Hello Dear Friends and Family!
Merryest of Christmas greetings as the celebrations ease into a sip of wine by the fireplace and leftover turkey and goodbyes to loved guests.
From Beijing this year and send you my love and affection. I will return to USA for the second week in January and hope that I might be able to see your smiles. Otherwise I am here thru May and always welcome guests in the second bedroom overlooking Beijing.
As hard as it is to be away from home for the holidays, my stories from here are long and many. The last 2 weeks leading to Christmas included the opening of the American FAME tour, a featured role in a 3 day seminar in Music Theater Producing at the Shanghai Conservatory, and 3 hour class with the Shanghai Academy of Drama, interview/auditions for a Parade at various Song & Dance troupes, brainstorming on a new acrobatic show in Tianjin about Swan Lake, approvals to turn on construction on the Inner Mongolian Exhibit for the Expo and artist negotiations (by skype) on the new musical for next year’s Broadway season. Fun and bizarre. Laurie has encouraged me to blog it on our new website (www.townsquareproductions.com)…most times it goes to fast to spend the moments savoring the appetizer before another main course is presented.
For those that are curious about my choices here in China, I found myself at a loss to succinctly describe what it is like, as it is so layered, wrapped in dozens of sheets of Christmas paper, to get to the gift of it all. Alas it was all described quite well in a recent article in The Economist, title "The Others" published on December 7, 2009. It is almost a cop-out to describe this year’s spirit by referring to such a reference (especially for all the ‘foreigners’ that I realize I know). Tis longer than anyone should read on a holiday, but if you have others who are choosing the foreign life, it explains it pretty well.
Much love for all your generous spirits,
Don
