Okay, I will admit some bias here. I think Shellen is one of the greatest people I have ever met; honest, direct, open, with an extraordinarily clear perception of herself and others. My three months living in her home were equally uplifting, enlightening, and delightful. But all bias aside, her talent as a composer, skill as a director, and insight as a writer are exceedingly above par. I was fortunate to see several of her productions in my time in New York and particularly fortunate to see her Rocaberet, "My Brave Face" several times.
My Brave Face, like the music it contains, is both an internal and external experience. You are consciously aware of watching the performers on stage, following the story, understanding the masks the protagonist speaks of – the masks we create, wear, sometimes even destroy as we make our way through life. Yet as the play unfolds before you, the play of your life unfolds within as well. As you watch his story, you remember your own masks, where they have served you, where they have failed you, where they have hidden you from the world, or the world from you. The same duality exists in the music as well known songs, perfectly executed, dance beside unknown songs, or lesser known songs exquisitely rearranged to evoke new and different experiences. You can’t help but travel to places in time where the known songs touched your soul and moments later you travel inside as new words wake new places within your soul in the context of the present experience. I have watched the show four times now. Each time it takes me deeper into an experience both of it and of myself. Both are experiences well worth having.
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