Monthly Archives: April 2008

A Ghost In Fancy Clothes, Voting and Rafta, Rafta…

Have you noticed lately that when you start talking about politics — your politics — that people start tuning in and listening to what you have to say? A few weeks ago, I was at a restaurant with my husband and overheard a group of young people talking about how much they hated Hillary. I got so irritated, that I started speaking in Russian to my husband just to avoid their chatter. When I start speaking in Russian I must be desperate to have a private conversation with my husband, because my Russian is not so good. It’s on a the level of a five-year-old who has the mind of a much older person, who just can’t get the words out.

I’ve been quiet lately about the Hillary thing, because I had trouble supporting her when all these semi-lies started to pop up. But I still like her as a candidate. I dunno….

Go ahead and call me “Business Girl” –and she’s going through her own set of politics. Do you ever realize at some point, you are re-doing things you’ve already done, but perhaps with less enthusiasm? I already had a career in business and left it — once, twice, three times — and at every point that I left the cube and the florescent lights and the office politics, I swore never do THAT again. At some point I became a playwright, went to grad school, got produced, published, made movies (as an actress), was an agent too — and felt alive. And then realized even at its best, playwriting alone is a hobby and not a job (though I did get my first writing paycheck last year). But I don’t like to be poor. I’ve tried it several times — and it sucks.

So what’s a girl to do? So I’ll never be “just business” again. I’m now playwriting/theater girl and whatever else I need to do for $$ will always be just that…but is it? From experience I know that corporate jobs take up more time than you think. They are never “just jobs.” Your soul in exchange for a paycheck. Thank you. You’re welcome. But that’s not how everyone sees it.

That business girl — who had a dream job for one of the hottest websites in its heyday, who was so, so vibrant and passionate and who loved being edgy. Well, she already lived and died and now she’s just a ghost…a ghost who can buy herself fancy clothes.

My next subject:(I made you read a lot to get here didn’t I?) Rafta Rafta. I saw the preview of a new play by Ayub Khan-Din which is based on the play All in Good Time by Bill Naughton. It’s being presented by the New Group and it’s running until late May. You should check this out. It’s hilarious and full of plucky, well-drawn, if not too over-the-top characters. The set and lighting is a blast – literally. It kind of blasts you out of slumber if that’s where you were heading. You’ll find yourself rooting and caring for the characters’ plights. Also, there’s some sex involved and THAT’s always fun, especially since the chemistry between the characters is excellent. The ending was a little pat for my taste, but the ride was a good one. I laughed a lot….and I realized I needed a laugh.

Elephant Art

Check out this site devoted to elephants learning to paint.  It’s amazing. Elephants are the bomb!

FREE staged Reading of the play “Reporter Girl” April 15th

If you live in or around NYC, you are welcome to come to this, just RSVP as space is limited.

April 15th, 2008 at 7:00PM
at the Abingdon Theatre
312 West 36th Street
New York City (cross at 8th)

“Reporter Girl” is about Dale Mesick, the nation’s first syndicated female cartoonist, famous for creating Brenda Starr Reporter — the gutsiest, most fashionable, red-headed protagonist-journalist to ever be portrayed in the comics. “The play has more than a ring of truth to it”, says OOBR.com. Weissberger Award nominee, O’Neill Festival Finalist and Princess Grace Award Finalist.

written by Laura Rohrman (Dale’s granddaughter) directed by Fritz Brekeller

with Louisa Bradshaw*, Jeff Branson (Emmy nominated star of All My Children), John Calvin-Kelly, Amy Dickenson*, Colin Egglesfield (All My Children), Betty Hudson*, Kate Nowlin* and Beth Woodard

* appearing courtesy of AEA

Wine and snacks will be served.
Please RSVP to: nonirohr@yahoo.com
For more information, visit http://www.laurarohrman.com

Hello Kitty (my love)

Back in the day, I often talked about my Hello Kitty obsession, now I just think about it occasionally.  Here is an article I wrote about Hello Kitty

Brenda Starr Reporter and my fashion sense

For as long as I can remember I have been collecting and occasionally wearing vintage clothes.  My grandma Dale Messick, created the Brenda Starr Reporter cartoon strip and her most beautiful era in my opinion has to be the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.  Of course, I didn’t meet Dale Messick until the late 70’s….but I remember clearly the first time we went to her high rise apartment, which looked over Lake Michigan (it was in Chicago).  I think my mom purposely kept this fancy life away from herself and her children, because when we visited my glamourpuss granny “I was like who is this woman and why have you kept her from me?”…My granny had wild red hair, was gorgeous, had a closet full of fancy frocks and hats — and guess what? She loved to dress me up.  In fact, many years later when grandma Dale moved to California, that’s what we’d do…I’d come over and she’d give me her clothes and we’d play dress up.  So, as sort of an odd-ball teenager, I wore fedoras, capes and in my free-time started buying up vintage clothes.  I dare say I was wearing vintage before it was ever in style to do so. Even these days, I look smashing in vintage clothes… I just ever-so-slightly have a look about me that is from a different era.  Some people have this look…in period pieces it’s called “good casting.”  For example, the HBO series ROME — great casting…the Tudors, not-so-much.  All the dudes in that series look like they are soap stars in present time.  Or maybe it’s the modern day speak dressed up with English accents that’s throwing me off….not sure….but I am only watching it because, well, I am a history buff…and it’s sort of soapy.