I love the rain that has been nourishing Portland, and the Pacific NW in recent days. It is deeply needed.

Worker solidarity and support has been deeply on my mind and in my world recently. Plans for my bus continue nicely. There will be plenty of chances to support labor with this build!

Also, last night there was a memorial/celebration of life for four I.A.T.S.E. Local 28 family who passed on this year. It was a large turn out, full of stories and solidarity.

Last week some of us joined a flash mob to support Fred Meyer workers. You can watch one of the amateur videos here. I had someone ask me if we planned to have a news camera crew there. No. The video footage that has been picked up and shared by news outlets was shot by amateurs in the store with us. There were no news crew on site.

Baby steps every day toward building the just, sustainable, diverse, verdant world I want us to inhabit and bequeath to my descendants. Happy almost autumn.” — KateMura.com

My bus indeed is supporting labor!

My mechanic’s. :-/

Conscience (or the Traveling Moth) and I have had some wonderful trips together. Festivals, treks from NM to OR, searching for biodiesel, only to find out they were distribution sites not filling stations.

I really want a more diverse strategy for cleaning up our energy consumption and weaning off petroleum products.

I bought diesel specifically to run on biodiesel.

This is easy enough in Oregon and CA, but a lot harder other parts of the world, much to my sadness. When I did a search, I saw all sorts of biodiesel throughout the West. Unfortunately, it’s mostly distribution sites rather than filling stations.

Why aren’t there both????????

Seriously, I’m asking that question, do you work for a biodiesel plant? Or renewable diesel? Do you know? Please comment citing your sources.

Each time I travel through different pueblos and reservations I send a prayer to those people, or do a shout out on social media letting them know I’d love to give them my $$ for biodiesel.

Maybe one day it’ll come true.

Colleagues

Readers

Workers

Artists

Today, I got to do things I love. Talk with people about I.A.T.S.E. Local 28, be around thousands of people who value workers; who know we all deserve safe, respectful worksites and equal living wages. I am grateful that the Oregon AFL-CIO organizes a Labor Day picnic every year. It’s a yearly reconnect for some people. We had quite a contingency of IA folx from locals across the Pacific NW. Every year there are people who have no idea that there are unions behind the workers who build the stages, run the lights, create props, costume and wig performers, hang the motors that hold all the weight of the lights and sound gear, and so much more. Each year a few more people learn that when they buy tickets to shows at the Moda Center, Portland Opera, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Oregon Children’s Theatre, White Bird Dance, Oregon Symphony, and so many more, they are supporting union jobs.

Then I drove my bus — normally not my modus operandi, but she loudly wanted to attend today, so I listened — to Reed College for the closing of Portland Actor’s Ensemble’s As You Like It. This is a show near and dear to my heart for a few reasons: I played Amiens a few years back and love the show. The director, Sara Fay Goldman and Jacques/Touchstone, Rusty Tennant are dear friends, colleagues and fellow Fusers. I’d been excited for this production since callbacks months ago and it lived up to the hype.

Chatting with Patrick Walsh (director of the Richard III Rusty and I were in a few years ago) we chatted about world travels as artists, and the comfort found in solidarity with artists also fighting and working to create a just, equitable, vibrant, diverse world, despite racist, xenophobic “leaders.” And what I felt might have been the most important part of my summer travels. The performances and talkbacks were fantastic, reconnecting with artists I adore was joyful, seeing tons of theatre and museums inspired all kinds of possible collaborations. But it might have been the random conversations with strangers on the buses and trains traveling across England and to France that were the most important.

Because the people I talked with heard about the rise of Nazi’s and white supremacists in the US, but they hadn’t heard that at every rally of theirs across the US, counter protesters, anti-fascists, creatives, a wide array of religions, ethnicities, genders showed up to drown out their narrative. And we ALWAYS OUTNUMBERED THEM A LOT.

For the people I talked with, that part of the story isn’t being shared. It needs to be.

