I have spent many hours trying to figure out how to do this. I have read such beautiful stories and wept at every turn. All I want, is to honor this man for what he has meant for every one of us with the privalage of knowing him in his lifetime. So, heres how i met him.. The first show I auditioned for, the first show I was cast in, happened to be Sheldon Patinkins favorite one-act. Blessed as I was, I managed to be cast with Justin Lamar Nix. And if that was not quite enough, Sheldon happened to donate his personal Lonestar sixpack holder to the prod uction.(as it happened, the modern ones would not cut it). At the time, I had no idea who the man was, what he had done and what he meant to every single person who will have the opportunity to teach within those walls. The only thing i knew was, if i do not produce on this show, I might as well pack up and go home, He came to every single show. The only reason i know this is because his laugh is the most unmistakable and heartwarming sound I have ever heard.(good for us not spilling on that box!) A few weeks later he found me in the hallway and stopped me. Throwing his arms around, he said, You know, youre pretty good, dont you? I said, No. He said, Well, get over that shit. It was all i needed to know that Columbia was where i needed to be. He was more than a teacher. He was more a facilitator, or a director, or a perfect example of the human being. He was a craftsman. He molded our view of the human condition. He broke down what was in your way and built a route to a more intelligent and enlightened artist. More than anything that i can say, is that he was a celestial body in our midst. A mass of nourishment and light and warmth and, above all a place to call home, even a place to form opposition against. The best thing about a celestial body, they never just die off. They explode! They spread every part of themselves to the far reaches of the universe, just to let them know, they were there. We are the places he landed. It is our responsibility to bring his light, his warmth, and his nourishing sarcasm, his unriveled wit to the next generation, those not fortunate enough to experience his presence. His memory is not a burden of pain, but an obligation that we must joyfully give to everyone. Thank you Sheldon, in death, you continue to give me purpose. I love you.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 06:31:53 +0000
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