The Warriors Write a Book

January 23, 2014

Laura Morefield & Charlene Baldridge

I’m embroiled in a tough task these days, back at work on the big prose book tentatively titled What Next Miss Mommy? and now subtitled The Books We Never Wrote.

The first book is my memoir about the mother/daughter relationship, which we managed to rebuild from the depths to which it had plunged when at age 58 I ended my marriage to the man Laura loved, her stepfather, the late Chuck Baldridge. The resurrection and deepening of our relationship was not easily achieved, and people who saw us together on our yearly cultural trips often urged us to detail how we did it. We never wrote the book because we never figured out how we did it. And then cancer came along, cutting short my daughter’s life, but not our relationship.

The second book was Laura’s never-completed Golf Monday, Chemo on Tuesday, an intended how-to about taking charge of your cancer treatment. Laura completed two chapters before she ran out of steam. Apparently, there were other, more important things to do, like survive.

As I came to the end of a first draft, it occurred to me that Laura’s blog titled “A Month in the Life” could and should stand in for her book. It is chockfull of wisdom. Putting it together chronologically and editing it has taken more than a week, and I’m only up to Day 21.

I found myself telling a friend that I was forging ahead with the work, however painful, because who knows how much time I have left, and there is still much to do. He assured me I will fulfill my assignments and promises to Laura and to myself.

As I said, the work is challenging, reading her words, hearing her voice. Today, after my friend left, I returned to the work and I was buoyed up by these words:  “Only one person in the universe knows when my use-by date is up, and I don’t call him doctor. I trust the numbering of my days to the One who whispered me into being out of love.”

Take a look -- Warriors photos

Take a Look at the 'Warriors'

Laura Jeanne Morefield and her mother,
Charlene Baldridge 2008

In response to a reader's request, here are photos of The Warriors' Duet from the initial reading in May 2012 at ion theatre, directed by Claudio Raygoza and produced by Glenn Paris; and also from the Circle Circle dot dot production co-directed by Katherine Harroff and Anne Gehman at the inaugural San Diego Fringe Festival and The White Box Theatre at Liberty Station. These took place in July and September 2013.

Karson StJohn McGinley, Charlene and Linda Libby
following the reading in May 2012

Ssamsntha Ginn on rooftop of 10th Avenue Theatre
prior to the commencement of the Fringe Festival
Photo courtesy Circle Circle dot dot

Sam and company
Photo Manuel Rotenberg

Matt Carney and Samantha Ginn in performance
at White Bos Theatre

Matt Carney (center) Kathi Copeland (seated, left)
and company at White Box Theatre

Samantha Ginn and Kathi Copeland
Photo by Manual Rotenberg

The lovely 'Warriors' poster
created by Justin Warren Martin

Update on Vimeo post and books

Updating the Warriors

Laura Jeanne Morefield and her mother, Charlene Baldridge
2008

There are many things I cannot divulge these days -- a horrible condition for one such as I, who wants to blab all to the world. Patience is required of me for the first time in a long time, and I've never been good at the practice of this trait. What's the old saying? "I want what I want and I want it now"?

Be that as it may, there are a couple of things I am able to relate to you.

1. James Vasquez's marvelous filming of my November 18 talk about Jake, Laura, Flicka and me is up on vimeo! Just go to www.vimeo.com/83116588 and you can see the whole thing. The composer loves it by the way.

Charlene at reading of Laura's work
April 2013

2. I've decided, since I can't untangle the prose book (see previous post) that Laura does need to have a larger voice in its creation. And so, I've copied the email exchanges between us and news she wrote to her Team Laura caregivers. She also wrote the time line of her disease on her own blog and I intend to incorporate that into the book as well. 

Samantha Ginn and Charlene
July 2013

Collecting and editing Laura's post-diagnosis poetry and making the chapbook The Warrior's Stance (www.ccalliance.com/Laura) brought me daily contact with my late daughter and her luminous works for more than a year.

