Dr. Hal Cohen Returns to the Stage in a World Premiere in Maddy’s Theatre
“The arts bring us all together. We need that now.”
Dr. Hal Cohen is an actor, playwright, and physician (not necessarily in that order) who is thrilled to be taking the stage at Maddy's Theater at the Children's Museum and Theater of Maine for the very first time.
I officially joined the theater community here in Portland a little over a decade ago, in 2011. I started by taking some classes a year or two before that as a pleasant diversion from my day job. What a joy it was to meet these great people and eventually co-create with them. I've acted with them, written for them, and I've even directed a few of them. What a joy it has been to just play! Oh, my day job? I'm a physician. After a long career as both a pediatrician and as an internist, I transitioned to adults only. But I felt a big void without my patients who were children. Into that void stepped the next phase of my life, community theater.
Hal Cohen (left) in Wandering Beggar by Howard Rosenfield, Acorn Studios.
As we all know, the past two years have been hard on every one of us. Our lives have changed. Lives have even been lost. As a physician, I've been in the trenches so to speak. Everyone knows that healthcare workers in the hospitals have seen the worst of trying to take care of patients with Covid. So much of the rest of healthcare falls to those of us who work in our offices. And a whole lot falls to us. A whole lot. We also take care of those who suffer directly from the virus, as well as those who suffer from the new stresses and strains of this now more challenging everyday life. We do that plus everything we did before for our patients. We are short staffed, short tempered, and short of enough time. We leave for home more tired than we've ever felt before, more frustrated, and at times more angry. And yet I still believe. As challenging as these times are, I believe we are helping people. I believe, if we want to, and we need to want to, regardless of who we are, that we all can help each other. I believe that we will get through this. I believe in hope. I hope we learn something from these challenging times. I certainly hope to be a better version of myself. This play is about becoming a better version of ourselves.
“This play is also about hope. This experience gives me hope.”
Hal Cohen as Skylar’s Father with August Chandler as Skylar
Promotional Photo by Katie Day
Behind the scenes, rehearsing the play, Reba Askari, Theatre Artistic Director, has created the most welcoming of worlds, the safest of spaces, the happiest of home away from homes. And I am reminded that this theater community is ever so nurturing. This is the first on stage experience I've had since the pandemic began. It has recharged me. And I am forever grateful.
So, to all the actors, directors, stage managers, technical crews, teachers, butchers, bakers and candlestick makers, as well as mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and children everywhere, there is hope. This play is also about hope. This experience gives me hope. Enjoy the show.
THE GALAXY AT FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT FOR A HUG runs through February 6th in Maddy’s Theatre. Meet the rest of the cast and production team and to reserve your tickets, visit: kitetails.org/crisscrossing-the-galaxy