One week to go and a new version of my play, Swimming Up the Sun, will be shown to the world. Anticipation, curiosity, focus--okay, alright--fear describe how I feel as I enter the chute. A play reading is for the playwright to hear, see, and feel the work stand up in front of an audience. If the actors and director do a good job and the script is ready to show, the audience will soon forget the scripts-in-hand and lack of props, set, and costumes, and be whirled into the world of the play. Then for ten short minutes post-show, the audience will share what they've heard, seen, and felt. Did the first act work? How about the second? Did the relationship between Nicki and Eve evolve in a satisfying way? What about the ending? Then it's time for refreshments, relief, and reliving the high points. The donation box circulates, the actors and director are thanked, and finally, the playwright unlocks her front door with

a heart full of fatigue, gratitude, and inspiration. You surely don't want to miss this, do you? Metro Stage, 1201 N Royal St, Alexandria, VA 22314. Monday, 4/16, 7:30 pm. Free ($10 suggested donation).