Writing the play titled The Warriors' Duet, which incorporates her work and mine, brought me peace and release. Watching it performed last year by Circle Circle dot dot (Katherine Harroff and Anne Gehman co-directed) was an indescribable experience.

Finishing Line Press's forthcoming chapbook of my poems, The Rose in December, written since Laura's 2008 diagnosis seems to be the icing on the cake for this soon-to-be-80-year-old (www.finishinglinepress.com and go to forthcoming books). But that brings us to the undisclosed news. If you see me and wonder why my normally open mouth is tightly closed and in a straight line, that's why.

This morning in my predawn dreams, Laura took me shopping at Macy's. "You always looked so good in red," she said, as I held up a wild print in front of my body. "Put that into the cart." We had such a good time. She bought nothing for herself, but it's quite apparent that she is still in charge of the hairbrush.

December 30, 2013

I had dreams of a little girl on toward morning. 

I'll have to tackle those tangled locks.

Yesterday 

I ploughed ahead and finished a first draft of my prose book, What Next, Miss Mommy?  I waited till late in the day to print, read it and edit.

The book draft is dismaying – a huge disappointment that displays both redundancy and gaping holes – much work remains to be done. But I guess that’s what first drafts are for, and at least I got a poem out of it – a poem titled "Redundancies and Gaping Holes."

As I sit here at dawn, I realize that she who came into my dreams was Laura. Furthermore I realize I never did know how to untangle her or her hair – and she wouldn’t let me touch it.

I am heartened. Laura knows what I’m doing. She wants to do it herself.

Back then, when she was 5 or 6 there was a terrible standoff, and I had to hurt her: Without scissors I had to get rid of the matted tangle at the nape of her neck. Tears were shed.

Once I’d done so, I gave her the hairbrush and said, “You’re on your own from now on, babe.”

Laura needs to write the book.

You're invited

Frederica von Stade, Jake Heggie and Charlene Baldridge
The world premiere of Winter Roses, Santa Barbara, 2004

You are cordially invited to attend the filming of The Backstory: Jake and Flicka and Laura and Me, a brief chat with poet/playwright/critic Charlene Baldridge, author of the extraordinary play, The Warriors’ Duet. The intimate event is open to the public. Free will donations to benefit Colon Cancer Alliance in Washington, D. C.

By special request of legendary mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade and composer Jake Heggie (Dead Man Walking, Moby-Dick) Charlene delivered the original talk in August 2013 while aboard the cruise ship Yorktown, traversing the locks in Canada’s Welland Canal. Sadly, von Stade and her husband had to leave the ship early due to a family emergency, so the diva missed Charlene’s talk, and the composer requested a video.

Charlene will be filmed by director James Vasquez as she talks about the magic she’s experienced since meeting Heggie in San Francisco in 2000; the thrill, at age 70, of having him set her poetry in a song cycle premiered by von Stade; and the formation of lasting friendships between the composer, his husband, and their son with Charlene’s late daughter, Laura Jeanne Morefield.

There’s much more to reveal. If you value music and language and love, you will want to hear Charlene tell the story of what’s yet to come.

The event takes place at 7 pm Monday, November 18, at Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd. in University Heights.

Don't miss The Warriors' Duet!

Reviewing two years of labor on Labor Day 2013

My labors over the past two years mostly had to do with the work of my late daughter Laura Jeanne Morefield. The fruit, so far, includes the realization of Laura's poetry chapbook titled The Warrior’s Stance, and most recently a theatre work, The Warriors’ Duet, which had a sellout run at the inaugural San Diego Fringe Festival in July and is being remounted by Circle Circle dot dot at the White Theatre, Liberty Station later this week, September 5-8.

Samantha Ginn and company
Photo by Manuel Rotenberg

First, you must read Samantha Ginn’s wondrous essay on performing in The Warriors’ Duet. Then you must watch a few scenes  from Circle Circle dot dot’s beautiful realization of the text, staged by Artistic Director Katherine Harroff and choreographer Anne Gehman. The full production utilizes music by American composer Jake Heggie. 

