It's hard to believe so many months have passed, but this is a strange time. I've been in the Dominican Republic longer than expected but I'm thankful to be here, for various reasons.
Just before the world shut down, we were able to open EL PANFLETO at the Gran Teatro de Cibao in Santiago. Thankfully, it was well received. We had another week of performances scheduled in May. But of course, that's now postponed until further notice. The good news is that the production was a success and will have a further life in the DR, if not elsewhere.
On other fronts, over the last year I served as Acting coach for the lead actress and script doctor for the screenplay of an independent Spanish film that was shot here in November. I was sorry not to be present for the shooting, because I worked before the filming began as an acting coach for the lead actress, but I had other commitments in November. Anyway, everyone seemed pleased with the process and the film is due to come out some time this year, though I have no idea how the release schedule has been affected by the pandemic. The title will likely be 15 HORAS and it was directed by Spanish director, Judith Colell.
In other news, I'm almost finished translating and re-editing El Camino a tu Salud R.E.A.L., by Doctor Raquelina Luna. It's "an integrative guide to total well-being." Integrative health is not my field but I learned a lot working on it and I'm proud of the results. The English version may only be available on Kindle, but I really look forward to seeing it completed and I'd recommend it to anyone.
I'm working now with Luna Life Foundation on a project called S.O.S. TALK Covid-19, which offers free online consultations with doctors and psychologists. Right now, the medical system is overwhelmed. There's so much misinformation out there. People want to know what preventative steps they can take. Some, who think they might have the virus, are wondering if they should go to a hospital or not, or how to self-treat if their case is mild. Others need help to deal with the stress, or panic, or grief. Still others have another medical concern but can't get regular access to their doctor. These are the reasons for S.O.S. TALK Covid-19. It's off to a strong start, with folks from 20 different countries visiting the website in the first two weeks and dozens of appointments. For now, it's only available in Spanish, but we also hope to work in English soon. Again, this isn't my field, but I've helped initiate the project and I'm working with the administration, the website and PR. It's a worthy project and I'm thankful to be involved.
That's my news for now. It will certainly be interesting to see how long it is before theatre is alive and well again. I think it will probably be one of the last industries to recover. In the meantime, I know a lot of other unemployed people and I wish us all well.
Stay safe!