Alas alack, my computer crashed, it’s come back from computer hospital, hopefully, whatever ailed it, it will aspire to keep it and other stuff at bay.

Ah, and yes, I high-tailed it to New York City, the place of my birth (no I’m not a native of Newburyport, anyone who has heard me lapse into a New Yawk ackcent knows I’m not a borner.)

I went to see my son, most favorite son, open first time ever, just out of college in an off (off) Broadway production of Shakespeare no less. The romantic prince in “The Winter’s Tale.”

The prince falls in love with a lowly shepherdess, who turns out happily, to be a true princess and “alls well that ends well.” Luckily for my son’s handsomest character.

(Now this “alls well that ends well” business — only in Shakespeare, only with an amazing amount of faith, complete oblivion, or an ability to be totally out of touch with reality. In my youth of course I would have an answer to that question right away. In my middle age, I have no clue.)

And for all those wonderful teachers all through the Newburyport Public School system who would say to my son, “remember me when…(you get to the Oscars, you get to Broadway, you get to whatever…) you can go see him in his role as the handsome love-interest.

He has been embraced by The Hipgnosis Theatre Company. (“Hip” meaning, “hip” as in slang “hip.” “Gnosis” meaning “journey towards enlightenment through self-knowledge and personal exploration.” So nice to have “depth” in a superficial world.) Website and ticket information: www.hipgnosistheatre.org.

The play and its amazing talented cast, director and crew, runs from November 2-November 19 at the Access Theatre 380 Broadway, NYC. Run, do not walk. And tickets are actually reasonable, even by Newburyport standards.

So all of those parents who despair about the Newburyport Public School system, here is a young man who manage “toot suit” (that’s mangled French for “right away”) to land an off (off) Broadway role with a very cool company.

And please don’t say to me “Oh, but it was so much different when YOUR child was in school. ” Well frankly, my child was one of those “sacrifice children,” the ones who scrunched into the Middle School during those very important High School years so that others might have the delight of the spanking new sparkling High School facility. So don’t “complain to me Argentina.”

And herein lies my unending point, that it is NOT the facility that is of greatest importance (although nice), but the PEOPLE who guide, teach, exhort within.

My son’s many guardian angles at the Newburyport High School helped make this ongoing, going event, eventful. And for them I am deeply grateful.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport