director– but you cannot remove the actor or the audience and still have what we think of, know and love as theater.

Actors are necessary, actors are fundamental, if we want theater we need actors.  If we want bold, brave, exciting, moving theater we need bold, brave, risk-taking and vulnerable actors. An actor’s ability to show up and be seen, to be truly wholehearted and vulnerable in their craft and in their lives, is entirely undermined when they are perpetually struggling for a sense of self-worth and worthiness. The systems of production around us make that struggle for worthiness endemic to the actor’s…

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