U-Line Building. 1st place the Beatles played in the US, 3rd place The Performance Corporation will play in the US.

I just had a fantastic week in DC casting for our upcoming massive production with Solas Nua “Swampoodle” there next Summer. Casting is happening in DC and will happen in Ireland later this year. We’re aiming for a multi-national multi-talented cast so it’s a wide ranging process. I used my usual workshop method of casting which allows me to work with a number of performers in a collaborative environment over an hour and a half. This is wonderfully informative for me but also I think gives something small back to the performers who are generous with their time, they get a free short workshop! 100’s of fantastic performers later we’re near to being able to announce our US core and supporting cast.

There was a great evening had at the Irish Ambassador’s residence on Wednesday night to celebrate the upcoming Solas Nua season which includes our co-production of Swampoodle. I did end up unintentionally heckling the Ambassador during his speech while he was welcoming me, he tried to accuse me of being from Dublin! I whispered “Meath actually” to a couple of other guests nearby who took up a chorus of “Meath! Meath!” which stopped the Ambassador in his tracks as he good humouredly corrected himself.

All the casting and glamour done with, I was dropped by Solas’s Linda Murray to get a train to Baltimore Airport and took lots of pictures en route (I’m an obsessed The Wire fan, and brought back episodes of Treme – new show by The Wire makers). Plane nightmare ensured. 2 hours on the runway in a tiny plane -taxiing then coming back to the terminal and de-boarded numerous times! There was apparently a storm in New York. Anyway the final de-boarding was announced along with a 45 minute wait for the next update – so I went to get a sandwich. When I came back the plane had left with my hand luggage on board, then I dropped my beloved Macbookpro and cracked the screen to bits.

Long long story – shortened: trained it to Newark, ran for the plane, flight closed, plane still there, plane door reopened after attendant knocked on the door – bizaare, 3 more hours on runway, Dublin, no bag, found 2 lost Americans on their honeymoon, brought them to Dunnes for underwear (also lost bags), fed them, gave them a celebratory cigar and put them on the train to Sligo. Now here in Belmullet after being driven cross country for our charperson Triona Ní Dhuibhir’s wedding on a cliff by a lighthouse tomorrow – fingers crossed for weather. Nice clothes and hair curlers in the lost bag. But ready to relax.
Jo