Today is Sunday, March 30, 2025. I failed to post a blog yesterday because I did see a Broadway play, or more aptly, an Off-Broadway play since the playhouse was on West 42nd Street, close to 11th Avenue, and the theater was called Theater 555. The name of the play was Conversations with Mother and it was a two-character play, set over five decades. More of the play later.

Another reason why I didn’t write my blog is the outcome of my resistance group which was supposed to have met at 3 yesterday afternoon. At the time I left for the alleged meeting, I had two members attending, one less than the last one which attracted only two persons into the city. The site was the same place where I had our last “meeting,” which was Albert’s Bar, located on 41st Street. This time I arrived pretty punctually – sometime before 2:45. I asked for a table and was ushered to a table near the wall. I put on my trusty name tag and waited. And waited! I asked for a cup of coffee while waiting and when it was past 3, I texted a friend who called me, whereupon I mentioned how no one was coming. He provided reasons for why no one was coming and one of the reasons had to do with the unseasonably warm weather outside. I believe the temperatures were in the high 70s or even the low 80s at some point. I waited until 4:15 and then made my hasty retreat. I did go up to the front of the bar to wait for people, but alas, I didn’t see any of those who said they were attending. I was just very disappointed and disillusioned after this setback and just walked to Times Square to get Broadway tickets at TKTS.

In just two days, a crucial race is going to be determined and the outcome of that race can very well be viewed more as a referendum on the bastard in charge of DOGE, Elon Muskrat and his democracy-crushing intervention into political races, as he’s poured millions into defeating the liberal candidate for Supreme Court Justice, Susan Crawford, than on anything else. Today an online article for The Hill covers this consequential race in a piece by Sarah Fortinsky entitled “Musk: Wisconsin Supreme Court race ‘might decide the future of America and Western Civilization.'”

It was this odious, far-right tech billionaire who made such a hyperbolic statement about the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, and let’s pray that Wisconsinites are not fooled by this gaslighting asshole.

This unelected government official suggested that if Democrats win this hotly contested race, they would “redraw up districts and add seats for Democrats.” That’s the idea, fucker! He posted to his platform that “What’s at issue here is control of the US House of Representatives.”

These comments made by a Nazi-loving billionaire come just before he’s expected to speak at a town hall in Wisconsin, where, I hope, he’s soundly booed by those who attend. I haven’t heard what’s happened yet since I don’t have the news on.

Muskrat”s political and financial influence will be put to the test this week. He spent $12 million through his America PAC to support the far-right candidate, Brad Schimel, whom I call “Schlimazel” instead. Building America’s Future, a group that has previously received funding from Muskrat, added $4.7 million to the race.

The election has been viewed as the first critical bellwether of Dump’s second term, as Democratic energy appears to be growing on the grassroots level. Democratic donors have also opened their pocketbooks in the race, including most notably George Soros and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, underscoring the degree to which both sides see the election as crucial.

Let’s pray that the first good piece of news out of this disastrous second term is delivered this Tuesday. May the only best candidate win!

Now to the play: Conversations with Mother. As I wrote above, it’s a two-hander character story of the 50-year relationship between a strong-willed Italian mother, Maria Collavechio, played by Caroline Aaron, and her gay, playwright-aspirational son, Bobby. From childhood to adulthood, Bobby, here played by Matt Doyle, tries to stash away his mischief and secrets while fielding his mother’s tough love that weeds out his confessions.

It’s great fun following the pair throughout the decades as they rotate around bereavement and rocky relationships and life’s downfalls. This is a relationship that is fraught with disappointments and early death, as in the death of Bobby’s father at a very young age. There is a very touching monologue that is delivered by Aaron as she recalls her late husband’s snoring. And now she doesn’t even have evidence of that anymore, which is quite poignant.

What distinguishes this 85-minute one act play about a son and mother is the mother’s total acceptance of her son’s gay identity all throughout his life, which is quite remarkable, given that Maria is a pious Italian Christian. There is an early scene where the pair thrash it out over the son’s supposed attendance at church in which he passes it over to play hooky with a close friend. But Mother has a way of coaxing the truth out of her lying son and she does – very beautifully.

Most of the interactions between mother and son occur on the telephone, often existing in their own spaces but inching physically closer as the play proceeds. Wilson Chin’s scenic design suggests a drawing room, backdropped with Caite Henver’s projections to signify location and time period.

The semiautobiographical play is the brainchild of Matthew Lombardo and the direction is provided by Noah Himmelstein. A nice paean to motherhood in the theater lobby are the portraits of all of the principals in the play, from Matt Doyle to Noah Himmelstein, hanging on hallway walls as you walk toward the theater entrance. It gives the play a very poignant touch.

I believe the play is ending May 11, so if you want to be touched by this endearing chronicle of a son and his mother over five decades, go see it – maybe with your mother if she’s still around!

And so it went!