Wednesday, October 21, 2009

The Color Purple (my feet)

Day 48: "I find the moment I let a woman make friends with me she becomes jealous, exacting, suspicious and a damn nuisance...and I find the moment that I make friends with a woman I become selfish and tyrannical."
-Henry Higgins on the relationship between the sexes in My Fair Lady.

Well, now that Professor Higgins has brightened the day with his thoughts on love, let's take a look at something I truly adore...IRONING!!!!

I will pause for laughter here.

This week brings a fun little gig ironing costumes for the national tour of "The Color Purple." The money is quite good and my co-workers most congenial, but Sweet Mother of God, they certainly do have a lot of clothes! MY FEET ARE KILLING ME after standing and ironing all day.

I know...bitch, bitch, bitch, as they say... I may not revel in the work itself, but I look forward to the paycheck, and hey...I'm working in the arts...sort of... ;-)

The Trial Of Larry Langford continues with no real fireworks thus far. This is sure to change.

In today's News From The Motherland...Mr. Brown encourages compromise...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8319679.stm

Cheers!
FLT3

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

More Noel Coward...

Day 47: Another day, another dollar.

Today I am subbing at Hueytown High School, which is my first job in the Jefferson County system. So far, so good...my classes are all listening to "To Kill A Mockingbird" on CD, which is quite pleasant. It has been years since I last read the book, yet I find myself mentally reciting along with the narrative voice whenever a favorite passage arrives. Good writing stays with one for a while...and excellent writing for a lifetime. At present, the reprehensible Bob Ewell offers his testimony.

Well, The Trial Of Larry Langford is underway, and since I have a little time on my hands, I have decided to have another go at lyric composition in the style of Noel Coward...

"Lucky Larry"
By FLT3 (with apologies to NC)

Though 'tis true that Larry would not turn up his nose
At a gift of cash or (for style and dash)
A swell new suit of clothes,
To accuse him of malfeasance, see,
Would lack a common decency,
A lapse his counsel surely would oppose.

With a strong defense in hand, which
Will set him free (most gloriously)
He'll celebrate with a fried egg sandwich
And (not to belabor it)
A Grapico (his personal favorite)
And laugh at the sentencing of Blount (the grand snitch.)

Oh Lucky Larry, you'll beat the rap, you will.
The scales of justice will tip in your favor
From your flagon of chicanery we all drink our fill,
Your antics are sweet, our favorite flavor.

LaPierre made a bargain to quite sell you out,
He's a cad and a bounder, a rogue and a rounder,
With a mouth like a chasm and nose like a snout.
Though ugly and scary
He can't harm our Larry.
LaLa's followers all remain strong and devout.

To the land of Bear Bryant the trial relocated
Where publicity grew and (as everyone knew)
The ensuing enthusiasm ne'er once abated.
Larry's every caper
Made the daily newspaper
And acquittal is fervently anticipated...

Oh Lucky Larry, you'll beat the rap you will.
The scales of justice will tip in your favor.
From your flagon of chicanery, we all drink our fill,
Your antics are sweet, our favorite flavor.

In today's News From The Motherland...a clean Amy Winehouse...?
(For some reason "Copy/Paste" isn't working...will add link ASAP.)

Cheers!
FLT3

Monday, October 19, 2009

A Certain Perspective...

Day 46: "I can't believe I'm saying this...but can you make him a little more Thurston Howell?"
-Jack Mann, uttering a very rare statement to FLT3 at "Dames At Sea" rehearsal.

I hope this post sparks conversation, but not any arguments...I have been thinking a lot today about the perspective one brings to an artistic evaluation. I must, unfortunately, repeat a small amount of gossip to illustrate my point. Names will be scrupulously witheld to protect friendships and feelings.

Yesterday I saw an outstanding performance of a musical revue. I went mainly to be supportive of several friends who performed in it, and to be honest, I was not sure what to expect. Several other friends (all of whom are in the Bham theatre community) had told me it was "cute," "okay," and "not bad." Nobody trashed it, but the endorsements were somewhat lukewarm. Therefore, with glad heart but moderate expectations, I bought my ticket and took my seat...

Without exaggerating, I will say that the performance I saw was on par with most of what I have seen in NYC and London. The musicianship was first-rate, the performers were energetic and committed to the choreography, and the direction was sparkling and lighthearted when appropriate, and quite touching at times. I would not have felt cheated had I paid twice the ticket price or more. It was, in a word, delightful. (Incidentally, the theatre was all but sold out, and the crowd was quite enthusiastic.)

