Dallas Blood

Drawing on experience as a premier stage director and member of a renowned family of artists, Christopher P. Nichols has written a novel filled with the to find artistic expression while exploring the nature of tragedy. The central figure, Timothy, is challenged by the chance to direct the first American production of Federico Garcia Lorcas Blood Wedding. His personal life is inextricably connected to his work, and over time we see his development as an artist and the flowering of a great love story. Set amid the details of life in Dallas during the 1930s, and covering an area from Europe to Highland Park and Taos. Dallas Blood documents a timeless journey of transformation rooted in historical fact. In this novel we see the living theatre, changing and evolving, searching for relationships that will endure. Among the pleasures of this novel are the Spanish headings of each chapter, talk about Packards and Auburns and the sonnets of Shakespeare; reflections on the joys of Villa-lobos brandy, and martinis, bourbon and soda; and tidbits of paella, curry, chiles rellenos, Dr. Pepper and meatloaf sandwiches. There is also a solid core of professional information on the mounting of a play, including secondary and tertiary visualization, financing, auditions, blocking, ensembles, balance, lighting, make-up, costuming, properties, photography, and, in the case of particular plays, music and dance. Such organic details provide an additional strong substructure for the novel.