Proof

Every once in awhile, I read plays for fun.

I enjoy reading plays. They're comparable to a short story; minimal words in a specific time frame to express deep ideas, big themes, and intense character development. I love the plays that have small cast and usually one set. Usually you can read a play once over in one sitting and then read it many times through to get the little details you didn't pick up the first time. And you probably couldn't tell from the way that I write, but I enjoy minimalist plays over Shakespeare. I love Pinter, Stoppard and Mamet.

If you ever get a chance, read a play.

The one that I picked up during my "vacation" was by a playwright that I had not heard before: David Auburn. He had won a Pulitzer for his play, "Proof" (which by the way, is a movie...based on this play). The first time I read through it, I was intrigued by the use of flashback (oh, LOST) and how I identified with the main character Catherine.

The second time I read through the play in its entirety, I was nearly in tears. I guess there is something about watching a person struggle to prove their potential and worth in the face of adversity. I root for those characters, and hope that they can find a way to prove that they are more than what others believe they will become.