The Blake & Ollie Show

Imagine the horror of a lifelong author, lit. prof., & linguistics maven at the diagnosis of a brain tumor pressing on the language processing center of my left frontal lobe.

18 surgeries & years of radiation & chemo later, it’s time to tell this story, about how we create & incorporate stories in our lives.

This show elucidates the murky process of how humans use words & discern meaning; + how we remember, compose, & communicate stories & ideas. We mostly take the process for granted—until an obstacle stymies us. Maybe it’s Alzheimer’s, a TBI, or marrying a non-native speaker, as I did. Or a tumor such as I have, slowly shutting off synaptic connections, even as the brain’s miraculous plasticity builds byways & spurs, eagerly forging “new ways around” the problem.

It’s monologue & storytelling by me, along with interaction w my own brain (played by an actor) & his puppet, “Ollie” the tumor taking over language expression. Conjurings of critical figures (played by 4 actors from the company), with forays into my fiction – storytelling – & how I create it—and “you” interpret it. A screen behind me gives access to memories, images, feelings, & more. Plenty of audience interaction, too.