My 2020 Survival Story: When The Fire Happened By Donna Boehm

The corner of Creel and Hwy.99 in Talent, Oregon. Where the Rock Shop and so many other businesses used to be.

When The Fire Happened
A True Story by Donna Boehm

 Here's the story. I woke up during the night hearing the wind blowing furiously and thought that wasn't good. The wind continued for days and that's what made the fire grow so quickly. Somehow my home was spared, but half a mile from here, to the north, many homes are simply gone. Over 2000 in this area are gone so far. I was in Medford when the evacuation started so never did get back to the house that day. When night came my housemate and I spent the night in his car in Jacksonville. We had planned to spend the night at his girlfriend's house in Medford but even that area was evacuated. That was pretty miserable. Next day we returned to her house. Lots of people in cars in parking lots along the way. We were there from Wednesday until I returned home on Monday. We did manage to get through roadblocks by taking back roads into Talent twice, first to get clothes and food from the freezer. and the second time to clean out the fridge. Power/water were off.

Margie's home is small and there are three cats and a big dog there. I did have a fold out bed in her sewing room. She was so good to us! She also had room on her property for a small trailer and a young couple and small child who lost everything were moving in as I was moving back home. I was able to make dinner for everyone the days I was there. I liked that! I wanted to do something to help, even if it was only dinner!

It was a very confusing time. Not knowing what was going on, watching tv hoping for some news, depending on whatever info Margie got from her large circle of friends all over the area. It was through her that we found out we could get into Talent the back way! I'm aware there has been much chaos for so many. My experience is not close to that.

I just wanted so much to get back to the house. I felt disconnected. Things seemed surreal. But I never panicked or got depressed. I'm sure all that time spent in mindfulness classes helped! It was so good to be home when I did get here!

The smoke was so bad! It's beginning to shift but it will probably be a few days before we see blue sky again. When the wind finally did stop, it's been still ever since.

A lot of downtown Talent is gone. Some buildings were over a hundred years old. To me, that was part of the charm of Talent. I know there will be a lot of information about what really happened around here moving forward.

I've come to realize how important the little things are. How people will show up for each other. How many have written to ask how I'm doing! Driving around Talent I saw several places where people had put bottles of water out for anyone to take. Other communities are organizing to get clothing and household items to people who have lost everything.

Backstage Diva describes Donna because that's usually where she has been found when working with many theatre companies and the opera in the Rogue Valley. Costumes, stage managing, props, dresser, and assisting whenever necessary keep her engaged with her passion for creating and working with so many talented teams that light up the stages of this amazing theatre community. She's impatiently waiting for those lights to start shining again!

Submit your "2020 Survival Story" to cafegirlproductions@gmail.com.  

The Thriving Artist is a subset of Cafe-Girl Productions, Inc, a film and media production company. 

Find out more information about Cafe-Girl Productions, Inc at:

www.cafegirlproductionsinc.com

www.patreon.com/cafegirlproductions

The Other Side...of Acting!

Acting, for me, is the best form of therapy.  At times, the most painful yet in the end the most healing to free myself from the past.

In every character, I can find an element of my true self, albeit comedic or tragic, but every now and again, there is a character given to me by more than the director or the writer but, indeed, by the hands of the divine that is in her essence so much of me that she and I become one.  In that way, I lose myself as I bring her to life--her worries, struggles, pains and, yes, hopes and dreams become fused with mine. It was this way with Edna Miles and it is this way with Elizabeth, a character from the short play, The Other Side, written by Bob Valine, which is part of this weekend's readings at Paschal Winery.

I always am humbled when, if ever, I have the chance to meet the writers and always hope that in bringing to life their beloved creations, their characters, their babies, I can do their work justice.  Even though I love all of the work given to me this weekend, it is Valine's Elizabeth that I am most grateful for and that poses the biggest challenge.  It is for this reason some days have passed before writing this.

In this play, Elizabeth has lost her husband, David, in a tragic accident and is trying, failingly to put it behind her.  Similarily, I lost my own beloved first love due to divorce, a death in its own way, even though the right thing to do.

Elizabeth suspects foul play in that David was unfaithful with a "bikini" and I, too, know that feeling in that my ex's "other woman" was, in a sense, his illness.  Like Elizabeth, I try to hold in and deal the best I can with the conflicting emotions of love and hatred for the man I swore to love for all time yet can never be with again; my first love at first sight soul-mate.

Yet there are moments when I wish I could have with him, one last chance, to tell my Billiam that I love him still and for always and that a part of me misses him and will never ever forget...