Do I think the tepid praise I heard in advance was mean-spirited? Absolutely not. I just think that we (performers in the arts community) are sometimes less than objective when evaluating the work of our friends. This does not make anyone a bad person...it's just a fact.

There is an old saying that I love..."when you point a finger at someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at you." (Try it...it's true...) I will admit that I have been guilty of this tendency myself. I have sometimes been a bit more harsh about performances than (in retrospect) I should have been. It just makes for an interesting point to ponder...does an artistic inclination rob one of some objectivity? As much as we all love our friends who are also our fellow performers, do we tend to hold them to a higher standard than the average audience member would?

At any rate, I was thoroughly entertained and got much more than my money's worth...and I am going to do my very best not to view the work of others from beneath an arched eybrow, so to speak...

On other subjects, I am looking forward to subbing with a new school system tomorrow. (I will continue to sub for Vestavia and Mtn. Brook, but have now added Jefferson County Schools to my list.) There is hopefully a very substantial job forthcoming...more on that as it develops...

"Dames At Sea" continues her voyage towards the stage. Tickets are going fast, so make reservations now if you are interested in seeing the show. We have only three performances, November 12, 13, and 14.

In today's News From The Motherland...Firefighters On Strike...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/south_yorkshire/8315417.stm

Cheers!
FLT3

Saturday, October 17, 2009

From The Deck Of The Ship...

Day 45: I remember Pensacola...
-From the musical Dames At Sea.

As I write, the cheerful tones of "Choo Choo Honeymoon" are being played and sung behind me. Yes, I am at rehearsal, and so glad of it. Dames At Sea is a musical so happy it makes Anything Goes look like an Ibsen drama...well, that's an exaggeration, but you get the point. We perform November 12-14 at Hoover Library Theatre, for those who may be interested.

Well, the Trial Of The Century begins next week, assuming Larry doesn't cop a plea. (The Larry in reference is Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford, for those who do not follow our local politics.) As blatantly guilty as he appears to be of all sorts of malfeasance, I can't help admiring (albeit with a shake of my head) a pure charlatan showman, which describes Larry to a T. He is a real-life Harold Hill, but zanier. His trial is sure to be a circus, and he may well emerge as ringmaster. More on this as it develops...

In today's News From The Motherland...shark bites man.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8312805.stm

Cheers!
FLT3

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Remembering Jack Parrish

Day 44: Requiem In Terra Pax

It isn't often (well, this is the first time actually) that I will give over my blog to another writer, but today I feel compelled to share the news of the passing of a good friend and fine actor. I met Jack Parrish when we were both performing in "The Lost Colony" in Manteo, NC, in 1994. He was a true gentleman, both onstage and off. I had not seen him for years, but was quite saddened to hear of his death via a mutual friend, who posted the memoriam below. (Our mutual friend, for the record, was not the author...I have never met Bruce Miller, but I thank him for a wonderful remembrance.) RIP, Jack Parrish. You will be missed.

The following is written by Bruce:

Sharing the sadness that so many in the Richmond theatre community are feeling this evening, I’m sorry to report on the passing of Jack Parrish (pictured to the right with Cathy Shaffner standing and Jan Guarino in Money Matters). Jack was an outstanding Richmond theatre artist and a longtime friend to many of us who’ve been walking these boards for a while. After a lengthy battle with lung cancer, Jack only recently went into hospice care and died this afternoon.I met Jack in the early 70s when I was rising in the ranks of the theatre program at U of R and Jack was similarly placed in the theatre program at VCU. One of my favorite Jack memories from those early days was when he starred in a wonderful VCU production of As You Like It, I think during one of the FanFare summers. FanFare was VCU’s erstwhile summer theatre operation.Jack moved out of town after graduating from VCU, worked a few years in New York, landed some soap opera work, and then worked mainly in regional theatre. He played Dexter Haven in The Philadelphia Story, Uncle Ernie in The Who’s Tommy, Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew, and many other dashing roles (Jack was good at dashing). He appeared at prestigious professional theatres including The Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Asolo Theatre in Florida, and Mill Mountain Playhouse in Roanoke.Jack returned to Richmond in the late 80s, maybe early 90s, to star at Theatre IV as the dashing spy in the classic Civil War melodrama, Secret Service. His other major Theatre IV roles were as The Man in the Yellow Suit in Tuck Everlasting, and as an unforgettable Captain Hook in Peter Pan.At Barksdale, Jack starred in Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, The Little Foxes, The Crucible, James Joyce’s The Dead, Scapino!, the world premiere of Money Matters, and Anything Goes.Shortly after his foray into Cole Porter, Jack moved to Lexington KY to share a city with his great friend, Rick St. Peter, and to lead the theatre program at a local university. He returned to Richmond during the summers to star in the Henry plays at Richmond Shakespeare, having to leave his role two summers ago when he was first diagnosed and began chemotherapy.Jack also was an acclaimed director, rallying the forces of several of Theatre IV's touring productions. His contributions to Richmond theatre are immeasurable, and he will be greatly missed. Our deepest sympathies go out to Jack’s wife, Kathy, their son, Clay, and the rest of his family.With love and respect, Barksdale will dedicate The Grapes of Wrath, our upcoming co-production with TheatreVCU, to Jack’s abiding memory.--Bruce Miller

In today's News From The Motherland...Tories push for re-opening murder case...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8310722.stm

Cheers!
FLT3

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Hello, Again...

Day 43: Sorry I missed a week. I thought it was leap year.
-FLT3

Well, I have once again slacked off a bit in re my daily postings, but with the renewed vigor which I always bring apres-vacances I resume today. This "year" of writing may turn out to contain 500 or so days...

Rehearsal is underway for both Dames At Sea and A Christmas Story, and all is "so far so good." I took a few rehearsal photos of Dames rehearsal last night, and if I can ever figure out how to get them from cell phone to computer, I will post them.

The weather is slate grey and wet, as usual. As depressing as it may sound, I have actually been quite enjoying it. After the nuclear-hot summers we have had of late, the cool semi-darkness of a hydrated autumn is delightful.

If I am already reduced to a discussion of the weather by paragraph three, one might assume that I had little to say today. Perhaps one would be correct...

In today's News From The Motherland...a yogurt advert stirs controversy...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8305918.stm

Cheers!
FLT3

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

A Brief Hello

Day 42: Come dancing...
-The Kinks

The above quote merely points out the fact that I like the song. It has nothing to do with actual dancing, which is not my strongest talent, to put it mildly...

Tonight brought another rehearsal for DAMES AT SEA, which has left the "Echo Waltz" as well as the title number playing on a semi-perpetual loop inside my head. This time last year it was providing GREASE tunes, which were ever so slowly transforming into the WWII-era tunes of THE 1940's RADIO HOUR. Such is the soundtrack of my life...

Nothing terribly interesting or unusual today. This is not a bad thing.

In today's News From The Motherland...Royal Mail workers strike...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8296660.stm

Cheers!
FLT3

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Dames At Sea and BCT

Day 41: HINES: I told you once...I'm not jealous!
GLADYS: I didn't say you were jealous, Vernon, I said you were drunk!
HINES: Well, you can't have everything...
-From the musical The Pajama Game.


Tonight brought the second rehearsal for DAMES AT SEA, which shows a great deal of promise. The cast is small (only 6 actors) and everyone in it (with due modesty) is extremely talented and the show itself is delightful. We perform in November at Hoover Library Theatre...only three performances...get your tickets now...

I am playing a dual role, which is always fun. In the first act, I am Hennesey, the highly stressed theatrical producer, and in the second act, the clueless/befuddled ship's captain. Both roles are going to be very enjoyable to play, but at first glance, The Captain is my favorite.

Today also brings a costume fitting for the previously-heralded SANTA IN SPACE at Bham Children's Theatre. I have no idea how the playwright has managed to launch Pere Noel into the ionosphere, but I am sure it will be a show the kids will enjoy. We perform in the "Wee Folks" theatre, which is an intimate space, to say the least. Having done Wee Folks shows before, I feel qualified to state that there is no theatrical venue (at least not in my experience) that provides such...shall we say...immediate feedback on one's performance. Playing in a very small space is sometimes a bit claustrophobic under any circumstances, but when the average audience member is six years old...believe me, you know pretty quickly when they have lost their focus.

As silly as it may sound, children's shows sometimes force the best and most considered acting. Adults will usually politely accept a decent but not brilliant performance. With kids, you have to stay on your game from entrance to exit. ;-)

Onward, onward...

