1-21-23, Day 20 In PTL Perrin’s Life
Welcome to day twenty of A Day In My Life! Happy Saturday!
I’ll post this earlier than usual today because this afternoon, Bill and I are meeting nine of our friends for an early-bird dinner at Tiramisu, a lovely Italian trattoria in North Palm Beach. After dinner, we’re heading over to our favorite theater to see a live production by some of the most talented actors I’ve ever met.
Palm Beach Institute for the Entertainment Arts (PBIEA) was born from the Burt Reynolds Institute for Film and Theatre. After its namesake died, my friend Donna Carbone, her husband Mike, and a dedicated group of supporters, actors, and teachers stayed together, renamed the institute, and have built a thriving, active theater and writing community dedicated to education through entertainment.
In their own words, from the website: “The Palm Beach Institute for the Entertainment Arts was formed to educate, advance and enhance a knowledge of the entertainment industry and to involve the community in all aspects of the creative process. Through our classes and shows, we have cemented an ongoing supportive and interactive relationship with Florida residents.”
I can attest to the truth of that statement. I met Donna not long after I had published the last of my four-book series and had no idea how to market the books. She’s the author of an excellent crime series, and had formed A Novel Approach to Literacy, a small group of authors who would speak at various venues where they’d sell and sign their books. She invited me to be one of those authors. Donna taught me a lot about speaking in public, presenting my work, and becoming involved with our community. I consider her among my best friends.
The main characters in her crime novels are two female detectives based on her daughter, who survived a real-life brutal rape and near murder, and her daughter’s close friend, the local detective who brought her attacker to justice. Donna has written a variety of books, teaches creative writing, has written plays that have been presented around the country and in venues like the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, and directs most of their productions.
Mike Carbone, retired now from a successful, chiropractic practice, designs and builds sets worthy of a much larger venue in quality. Avery Sommers, who produces most of their shows, is a successful Broadway actress who performs in her own shows and teaches acting at the Institute.
I love the small, intimate box theater with its comfy, mismatched seats and small stage. Every one of my friends who has come to see a production at PBIEA has loved it. The friendly cast members and crew, the cozy seating, the proximity to the stage, and the excellence of the production combine to create a truly exciting atmosphere, one we’re reluctant to leave at the end of the show. It’s no surprise that, like Bill and me, they return for more whenever they can.
I’ve had the privilege of participating in one of the most popular quarterly events the theater puts on, Tongues a’Wagging. Donna puts out a call for personal stories based on a topic she chooses. Those of us whose stories have been chosen, must read them aloud on stage in front of a live audience. I have been on stage, and I have been in the audience, and I rarely miss a Tongues a’Wagging event. The theater is nearly always sold out for all six performances.
And so, that is where I’ll be later today and until late this evening. Have you ever been on stage? Do you have a local live theater you enjoy attending? Tell me about it in the comments!
Here’s my to-do list for today:
- Write my daily blog. (Check!)
- Read the blogs of everyone participating in this challenge and comment. (daily)
- Balance our checkbooks. (If not today, then tomorrow for sure.)
- Put Christmas bins away and start taking down the Christmas tree. (*waaaah!*)
- Spend an hour editing my friend’s book.
- Get tax information together for four corporations. (Must do by this time next week!)
- Put all but 1 and 2 on hold because we’re going to the THEATER today!
Thank you for reading my blog today, and please visit my friends and fellow RRBC Bloggers at https://ravereviewsbookclub.wordpress.com/rrbc-member-chat/
Blessings!
Patty Perrin (writing as P.T.L. Perrin)
PTL Perrin Writes... 
I need someone like Donna to show me how to market my books at fairs and meetings. I do all my marketing on my computer, and I believe I’ve reached saturation point. I need to step away from the computer.
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Hi, Susanne, before Covid, I’d rent a table at various book fairs and sell my books there. It was expensive and the sales never quite covered the cost, but the experience was priceless, and it’s still my favorite way to sell books. Donna knows everyone of influence in the area, and she’d arrange for us to speak at local restaurants. They’d often provide free refreshments to the attendees, which helped bring them in. Nonnie does so much for us through RRBC, which was a life saver during Covid and continues to be an excellent resource now. If you have a local writer’s group, maybe you can make contacts there.
Blessings,
Patty
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HI Patty, this sounds like a lovely Saturday. We do have a local theatre and my family do attend productions fairly often. I prefer musicals so those are the shows we mainly see. I thought it was bad luck not to take your Christmas tree down by 6 January. That is what I’ve been told my whole life.
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Hi, Robbie! I’ve always loved live theater, and it’s such a blessing to have this one nearby. Glad you have the same pleasure! We usually took our tree down just after January 6. That’s the Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, and we kept it up for the wise men. I think it’s amazing how different traditions take root in different places.
I stopped believing in bad luck after I came to know the Lord and got into reading the Bible. And I haven’t had any! Tough times, yes. Hardships, yes. Bad things happened, yes. But it isn’t about bad luck. In fact, a Scripture that explains it all for me is Romans 8:28 which says, “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Modern English Version) In other words, even the bad things turn out for our good, and that has been my experience.
Blessings!
Patty
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Thank you, Patty. I also don’t believe in luck, good or bad, but the British are a superstitious lot and that is the tradition I grew up with. Thank you for sharing more about yourself and your beliefs.
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What fun, Patty! I’m so happy you have found this group. As for your question, I have been on stage for different reasons. As a child, I performed in a piano recital and in ballet and tap shows. I also sang with a friend of mine in a talent show in middle school. In high school, I was part of the bell choir at church, and I took drama class and performed in several plays (never a main part). Now, I have no desire to be on stage. Funny how life twists and turns, huh?
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
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I would love to have seen you on stage, Yvette! They say actors have been bitten by the theater bug. I think other bugs have bitten us. Why else would we enjoy being in isolation, writing novels? I don’t mind being in front of an audience if I can read to them or if I’m training by following slides, like we did in our business. Don’t ask me to memorize anything!
Blessings!
Patty
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From the bottom of my heart, thank you for using your talent for words to write wonderful sentiments about the Institute and me. I am undeserving but greatly appreciative. You have a knack for making me cry… most always tears of joy. Having you and Bill for friends is an invaluable gift. Among the things I cherish most in my life are the welcome in your smile, the warmth of your hugs and the feeling “that all will be well” that shines from your beautiful eyes. ~Donna~
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Oh, Donna. You must mean my tear-filled eyes. Thank you! You are the greatest of friends and I thank the Lord for you and Mike! Tonight’s audition experience gave me a taste for acting, and if I didn’t have an impossible time memorizing anything, I’d be tempted to take a class. That was so much fun! And Mike, I can still taste that sip of raspberry. It was delicious. Thank you! What a fantastic troupe you have there. And you know what? All WILL be well! I believe it 100%.
Blessings!
Patty
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