Director Sheldon Brown talks hold me the forgotten way
I had the privilege of performing Harrison David Rivers’s work with About Face Theatre several years ago with This Bitter Earth (directed by Mikael Burk). When I was approached to do this project (at that time called Missed Connections) as an actor or director, I surprised even myself with choosing to direct. I really wanted the opportunity to do something that I rarely get a chance to do.
An audio project was of particular interest to me because sound and music have been such a big part of my life. When I read text, I somehow start thinking of music, of how words sound in my body, and how that sound shapes the most gorgeous storytelling. The monologue I chose to director, “we met on grindr,” felt like something I had to do. Grindr is platform that has expanded and limited me, it’s something where you can be the most open and yet it still feel taboo. A place where you can find intimacy and loneliness too. But this monologue instantly reminded me of a song I heard by Jill Scott, which made me want to turn this into music. Something about poetry and music coming together, sharing things that are explicit, fun, honest, vulnerable, QUEER, all of this was present for me.
I reached out to a friend whose work and voice I admire, Donovan Sessions, and gratefully he said yes. The process was quick and fun, but I discovered so much specificity in the process. I was blown away at how Donovan and our sound engineer Sarah took the often jumbled mess that are my thoughts and found something I believe to be very special and unique, and very much their own genius.
The entire hold me the forgotten way program is streaming now through the end of the year.