by Edward Precht. @pertoltprecht.
DEMCONVENTION.COM – The 2020 Democratic National Convention began in earnest yesterday, with politicians from nearly every state uniting over Zoom to discuss the issues facing our country today. While speakers such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders, and Michelle Obama used their time to talk about voting rights, racial justice, the environment, and the COVID-19 crisis, former Ohio Governor John Kasich (R) used his time to workshop Warren Straub’s final monologue from This is Our Youth in front of the large virtual audience, viewers confirmed.
“I just needed some fresh eyes,” said the former governor, referring to the millions of viewers tuning in through the DNC’s website. “I’m real nervous about my big audition tomorrow. I usually do classical pieces – Faust, Tamburlaine, that sort of stuff – and working with a contemporary script has really knocked me out of my own headspace. I just don’t want to blow it, you guys.”
Kasich spent a whopping 58 minutes of his panel – “We the People Putting Country Over Party” – workshopping the last few lines from Kenneth Lonergan’s 1996 play about a disillusioned group of teenagers living in Reagan-Era New York.
“It was really nice getting a little feedback from a few close friends,” he added, again referring to the millions of viewers tuning in through the DNC’s website.
By the end, none of his fellow panelists had gotten the chance to speak on party unison, though some didn’t seem to mind.
“Honestly? Dude was not bad,” admitted Senator Amy Klobuchar (D). “Sure, yeah, the first few times were rough, but he really took our notes in stride and, like, by the tenth or eleventh run-through, he made the piece his own. He became Warren Straub. I’d give him a callback.”
Others weren’t as impressed – and one in particular was a little weirded out.
“John sent me a DM at, like, two in the morning,” said actor and singer Billy Porter, who performed later in the night alongside Stephen Stills. “He wanted to know my thoughts, and if there were any way I could ‘get him in touch with Anna D. Shapiro.’ Then he confessed he originally wanted to, quote, ‘do the one from Fairview,’ but decided against it at the last minute. I haven’t responded.”
The Democratic National Convention continues through Thursday, 8/20. Tonight, House Whip Jim Clyburn (D) will reenact the entire first act of Annie Baker’s The Flick with sock puppets, and on Wednesday, the role of Representative Nancy Pelosi (D) will be played by Andrew Rannells.