Good Grief

If you are in New York you should see this play If you are a part of a theater company you should read this play and consider it for your next season. Producers here's a play... Good Grief: the story of a first generation Nigerian girl and her best friend. It touches everyone, each in their own way. For me, I've had many best friends Ernest Jones who was my constant running companion from birth to somewhere in our teens. Steve Leaver, Mark Witucke , Charlie Medders, Martin Robert Holland III Kevin Riordan Anna Weiler Menekseoglu Ronald Riqueros Berg and I guess I can throw in Kyle Larsen as well. Over the years our relationships have changed but when you have a best friend they shape so much of who you are. In what was probably my most formidable years that best friend was Roxanne Zeilstra (Gniadecki) When she passed 14 years ago it was the most tragic experience I had ever had. When someone like that passes a piece of you dies. All the secrets and experiences that only you two shared seem somehow lost. I couldn't face it. Instead of going to her funeral I went to New York to visit another friend. Editha Rosario-Moore. I spent a lot of time at INTAR, the theater where she was then performing and would later become the executive director of. For Fourteen years I've mourned her loss regretted not saying goodbye. In many ways I've had a hard time forming intimate relationships and it's something I think about almost every day . It's a grief like no other. Almost exactly fourteen years later one of the first ny people I became and remained friends with Ngozichukwuka Anyanwu sent me a play. Good Grief- a best friend play. it was being produced at INTAR. It was beautiful. It's a story of grief and love and moving on. I knew I had to be a part of it. I wasn't going to risk losing a role to another actor when the queen of NYC Black theater ChiChi Anyanwu who knows every actor of color is casting so I volunteered to do costumes. Then by a series of strange events I got a txt Saturday morning on my way to work in the hamptons, "could you cover one of the roles if needed?" Sure I said after all this was a worst case scenario. On Sunday I was told I was playing the part and we opened last night. Playing the role of papa I have learned to move. That grief, although an essential part of life, can be crippling if we allow it to stop us from moving forward. We may forever relive the pains and sorrows we experience in life because with them is also great joy, love, and happiness. But if we continue to move each time the pain gets easier and we become lighter. I dedicate my performance to Roxanne who taught me how to create my own happiness a skill I've gotten out of practice of. It's also to everyone who's been a best friend Eric Schnuelle Andy Albright Matthew Stinton Michael Malavarca Libya V Amy Fulgham Tanny Sven Lins Tyler W. FrenchFrank Pullen Mark Omi PeteWolf Winninger and I'll also include Henry Hertz who was a teacher friend mentor surrogate parent all around godsend Just like those I named before we've all shared some good times and some bad times but I am who I am because of the times we shared I miss all of you and dedicate this show to best friends thank you for being you although it's taken some time because of you I am a better me this play also helped me see that. It's BEAUTIFUL!!!