The last two days of our trip came and went. Sunday morning, the girls and I had brunch with my in-laws at Pete's Tavern, just off Union Square. When I first walked in, I thought it was just another (Damn) Yankees bar. However, when we sat down I started checking out the history of the Tavern in the menu. I'm fascinated by little things like that. Well, Pete's Tavern is Manhattan's oldest Tavern still in operation today. Furthermore, it's where O. Henry wrote The Gift of the Magi. Pretty impressive! The food was pretty good, too.

From there, I left the girls with Sal & Ruth and headed over to The Cherry Pit one last time to help strike the venue. I took down a couple of lights, but really spent a majority of my time enjoying my Dunkin' Donuts coffee (XL French Vanilla with extra-extra-cream and sugar, thank you very much) and chatting with Nina, Alya and our other producers. While there, I discovered that Matt had posted cheat sheets of his costume changes on the walls backstage. I got a real kick out of that for some reason, so I took one of them with me. I don't know what it is, but seeing that sheet mounted to the wall made this run that much more... well, for lack of a better term... real.

After strike was done, I headed uptown, did a little shopping and met up with the girls in the middle of the afternoon. We wandered around town for a bit, then got some dinner. We were basically killing time before the FringeNYC Closing Ceremony at the Gramercy Theater. The ceremony was fun - I was very happy to see all three of the shows I went to (The Twentieth-Century Way, Saving Throw Versus Love and Viva Los Bastarditos) get recognized with both accolades and extended runs in the Fringe Encore Series. We took the L Train back home for our last night in Greenpoint shortly after the announcements ended.

Day 10 was a blur. We got up, had breakfast at the Kellogg Diner one last time, finished packing and jumped in a cab to JFK. While there, I enjoyed one last cup of Dunkin' Donuts coffee while Jenn and I reflected on the whole trip. It was incredible. Absolutely incredible. Honestly, sitting there, I remember feeling this sense of loss hit me out of the blue. We'd been planning this event, this trip, this production for so long, that for it to finally be over was shocking. It was a moment sort of like the one Inigo Montoya experiences at the end of The Princess Bride. Y'know, "I have been in the revenge business so long, now that it's over, I don't know what to do with the rest of my life." Little did I know, though, just how quickly things would come into focus upon my return to LA.

So, that was that. The entire trip in a 10-part Nutshell (or 10 different nutshells, if you prefer).

The ride doesn't end here, though. Nope. I have said that I am done with producing the show myself (for now... you never know where it might wind up in a few years...), but that doesn't mean that the script's going to sit on the shelf and collect dust. Not at all. Instead, I'm sending the script to other companies for them to consider for their own seasons in 2011 and 2012. I really want to see what other artists, other directors, other perspectives can lend to this show. I learned more about the story I wrote by seeing how Sean and Vance and the cast interpreted the story and its colorful characters and by experiencing what they each brought to the production both individually and as an ensemble, than I ever could have if I directed it myself. I'm thrilled at the prospect of seeing what others can do with it. I'm also submitting the play to publishers and developing the film script. The future for this show looks incredibly bright.

I think it bears mentioning again that we wouldn't have had this incredible experience (or so much future potential) if it wasn't for you - our generous supporters. Thank you for caring. Thank you for contributing. Thank you for your belief in us. You helped us make our dream come true. On behalf of the cast and crew of the Hollywood Fringe and FringeNYC productions of Friends Like These, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Hey folks! I'm going to be posting the recap of Day 9 & 10 either tonight or tomorrow as time allows, along with a photo gallery of our trip on www.friendsliketheseplay.com and the Facebook Fan Page soon. However, I wanted to take a moment and share with you something that I was sent today that reminded me of exactly why I wrote this play to begin with.

Single Dad Laughing is a blog about the adventures of a single father and son, and recently the author, Dan (the titular Dad), shared some of his very personal experiences with being bullied. He did this in response to the recent rash of bullying-inspired suicides. Now, the cynic in me knows that there have always been bullying-related suicides - this is just the moment when the news channels have decided to pay attention and make it "An Issue." However, I'm not getting on my soapbox any more than that today. Instead, I'm asking you to surf on over to his blog and read a particular post. It's long, but it's worth your time. The entry, Memoirs of a Bullied Kid, is heartrendingly honest, brutally truthful and 100 per cent relevant to this crisis that has been going on in our society for far too long. Please take a moment and check it out, then share it with everyone you know. Please. Thanks.

