I was chatting today with my friend Sandy (who I’ve been working for since returning to the city and who designs the COOLEST jewelry ever – check out her facebook page here) about the amazing NYC theater experience, Sleep No More. Seriously, I could write pages and pages about how in love with this show I am, but I’ll save that for a rainy day. It’s difficult to explain if you’ve never gone, but it’s an open house cum 360 degree, six floor stage that serves as a setting to a modern and avant garde interpretation of Macbeth. Actors wander the space, creating scenes sporadically and effortlessly, and the “audience,” uniformly clad in spooky masks, voyeuristically inhabits and experiences the world around them. If you’re lucky, and feeling open, you may have the luxury (or personal terror) of a one-on-one experience with an actor or scene. It’s difficult to explain. Basically, get your tickets now. Anyhow, when I went last year, I had not one, not two, but three bizarre experiences that were just for me and my entertainment (or anxiety). Why was I chosen in these different situations? How was I so lucky?
I’ve always been one of the people that tourists, or anyone for that matter, come up to in asking directions, advice, etcetera. I’m generally the one that takes pictures for strangers. That zips up people in Gap dressing rooms. Yes, I shop at the Gap. People frequently ask how they know me because I look familiar “for some reason.” People seem to feel comfortable around me – I’ve had some deep dark secrets confessed to me by people that I hardly know. Whatever all this is, it cracks me up. The more I get to know myself, mainly through my acting classes, singing, living in New York, the more I am realizing that I am truly an “attractive” person. Hear me out. I’m not saying that I’m Charlize Theron. I’m breaking down the literal meaning of the word. Okay – I’ll say it right now: I loathe writers who quote the dictionary – it feels very sixth grade speech competition. (Yes, I used that particular device in my school district second place-winning speech, “I Have A Concern.”) But what exactly does the word “attractive” mean? Cue the cheesy music and groans of all readers donning monocles.
at·trac·tive [uh–trak-tiv] adjective
1. providing pleasure or delight, especially in appearance or manner; pleasing; charming; alluring: an attractive personality.
2. arousing interest or engaging one’s thought, consideration, etc.: an attractive idea; an attractive price.
3. having the quality of attracting.
There’s something outlandish and exciting about this for me. I don’t usually look in the mirror and think, “goddamn I look hot tonight!” But I do often acknowledge the fact that I have amazing people in my life, interesting situations coming at me all the time, artistic opportunities flying at my head, and yes – strangers asking how or from what they know me. That really does make me an attractive person, and knowing this fact is unbelievably energizing. At Sleep No More, I had my bizarre experiences. And I have them every day. I say yes to opportunity and try to remain an open, positive, attractive person. Now. Let’s start attracting that Broadway contract… 😉
Ashley Harrell 