I am truly thankful to Bob for writing this script and birthing Elizabeth, to Michael for giving me to her to portray, and even my Theatre-Mama, Becky, for sharing this stage with me.

To find out what happens, see you this Saturday, February 15th and Sunday, February 16th at Paschal Winery for the Paschal Readings.  Doors open at 7 pm.

https://www.facebook.com/events/703614122993149/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

http://www.paschalwinery.com/

Bob Valine is a local Southern Oregon playwright.

Don't let life "Pass" you by...

Hi! My name is Angel Seraphina, but a lot of people call me Princess because I wear this funny crown on my head, including the bus driver who drives my bus to school every day.  I like it for a lot of reasons but mainly because it makes me feel good, like how I've always wanted to be treated.  The crown is a reminder of my ability to downgrade myself and as my psycho-shrink says, "it will remind me to find more value in my own worth" blah de blah blah blah.

I was diagnosed with severe depression a few years back, when I was 18, around the time my father had a heart attack.  Life seemed pretty easy going until then, or so it seemed.  There was more lying under the surface that I didn't know about, or didn't want to see, isn't that how it always is?

Anyway, my father used to call me "His Princess" when I was a little girl and drive me around town while I sipped on the best strawberry shake in town.  After his death, I spiraled quickly into a mental breakdown, increased even more by my mother's second marriage.  I started regressing and was put into therapy, which helped me realize my father was abusive sexually to me as a child, which, in turn, caused more regression, as I struggled failingly to hide that truth and return to a more "innocent time".

This brought on the intense depression which then was followed by a suicide attempt which landed me into the psych ward...when I was released from there, I began my life again with school, with promises to continue therapy and take my medications.  Not wanting to go back there, I decided to try...and find my place in the world.

Riding the bus at one point was a source of high anxiety but has now been a victory for me, brought on even more by the friends' I meet who care enough to really see my value and importance, ie my royalty. Case in point, my friend, Tommy, who carries a lawn chair for me to sit in, like the princess I truly am, while waiting for our bus to arrive.

And, so in turn, I want to help them.  Or see if I can...

Find out how I help them this Saturday, February 15th and Sunday, February 16th at 7 pm at Paschal Winery in Talent, Oregon at the Paschal Readings, directed by Michael Meyer.

http://www.paschalwinery.com/

Princess, ie Angel, is based on a character from local Rogue Valley playwright, Cynthia Rogan's play, Pass, showing this Saturday and Sunday.

https://www.facebook.com/events/703614122993149/?ref_dashboard_filter=calendar

Controller: Or How My Life Went Out of Control!

Hi, my name is Liza and I am a woman in my mid-twenties, a young, very healthy woman in my twenties with some very very basic needs that are currently not being met because...

I feel responsible for the demise of my parents' crumbling marriage, that it is partly my fault for not holding up my end of the bargain as I promised I would.  I feel guilty, as the psychologists would say, for having my own need to develop as an individual apart from my parents.

Thus, I feel the need to make it up to them by giving my dad a place to stay at my house and doing what I can to stop the enmity between them; to save their marriage and to hopefully reestablish my struggling and very hungry libido.

Things come to a head (LOL! She said "head), when I can't even get my own father to come to his mother-in-law's funeral which causes even more division between my folks.  After weeks of trying, I am at my wit's end, heightened even more so by the long absence of personal time with my boyfriend, Jeff (and by personal time, I mean...).

I am feeling very frustrated and in need of a good roll in the...consequently unable to think clearly to plan a good attack.

Enter Jeff, my wonderfully faithful boyfriend with a brilliant plan that just might work!  To find out what, come and see this Saturday & Sunday, October 19 & 20, at Paschal Winery.  See link below for more information!

https://www.facebook.com/events/578985095472463/?ref=2&ref_dashboard_filter=calendar

Routine Procedure

Character: Lucy Kingsley

I am an overworked young mother who is the only "bread-winner" in my family.  I have a young son, Cory, who is four years old, with serious health problems.  Since my husband, Jerry, lost his job, we no longer have the health benefits or the finances to cover Cory's medical costs.  I would do whatever it takes to save my son's life.  Hell has no fury---

I have an eternally cheery disposition and want to appear as if I have a heart of gold.  My personal motto is:  "Be the better person" AND "Kill him with kindness."

See me in action this Saturday, October 19th & Sunday, October 20th at Paschal Winery in
Talent, Oregon.  Be there @ 7:00 pm, or watch out!

Information provided below:

https://www.facebook.com/events/578985095472463/?ref_dashboard_filter=calendar