Editor,

The experience we had last Sunday afternoon at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts at a staged reading of Mitch Albom’s best selling memoir, “Tuesdays with Morrie,” was unprecedented. The story traces the development of a relationship between the writer and Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor, who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The performance was a benefit for a loved and respected member of the community, Charlie Murphy, who also has ALS.

So, the theater was full of people who knew Charlie or knew of him and the depth of emotion in the room was almost palpable.

That in itself might have been enough for a powerful evening. But there was more… much more. Director Deana Duncan, those who handled the technical tasks such as lighting and sound, and especially the two actors, Eric Mulholland and Andrew Grenier, used their artistry, their talent and skill, and their years of experience to create something transformative, a theatrical event that touched and taught us all.

People marveled at how Eric could transcend the pain of performing in a story so close to one he is now living; Eric is now the chief caretaker and support for his husband, Charlie. But the story is so well written: moments of sly wit and wisecracks juxtaposed with others of raw honesty and pain. And the whole piece is infused with the loving kindness of the other character, Morrie, a Jewish sociology professor, a man facing his own death with humor and humility – a character beautifully re-created by Andrew Grenier.

In the entire performance, there was not a single misstep,  not one awkward moment; it flowed like water. Using the incredible empathy present in the audience, these artists created an experience that we will never forget. I was honored to be there.

JILL JOHNSON

Langley