Stratford, Prince Edward Island
Well, there's a whole lot going on - but I can't tell you about most of it! Not yet. But there are some really exciting things in the works, and, as soon as I can make any kind of announcement, you better believe I will right here.

All the craziness in trying to get a show on its feet aside, my world recently has been about rewrites. Yes, it's certainly not the first time, as you know. But this time, it's kind of more about learning. And study. I got detailed notes from a theatre staffer and one dramaturg, plus Leo's had me reading this book called Naked Playwriting. So there's a lot of stuff that's been percolating in my head. In some ways, I can see where I made some tactical and structural errors, which I'm planning to fix. But the one thing I've learned about dramaturgy in the past few weeks is that, while they can give you suggestions, you don't have to take 'em! Things were suggested to us that I wouldn't do in a million years. Of course, it's all made me look at our show in a different way. Some answers I have - I just haven't implemented them, because I wanted to wait until I finished the book (which I did this afternoon). Others...well, they haven't made themselves known yet.

One thing I'd like to say here and now is...I hope you'll all forgive me! There are certain things I'm going to have to cut and certain characters that I'm going to have to cut, all of which is going to dilute the accuracy somewhat. Or at least the amount of it. I know some of you will be sitting there going "Where's such-and-so?" But something else I've become more acutely aware of is the through-line - and the necessity of sticking near it. For me, that through-line is and remains the power of the imagination - whether that's Maud's creative process and books, or the way she "imagined" positive or negative things into her experience. If you know anything about The Law of Attraction, or have read or seen The Secret, you know what I'm talking about. The school of thought that suggests the inner creates the outer, or that our thoughts create our experiences. I'm a rather stringent student of that particular school, even though I'm nowhere near mastering it. So, whatever doesn't contribute to that through-line - with a few exceptions - has to go. There are two characters in particular that I hate cutting, and never imagined cutting, but the story drags when they're there. It isn't just about getting the thing down to 2hrs 40mins or less anymore. Now I've got to make it make more sense structurally. In the beginning I was just determined to do a straightforward biography. And I'd still like to, but I see now that the only way to make this stageable is to have a theme and follow through on it. People have been telling me that right along, but...well, my skull is a bit on the thick side. :)

Anyway, it is still my aim to put something out there that accurately reflects Maud (I may have to leave some things out, but I'm not about to start making things up!) and that you'll all still enjoy. But don't hate me, OK, guys? :)