So I shared my experiences and those of my friends.

Those were important conversations I am very glad I had; I am grateful to talk with strangers!

Then Patrick joked that my bus will be a creative tank in the war we’re fighting. I said, I will happily be on the front lines in my purples and golds, giving a stage and amplification to creative voices and stories, inspiring people to build the world they desire to inhabit and not settle for the status quo, to remember they are creative stewards of this Earth and it’s our responsibility to make sure it’s around and better for seven generations ahead.

So Happy Labor Day all.

Your work to create a just, verdant, equitable, diverse, creative world is noticed and appreciated. ~ From KateMura.com/News Sept. 3, 2019

I could have written that post today…

Although there would be the addition of supporting trans rights and helping people secure safe abortions — which are healthcare — added into the mix.

And although horrible transphobic, misogynistic laws are being introduced all over the US/Turtle Island, states like OR and WA and NM are doing the right thing, protecting individuals rights to bodily autonomy. Those of us who stand for love and tolerance, empathy and health, are standing up everywhere. I do feel like this is a looooong ongoing death rattle of virulent haters.

“the people I talked with heard about the rise of Nazi’s and white supremacists in the US, but they hadn’t heard that at every rally of theirs across the US, counter protesters, anti-fascists, creatives, a wide array of religions, ethnicities, genders showed up to drown out their narrative. And we ALWAYS OUTNUMBERED THEM A LOT.”

We still do outnumber the haters; BY A LOT.

We’re just less showy about it, because we’re building and visioning a b.e.s.t. world day by day. Conversation by conversation. Salon by salon. Brunch choice restaurant by restaurant. Transportation choice by transportation choice. Garden by garden.

I don’t know who said it first, but Jon Ghahate said it recently in a talk at UU Westside, “no one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”

What’s your something?

It has been less than 24 hours in Avignon, and I am struck by the differences…

Last time, I took the train from Paris. This time I took the bus from Marseilles.

Last time, Rue Moliere was where Rusty took one of my favorite shots from our trip. This time, it is covered in scaffolding. I wonder if it will be gone for the beginning of the festival…

Last time, I stayed within the walls. This time, I am just outside them.

Last time, I had a travel partner. This time, I am alone. (Although really, not alone. There are TONS of people here, I am meeting Shakti and other Garage International folx soon. Plus, Nik from Fuse will also be joining. I am just alone for now.)

Last time, Obama was President. This time, impeachment of Cheeto should be happening.

I knew coming back would be strange and necessary.

The airport I flew into in Marseille has an Ibis Hotel nearby. I saw it from the bus. It was difficult for me to not wish it ill, even though it was a different Ibis Hotel than the one I was robbed in. It can be hard to remember the differences through the similarities as it can be to remember the similarities through the differences.

There are many fewer people here currently, as I have arrived before the official festivals have started, rather than in the midst of the first weekend’s shows.

I feel much more like I am living amidst how Avignon folx live more regularly. My window looks out across concrete structures. If I open my window, I don’t know if I’ll hear music wafting in at nights.

My room has air conditioning. Normally, this would not be an advantage, but after weeks of not and hot weather, coming in yesterday was truly dreamy. I’ve been naked resting and settling in ever since.

Similarly, it is very warm here with a bit of humidity.

Similarly, the cobblestones and small sidewalks were difficult to maneuver my bags through.

Similarly, everyone I have spoken my halting French too, has been kind and helpful with directions or assistance.

Similarly, the Rhone looks stunning.

Time to get dressed to go start putting up posters and purchasing supplies to do so! ~ from KateMura.com July 2, 2019

One of the workshops I took during StaarCon this year recommended we quote ourselves. “It can be hard to remember the differences through the similarities as it can be to remember the similarities through the differences” is definitely worth quoting.

If you don’t know the theft I’m referring to, you can read about it here:

I knew this day was coming.