In today's News From The Motherland... a new role for a Tory leader...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8294670.stm

Cheers!
FLT3

Monday, October 05, 2009

Redefining Age

Day 40: If they say I'm too old for you,
Then I shall answer "Why, sir!
One never drinks the wine that's new...
The old ones taste much nicer!
-From the musical "The Boy Friend."

This evening after rehearsal, I was talking to my good friend Goldstein about the concept of age. He and I agreed that while we are (as they say) "eyballing forty," we really don't feel much older than we did in college. This is not the first time I have had this conversation, and it seems that most people within my demographic do not truly view themselves as "middle aged." When we were teenagers, forty seemed (to paraphrase Garrison Keillor) unspeakably ancient, old, degenerate...and now it seems about my age.

I distinctly remember when Dear Old Dad turned forty...I was about eight years old, and could not comprehend why he chose to spend a sparkling, cheerful, two-weeks-before-Christmas weekend just lying on the couch and looking morose. I seem to recall going into the den and poking him with a stick or doing something comparably horrible...to which his only response was something along the lines of "enjoy being young while you can." After a few days of delicious self-pity, he pulled himself out of the ashes and soldiered on, regaining a good 98% of his former cheerfulness, which was still quite ample. In a typical moment of wisdom and insight, he assured me that there would be no more gloomy birthdays for him. Each of us has that one natal anniversary circled in black, and once it has passed, no others can harm us. At the time I was mystified by the concept of depression following a birthday.

My personal bete noir was thirty-five. It knocked me down for the count, and I followed my paternal example and wallowed in my decrepitude for a few days, and then rejoined the world with joie de vivre relatively intact. As forty approaches, I scoff at it. I thumb my nose. I guffaw in the visage of my fortieth year. I might even work up a respectable chortle.

I will neither belabor the point nor dredge up an old discussion, but I must admit that I keep returning to the "Cougar Town" posting of a couple of weeks ago. Again, I am finding levels of inaccuracy heretofore undiscovered. If so many people in my age group are either miserable, desperate, sexually frustrated beyond redemption, or over-the-hill, I have mercifully been spared their company. May that blessing continue.

One final point to share here, and I must give credit where it is due...this is Goldsteinian philosophy. It is not entirely applicable to age, but it holds at least a tangential connection. I have dubbed it "Stein's Theory of Relativity" and I expect it to overtake Einstein's any day now...

When people say how much faster time passes with age, they are correct from a certain point of view. When one is ten years old, a year is one tenth of one's life. When one is forty, one year is one fortieth of the life lived so far. Time DOES move faster when measured against one's entire life to date. It's all perspective.

In today's News From The Motherland...tougher gun laws?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8292525.stm

Cheers!
FLT3

Sunday, October 04, 2009

My Man Godfrey

Day 39: "Where we used to have grocery stores, we now have liquor stores on every corner."
-Mentioned in a local politician's pitch for election. I wonder if that is good or bad...

I watched an old favorite this evening...MY MAN GODFREY with William Powell and Carole Lombard. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it highly. Yes, it's old, the acting is stilted, the script is far-fetched, and the glimpse into the inner workings of a moneyed but eccentric family is completely cartoonish.

It's wonderful. :-)

In today's News From The Motherland...Happy Birthday, Monty Python!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/montypython/

Cheers!
FLT3

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Smarties

Day 39: Candy is Dandy but Liquor is Quicker
-Anonymous and oft-quoted.

Today's post is about candy. My sister and I have been discussing those sweet treats of childhood that still cling to the memory...my personal favorite to this day is called "Bottle Caps," and offers a series of soda-esque flavored discs in the shape of (you guessed it) a bottle cap. Her confection of choice is called "Smarties" and is quite comparable...small, sugar-constituted discs of joy, but not shaped like bottle caps.

"Candy" in the vernacular of ma soeur et moi, is applied only to sugary, most likely fruit-flavored, non-dairy sweets. A chocolate bar is "chocolate," and while delightful, has little in common with "candy." By the same token, an offer of a "Coke" is purely for a soft drink, with "Coke" being the cognomen for all things fizzy, sweet, and sold in bottles or cans.

Enough of this. Enjoy the sweet of your choice today. :-)

In today's News From The Motherland...a shot in the dark, so to speak...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8289474.stm

Cheers!
FLT3

Friday, October 02, 2009

A Song For Kim D...

Day 38: The optimist wakes up and says "Good Morning, God." The pessimist says "Good God, Morning." I don't recall where I heard that, but I've always liked it...