Long time no see! I said I'd be posting updates once a day, not once a month. Sorry. Since getting back home, life pretty much jumped right back in to high gear and hasn't really let up. The good news is, I'm planning on finishing the chronicle of our spectacular New York adventure this week. Furthermore, the Thank You gifts for all of our generous donors will go out by the end of the month!

It's pouring rain today in Los Angeles. It reminds me of the first half of our trip. I can't believe it's already been over a month since we were there. It simultaneously feels like we were there just yesterday, yet this was a lifetime ago. Does that make sense to anyone besides me? Bueller?

I forgot to give a shout-out in my last entry to Mr. Bob Stremme, the father of one of my former housemates and dear friend, Kate. I'd only met Mr. and Mrs. Stremme about two weeks before we left LA for the festival when they were out visiting Kate. They were generous enough to take the four of us (Kate, Erin, Jenn and myself) to dinner one night during their trip. We got to talking about the show and they promised they'd come and see it in New York. I didn't expect them to come, but Mr. Stremme drove up all the way from Philadelphia to see the Friday night performance, and even e-mailed Erin afterward to tell her how much he enjoyed the show. I was swamped with pre- and post-show jobs so I didn't get to give him more than a quick "hello", but I was deeply touched that he made the effort to come and see the show.

Honestly, there were lots of reunions that I really enjoyed during this trip, from all walks of my life - Kyra from Avalon, Kristin & Becky from PVI, Andy, Alena & Ilana from Emerson, my parents, my in-laws Sal & Ruth, my brother-in-law Andy, Uncle Tim & Aunt Denise, Uncle Kevin & Glen, M.L., Erin's family, Mr. Stremme, Booth Daniels & Michael Seel (both of whom I met through the Hollywood Fringe Festival)... The list goes on. If I've forgotten anyone, please forgive me. It was a whirlwind.

Speaking of whirlwinds... Saturday. Closing Night (Day?). After eight and a half months of planning, countless hours of work and thousands of dollars raised, it was all coming to an end. To say it was bittersweet would be the understatement of the century. I think Erin and I both spent most of the day promising each other we wouldn't break down and cry until after the show was over. The three of us got up and headed in to the city. We were meeting my parents and my in-laws in Times Square for lunch before the show. Once we were all met, we headed for John's Pizzaria, across the street from the Majestic Theater on 44th. John's Pizzaria used to be a church and is a place that has special significance for my wife Jenn and I. When we first started dating, we met up in New York City the day after Christmas in 2006. We were both back on the East Coast visiting our families (hers in Massachusetts and mine in Virginia), and had joked about needing a break. Well, joking lead to talking, which lead to planning, which lead to us meeting up at the Port Authority Bus Station on that cold December day and kick started a fantastic whirlwind trip (see a recurring theme here?) that took our relationship from casual dating to something more serious. John's is where we went to dinner that night, after seeing The Little Dog Laughed on Broadway, and we've made it a point to go to John's every time we visited New York since then. So, there was something very fitting about taking our family there on Closing Day.

Sated, we still had about two hours to kill, so we walked up to the north end of Times Square and got coffee at Dunkin' Donuts. Erin headed off early to pick up the consumables and the rest of us just sat around and chatted for a while. As call time approached, we jumped on the subway and headed for the West Village. Walking down to the theatre, we ran into a bunch of my extended family. Quick greetings were exchanged and I ran into the house to supervise the show prep.

I couldn't have asked for a better closing run. Everyone brought their "A" game and really hit every moment. From beginning to end, they took us on that emotional roller coaster one last time, and boy was it a ride. Honestly, there aren't words that can convey just how incredible this particular performance was for us. Three years writing and re-writing and re-writing and re-writing the script, fourteen months of rehearsals, thirty-one runs over four productions... and my time at the helm of this show had finally come to an end. As soon as the opening strains of the Smashing Pumpkins' Today hit for curtain call, I could feel my eyes welling with tears. Hands beat red from clapping as hard as I could, I headed to the door to thank our audience as they left. What followed was almost an impromptu receiving line as friends, family and even complete strangers (who must have figured out that I was the playwright from what others were saying) stopped for a moment to congratulate us. The house slowly emptied. The cast packed out their costumes and props. We struck everything in less than fifteen minutes. When we walked out of The Cherry Pit that last time, it was like we'd never been there.