One of the lovely things about staying outside the walls, was I had a co-op a couple blocks away from my lodging. I forgot my brush — there’s always something forgotten while traveling, right? — and bought a small bamboo travel hair brush.

I still have it. It’s what I’m using currently, as I’m traveling to NM, giving my mom a requested sabbatical.

I go down a couple times a year to caregive for my dad. Give my mom a break.

This blog post was from the last time I was in France. As you can see by the dates, we’re getting close to Covid lockdown. The Avignon OFF is back now. I won’t be there this summer, but definitely plan on returning. Maybe with a retreat or theatre tour.

I’m weaving my love of theatre and travel and teaching together in hosting retreats. My first one is live. It’s not in France. It’s in a lovely small New Mexico town, with co-hosts Rio Abajo Rio who have their healing arts practice there. It’s where they were born, and where they returned to.

It’s important to have local desire and involvement. No taker mentality! We’re about being good guests for the land, the community, and each other. It’s why one day we’ll take a break from creating and give back.

I utilized my own quote in crafting Writers and Creatives Retreat, without even realizing it. “It can be hard to remember the differences through the similarities as it can be to remember the similarities through the differences.”

I pulled from my personal experiences — going to hot springs to acclimate when studying in Bali on our first day is 100% why our first evening is at hot springs in Truth or Consequences.

Some things are similar. Some things are different — small town life and having the whole lodge, is one of the big differences.

Small town is *not* synonomous for homophobic, transphobic, nor sexist. As Dandy Wellington says, vintage style NOT vintage values. Those are not welcome.

There.

Here.

Anywhere I am.

Small town in size, in quiet streets, in curious neighbors, in cafe’s closing early, in a different pace of time, in having few or no streetlights so stargazing is brilliant.

We’ve created a retreat that I would love to attend, with activities that I — or my co-hosts — are super excited about. Evenings of sharing art, poetry, tarot. Plenty of time for writing, crafting, dancing, playing music. Community outings. Good local food. Time in Gila National Forest. Workshops — ones I am excited to attend and facilitate. All included.

Here’s the photo Rusty took, I love so much.

I whole heartedly support *all* transformation of "vacation" and "tourist" to "guest."

Guest.

Guests of place; tasked with being respectful, observing, grateful, supportive.

Leavers, not takers to use Daniel Quinn terminology.

I also get to feel like I really have a home for the duration of my stay which I always find grounding.

Sometimes there are even kitties to greet me!

Even when they're more interested in watching the door to see if someone else comes in to join. :-)

So I am working on being a good guest (cooking, and making sure one of the roommates remembers to eat while she builds a set getting ready to head off to an Edinburgh Fringe show) and seeing a ton of theatre.

So far, success on all fronts.

Tonight, Drip, at Theatre503 which, I of course, was incredibly comfortable in. I've seen so many Portland Portals! Streets in Manchester, this theatre, so many PDX/England connections besides the weather!

Last night, Armadillo, at The Yard Theatre. This one I got to enjoy with a friend from college who I only recently learned moved to London.

My first night back in London after an excellent Manchester excursion was Bronx Gothic at the Young Vic.

All have been powerful for completely different reasons.

All have had excellent design and performance in a variety of different black box spaces.

Drip would be perfect for a future OUTwright Festival.

I could expound more, but I'm not feeling like creating critiques or reviews, but I definitely recommend each of them, should you reader happen to be in London.

For tonight I'll close with one of the surprising things I've loved learning on this visit: that there is a boat culture in England on the canals, which is like festival/US houseboat/sustainable living communities floating on the waters. In fact, my college friend I reunited with lives on a boat and played leap frog with Widgeon in the recent past. ~ from KateMura.com Blog June 27, 2019

“I whole heartedly support *all* transformation of “vacation” and “tourist” to “guest.”

Guests of place; tasked with being respectful, observing, grateful, supportive.”

I could have written those words today and they would be just as true.

