Cosmic energy

I bet you've had this experience: You start reading a book -- say Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" -- and all of a sudden, Jane Austen is everywhere! Scientists discover a new cause of death for the author. PBS goes on an Austen bender. And the Twitterati go hashtag wild with Austen chatter. You thought you were simply catching up on your reading, but actually you were whirling in cosmic coincidence (or a global marketing scheme).

For the last few weeks, I've been focusing my Shakespeare energy on "Measure for Measure." I'm in a class where the discussion is about "Hamlet," but the professor can't stop talking about M4M. And, wouldn't you know, productions of the play have popped up in London , New York and Oregon. (I saw the Theatre for a New Audience production at The Duke on 42nd Street. Favorite actor: Jefferson Mays as the Duke.)

And of course, cosmically speaking, one could easily be led to believe this is all pointing to the rightness of the Stonington Opera House show in August. The dramatic universe is on a roll!

So I'm thinking: OK, people. We're in a M4M moment. The zeitgeist has been named. Dust off your Riverside. Brush up your Shakespeare. The Duke is on his way. In the meantime? Keep an eye out for more M4M sightings.