See Flash Rosenberg perform and wear her world for awhile

I have had the enormous good luck to see Flash Rosenberg perform her one woman show, at Symphony Space, "Know Flash Aloud" in the 2004 American Comic Vision Festival (overview of Flash.) And even better, get to know her. She is one of the most skilled and talented human beings I have ever met. She is so good that I left the whispery voice of "I could do that too, even better, harrumph" way behind me. That little green tic gets going when I watch a less than splendid video installation or the half digested things that pass for art in too many SoHo galleries, but with Flash, I happily realized this is the real thing, behold and enjoy. She makes you feel as if your life too is full of moments worth examining with whatever glasses her mind wears.

She tells great stories--memoir, humor and observation--in line, words, photos, costume, live on stage and in film. Put a pen in her hand and she cartoons, she's a delight with her myriad of faces and gestures drawn with lines that suggest all of life's humorous bumps and spirals. Her drawings veer into abstraction without ever losing narrative and expression. She's currently Artist-in-Residence for LIVE from the New York Public Library where she sketches a response to the heady conversations as they are happening. Upcoming LIVE from the NYPL in 2009 is here.

She is a professional photographer as well. And good, of course. She teaches too... I think whatever she does, from shopping for fruit to telling her stories on stage, she brings every audience into her smart funny world.

She is slender and favors black. She wears the kind of costume jewelry that a dramatic and beautiful woman makes elegant just by placing around her neck. A style that punctuates the woman.

Monday night she will be one of the performers for MONOLOGUES AND MADNESS downstairs at Cornelia Street Cafe here. Join me there, it'll be good.
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UPDATE:
It was fun. Many good performers and works. Some were professional writers or actors performing for the writers. Flash was terrific, despite sore throat that gave her a raspy Harvey Fierstein undertone. Did a monologue about the adult ed class she teaches at the Cooper Union "Underground Creativity: Einstein on the D Train" using photography, drawing and creative writing. Classes held in the subway, getting students to observe people. Games, like looking only at shoes and guessing what the face looks like... Am working up courage to try writing and performing a monologue myself. Flash said that was her intent in inviting us to come, get us to do it too. The event happens the first Monday night of each month.

Had dinner with a happy crowd of Flash's enthusiastic and artsy friends. Food at Cornelia St. Cafe is delicious. Company was filling.