In case you don’t know, 503 is a common area code in Portland OR, Confederated Tribes of the Grand Rhonde, Multnomah, and Chinook lands, primarily.

It’s interesting in terms of timing, that I’m writing this today…

Why?

Because, then, I was coming back from Manchester, where I found where Annie Horniman — one of the Women of the Golden Dawn, the Mary K. Greer book I’m currently adapting into a performance piece — changed the face of theatre as we know it. The theatre is no longer standing, but I stood there, looking back in time, imagining that first season… plays by Yeats and Shaw, performances by Florence Farr… the first time that was ever done. Different and repeat players and playwrites over the year…

Yesterday, was the first time Ki Ridenour-Starnes, Megan Murphy Ruckman, Shareen Jacobs and I shared the beginnings of our work with an audience and it went soooooo well. We do it again tonight, then start plotting and planning next steps and Rebels and Priestesses in the Atelier Festival Aug. 28-Sep 17, 2023.

It’ll be an early rest, I have a day of traveling to Bath and two shows. For those on Facebook you can find the even here.

For those who are not, you can find out more here.

I am super excited to meet the owner/operator of the Widgeon Theatre Boat, MJ tomorrow.

And meet the boat! I’ve been watching her online and am so excited to feel her in person! And I’m also getting a kick out of the fact that Brian is going to be doing his monologue in Suburban Tribe: Unmasked ON AN ACTUAL BOAT!!! I’m curious to see if it changes anything…

Besides a very long delay leaving Portland, it was an uneventful flight. I slept, ate decent vegetarian fare, and had some very nice chats with the other person in my “row.” A mother, down the road of processing the grief of loosing her son, who does international house and pet sitting. We had some really lovely conversation about the nature of grief, travel, and the like. It sounds like she is in for some excellent adventures. ❤ ~ from KateMura.com Blog, June 18, 2019

I don’t remember if Brian’s monologue changed at all because of being on the boat, but I do remember how the beginning of The Tarot Show changed because of being on a canal.

Everywhere I go, I do a land acknowledgement/grounding moment with the audience.

If you don’t know what a land acknowledgement is, here’s a great resource.

If you don’t know whose lands you reside on, I highly recommend Native Land website, app, and/or Patreon.

There, floating on a boat, on a canal, above a river, in Bath, was fascinating. Feeling all those different layers…

Thanks Broadway World!

My one performance in Portland on Father’s Day/Pride Parade Day (come in your rainbow finery! Please! ❤ ) not only helps off set my costs heading to England and France, but it benefits the OUTwright Theatre Festival one of the largest celebrations of LGBTQI+ contributions to theatre. And Sister Song, the largest national multi-ethnic Reproductive Justice collective.

In this current political climate, queer and POC visibility, access to abortion services, empowering POC leaders, and celebrating our creativity are sooooo important.

And a HUGE shout out to Fuse Theatre Ensemble for supporting all this work. ~ From KateMura.com Blog June 6, 2019.

I love performing The Tarot Show.

It’s a piece I can easily see myself performing for the rest of my lifetime happily.

It’s literally different every night, as I do an actual tarot reading for the audience, and they choose the cards at random, so in true commedia form — my background — I have my scenario and then we see where we go from the cards chosen and the audience’s questions.

This was so much fun to shoot!

It’s even more fun to perform.

See you in Salem, OR! ~ from KateMura.com News/Blog April 17, 2019

Looks like no.

Although, likely it was this promo video with Amber:

'The Odd Couple, Female Version' | 'The Odd Couple, Female Version' is on now through May 19! Visit enlightenedtheatrics.org for tickets. | By Enlightened Theatrics | Facebook

It was a great location. Old building in Salem, OR. Lovely video team. I would work with them again.

It was also close to rehearsal. I remember being able to walk between the two places easily.

I love being able to walk places.

I can’t remember, and even though I have my CV near at hand, I feel like it’s cheating to look.

