Alumni Shirtlessness

Sorry for the late post. Being on show schedule and living in unrelenting heat has confused my sense of time, and I didn't realize until now that it was Friday and time to post. Since I am working at the Hangar Theatre this summer, I thought I would post an alum, Jimmy Smits. Strangely enough, Mr. Smits has no suitable shirtless photos on the internet, in spite of spending quite a bit of time shirtless on NYPD Blue. I don't know what to make of it, but this was the best that I could do. I will say that the photos that are available online are mostly of him in well tailored jackets, and I do have to admit my weakness for a man in a suit. But I digress. In any case, Mr. Smits is a veteran of the stage and screen. I saw him on Broadway in "Anna in the Tropics" several years ago and loved him. I am always happy to see a star come back to his theatrical roots which is different from tv stars who do Broadway having never set foot in a theater before their debut on the Great White Way.

In any case, speaking of the theater, I seem to be in a hit. Ithaca is eating up our production of "Man of La Mancha." I personally seem to be a hit among the over 60 crowd, but I guess that's what happens when you dress up as a gypsies and scream like a banshee in the middle of a prison drama. Doing the show has been an emotional experience as it seems to be catching me at a time of questioning the impossible dream. I think all artists question their art, especially those of us who find ourselves struggling over time, and the play's central theme of fighting the good fight no matter whether you win or lose seems to cut to the heart of the matter. I love what I do, and yet sometimes it seems completely futile. I am coming down on the side of Don Quixote on this one, but only by a very narrow margin at the moment.

It is unbearably hot in upstate New York. I shudder to think what it is like in New York City. It's so hot that male shirtlessness barely raises an eyebrow. I know this is part of the dream, but I assure you that relentless heat was never part of the cause. Like Don Quixote, though, I urge you all to continue supporting the cause and stay cool. Until the heat breaks, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS