If you weren’t able to make it, then you missed the opportunity to enjoy a wealth of food, drink and generosity, as friends and family of Allen Hagler gathered together to hear new plays by Curt Shannon and David Fisher in concert readings directed by Betty Hart. In addition, the dynamic duo of Johnny Drago and Emma Crandall wowed the crowd with back-handed compliments that some of us are still wincing from today (but in a happy, codependent way).Food was provided by Feast, Saba, Savage and The James Joyce Pub; Colleen Hilker, Jo Howarth and Perry Patrick.

Hooch was provided by Paris, Decatur and Bob Smith and Daphne Mintz, who swears she is no longer unhappy with her husband (today).

Space was provided by Academy Theatre.

Invaluable volunteer help was provided by Kim Brundidge, George Devours, Connie Melton, Robert Drake, Jim Walsh, Lainey Welsch and Jared Foust.

A cornucopia of donated gedunk made this silent auction and raffle a delightful mix of original art(s) and first edition and autographed copies, hand crafted jewelry, sweaters, knitted caps (Allen will soon be wearing a raspberry cap made by Josie Burgin-Lawson, thanks!), tickets from just about every theater in town, switch plates, thigh masters and more! If you came without a sense of humor, surely you left with one intact.

We haven’t stopped working for Allen’s cost of living. There were a number of items left out of the auction that will become available to purchase/bid on via an online auction. Stay tuned for more details.

We’ll keep collecting contributions via pledgie.com.

If I’ve missed anyone in my acknowledgments, I humbly apologize. Feel free to give yourselves a shout out in response to this missive. I just wanted to get something out to everyone, letting you know I HEART HEART HEART YOU ALL. Your love for Allen and your generous spirits are making his life that much simpler. Overwhelming, maybe, as he had no idea, but simpler.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Starting at—like, right now—6pm tonight at The Academy, you can graze on tasty treats, purchase something to drink and/or a fabulous compliment from playwright Johnny Drago, buy a chance to win a great raffle item, make a bid on a gift for you or someone you love and hear two new short plays from WTP playwrights Curt Shannon and Dave Fisher. Admission is $10 for those who can afford (every cent goes to Allen) or—for those who can’t—two cans for the Atlanta Food Bank.

Here’s a mere glimpse of the array of goods and services you can win in tonight’s silent auction and raffle:

* Gorgeous Fender Stratocaster American Deluxe
* Tickets from over 15 different Atlanta theaters
* Gift cards from: Feast in Decatur, Natural Body, Barnes & Noble, City Dog Market, The Mercantile, and more
* Unique opportunity to sit in on a casting session with Jody Feldman at The Alliance
* Wide array of personal training sessions – physical, yoga, audition and public speaking, freedom from artistic blocks, Photoshop for Dummies, and more
* Delicious weekend bunch prepared at your house
* Yummy Cookies and Pies delivered to your home
* Exotic floral arrangement
* Amazing handmade jewelry
* Gorgeous art and craftwork
AND LOTS, LOTS MORE!

Think of it as holiday shopping! Remember, “Hagler for the Holidays”…

Tickets are a mere $10 at the door, and we’ll have food donated by area restaurants and beer, wine and sodas for a cheap $2 each.

A silent auction will begin at 6pm, and the readings will begin at 7:30 p.m.  ALL proceeds – 100% of the door, bar and silent auction – will go toward helping our dear friend Allen Hagler with his cost of living during this most arduous time in his life.

WHERE:  Academy Theatre, 119 Center St., Avondale Estates, GA

WHEN:  Tuesday, November 17, 2009

DOORS OPEN: 6 p.m. for silent auction. New play readings begin 7:30 p.m. Silent auction will wrap up immediately following the talkback at the end of the second play.

COST:  $10 at the door, but if you don’t have the $10 DON’T LET THAT STOP YOU – PLEASE COME ANYWAY!

And if you’ve been moved by Allen’s story and want to help, you can make a contribution to his care. Click the pledgie.com ‘DONATE’ button below, or at the top right of column of this blog.

In reading Allen’s story, know that he is not alone.  I urge you to make your voice heard in the health care debate.  You can write to your representatives in Congress via congress.org. Simply type in your zip code in the GetInvolved search box provided, click ‘contact’ on your senator or representative and write a short message.  Please do your part to make sure that the stories of the millions of those working as Allen did who don’t have the luxury of employer provided plans, as well as the millions of those who have lost their jobs and can’t afford COBRA, are placed center stage and heard.

The bad news: when we went to Grady Radiation the next day, the oncologists there were really terrific, but refused to begin his treatments when they learned his Grady Card hadn’t yet been renegotiated.  On the one hand, it is benevolent that the physicians tried to help him not go into insurmountable debt.  But I ask how benevolent is the system that requires such a choice of both doctor and patient?

That’s when we filed for unemployment and were thrilled to tears when it came through in time for us to return to Grady that following Monday, October 26^th, and successfully renegotiated his co-pays to that of a truly financially poor person. He will begin chemotherapy/radiation treatments this coming week, and will need all the help we can give him.

