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Joe Salvatore Joe Salvatore

[R]evolution

Revolution. For me, this word typically conjures images of governments being overthrown, oppressive forces being countered by more equitable practices, or even violent acts that somehow lead to peace. The word also automatically makes me think of moments from early American history: images of red coats, tattered soldiers’ uniforms, Valley Forge, Washington crossing the Delaware, Betsy Ross, the flag with thirteen white stars in a circle, Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Proud symbols. Symbols that have become part of a national history, what some people might also call a mythology. Regardless of how I might feel about the word "revolution," it's often used to describe moments that feel distanced from me, moments that I can’t literally connect to.

During a recent morning writing session, I stumbled upon the relationship between the words "revolution" and "evolution" in my own personal life.

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Joe Salvatore Joe Salvatore

Stage directions: help or hindrance

A longstanding debate: Do I follow the stage directions in a script? Did the playwright write them or did the stage manager record them from the first production? What if my scenic design doesn't allow for the exact execution of the playwright's stage directions? Some of the questions I frequently hear from actors and directors, and the list goes on.

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