A chinese proverb says "The strongest memory is weaker than the palest ink". So many times I have had thoughts about this play I wanted to share, thinking I would not forget, I did not immediately jot down what they were at the time. Now I am trying to overcome the fragility of memory and recap my process for you. Those thoughts and illuminations are not lost, but have become something different... so I share my process from this point. I am enjoying the roller coaster that is "The Real Thing". At first reading I thought it was funny and interesting, I thought I understood the humor and the drama of it, but the more we explored the less I understood. One of my initial fears was whether or not I could pull off a British accent. Then I was taken down in to the rabbit hole of Tom Stoppard double meanings and repeating themes, the plays within plays started to reveal themselves in ways unexpected. I am not afraid of the accent anymore, I am afraid of the mad hatter! I am simultaneously repelled and attracted to Stoppard's characters. His mastery of words and the imagery created by them almost makes me think I have no business commenting on them! How can I use words to describe something I might not truly understand...I do not want to be a block of wood, I want to be a cricket bat! The other part of this production that has been great has nothing to do with Stoppard, rather the amazing people I am working with. I almost turned down the role due to lack of confidence and fear of working with experienced actors and production team. I thought I would bog down the process. Because of Phoebe's patient and kind listening skills, I took that jump to find a group of warm, welcoming, creative people. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to work with such a wonderful cast and production team. I must say, this would be a play to see more than once. I do not say this to merely fill up seats, I say this with sensitivity to a well written play. I can think of many films that blessed me with new insights the second...third time I saw them. The Real Thing would fit in the category of worth seeing twice!