We hung out with our friends and family for a while outside the theatre. We took pictures, told stories and laughed. Hugs and congratulations were exchanged. The boffer weapons were disposed of. Erin and I took a quiet, tearful moment to ourselves to just absorb the fact that the journey was coming to an end. The adrenaline rush that I'd been riding since getting accepted into the festival on May 5th finally subsided. The run was over, and the time for celebration had begun.

My family headed over to The White Horse Tavern and we took over most of the Dylan Thomas Room (apropos, no?). We had a wonderful dinner full of toasts, laughter and celebration. We got the entire bar to sing Happy Birthday to my Uncle Kevin (and yes, it actually was his birthday). In breaking with my teetotaler ways for just a moment, I even had a beer (well, a hard cider) in honor of the occasion. I can honestly say that this was perhaps one of the most fun reunions I can remember. Hours passed and finally, the family gathering broke up, with everyone heading off in their own direction. As for Erin, Jenn and I, we headed to the Upper East Side to meet with some of the cast at Serindipity 3.

Serendipity 3 is a restaurant that features, among other things, a positively exotic selection of $15 Ice Cream Sundaes. The three of us had a Pulp Fiction - like moment, we had to know what a $15 Ice Cream Sundae tasted like. So, we each picked a different one, and shared with one another upon their arrival. To quote Vincent Vega, "That's a pretty fucking good milkshake. I don't know if it's worth five dollars but it's pretty fucking good." You can see that inflation has had a big effect on the frozen food industry since 1994, but the basic premise still held true for us. Dessert was nice. Matt Grondin, his brother and Sarah came and joined us. Everyone else was already done for the night (it was about 11:30 when we got seated and it had been a long day). We hung out for an hour or so, shooting the breeze about what the experience had been like for each of us, what the future held, and what the merits and flaws were of each of our individual $15 sundaes. Even better, Jenn, Erin and I got to hear about the other trio's adventures sneaking in to the Waldorf Spa that evening. Finally, we jumped on the train, went home and crawled in to bed. A great way to cap off an incredible day.

nytheatre.com review
Ben Trawick-Smith · August 25, 2010
Friends Like These is loosely inspired by the school shooting at Columbine, an incident that numerous novels, films, and TV episodes have already explored. Unlike previous fictionalizations, however, Gregory Crafts' play softens the sensationalistic aspects of the tragedy. Far from being confrontational, the piece is a gentle drama about the instability of adolescence and the trauma of young love. Although the Columbine angle feels rather forced, the authentic characterizations elevate the show above its concept.

The play tells the story of Garrett, a shy high schooler who spends his days writing in his journal and role-playing with his friends. Through a chance encounter, he strikes up a friendship with Nicole, a popular cheerleader. Their blossoming romance soon alienates Garrett's outcast pals, particularly Diz, a girl who harbors a long-term crush on him. Out of jealousy, Diz teams up with a local jock to hatch a plot to keep Garrett away from Nicole. When this plan goes terribly awry, a cycle of violence begins that leads Nicole to discover some very dark secrets from Garrett's past.

Although this is a familiar storyline, Crafts' dialogue never feels cliched. Where many of the characters could easily come off as dull archetypes, Crafts has instead created a group of unclassifiable and complex teens. Nicole, rather than being a ditz, is a nurturing young woman who genuinely cares about Garrett's unique passions. Garrett, likewise, is far more easygoing and self-aware than a typical mopey loner. And Garrett's nerdy friends, who in a less nuanced play might be portrayed as quirky victims, are instead the most judgmental characters in the story. There are no fixed personas here; only constantly shifting alliances and points of view.

Crafts' attention to detail is reinforced by the superb young cast, who give uniformly charming, understated performances. Matthew Grondin, as Garrett, and Sarah Smick, as Nicole, are perfectly cast as a pair of lost youths who mask emotional wounds with humor and polite reserve. As Garrett's friends, Ryan J. Hill and Jennifer Erin Bailey convey the wild self-delusion that plagues the teenage years. All the actors lend a lived-in, improvisatory atmosphere to the piece, making it hard not to empathize with their characters, even at their most foolish. Sean Fitzgerald directs the play with a flawless sense of timing, allowing for awkward pauses and nervous stammers without slackening the pace.