This morning on FaceBook, my good friend/adopted sister Kim D was bemoaning her fate...working retail. We've all been there before, and we all know it can be rather trying. I thought a little something in the style of Noel Coward might amuse her and make the day a bit brighter... :-)

"Working Retail With Cocktail In Hand"
(by FLT3 with apologies to NC)

When ringing the clothes
Or hankies for the nose
Of the lady with the charge plate in hand,
I often reinforce myself
More specifically, re-course myself
Towards the oldest respite in the land...

A slug of gin
Will quite do in
Any of the workaday blues.
And a beer surreptitious
Is always delicious
While dealing with the afternoon to-do's.

From dustman to surgeon
They all must submerge in
The claret from time to time,
And be not perjorative
Re the powers restorative
Of a lightly chilled vodka and lime...

Working Retail With Cocktail In Hand
Is what maintains civility
To the best of ability
Throughout this sceptered land.
'Tis no jest or joke,
That a bourbon and coke
Keeps a smile on the face and a pistol out of hand.

When an elderly matron is shouting with anger
And you wish she were bludgeoned or banned...
Don't bother to ask,
Take a nip from your flask,
Working Retail With Cocktail In Hand...

In today's News From The Motherland...a new direction for The Evening Standard...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8286660.stm

Cheers!
FLT3

Thursday, October 01, 2009

Garment Thoughts...

Day 37: Be an example to your sex,
Give your boot a dapper strap,
And it's smarter if your garter has some snap!
Cravats should be flounced about our necks,
Draw your breeches in quite tight.
Even more so and your torso will ignite!
Now drape your cape and fluff your cuff,
And let your waistcoat swing,
Then the jungle will bow to it's king...
La! But someone has to strike a pose
And bear the weight of well-tailored clothes...
That is why the Lord created man...
- from The Scarlet Pimpernel:The Musical

As anyone who read my status today knows, I just purchased a new white dinner jacket online. (Well, it's actually not brand new, but new to me...) I have owned several throughout the years, as much for real life wear as for costume/stage purposes, and they never cease to fascinate me.

There's something about a white dinner jacket that transcends the effect of any other formal garment. A traditional evening outfit is classic and delightful, and I always feel spiffy in a tuxedo. A morning suit is even better...charcoal pinstripes, a cutaway and a cravat can not be underestimated.

But then...there's a crisply pressed pair of black pants, a starched white dress shirt and a black bow tie, topped off with the aforementioned white dinner jacket... It's hard not to feel good about one's self when so attired. It may sound odd, but it's true (at least from my perspective.)

Obviously, the Thurston Howell III imagery is there...but it also brings to mind the thought of an Edwardian dinner dance in a grand London ballroom...or an outdoor reception in the springtime...or even an intimate dinner party with friends, where a touch of playful overdressing seems in order.

I've just now realized that a white dinner jacket represents happiness to me. Plain and simple...if you're wearing one, you're most likely going to attend some sort of festive, happy event with more than a dash of playfulness about it. One does not wear such a garment to funerals, arraignments, or to have a root canal. (Although it might make a visit to the dentist much more fun.)

Clothing is quite powerful when one stops to consider... I have several "I look and feel good about myself" outfits. These include:

. Khakis and either a white or blue button-down shirt. I sometimes jokingly refer to this as my "uniform," and that's really sort of true. This is a basic look, but one that will go almost anywhere...dress it up with a blue blazer or just roll up the sleeves for a more casual look.

. Grey suit. Traditional cut, fresh from the cleaners. Add a regimental tie (green and blue is a particular fave) with French cuff shirt and newly polished shoes. It's impossible not to feel important in a nice suit, even if you're only going to church or dinner.

.Hawiian shirts. Everyone needs to cut loose every now and then.

.Brown tweed jacket and bow tie. If I feel particularly whimsical, I might even add a pair of tortoise-shell glasses just for fun. Add tweed driving cap if it's a particularly British day (and what day isn't?)

...and the list goes on. While clothing was originally intended for warmth alone, one has to wonder if some Paleolithic Adolphe Menjou or Beau Brummell added dinosaur teeth to his fur cassock to make himself feel good. (Yes, I know the history is unsound, but that's not the point...)

Again, time for a reader's poll...what garment(s) do you have that make YOU feel pretty, handsome, full of life, etc.? I will look forward to your answers.

In today's News From The Motherland...UK charities rise to the cause...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8285409.stm

Cheers!
FLT3