I did it. I performed a 90 year old man.  Three times.

First, standing staring off into nothing, then sitting in a chair addressing the audience, and lastly, to the two other actors on stage.

The best was when I did it the 2nd time. I felt connected, vulnerable, mostly in character, but more importantly, I felt (from the very beginning) that this monologue isn’t talking to one person. It encompasses too much and reads like a politicians speech. It was meant to be spoken in a big room filled to the brim with friends, family and strangers.

Oh, let’s not forget the [almost] unbearable actor-y moment when we moved, and spoke like animals. Specifically, the animal we chose that (reminded, jump-started, connected-with) moved from a certain center that reminded us of the character we chose.

I imagined Mr. McNeely, sitting under his tree. Not helping. Not wanting to get his hands dirty, letting all the seasons wash up on his face as he sat under his tree with his back against the trunk.

I was a toad or a frog, I don’t exactly remember because I saw the animal I wanted to be as I was leaving the Seaquarium
(Coney Island) and Raf started flipping out about wanting to go outside so I looked for a good thirty seconds (while he hollered in my ear) at the name of the amphibian, promising myself I won’t forget, left Coney Island hopped on the D train and promptly forgot.