Like many of us, I find myself wrestling with confusion, stress, and the weight of a destabilized world. Yet in the midst of it, I’ve discovered that discipline—especially in my meditation practice and daily watercolors—can be healing. Showing up for live performance, great art, and music feels like a radical act. It’s not just about entertainment, but about engaging more deeply with the creative process. That matters—for all of us. We are creative animals, and I’m endlessly drawn to these questions and that process.
This month, I experienced works that stirred something in me: Purpose, a powerful new play by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (now Tony-nominated), and Dead Outlaw, (also Tony-nominated) a quirky, genre-bending new musical. Being in the room for these performances gave me not only hope, but fuel—a kind of soul engine. It may be my lifeblood, or maybe it’s just a buffer against the harder edges of reality. Either way, I believe art can be beautiful, defiant, and healing all at once.
I’m thinking about all of you. Thank you for reading—or listening. My resistance is rooted in the gifts of art and nature. May you find your own form of resistance—one that feeds you, and makes you stronger.
AT THE OPERA
I often say opera is my everything. And at the Met, it is probably the truest experience of art I have had in my life. I wish I could take everyone I knew to the opera. This month, I was taken to the opera by my friend Mark and won the lottery. It is nice to know that opera can still be accessed without breaking my bank account. It is possible! Two nights at the Met opera stood out as these were my Mozart firsts: Le Nozze di Figaro, sung beautifully, and those 1791 jokes still land (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️), as was Die Zauberflöte, which charmed with its moving stage and Mozart’s score that keeps your heart moving (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️). Both the Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute are operas in the classical canon that I had not seen before. Their sound and stories are lasting.
ON BROADWAY
On the music and theater front, Floyd Collins at Lincoln Center featured a haunting performance by Jeremy Jordan (⭐️⭐️⭐️). The story, based on the real-life caver who helped inspire the creation of Mammoth Cave National Park, resonated with me deeply. The bluegrass score transported me straight to Bruce’s cave of my childhood with my grandfather Gene.
Dead Outlaw—one of two current musicals featuring a central cadaver (alongside Operation Mincemeat)—was scrappy but compelling (⭐️⭐️⭐️). It’s a bold, offbeat addition to the Broadway landscape.
Meanwhile, seeing Buena Vista Social Club live for a second time was just as good as the first time. Every note pulsed with life, bringing the spirit of Cuba to the stage (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️). I love that the musicians of Buena Vista Social Club are receiving a special Tony—it is well deserved.
Lastly, Purpose offered thoughtful performance work that still has me thinking about queerness and family histories (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️).
I had the chance to see my queer country hero Orville Peck take on the role of the Emcee in the Broadway revival of Cabaret. The show ran a bit long, but the costumes and music were the tops, and Orville delivered a strong, compelling performance. I’ve seen him live several times and have long been a fan of his music, so watching him step into this iconic role felt especially important to witness.
Knowing he’s been open about his struggles with depression, this move to Broadway felt like more than a career shift—it felt like a personal milestone, a way to prove something to himself. And he followed through beautifully.
Eva Noblezada, as Sally Bowles, absolutely brought the house down with her rendition of “Cabaret”—a true Broadway performance to form.
IN THE GALLERIES
The summer exhibitions are now up at MoMA and The Met, and they’re both well worth your time. Sargent and Paris at The Met left me stunned—nearly every piece in the show was completed before Sargent turned 30. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) I’m already planning to revisit it throughout the summer to study how he approached his palette with such nuance and confidence.
Over at MoMA, Woven Histories offers a beautifully curated blend of textile art and modern abstraction. It’s both inspiring and grounding—especially for those of us who love Anni Albers. I could spend hours there among the textiles. (And I probably will.)
COMEDY
April was bursting with comedy across New York—as always. I kicked things off catching my friend Ray Ferro at Broadway Comedy Club. He is certainly the friend I will say “I knew him when…” He is whip smart.
Mateo Lane and friends brought the house down at Radio City Music Hall with a polished, personal, and hilarious set (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️). And I saw Jessica Kirson live (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)at the Beacon with a set that had me laughing so hard I was exhausted by the end of the hour.
Check out a great conversation with Jessica and Mike Birbiglia working it out together.
I went up for the third time at Westside Comedy Club—and promptly forgot my entire first joke. Comedy is definitely not for the faint of heart. But like anything worth doing, the key is practice, practice, practice.
I’m so grateful for everyone who’s supported me on this ride so far. I’ll be back on stage in June, and in the meantime, I’m focusing on open mics and honing my “tight five.” I’m still writing new material every day, and honestly, it’s the most fun I’ve had writing in a long time.
Here’s to the jokes—and the joy of the grind.
Up-coming in May:
Salome [The Met Opera]
Hilma af Klint What Stands Behind the Flowers [MoMA]
John Proctor is the Villain (Tony-nominated Play) [Broadway]
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