Sam's essay elicited the following note from Greg Santilli, who came down with his family in July, saw the performance, and met Sam, who plays Laura and Kathi Copeland, who portrays the mother.

The Santilli faily with Samantha, and Kathi
July 2013 at the Fringe

 Happy Labor Day weekend to you!

I just read what Samantha had to say - just beautiful!  It's amazing to me that even now, Laura continues to affect the lives of others, in a positive and hopeful way, just like she did when she was alive.  You must be so proud!  And thank you so much for what you are doing to honor her memory and her wishes!  It's truly awesome!

I fondly look back at the three plus years that I had the privilege of working with Laura at the Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry.  It was a true honor!  In one of the e-mails that Laura sent me after her diagnosis, she stated, "God never forsakes us."  I can't tell you how often I think about her saying that, and how it helps me transgress the seemingly never-ending challenges that life throws our way.  In fact I just shared Laura's quote recently with my son Robert to help him with some issues that are causing him stress at work.  I know it helped him, and will continue to help him.

Please know that Laura is in our hearts and minds forever, and will never be forgotten!

God Bless!

Fondly,

Greg Santilli

As you can well imagine, my hope is that Warriors will live on and bless many others. I will do what I can to promote other productions, but truly it is in God's hands. I must be patient. Try telling that to one who is 79 years old. Being human, I want everything to happen NOW. Then I realize I must pray for more years so that I can continue to be the shepherd and caregiver. Already, seeing and reading Laura’s works have changed people’s lives in ways that we may never realize or know. 

Samantha Ginn and Kathi Copeland
Photo by Manuel Rotenberg

The writing of The Warriors’ Duet blessed me in many ways. Personally, it brought me catharsis and peace. The revelation at the end of the work was surprising and comforting to this bereft mother. And of course the work was the direct result of Laura’s finagling in my dreams. Then seeing its effect and knowing that through it people know Laura is the gravy.

When I told a friend of the work’s surprising denouement yesterday, she asked, “Do you believe that?” and I said yes, adding that the important thing is that Laura believed it.

At some point this year composer Jake Heggie will come down to play his Laura-based work for me. I simply must be there when his commission, a concerto for soprano, cello and orchestra that incorporates Laura’s text "The Work at Hand," is premiered by Pittsburgh Symphony in the fall of 2014. Now, that is REALLY gravy. Laura must be chuckling, for it came about through her own bravery in sending Jake her ten favorite poems. She seldom sent her work to anyone. Miracles do happen when we are brave.

Laura at the Dallas opening of Jake Heggie's
Moby-Dick
June 2010

Order your tickets now 

The Warriors' Duet

Art by Justin Warren Martin

Directed by Katherine Harroff and Anne Gehman and
 choreographed by Anne Gehman Written by Charlene Baldridge

Based on the work of Laura Jeanne Morefield and Charlene Baldridge

Performance Dates: September 5th@8pm, 6th@8pm, 7th@8pm and 8th@2pm

Location: The White Box Theater at Liberty Station,

2590 Truxtun Road, Studio 205 San Diego, CA 92106

For tickets and directions go to www.circle2dot2.com

Warriors' Redux

Art by Justin Warren Martin

I'm jumping the gun a little to let readers and fans know that because of its astonishing, sellout success at the Fringe Festival, my theatre work titled The Warriors' Duet, based upon the writing of my daughter, Laura Jeanne Morefield,will be remounted by Circle Circle dot dot September 5-8 at the White Box Theatre at Liberty Station. All the performers are returning to the piece so beautifully co-directed by Anne Gehman and Katherine Harroff and choreographed by Anne Gehman. For reservations and more information, go to www.circle2dot2.com

Samantha Ginn as Laura
Kathi Copeland as Mom