The In-Between with Avri Klemer

Not just part of a CP duo, Avri Klemer hits the Pick as a writer in his own right. When he’s not at CP cheering on CP company member, Johanna Pinzler, he’s bringing us his own new plays. He’s also bringing us some good reminders to enjoy a nice, massive, slow exhale…

What was your first CP year? How were you involved (audience, actor, writer, producer, front of house, tech)?

My first Cherry Picking was from the audience sometime not long after I met my wife, Johanna Pinzler, in 2004.  It was one of the earliest opportunities I had to see her as the hilarious and moving actor that she is, and I love that I still get to see her perform every summer.

How are you living - if at all - in a liminal space currently?

I feel like we are all of us - all people with a heart, a brain, and courage - living in a held breath, waiting for the moment we can finally, finally exhale.  I have champagne in the fridge.

Describe a time when you had absolutely no idea what would happen next?

I moved back to NYC in 1998 - after 20 years in the UK - with no apartment, no job, no school lined up.  It's the answer to my favorite interview question ("What's the craziest thing you've ever done?"), and it may have been the best decision I ever made.

What’s worse: the moment after a sharp inhale or before a long sigh?

The moment after a sharp inhale feels like vertigo.  The shock has already occurred and my whole body is waiting for the other shoe to drop.  By contract, the moment before a long sigh is almost always thoughtful, intentional - I love the release of tension in a massive, slow exhale.  I love the sense of acceptance.

You’re stuck between two people in the middle seat on an airplane, buckled up for a long flight. Who are your ideal OR nightmare seatmates?

I've flown solo a lot this year, and have usually ended up in the middle seat.  I've got my book and my music - the people on either side of me tend not to be a bother.  The monster in front who puts back their chair, however . . .

Ice cream sandwich or deli sandwich? (Be specific)

There's not much better than a good deli sandwich.  There's not much worse than a bad ice cream sandwich.

Don't miss Avri's latest CP contribution, Swallow, on stage Monday, July 13.