But the costs of oncology treatments and their related prescriptions are excessive – even through the community hospital, which would not cut him a break so long as he had a job. When we went to retrieve his prescriptions before leaving Grady Oncology that first day, we learned he was expected to pay a $50 co-pay for showing up and to expect a bill for 50% of said services from having seen a doctor and 100% of a sum total of almost $4,000 for five prescriptions – $3,540 of it for one anti-nausea medicine alone.

Thank the Universe and every Power That Be in it that the pharmacist was equally stunned as she called over a social worker who’d helped us once already that same day and by the time we had to actually pay for the prescriptions, the social worker had managed to negotiate the total co-pay down to $55 – this was for two, 30-day supplies of two different morphine tabs and one 7-day supply of the anti-nausea medicine (not the CRAZY expensive one, which we put on hold along with the Nexium). So with that and his services co-pay, Allen left Grady only $105 deeper in debt for the day, but with complete uncertainty about whether he’d go forward with treatments for lack of funds.

The doctor didn’t tell him that last part. Instead, he prescribed Nexium and Allen discovered he made approximately $500 too much per year for Grady to deem him truly poor when he was assigned his co-pay at $50 and 50% of all services and 100% of all prescriptions. He wasn’t made aware of this until he actually went to pay for his prescription of Nexium and it was a whopping $178.

Two weeks later, on October 1^st, upon a return visit to the same Grady doctor, he discovered he is anemic and had something scary lurking in his prostate and the doctor implored him to immediately have a colonoscopy. Upon learning his co-pay for the exam would be $1,200, Allen blanched, knowing the financial impossibility of that for him, but the doctor was frightening enough that Allen agreed and one was scheduled.

Three days later, on Sunday, October 4^th, Allen was rushed to DeKalb Medical Center emergency room for abdominal pain, and we are back at our beginning.

But when his symptoms worsened, he admitted that without health insurance he simply had no money for a doctor and no room on his credit cards to go into further debt. When things got bad enough, he finally agreed to see Dr. Janet Day of the Piedmont Health Clinic, a walk-in doctor whom I see periodically when I am unable to get into my regular doctor at the Veterans Administration.

OH! THE VA! Yes, Allen is a former Marine, honorably discharged with full health. Meaning that when being discharged he was informed- as every healthy, soon-to-be discharged service member is- that because he did not have a “service connected disability” the VA likely would not provide him benefits. It is also why, when knowing their discharge is to happen within 12-months, so many service members suddenly develop some indiscernible medical complication – tinnitus is popular, as is back pain, things that can’t generally be disproved. I know this as it was my brother’s experience and that of countless friends and old boyfriends … I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… every girl should work with sailors.

So, Allen was unaware that the Veterans Administration may in fact, help him until a few months ago at which time he applied for care. He is still waiting to hear back from them.

I am not looking to start a health care reform debate (or am I…?). I just want to present a real-life face and name with the issue. With Allen Hagler’s story, it’s my wish to provide encouragement and opportunity to those who STILL believe that good awaits the giver and receiver when helping out one’s fellow (wo)man. I share what’s on my heart as a member of the theatre community, where stories like this are all too commonly found.

You may want to hire a different actor for tonight. Or move the session to DeKalb General (grin). – text message received from Allen Hagler, 8:30 a.m., Oct. 5, 2009.

And so it began. Allen, an actor-member of the metro Atlanta theatre community and favorite Working Title Playwrights staple, had been admitted the night before through the emergency room for extreme abdominal pain. His ER CT scan revealed several masses: one large at the juncture of his esophagus and stomach, three more in his liver. The ER physician emphasized before sending him upstairs to his room that if he was in pain, to make sure he let the nurses know, because, “there’s no need for you to be in pain here.”

I spent several hours with him that day, talking about his hospitalization, all the questions he had floating in his mind about the what-if’s of his as yet undiagnosed condition. It was immediately apparent to me that my dear friend Allen, with whom I had bonded over new plays and bad love affairs, would actually need my help and that of every friend whom had ever found themselves a part of his orbit.

Allen, like so many Americans particularly those in the arts, is part of the working poor. He is smart, funny, astonishingly literate, and very hardworking. A particular source of pride for him is how, even without a day job for so long, Allen never defaulted on a bill. He may have struggled to keep on top of his debts – even giving up his apartment to move in with a friend rather than not be able to pay his rent – but somehow he managed.

But now, Allen is unable to work. His recent hospitalization culminated in the late diagnosis of end stage esophageal cancer. Any treatment he receives at this time is palliative with an emphasis on quality of life.

Crystal and Marcelo’s marriage was all business, a perfect plan to achieve the American Dream – until somebody fell in love.

Be entertained, get a peek at what’s to come, and be a part of the development process as Working Title Playwrights presents a First Draft On Demand reading of AMERICAN HONEYMOON, a southern romantic comedy.

With Megan Hayes, Allen Hagler, Josie Burgin-Lawson and Greg Morris. These are some fine actin’ folks, folks. Expect a running time of 75 – 90 minutes, plus a brief intermission between acts. A moderated talk-back session will probably last around 20 – 30 minutes.

Y’all say, “I do,” and make your way over to Academy Theatre, 7:30 p.m. $5 suggested minimum donation at door. A small price to pay for great theater in the making.