become underground famous

Thanks to connections at college, saw this last night. A dress rehearsal for a select audience. Most likely this will make international news and be reviewed around the country/world.

I went because the director who is one of the biggest theatre directors in this country (and internationally) did his graduate work here at SFSU, my college, and made his return to San Fran after leaving in a furor over his 1993 Duchess of Malfi production which was such a controversy that audiences left offended in droves. As a producer said to Woodruuf after opening night, “Great job last night, could you just move the blowjobs upstage.” His production might sound purposely offensive to some not up on jacobean history but the period in history should not be sugar coated and well . . .the naked hanging of the duchess at the end . . . well read the script.

Anyway. This Phillip Glass musical is called Apomatox and is about the Civil War aftermath in this country, It concentrates on the suurender of General Lee to General Grant and delves into the complexities of what led to it and what the aftermath created for the civil rights movement and the future of race relations in this country.

Yes, there is a Lincoln singing arias.

And you know what? The singer playing Lincoln was not a typical bloated opera singer, he was a toned and handsome Lincoln who . . . well if I was a historic gal hanging out by the white house in this opera well I would be swooning or attempting to jump some Presidential bones.

Not your typical opera. The music was amazing and inventive, of course. It is Philip Glass. The staging by Robert Woodruff was visceral and mind-searingly beutiful. The storyline to me felt in need of work. The singing was fairly impressive to my untrained opera ear yet according to the opera officianados in the audience warranted many italiono “Bravos”.

This show and meeting Woodruff as well as seeing a Glass production made me realize what “Underground Famous” truly can occupy in this world as far as artistic power, freedom and international rennown. For example, if you can tell me who Robert Woodruff is or even Phillip Glass I would be amazed (at least on this site) and yet they have more power in the world of artistic expression on this planet than almost anybody you could name. And we are talking in terms of now and in 100 years. Dare you to name a modern day composer or theatre director with more . . . underground fame.

“If you are ambitious of climbing up to the difficult, and in a manner inaccessible, summit of the Temple of Fame, your surest way is to leave on one hand the narrow path of Poetry, and follow the narrower track of Knight-Errantry, which in a trice may raise you to an imperial throne.”
– Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) Spanish novelist, dramatist and poet.

In a way I am already underground famous. There are certain circles where my name has a notoriosly good reputation. However, I am not at the point I want to be.

I do not want to be famous like Tom Cruise or Mr. T. I would rather be the type of famous where only your hardcore fans know who you are and even what you look like. And these fans would be the type of people you wouldn’t mind meeting because they would have to be somewhat on the same level as you as far as tastes, beliefs, sense of humor, etc.

People who are underground famous tend to be amazing geniuses in their field, art, craft but are not household names. That is because to be a household name you have to appeal to the lowest common denominator.

It is like my friend Bob says, “It turns out the world is run by C students.”

Its true and I don’t want to be a part of the society that the C students have created. I want to be in the underground society.