2004-03-09
Thank you for coming.
"I think that I'm going to be not-quite-mainstream for the rest of my life. I've always said that if I woke up and found myself on the cover of Time, I would know I was in the wrong country."
Spalding Gray 1941 - 2004
I've been walking around for the last couple of days with this feeling like a dozen little stars bursting in my chest. My heart is broken.
Anybody who saw Spalding Gray perform felt like they knew him. I was fortunate enough to have crossed paths with him, and seeing him work changed my life -- changed the way I viewed myself and my approach as a writer and as a performer -- immeasurably.
You never got bored hearing him, you'd never not feel a surge of excitement when you walked in to one of his performances and saw the table and the glass of water. He'd end every monologue with "Thank you for coming," and this always gave me a little pang.
I've gone through at least 4 VHS copies of Monster In A Box, as I had a habit of showing it to people that I wanted to befriend or get closer to, like, "Here -- watch this. Watch this." He was one of those writers that you had to share, you just had to.
In this day where theatrical performances have to be such monstrously expensive spectacles in order to even turn a profit, the fact that this one man could foster so much empathy and love from an audience speaks volumes. It's something that most of us can only hope to aspire to.
Thank you for coming.
lisamcc at 9:10 p.m.
5 comments so far
grouse
2004-03-10 00:54:16
I'm sorry, but I never heard of Spalding Gray until the announcement of his death. But now, after your entry, well... now I know I missed something special. Thanks.
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marla
2004-03-10 20:12:29
When I heard the news I thought of you. It's just incredibly sad and such a loss.
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coughlin
2004-03-11 21:49:00
howdy from the noise board -- wonderin', then, if you ever saw bogosian perform and / or what you think of his stuff... (not to slight mr. gray, of course, but i tend to shove eric b. down people's throats in similar non-fashion as you mention)
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oh great
2004-03-11 21:49:56
email is optional? now they tell me...
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Melanie
2004-03-15 15:19:21
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/people/columns/intelligencer/n_10066/
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