December 11th.

Friends,
   Our managing director at Milwaukee Rep, Dawn Helsing Wolters, sent this out last week.
Love,
Jim
TO:  Milwaukee Rep Staff and Company, Trustees, and Honorary Trustees

Over the past two weeks, there has been a lot of discussion about how The Rep can celebrate and honor the memory of Rose Pickering.  Thanks to everyone who contributed their ideas.  On Wednesday, Jim Pickering and I met to outline a plan, which I would like to share with all of you:

1.       We have posted a small tribute in the lobby of the Pabst Theater that will remain during the run of A Christmas Carol.  In addition, we have a tribute featured on our website.

2.       We are creating a 4-page program insert celebrating Rose that features photos from some of her iconic roles and a couple of quotes from the recent Journal-Sentinel article.  Our plan is to insert programs during the remaining run of Next to Normal (beginning asap).

3.       During the run of To Kill a Mockingbird, we would like to create a lobby exhibit of iconic Rose photos and perhaps a few memorable costume pieces and/or props.  Please speak with Lisa Fulton if you would like to help with this display (Jim Guy and Holly Payne – I know we’d value your input).

4.       We will host a memorial celebration later in the spring (Jim wants to stress the word “celebrate”).  At his suggestion, we will look for a Monday after the opening of Othello to laugh and remember together.  Details coming soon! 

5.       A group of Jim and Rose’s neighbors who are Rep patrons have come forward with special donations in Rose’s memory.  After consulting with Jim about the most appropriate way to use these funds in a way that would be meaningful to Rose, we are establishing the Rose Pickering Fund that will benefit our Intern Program.  This recognizes Rose’s years of mentoring young actors and theater artists and how she treasured the opportunity to do so.  Anyone wishing to contribute to this fund may do so online, by sending a check (“Rose Pickering Fund” in the memo line), or by speaking a Development staff member. Jim has also suggested that donations be made in Rose’s memory to the Wisconsin Humane Society.  https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/WisconsinHumaneSociety/OnlineGiving.html.  While Rose was involved with many animal rescue groups, after further thought, Jim felt that she would most appreciate the funds benefiting animals in our local community.

I know how much Jim has appreciated the outpouring of support from his Rep family and from the legions of friends and fans among our patrons.  It has been incredibly moving for me to see how many lives Rose touched with her talent and passion, both on and off stage. 

Dawn

In Memoriam

People have been asking where they might send donations in Rose's name:

Wisconsin Humane Society

4500 W. Wisconsin Ave.

Milwaukee, Wi  53208

http://wihumane.org

John Shearin sent this verse. Anyone else got some?

“Rose of all Roses, Rose of all the world!

You, too, have come where the dim tides are hurled

Upon the wharves of sorrow, and heard ring

The bell that calls us on; the sweet far thing.”--WB Yeats

Rose rests in peace.

11/25/2011: Rose passed away quite peacefully in her sleep last night. A very sad thing, but at the same time a truly merciful release.

Bad News

Since Monday evening when the doctor wrote the order and the nurse and social worker did their assessments and the equipment was delivered and assembled I have been trying to figure out a soft way to report this news. I can't. Rose has been entered into Wheaton Franciscan Home Hospice.

Here Comes September

Friends,
   A couple of months ago two good friends, David Cecsarini and Edward Morgan, made me an offer I really didn't want to refuse. They asked me to join the cast of The Exonerated, a play whose production this fall will open the brand new space to be occupied by Next Act Theatre Co.  I thanked them heartily for the thought and said I would be able to do it only if Rose were capable of looking after herself for extended periods of time. After twice-weekly sessions of outpatient speech- and physical-therapy with the excellent professionals of Wheaton Franciscan she has rehabbed to an extent which will allow me to begin rehearsals to in a couple of weeks. If her improvement continues on this trajectory I will, following the Exonerated  run (10/6-10/30) join Milwaukee Rep for three productions, beginning with A Christmas Carol.
   As you can probably imagine things around home are more and more upbeat, though Rose's stamina and general health are still a bit dicey, owing largely to the combination of necessary medications she ingests every day. She is capable of participating more and more in basic day-to-day activities (the dogs are on the receiving end of a bit more disciplining, for one example), and her hair is now much longer and thicker than mine.. (Hold for laugh) Not saying a lot, I know, but a welcome sign of progress. 'One day at a time' remains our mantra. As my brother Dave reminds us, 'Don't get to high on the good news, or too low on the bad.'
  Thank you again for all the prayers, good wishes, and chanting. You know who you are! Be well.

Love,
Jim&Rose

Summer Solstice

Friends,
   Yesterday (6/22) our Visiting Nurse/Case Manager (at the direction of our family doc) discharged Rose from the Home Health Care we had been receiving from Wheaton Franciscan. We are grateful for their ministrations--medical and therapeutic--and have now matriculated to outpatient status. Rose is getting around much better (the wheelchair has become furniture now, not a mandatory conveyance) with her walker. Her muscle tone, balance, stamina, and confidence are greatly improved. Cognitively she is sharper, more precise, and capable of concentration and focus to a degree which, as recently as three weeks ago I frankly had not imagined she could achieve so soon if at all. She has worked very hard at this and been helped greatly by the professionals at W-F.She has also been discharged by the therapist providing treatment for the lymphedema she developed last winter, as that condition is almost completely reduced. Things, at least at this particular juncture, are looking up.
   This is the sort of good news I have been waiting so long to post here. Please pass the word to others who are curious. And, thank you very much for your good thoughts, prayers, vibes, and exhortations.
Love,
Jim
p.s. We welcome comments. Please click on the word 'comments' below the photo.-jp

(Picasso at the Lapin Agile.)