Casting call

in Providence this morning, at the production company's offices in the city's old financial district. Downtown Providence has been enjoying a renaissance of late, thanks to its reincarnation as an "Arts and Entertainment District" which has attracted many artists and patrons of the arts and brought signs of life to the derelict 19th and early 20th Century buildings that testify to this city's past as a mercantile powerhouse. I found parking a few blocks from my intended destination, so I took the opportunity to amble around, and I was duly impressed. Boston of course has done something similar with the Fort Point Channel region (and before that the South End), but there's something about having it all downtown in the center of things that makes what Providence has done especially attractive.

I hadn't been to Providence in years until this morning, although my wife and I have sworn up and down that we'd get around to visiting someday. There's a lot to see and do, and I've heard the Italian cuisine in the Federal Hill district is to die for - even better than Boston's North End. Among other things, Providence was home to one H.P. Lovecraft for most of his life, and I've always wanted to see the city through his eyes, a "Lovecraft Reality Tour" if you will! Hey, that just gave me an idea for a short story...

(Speaking of which, I'm trying hard to keep to my vow not to start any new stories until I hit a hundred thousand words on "Confessions", but I fear that it may be a losing battle, as this one bit of inspiration I've had for a while now keeps accruing substance in my imagination - plot points, scenery, characters. I think the reason that this idea won't die is because when it first struck me I scratched it down on a piece of paper next to my bed that's still there all these months later, so every morning I'm reminded of it. I wonder if that technique would work for more prosaic matters, like remembering to empty the baby's diaper pail!)

...but the casting call went well, though to be honest there wasn't much to it - just a handshake, a question about my availability, and a Polaroid picture for the file. And that was it. They'll call me sometime next week about the bit part as the scribe, as well as a possible role as a warrior in a battle scene or two. So I could make it into the credits of this documentary as a warrior and a scribe, thank you very much. Incidentally, the production company - Providence Pictures - also did a documentary called "The Real Scorpion King", which came out around the same time as the The Rock's goofy sword-'n-sorcery blockbuster about the semi-mythical Scorpion King of Ancient Egyptian history. They're also won an award or two for their work. So I think I'll be in good hands, should I get the part(s). We'll see!