The affection we feel for these characters is, alas, the very reason the school shooting plot is problematic. In the program, Crafts mentions that the play evolved a good deal in the years he spent writing it. Not surprisingly, then, the violent undercurrent feels like an old idea that is out of place with the rest of the piece. The inevitable conclusion, while it makes sense dramatically, feels somewhat cruel given the tender scenes that precede it.

Nevertheless, Friends Like These is a shrewd study of modern adolescence. Crafts has created a world without easy categories and judgments, where flaws and virtues are inseparable. By inverting the typical high school caste system, the play touches upon the insecurity that contemporary teens face every day: in the American high school of 2010, there is a dime's worth of difference between bullies and friends.

Pictured: Jennifer Bailey, Alex Yee; Middle: Matthew Grondin; Front: Ryan J. Hill, Sarah Smick (photo © Theatre Unleashed)

Review courtesy of NYTheatre.com. The original post can be found online at: http://www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/review_fnyc.php?t=frie10583

Did I mention that we had gotten a second excellent review on Day 6? Well, we did. It was from NYTheatre.com and it was awesome. I'll re-post it here in a moment.

Friday. Tonight's show promised to be the biggest house (over 30 reservations on the books) and it was going to be full of friends and family. We couldn't wait. What made it even more exciting was a review/blurb we'd gotten from the New York Observer, listing us as something they "loved this week" and that this show sounded like something "That beats watching a Gossip Girl rerun!" Nice.

Jenn and I slept in while Erin got up early to visit her folks (who were in town to see the show) and spend the day with them. When we finally rolled out of bed, we cleaned up and headed out. We had lunch at the pizza place by the apartment (the same one Erin and I were at when Ryan and Jay pulled their little prank on us) and jumped on the subway. We went up to Build-a-Bear on 5th Ave. to pick up a thank you gift for Alya for her amazing tech save the day before and a birthday present for Jen Bailey, our beloved Diz. From there, we strolled up to St. Patrick's Cathedral and enjoyed a quiet moment together, marveling at this beautiful sanctuary. Afterwards, we strolled up in the direction of Central Park and hung out for a little while by the fountain outside the Park Plaza Hotel. At this point, my parents called. They'd just gotten to their hotel in the Financial District. With two hours to kill before call time and nothing else planned, we headed downtown to meet my folks for a quick drink.

Along the way, Jenn and I picked up a gift for Erin as a thank you for all of the hard work she'd put in to stage managing this show. When you consider how long she's lived with this show - thirty-one performances over four productions in fourteen months, it's considerable. Now, a run like that may not sound like much when compared to that of a Broadway show (or even off-Broadway professional theater), but Erin's only been stage managing for about the same amount of time that I've known my wife (four years for those keeping count) and this show was a major milestone for her.

So, we met with my folks and hung out for about twenty minutes (far too short an amount of time, in my opinion) and headed up to the space. Erin had already gotten the consumables for that night, along with thank you cards for our wonderful venue reps and a birthday card for Jen. I coordinated the card signings and the show began. It was great seeing such a mix of familiar and new faces, everyone excited to see the show. The cast rode that wave and delivered with an incredibly solid run.

After the show, I managed to get the cast, crew and audience members hanging outside the Stage Door to sing "Happy Birthday" to Jen when she came out. From there, we all rolled to Magnolia Bakery and picked up Birthday cupcakes and cookies.

After the bakery, we walked up to Rosa Mexicano in Union Square for dinner, where we (Me, Jenn, Erin, Jen, Matt, Matt's Brother, Ryan, Ryan's Friend, Corwin and Sarah) managed to rack up a pretty impressive tab and enjoy some top-notch Mexican food.

Afterward, the "kids" went bar hopping while "Mom & Dad (and Mom)" (Erin, myself and Jenn) headed home. We thought we'd get home quickly, but the infamously slow L and G lines conspired to make our trip home a solid two hours. After a trip like that, the last thing we wanted to do was climb up the four flights of stairs to get back to the apartment, but we persevered and finally got some well-earned rest.