By Alexandrea Bailey
I have no doubt each individual audience member left El Paseo Art’s Foundation’s staged reading of Tuesdays with Morrie at the South Padre Island Convention Center this week, at least a little bit changed, if not completely.
Before I continue this column, I feel it should be noted that I have not read the book that the story was adapted from, and my opinions are purely based on Ray Stewart’s, who played Morrie Schwartz, and Will Everett’s, who played Mitch Albom, performances.
The story goes that Albom reconnects with his former college professor, Schwartz, who has been diagnosed with a fatal disease. But, many would agree that Tuesdays with Morrie is entirely more than that.
I attended the second showing of the staged reading on the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 11. The mass of audience had many recognizable faces, and there was a great feeling of ‘home’ and community in the room. Many, I imagine, came to see their local coffee shop owner, Everett, work his magic. I had never seen him perform on stage before but had attended many of his poetry open mics that he hosts at one of his shops, Karma Coffee and Books, where he often shared kind and encouraging words with poets, young and old. So, I was excited to see what he brought to the stage. Just as many, I imagine, came to witness the wonderful work of Stewart. I had never heard of or met Stewart in the past, but I assumed, based on his long history of performances, that the San Benito native would be a star, and he truly was. His talent shone from his opening line.
The two actors had such undeniable chemistry, that I assume they must be great friends out of the spotlight, and if not, they must have been in a past life. They illustrated the story of old man teaching young man so artfully, and so honestly, that the realism caused me to fall in a sort of daze, with my focus glued on the lessons unfolding.
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