BWW Blog: Siobhan O'Loughlin - A Bathtub in Baltimore's Charm City Fringe

In November of 2015, I performed Broken Bone Bathtub in Baltimore at the Charm City Fringe. I wanted to try to stay "in the neighborhood" of the festival venues, and I was extremely lucky that my friend Sarah Lynn invited me to stay with her and perform in her home.

The Fringe still felt far from me, and I was so grateful to have the help of Sarah Lynn, as well as my dear friend Brennan, and sometimes some Fringe staff, to run the show. I made it to the Fringe opening party, where my fellow NYC based playwright and long term confidante Nehprii Amenii and I connected briefly. But I couldn't see the show she directed, and she couldn't get to mine because she left Baltimore early. I love the founders of the Fringe, but didn't get the chance to spend time with them either. I missed my fringe family, but instead I had a whole different experience with the show, and with my views on intimacy.

The four nights I performed in Baltimore became extremely personal for me. Folks who wanted to see it, knew that tickets would be snatched quickly (six per show!) so I had many audiences of friends and beloved people in my life.

Old loves appeared-my very first boyfriend, and ever a significant creature in my life. My very best friend in the whole world, with a cast of good friends from undergrad. Fellow Baltimore activists, that I've been through the ringer with. The gorgeous physical theatre and performance artist I'd met two years before at this same festival, with his fiancée, after they'd made me dinner the night before in their beautiful home. The college boy I dated when I was in high school, much to my parents' dismay, was present for the same show that my mom attended, and he washed my hair.

It's one thing to perform naked for people you don't know. It's another thing to be intimate in a small space with people who have hurt you, people you've hurt, people who you love and who you share countless memories with. And some of those people are real critics, you know-and there I was, open for even more to criticize than before. (Not to mention my parents. Hi, parents. Here's what I'm up to these days).

What I found in this small bathroom space, up close with people I'm close to (or have been) was a sense of insecurity that I hadn't known; met with acceptance. We all share ourselves in some way. We all chose to take risks, we all open ourselves and close back up again. My friend David hugged me after the performance and said, "empathy."

And my parents? Well, they are just awesome people. They handled this event beautifully. Enjoyed it, even.

If you are in Baltimore PRESENTLY, you can come see the show in a whole new light, produced by the amazing folks at Submersive Productions, opening August 19th. Check out www.brokenbonebathtub.com for details.

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