VAA New Works 2008/Double Bill:

Hot Flashes, Cold Showers: a one-woman show
My Brilliant Life: Patrick McManus as Einstein

Susan McCabe - Patrick McManus

Friday & Saturday, Oct 17, 18 - 7:30 pm
At:  The Blue Heron
Tickets:  $12 VAA members, seniors, students / $14 general admission

McCabe and McManus serve up double bill

Susan McCabe discovered she wanted to be funny while participating in a 10-day meditation retreat. So she decided to submit a VAA New Works proposal, hire a director and polish 9 (of her 30 essays written over the last 18 years) to present in a one-woman show. Mostly funny, a few serious (Erma Bombeck meets Eve Ensler) she says the name refers not to menopause, but the teaching moments that come in every day life.

“It’s mostly about when I was trying to live my misspent youth in middle age,” she says. “It’s also about raising adult children as a single parent, love and loneliness.” Why now? “I’ve thought of making a book of these essays. Then I decided that performing them combines all the things I love, radio, theater and essays; maybe someday it will be a book.”

McCabe says the music is an important component of the show. Virtuoso pianist Jack Barbash will introduce each scene with a familiar musical piece from the 1940’s to 60’s to 80’s. McCabe will even sing a couple of torch songs related to one of her essays. And the finale will feature a recorded original by Luke McQuillin.

Suitable for ages 17 and up, the monologue will be directed by Charlotte Tiencken, who has worked with En-Joy Productions, Stone Soup Theatre, Tacoma Little Theater and more. McQuillin will run lights and sound for the show.

“It’s all been fun for me; if the audience likes it—then that will be frosting on the cake.” While she would consider taking the show on the road, she acknowledges that for her, Vashon is a place that makes dreams come true.

McCabe, a radio journalist from Chicago originally, has lived on Vashon since 1995. “I meditated my way here from Chicago. It was a huge culture shock.” Since arriving on Vashon she has performed in VAA production, Shakespeare Cabaret, VOV radio and TV and Drama Dock’s Inherit the Wind. She is the proud mother of two grown sons, both filmmakers living in Los Angeles and is currently the program coordinator for Vashon Park District. “I make fun happen,” she says.

About five years ago, Patrick McManus began receiving frequent comments about how he resembles Albert Einstein. As McManus began looking more and more like the revered German born theoretical physicist, McManus started exploring the whole ‘look-alike’ industry. He connected with several agencies, took some acting classes, joined Toastmasters and now belongs to a National Speaker’s Association.

“You have to have more than just the look,” he says. “That only lasts about 20 seconds.” While there are other Einstein look-alikes out there, McManus, who has hosted workshops and worked as an MC, has continued to polish his public speaking skills (thanks to Toastmasters) researching the life of Einstein and getting occasional Einstein gigs.

Being Einstein has brought new adventures for McManus. In his upcoming New Works performance, a one-man multi-media travelogue of sorts, McManus will share stories around his new-found role as Einstein. Steffon Moody will direct. “I’ll do the show as me, although I’m sure to slip into Einstein,” he says.

Interestingly, there are similarities between the two beyond their looks. Einstein’s family owned an electrical equipment manufacturing business. McManus, a great admirer of scientists and inventors, worked in many jobs, but always wanted to be an engineer. As a young man he worked in electronics for projects associated with NASA. His degree in environmental design used his math skills and for the past dozen or so years, he has worked as a contractor. Currently McManus teaches Feldenkrais method, an educational system centered on movement, aimed to expand and refine use of self through awareness. “Einstein spent a lot of time in his later years promoting peace and criticizing conventional approaches to education, two things I feel strongly about,” says McManus.

As ‘being Einstein’ continues to grow for McManus, his goal is to help others discover their own genius through school and library presentations as Einstein. “I want to have a good time with it and maybe someday make a decent living just being Einstein.”

Call Now for Tickets!  206.463.5131