Plus I’m going to find out as I continue my archives!

Friends!!!

I am taking a break from doing my taxes a) because I need one and b) because I realized I hadn't shared the good news!

I am Olive in The Odd Couple: Female Version, in Salem, OR with Enlightened Theatrics.

Tickets are on sale here.

You all know me and my work. It's rare that I do "traditional" theatre anymore, let alone Neil Simon. I think the last time I uttered his words was in high school. And I am having an absolute BLAST! The cast, director and stage management team is stellar. The commute to and from Salem is exhausting, but thankfully, I have carpools, naps on busses & trains, and crash space with a friend in Salem. *love love love love love*

For those of you in and around Oregon, or who have been waiting for an excuse to come visit, here's your chance. Who knows when I'll do this kind of work again!

Cause you all know, after this, it's back to Avignon OFF with The Tarot Show and Suburban Tribe: Unmasked.

I leave you with a teaser of Olive... this is prepping for our promo photo shoot. Olive's hair and make-up, my clothes and jewelry. :-)

Yep, we're keeping it in the 1980’s. ~ from KateMura.com Blog/News April 11, 2019

This was the teaser selfie I shared with the post originally:

As much as I *loved* curling my hair this way, the director veto’d it. He thought it made Olive look too put together when her whole schtick is being a slob.

I understood the logic.

And I answered my own inquiry in this post! Avignon! D’uh!

This, kids, is why archiving is fun and useful. Memory is fleeting and records are so valuable.

Mercury is in retrograde.

Unlike many of my Pagan, metaphysical, and tarotist kith & kin, I don’t dread this time. Sure, my bus timetables may be a bit strange, electronic devices may act up, but they also offer me spontaneity, unplugging — I’m reading a modern retelling of The Mahābhārata — and an invitation to reflect.

Tie up loose ends, like finishing the migration of my KateMura.com blog posts to Medium with commentary!

Happy Spring!!!

I hope you had a wonderful Full Moon and Ostara, Spring Equinox!

I am looking at my next class offerings and want your input!

Eight questions, less than five minutes to complete (unless you have a lot of feedback to give.)

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3NP6H5L

As I need to get my taxes done, I’ll be analyzing and making decisions from this data starting April 16th.

Feel free to share with any you feel might be interested! ~ from KateMura.com Blog/News March 27, 2019

hehehe… I’m always open to input on what classes you’d like!

At this point it’s retreat locations:

1. New Mexico
2. Ireland
3. Other

The above class never ended up manifesting. I couldn’t secure a space, and then the world shut down…

It’s a re-telling of Our Town that you’ve probably never seen before, where it’s large cast is portrayed by 6 performers, centering trans and non-binary folx, all told through a queer lens.

With the pandemic still going on, and other illnesses popping up, and my last show postponed due to Omicron, I had my doubts that opening night would happen.

Or would happen with me in it.

And here I am, mere hours until I’ll walk over to the bus, get to the Back Door Theatre, behind Common Ground Coffeehouse, to warm up, braid my hair, and open a show.

I’ve always been a performer who gets nervous.

Dance, Shakespeare, original, scripted, autobiographical, puppets, doesn’t matter.

I’m even *more* nervous than normal, as Associate Director Shareen Jacobs witnessed yesterday afternoon during our work session.

Given that I’ve only done Zoom theatre (definitely less nerves but some still) and what happened with The Queers, I think there was part of me that thought it wasn’t going to actually happen. Something would derail the excellent work Rusty Newton Tennant Alec Lugo Katherine Goforth Jane Comer Peter Schuyler Max, Molly Shevaun Sophina Flores Hadley, Shareen & I are doing.

*knock on wood*

3x for good measure.

Tonight we open.

And the Oregon Arts Watch came to final dress. Thank you for the kind words and keen article, Max. (different Max than our SM).

An 'Our Town' for all towns | Oregon ArtsWatch