OFF BOOK #3: Two Weeks In...

A chaotic start, a peaceful rhythm, and the joy of packing too much. Spoiler: the ice cream maker was worth it

Headshot by Sam Pickart

OK!!! So, I’ve been meaning to write this for a while, but I’ve been absolutely BUSY. We’re now starting week three of rehearsal. We’ve got two more weeks until we open (which honestly feels luxurious) and one more week until tech. It felt like the perfect time to share an Off Book update—now that I’m finally, well, off book!

Woo hoo—I just performed Act One off book. I think I can do Act Two off book too… but we’ll see. That’s tonight.

Anyway—my dear friend Jay drove me to Provincetown (THANK YOU, JAY!!) and that was amazing because I could pack way too many things—including an ice cream maker and a frying pan. The ice cream I’ve been making at home has been a much-needed treat. Now I just need to wear all the clothes I brought at least once to justify bringing them. (That’s the goal.)

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🏡 Arrival Magic

I arrived a couple days before the first rehearsal. I couldn’t stay at the apartment the theater had secured for me (thanks Scott Bennett!) because the stage manager for the solo show the Provincetown Theater had produced was still in it.

But, as luck would have it, I met one of the coolest people here so far: Spencer, who owns The Inn at Cook Street. I had a lovely breakfast. Spencer has a dog named Tallulah—after Tallulah Bankhead, naturally—and between Tallulah, the bunnies, foxes, and all the birds, this place just feels magical.

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💪🏻 Mussel Beach & Serendipity

I found a gym called Mussel Beach (get it?), which is fun and very well-equipped.

And then—because Provincetown is that kind of town—I kept randomly running into people I know. One of them? My friend Lloyd Knight, a Martha Graham dancer. I nearly bumped into him on the street. He told me he was doing a Site-Specific performance on the beach, and it absolutely blew me away. Stunning work.

Hilariously these are not from the same day despite my excellent shirt

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Ouch…

🦶🏻Then… Disaster.

I was at the gym and learned a very important Provincetown lesson: you cannot rush here.

It reminded me of those bumper stickers in Hawai'i:

SLOW DOWN — This Isn’t the Mainland.

Anyway… I dropped a 25-pound weight on my foot.

Fortunately, nothing broke. I didn’t want to say anything until I was fully healed—but I am now, and everything’s fine!

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🪴 Healing, Performing, and Stir-Frying

My apartment is beautiful. It’s part of a gorgeous house with a garden out front.

I also got to see my friend Bill Bowers perform at the Solo Show Festival. It was a beautiful, moving piece—I had seen it once before in New York and felt lucky to revisit it. In a lovely full-circle moment, I also ran into some Portland theatre folks, which was nourishing, affirming, and just plain lovely.

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🎭 The VASAMAS Life

The process for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (which I affectionately call VASAMAS) is going so well. I’m obsessed with this play by Chris Durang. It’s been such a fun experience, and the nature here is JAW-DROPPING.

I’m trying to enjoy it all while staying focused on the show. So I’m not going out much—even though most of my friends are shunning me for it . I’ve been cooking at home (mostly stir-fry), living my best plant-based life, getting my protein in, and staying active.

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💥 Fit for Stage?

I’ve been thinking about launching a Fit For Stage newsletter soon—something more like a personal blog about gym life:

📸 gym photos

🥗 what I’m eating

📈 progress updates

If you’d be into that, and would want to support it as a paid subscription, feel free! Totally optional. Keep an eye out.

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🗓 One Last Thing

Let me know how often you’d like to receive these Off Book newsletters:

• Once a week?

• Every two weeks?

• Multiple times a week?

Drop me a comment or reply and let me know what works best for you.

I hope you enjoy the pictures I’ve posted with this—and if you have any questions about the process or the show, ask away! I’ll do my best to answer them all.

’Til the next,

–Jeff

P.S. Huge thanks to my personal sponsors who helped eliminate expenses. You asked to remain anonymous, but this would not be happening with as much JOY as it has without you. Thank you.