Welcome, I Shall Be Brief

By NICHOLE DONJÉ

Have you ever stepped onto an empty ghost-lit stage? There is a holiness to it. If you ever have this opportunity, take it. The feeling I get is akin to when I sit in silence in an empty church; however, on the stage, its darkness fills me with an eerie, spiritual light.

The theatre is my church…a place where people of all walks of life come together to hear stories that stir the imagination and offer connection through universality. The audience…congregation. The writer… the preacher. And the actors…the conduits - our guides. I wish I had my own stage to sit upon in the darkness each night, never alone but with the energy of the life that fills the space, in every crack…on every level.

I share this philosophy with you, an insight from a fellow Player, “a person of the theatre.” A person who lives and breathes the arts.

We are a social club, but not a typical one. We gather to connect and share, not to preen, posture and impress. As a member, we ask that you be yourself and bring your best self to the table to share stories and raise a glass; to laugh, make friends and to play; and like a church, to get involved…to be a part of something larger…to grow as people and as a community.

We call the clubhouse our home away from home, “A Certain Club,” created to bring together like minds from different paths to expand our thoughts and fill our lives. It's why I joined The Players and why I’ve worked so hard to ensure it lasts. I have met many of my closest friends and artistic collaborators here.

And there are ghosts…spirits who celebrate and toast by our sides. Our quiet founder, Edwin Booth, sitting proud and hopeful in the Grill or by the fire quoting Shakespeare and inspiring camaraderie. We seek them out, sit with them and lay bare our hearts.

This blog is an opportunity for us to share this joy with you. To offer some laughter and insights. To build our community. I always picture opportunities floating by, sometimes alone, often in groups. We just need to reach out and grab them.

So today I take the opportunity to welcome you in and ask you to join us on our new adventure…to sit with me, my fellow Players, and all our venerable ghosts. Share with us our mutual love for art and connection. In these days where technology preponderates, a social club has become all the more important; a place to go to be with others…to saddle up at a bar where “everyone knows your name” or at least wants to.

Get to know us, our antics, and our stories. This is how we will get to know you.

Welcome!

#thebriefchronicles #acertainclub #theplayersnyc

Nichole Donjé is a director, producer, poet, artist, Players committee addict, man-lovin’ feminist, dog mamma, fabulous wife and all around crazy person. Oh, also Blog Editor-in-chief and Players Communications Chair.