Here we are now, entertain us!

Rehearsing yesterday: Desmond Dutcher, Joe MacDougall & Kaolin Bass
getting ready for Kevin Brofsky's "Tom Cruise, Get off the Couch."

On the day of an event, I usually wake up with a sense of both dread and excitement. All the things I could have done, should have done, would have done if I'd had the time press in like heavy clouds (as opposed to the real clouds currently lowering above), and then I get out of bed.

Ah, the last-minute details: who has the mic stand? Where are the schoolgirl costumes? What kind of booze (to BUY, not drink at 10 in the morning!)? Emails from abroad, emails from New Jersey, phone calls: are you there yet? What time will you be there? What time do you want ME to be there?

And at a certain point, the dread dissolves and the anticipation and adrenaline take over. At least they should. Any minute now....there!

We got more books yesterday...Saturday deliveries that our superintendent signed for and brought up in the afternoon. Thank you Carolyn Gage and Eddie Sarfaty! Other authors will arrive tonight bearing their books: Vanda and Kevin Brofsky and Joe Godfrey.

I'm supposed to be at the theater by 5, and I will probably make it by then; pick up the dry cleaning, pick up the programs, do I need new pantyhose? (Well the Commander in my play does...that's not the sort of thing that gets passed off from one actor to another...)

Brian Merriman, the artistic director of the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival sent us a lovely email to be read tonight. If you're not able to join us, I'll post here for you to read:

"The International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival began in 2004 with a mission to mainstream the positive gay cultural identity in Irish society. It was no longer acceptable to us that gay art would be lauded while the gay artist was still a second class citizen. In bringing international gay theatre to Dublin you have helped liberate Irish and international gay voices. Gay theatre does not need translation -- we all know the culture in which we grow and love.

Tonight you continue that important work under the generous inspiration of our esteemed international ambassador Kathleen Warnock in the most practical way in a time of recession. We are so encouraged by tonight’s event in New York. The artists we know and those we have yet to meet are true friends in presenting tonight's festivities, which coincide with the official launch of our 7th programme by the Lord Mayor of Dublin in her home this evening.

We are also greatly inspired by the generosity of those who have donated prizes -- a treasure trove of gay theatre memorabilia. Thank you.

If you are planning to travel this year make a date in Dublin for the first fortnight in May as we always look forward to this great international network of gay artists and their friends descending on Dublin where there is always a welcome. Thank you all for the financial help but mostly for the sense of family that you are creating tonight as we both promote our active citizenship simultaneously on both sides of the Atantic. Well done Kathleen and all the crew. You are inspiring. Break..... everything!!"

I'll tell you what, I'm breaking a sweat right now. But I'll be (or look) cool as a cucumber this evening.

So without any further ado, I will sign off for now, and hope to see many of you this evening, and know that one of you will be the recipient of a COMPLETELY AWESOME PRIZE.

Here's to ya!

Kathleen W.

Ambassador of Love