Wow, thanks for the memories, photos, and Angela’s brilliant haikus, Clayton. She was a force. The MND rehearsals and final performance provided some of the best moments (and yuks) that summer. Rest in peace, dear Angela. Jayne

From: "shakespeare-at-winedale-email-list@googlegroups.com" <shakespeare-at-winedale-email-list@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Clayton Stromberger <cstromberger@austin.utexas.edu>
Reply-To: "shakespeare-at-winedale-email-list@googlegroups.com" <shakespeare-at-winedale-email-list@googlegroups.com>
Date: Monday, July 29, 2024 at 2:00 PM
To: Robert Faires <robert.faires2787@gmail.com>, carl smith <carl_smith@mac.com>
Cc: Shakespeare Winedale <shakespeare-at-winedale-email-list@googlegroups.com>, "winedale-l@lists.wikimedia.org" <winedale-l@lists.wikimedia.org>
Subject: Re: [Winedale-l] Re: Angela Breckenridge

All of these remembrances and photos of Angela have been remarkable and moving. You have all expressed much of what I was thinking and feeling as I grappled with this loss.

Thanks to all of you for these little flashes of Angela’s fire, and to Doc for gently breaking the news to us. That obituary was stunning and I felt a pang at remembering how, after talking with Angela once about her life in New Orleans, I’d had visions of visiting her there and seeing a bit of her world of artistic adventures and teaching and inspiring others. Like the city she loved, she gave off sparks of shared life-cherishing joy and go-for-it intensity in the face of the tough realities of life. As you said, Jerald, I wished I’d had a chance to get to know her better.

I remember thinking on the first day of the 2015 reunion, as we were working on 1.1 of “Midsummer,” that wow, Bob’s Theseus got more than he bargained for when he “won” this Hippolyta. Angela came ready to tussle. And Mike and Joy, the fairy trio was something special – watching you three weave your way through Carl’s beautiful arrangement of the Titania lullaby, it was clear that Angela’s fearless and dynamic movement liberated something in you two. As a trio you were such a tight and well-connected team, and that is evident in every photo I saw as I went back through my reunion snaps. I didn’t manage to capture the fairies in full sinuous motion, but this one shows you three in full energetic onstage-audience mode.

I love Angela’s “Oh yeah, big shot?!” expression in these Hippolyta photos – this is from 5.1 when Theseus was trying to convince her that his hounds are pretty great too….

Doc I’ll send these to Tedd, thank you for including his contact information.

Sadly I did not manage to interview Angela for my post-reunion oral history project. But I had emailed her to see if she wanted to write any reflections down and send them to me, so we did exchange a few messages, and she eventually sent me a short note featuring her haikus for the first night (Madge’s brilliant idea!).

First here’s what she wrote in her final note to me:

After some consideration, I remembered the haikus.

The attached is from a journal entry, so may include more than just the poems. I don't know if I ever posted or shared the whole list of them with you, but more than any other expression I've tried to write about the reunion, these have a preciseness that far exceeds my lame attempts at narrative.

This may explain why those attempts at narrative were so inept. I needed to say less, not work so hard to add to those phrases what amounted to a superfluity of nothing.

That feels much better.

If you aren't able to use these in the collaborative piece, that's aok.

Ang

And this is the journal entry:

Homework for the Winedale reunion casts. We were to compose a haiku about our experience or feelings about being a student of Shakespeare at Windale. We are to share these with each other on our first night together.

After receiving a postcard from my mentor Grace Tiffany, I finally got inspired.

Haiku 1-8

Funny you should ask

Yes, we sewed them all ourselves

Don’t know why button’s there

Semi-conscious fool

Should’ve skipped the shiner bock

And finished that Crown

I know I know this!

Ev-er-y Syllable!

Vexing stage. Words gone.

[sigh]

Another sonnet?!

Where in my brain will it fit?

Ready? Set? No go!

Hold the mirror up

To eat-breathe-feel every drop

Down to words, words, words

Climb the throne of kings

Sit in or on or ‘afore it

And leave a player

Never wish too much

Accept the dreams you make of

Words gifted, your choice

Silently daybreak

Opens petals of word flow’rs

Grateful for a barn

Love to all,

From: Robert Faires <robert.faires2787@gmail.com>
Date: Monday, July 29, 2024 at 1:11 PM
To: carl smith <carl_smith@mac.com>
Cc: Shakespeare Winedale <shakespeare-at-winedale-email-list@googlegroups.com>, winedale-l@lists.wikimedia.org <winedale-l@lists.wikimedia.org>
Subject: [Winedale-l] Re: Angela Breckenridge

I love this photo of Angela from the reunion, Carl. It was a pleasure to share that time with her. As Hippolyta says of Starveling's Moon, Angela shone with a good grace.

On Mon, Jul 29, 2024 at 12:00 PM carl smith <carl_smith@mac.com> wrote:

Hippolyta takes aim, reflected in the mirror of our 2015 rehearsal space.

Was wonderful to spend a busy reunion week with her, so warm and committed to the work. I’d say she makes a convincing queen of the Amazons here...

Love to her family and her Winedale classmates.

On Jul 29, 2024, at 9:38 AM, Jerald Head <jlhead1952@gmail.com> wrote:

Thank you Doc and others for sharing this. I only knew Angela from our reunion. A feisty Hippolyta to Bob’s suave Theseus. After reading her obituary sadly wished I had known her better.

Love to all.

“At the Duke’s oak we meet.”

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 29, 2024, at 10:25 AM, 'Alice Gordon' via Shakespeare at Winedale Email List <shakespeare-at-winedale-email-list@googlegroups.com> wrote:

On Jul 28, 2024, at 3:47 PM, Jason Hoblit <jasonhoblit@hotmail.com> wrote:

I am saddened to hear this. I was lucky enough to be an attendant lord with her to swell a progress or start a scene or two in Hamlet in Summer of 1988. She was a warm and supportive classmate always ready to help bring out the best in those around her.

On 7/28/2024 12:19:30 PM, James Ayres <jayres@cvctx.com> wrote:

I regret to write that Angale Breckenridge has passed away on July 25th. Her husband, Tedd Walley, notified me. Here is a link for the memorial. https://www.weremember.com/angela-breckenridge/5a0m/memories?utm_campaign=memorial_share And here is Tedd’s email should you wish to write a note. teddwalley@yahoo.com. Angela was in the class in 1988, Avery bright and energetic Puck! And she was Hyppolyta to Robert Pees' Theseus in our reunion MND. She was a brilliant, spirited, vibrant soul who brought love to every moment of play.

Doc

Oh Doc. This news is heart- hurting. She was like a firecracker, head to toe, with that red hair signaling her arrival.

Thank you for letting us know, and letting us know how to reach her family.

LOVE

Alice

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