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A plate from Capo Ferro's Treatise
Curating information is a task that demands that one think carefully about how various types of material are being presented.

As some of you may have noticed, I recently started working on a page of Stage Combat Resources for this site, as I feel that there is a need for such a thing.  (I also started a more modest one for Playwriting & Dramaturgy, but that is more to guide people to the more established resources that are already out there).  On the stage combat page I've listed (among other things): links to professional organizations, weapons suppliers that I can vouch for, some teaching organizations in NYC that I've trained with, and links to a bunch of stuff by & about me (including my recent McSweeney's interview, which I have to admit made me feel mildly famous).  And perhaps most importantly, a selected bibliography. 

The bibliography is where I am having some trouble.  While books by B.H. Barry and J. Allen Suddeth are obvious and required reading, I don't quite know what to do with Ridolfo Capo Ferro. Or Vincentio Saviolo.  Or Morihei Ueshiba for that matter.  Let me explain... 

 
 
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This past November I was one of two alumni speakers at TEX: Tufts Idea Exchange.  TEX is an event inspired by and modeled on TED.  If you are not familiar with TED, do yourself a favor and click that link.  Be sure that you don't have anyplace important to be for a while. 

I'm coming back to this long-overdue post now in part because I've noticed through social media that they're soliciting speakers again, and to urge anyone among my readership in the Tufts community to apply.  And also, anyone with access to any similar events, like TEDx for instance, to make a point of going and/or somehow getting involved.  (I met many of the people involved in TEDxSomerville, and they are awesome, one of the TEX presenters will actually be speaking at their event).  For something even more informal, check out NerdNite

I want to talk specifically about TEX, and generally about what events like this have to offer.  Let's start with my presentation and go from there...


 
 
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I recently had the pleasure of seeing a reading of Motti Lerner's At Night's End as presented by Israeli Stage.   This was one of the most profound theatrical commentaries of the long term effects of war on individuals, families, and society at large that I have seen in a very long time.  The structure of the piece reminded me quite a bit of the work of Eugene O'Neill, though the translation and direction somehow managed to maintain the rhythms of Israeli Hebrew.  The playwright was there to take questions and comments (I understood that the play itself is still in development).

The play is set in Haifa during the recent Lebanon war and rockets and shelling are a constant factor.  At the center of the play was a very powerful and disturbing portrayal of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). 

The subject matter has great relevance to our own society right now with so many American soldiers returning from wars overseas.

I hope to see a full production of this play in the near future. We see so much of Israel on the news, and yet for a country that is in our public consciousness so much, we as Americans do not get a whole lot of exposure to Israeli arts. 


 
 
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This coming Valentine's Day there will be a staged reading of the opera libretto that I co-wrote with Silvia Graziano based on the Marquis de Sade's novel, Justine (an alternate version was called The Misfortunes of Virtue).  This reading will be directed by Christie Gibson and once again hosted by Fort Point Theatre Channel and the poster you're looking at was designed by Cara Grace

We recently realized it would be helpful to hear it out loud again.  Plus, what can be more appropriate for Valentine's Day?

This is one more step in a project that's been a long time in the making...