Here is Kayla, the intern's, post-show wrap up from July 8th.
I'm a Scorpio, so Confession and Jealousy Nights are right up my alley. They pretty much are my alley. However, according to any number of astrology books, our type of Confession and Jealousy is more of the satin-sheeted variety, while the works read during July 8th's HES show were more of the stain-on-a-blue-dress sort (i.e. of the slightly more compelling "reality" variety). For example, through the confessions we collected from the audience, we learned that our crowd consists of mom-haters, butterfly-killers, and other assorted miscreants. What gives, guys?
After a hurried soundcheck, I was a little nervous about our abilities to expose Amanda's deep dark secrets while she feigned cosmic confession-free peace of mind on stage, but fortunately it went off without a hitch and you all got to learn about her history as pathological phone-pranker. And Amanda, it's totally cool, we ALL have crushes on Michael Cera and Less Than Zero-era Robert Downey, Jr.
As for the readers, Nick Laird, Irish Dog Whisperer made his risk count by reading a few sonnets to his unleashed pug, Maud, and the whole scene almost made me appreciate dogs as pets. Almost. A little later in the evening, I came away from Kevin Canty's piece feeling America-saturated--suburbia, foreign hotel rooms, bad highlights: everything that makes you cringe when done right. As for his risk (reading the last paragraph of the story backwards), well, I see your risk, Kevin, and I raise you a degree of backwards. Next time you're in our neighborhood, I want some "Ih, m'i nivek ytnac." Or Pig Latin, your call. Binnie Kirshenbaum, however, you're off the hook, because apparently you can get away with anything, seeing as how Amanda still loves you even after you refused her risk. You have a point, though--"No" can be a risky thing to say, especially when it's a confession or used in the sentence, "No, I'd rather not not eat that habanero pepper." But if your "no" to a risk is a risk in itself...so meta!
Also, a quick nod to Elvis Perkins for getting the audience to song along/sing backup before the required song-along (and gospel choir "Ohhhhhhhs" no less!). An impressive feat, especially when dealing with such mom-hating, butterfly-plucking weirdos. Well done.
