Unmasking Resistance: PER BRAHE

Last night, at Per Brahe's STUDIO 5, I read Edgar Allan Poe's BLACK CAT in front of a couple dozen people I'd never met. It was one of those moments when I just let myself free-fall. I say to myself, "Just go try, you can do this, and if you fail, no one dies." So, I read the story and I must say, it was the highlight of my week, and as you know, my week was jam packed with potential highlights. I felt myself drop into the story by page 2, and by the end, I felt both the audience and myself had been through it.... the murder, the insanity and yes, last night Poe was a little funny.
I was invited by Per Brahe himself, to be a part of this monthly series called One Night, One Chair. The other three performers were fashionista, Dandy and singer/songwriter James Hamilton. Per also told a story, in honer of his Grandmother's birthday (she would have been 104) entitled, "My Grandmother was a Terrorist." In the story, Per recounted how his grandparents hid weapons in their church in Denmark to fight against the NAZIs in WWII.
Per Brahe is one of the most wonderful people on the planet and I'm sad to admit this was the first time I've seen Per since my return to NY, 2 years ago. I met Per when I took his Balinese Mask Performance workshop class at NYU. Within a few classes, I was hooked. The work he teaches is incredibly BRAVE and incredibly heart opening. I soon found my way to Bali and met Ida Bagus Alit, a guru Balinese mask maker. With Ida, I carved a mask of Per Brahe's face (see above). While, carving, Per came to visit and met Ida Bagus Alit and they have been working together ever since. A serendipitous moment for everyone involved.

After the crowd dispersed, I took out my camera and asked PER what he thought about RESISTANCE. He begins with Politics and ends with Art.
LOVE YOU PER!






SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MY GIRL NAMAKULA, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!