Gian's Texas Kind of Blog

Having Dr. Gian Giacomo Colli serve as our guest director for Suitors and Tutors was an honor, an education, and a true gift. Apparently, of the variety that keeps on giving. Just today, I discovered a journal he kept of his time in Austin posted on Facebook in a series of status updates. I have compiled them all here them here for convenience, unedited. It’s hard for me to read without hearing his sometimes perfect English in my head.

January 3rd

1st day in Austin, TX. Long flight from Philly, with a stop in Tampa, FL. Chaos for the check-in... more than one hour and half! My trip is like to be on a bus. Between trains and flight, after 10 hours, I arrive dead tired, but tex-mex food and margaritas change the perspective. I live in a nice small loft-condo gently offered by La Fenice, the Commedia dell'Arte theatre company which is one of the reasons why I'm here. I bit warmer, and I can even use the swimming pool I see from my windows.

January 4th

2nd day in Austin, TX. Beautiful weather, definitely not "brrrrrr" like yesterday early morning when Natalie drove me to the train station. Not particularly warm, but you can seat outside and enjoy the sunshine. The radio says that yesterday at Newark airport was a big mess because someone eluded the security. I think about the poor Gil - visiting professor of Hebrew at F&M - that I met on the train from Lancaster to Philly: he was going to Newark, to take a flight for Israel. What's this thing between me, Austin, and terrorism?

Today I'm getting my bearings with the car I rented, and right now I'm at the Performing Arts Library of the University of Texas, the other reason why I'm here. Just 'this' special section of the university library is bigger than Shadeck library at F&M. The good, old smell of a 'real' university. By the way, the security guard at the entrance of the campus, when I asked for directions, asked me which was my first language - my unmistakable accent - and when I said Italian, with a big laugh showed me a small book on how to learn Italian dirty words. Eccchecazz! I said.

I like Austin, you have the feeling of the big city, but also the impression that not far away there is the desert. The mix of American and Latino cultures is intriguing, and I was here more than eight years ago, 9/11/2001. How could I forget this place?

Today, at 6:30 pm, I have the first rehearsal with my "crazy-comedian" friends, and I can't wait to visit one of my favorite grocery stores, Whole-Foods. Ok, I've to go, a herd of cows is running towards me, and apaches are shooting all around the place. Stay tuned.

January 5th

Another beautiful day in Austin, not too cold and full of light. Had an excellent 'fish' dinner at Whole-Food yesterday, for just $21. How to describe it? Whatever you desire in terms of food & wine is there, a Disneyland of food, with 'special islands' where you can seat and have fresh meat, Italian, any kind of salad, anything! My "crazy-comedian" friends are insane!

January 7th

Kind of depressing weather yesterday, but today is beautiful again. I'm with Aaron in a "cool" wi-fi coffee-shop. Lot of places with very good coffee down here. We have rehearsal in one hour or so. It's going well, and now we have also a great accordion player. No rehearsals on Saturday and Sunday. I guess I will go finally to visit The Alamo, it's only one hour and half away.

January 8th

Cold, cold, cold here today, and I woke up in a frozen apartment, which didn't help my backache. I couldn't move, something wrong with the heating. Yesterday we rehearsed in a fascinating place, a sort of small metal & wood big room-castle built from scratches in a remote area of Austin... and had great 'pulled pork' for dinner!

January 9th

Went to San Antonio. I visited the Alamo. It's strange to finally see for "real" something that you have always experienced through movies and books.

January 10th

Another great day, but I'm kind of sick, with a bad cold. Rehearsals in the afternoon today. Yesterday the police stopped me inside the parking of the University of Texas. I was driving 20mph instead that 15mph. They gave me a verbal warning, no shooting this time.

January 14th

Back online after 36 hours sick like hell, cold and coughing. I guess since everything is big in Texas, even the flu is big. Weather doesn't help, foggy, rainy. Today I gave a lecture at St. Edward's University and later we have the dress rehearsal.

January 15th

Rain, rain, rain. My last day at the University of Texas Performing Arts Library. I'm late with my work, as usual. Tonight it's opening night for Suitors & Tutors, but I guess it won't be possible to perform outdoor, however. MERDA!

January 17th

And here it is my last Texas blog, the weather is beautiful again. Yesterday night, my crazy Commedia friends were able to perform outdoor. The audience was laughing a lot. I'm at the Austin airport right now, the same airport where I spent a lot of time during the week of 9/11. I don't know if the world has changed since then, but I know that (TG) we are still able to laugh.