My mother had a brilliant turquoise dress with fuchsia and bright green bands near the hem which she always referred to as her Peacock Dress. She purchased it dress in the 1950s, long before I was born. It hung in her closet as a memento of days gone by. I…

What do playwriting and Dr. Norman Vincent Peale’s 1956 book, The Power of Positive Thinking, have in common? Peale points out that life is balanced by good and bittersweet events: every hard-won achievement requires some sacrifice or effort to reach the goal. This point struck a chord with me not…

I put this survey question to colleagues and members of Facebook groups of theater professionals for my forthcoming book on the topic. There are many fine Master of Fine Arts programs in the U.S. and abroad, but the short answer is “No.” The overwhelming majority did not feel am MFA…

I recently watched the repeat of Megan Hilty’s (Wicked) December 2018 Live from Lincoln Center concert. It was wonderful to hear her exuberantly sing Broadway tunes. What really got me was the cityscape view from the window behind the band. So near, yet so far away. What I felt was…

Did you know that Napoleon Hill wrote a sequel to Think and Grow Rich? In the book, Outwitting the Devil, Hill opens up about his own struggles and challenges living up to the principles for success outlined in Think and Grow Rich. At the instigation of Andrew Carnegie, Hill interviewed…

Now is a great time to write your next play or musical. The pandemic will end. Writing can seem like a lonely task. Creating can be more fun with a friend. Find a writing (or composing, or book writing) buddy and start now on a new project you can be…

As we face another round of theater closings due to the virus, I fondly look back on Decembers past, when I enjoyed Broadway shows and the festive holiday decorations of New York City before Covid. While Santa has been checking his naughty and nice list, (You know which list you’re…

I first became aware of Neville Goddard and his teachings while researching metaphysics and discovered his Broadway connections. Here is a brief introduction to a man whose career spanned from dancer to inspirational speaker and author in the mid twentieth century. Neville Goddard was a metaphysical author and speaker who…

Playwrights are contributing their talent to the global discussion surrounding climate change. The Climate Change Theatre Action (CCTA) encompasses worldwide performance art dedicated to bringing attention to the crisis of climate change. CCTA was founded in 2015 to coincide with the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) Three remarkable CCTA…