Yet Another Day

Today I am at Mtn. Brook Jr. High again. So far so good. The classes are small and the kids are pretty okay. Eh, it's a paycheck.

Short update today...not much going on. Ed Howard, the playwright/director of Greater Tuna arrived back in Birmingham yesterday and dropped in on our rehearsal. My co-star Barry Austin and I are having a good time, and Ed seemed pleased with what he saw. For those of you unfamiliar with the show, it involves two actors playing 15 roles each...male, female, kids, and even a pet. Lots of fun but MAJOR costume changes. Let it suffice to say that while we are relatively decent looking men, Barry and I quite probably make the two ugliest women in recorded history.

FLT3

What's New...or not.

After many vows of attentiveness and failed resolutions, I am once again going to attempt to update this thing a little more frequently. Given my track record, I can't say that I am 100% optimistic, but we'll see...maybe I'll get on a streak.

We are well into rehearsal for Little Shop Of Horrors, which is going to be quite good. I am having fun with my role of Mr. Mushnik, and the rest of the cast is particularly strong. I think it will be a great success. After that is Greater Tuna (in which I perform) Scrooge with Bham Children's Theatre (in which I play Jacob Marley) and CenterStage's A Christmas Carol, which I am directing. Throw work, sleep, and some vague attempt at a social life into the mix, and life remains as happily busy as always.

Distressing news from Amish country...the rash of school shootings is, as always, upsetting on several levels. Aside from the obvious concern over the safety of children, it sort of makes you wonder how many other wounded, lost souls are out there hovering about a quarter inch above commiting some senseless and violent act. Don't get me wrong...I think anyone who hurts/kills/assaults another person should be strongly punished. I just can't help wondering what in someone's background could be so traumatic as to psychologically warp a person to commit such atrocities. There but for the grace of God go all of us.

I have been reading Sons & Brothers, a biography of JFK and Bobby Kennedy, examining not only their individual lives, but the unique way in which they intertwined. I have always been fascinated with The Kennedys...flawed, yes, but definitely the closest thing to true royalty in America. I have noticed with some distress that Teddy seems to be growing more obese and weathered almost daily. Oh well, at least he can say he has had more fun in a week than most people have in a lifetime. I recently read a biography/tell-all on EMK called The Senator. Written by a former aide, it's about 50% tabloid and 50% true substance, but chronicles all the deliciously decadent excesses for which Teddy is known...booze, hookers, drugs, etc. It's a fun bathroom or beach read...enjoyable, spicy, and imminently forgettable.

Since we're on politics...HILLARY IN '08!!!!!

That said, the midterms are coming up in mere weeks. I predict a landslide for the Democrats, and I am looking forward to it. Congressman Pedophile just drove the knife deeper into the heart of the Republican Party. I think people are finally realizing what a complete mess Bush and Co. have made of things over the past 6 years. It's almost time for Dick Cheney to shoot someone else in the face, and then their defeat will be total.

I am substituting today at Pizitz Middle School. So far so good...only one class has been utterly out of control, and even they were just a little loud and rowdy...no real troublemakers.

Still...I await 3:05pm with great eagerness. :-)

FLT3

Well stated, Eric!

I just read the response to my last posting from my friend, Eric. Although I disagree with some (well, most) of what he said, I am quite impressed with the eloquence and reasoned thought he put into his comments. Quite uncommon for a (presumed) Republican. :-)

As usual, it's late and I am tired, but I will take a moment to mention a fine production of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying that I saw this week. It is presented by MCAT (Magic City Actor's Theatre) and it is most enjoyable. I wrote a review on www.ebhm.org/theatre which should be posted in a day or two.

FLT3

Thanks to Andy D for a great link...

See the link below for Keith Olbermann's insightful and erudite comments on Bush's recent asanine comments.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/

All I can say is HILLARY IN '08!!!!

FLT3

Post 9/11 Musings

After watching the 5th anniversary coverage of 9/11, I am more than ever convinced that George W. Bush is the biggest moron in the history of all humankind. From his insipid babblings on the day after the tragedy to his senseless murder of the service men and women he has sent into Iraq, this idiot doesn't belong as dog-catcher, much less as President of the United States. The man is an idiot, a warmonger, a despot and above all a malaproping buffoon. Here endeth the sermon.

FLT3

Back to school...

Today I returned to Vestavia High School to substitute. It was nice to once again have that employment opportunity, and I genuinely enjoy being around the kids. Today I had a math class, which is far from my field of expertise.

Not much else to report...I just wanted to start being more diligent about posting.

FLT3

After a pause...

As usual, I have been a bit slack about posting comments here. My apologies to the 2 or 3 of you who regularly read my musings. Consider this my semi-annual promise to be more diligent. :-)

Today marks the big American Idol audition in Bham. As exciting as it is, I do have to wonder if lightning strikes three times in the same place...oh well, if I wasn't an ancient 36, I would be down there with them. Maybe they'll start an Old Idol sometime soon.

I am interviewing today for what would be a nice little "extra" holiday-season job. Don't want to jinx it by saying too much, but if anyone reads this today, please say a little prayer, cross your fingers, etc. Details to follow either way...

The media frenzy continues to surround the increasingly bizzare saga of the fellow who has confessed to the JonBenet Ramsey murder. While I would love to see this horrifying story come to a close, I am quite unsure of this guy's claims. Is he an obvious sicko? Yes. Has it yet been proven that he commited the crime in question? No. I suppose time and CNN will tell...

My life grows increasingly full and busy...I have wound up in the Mr. Mushnik role in Little Shop Of Horrors, which I am trying to rehearse concurrently with Greater Tuna, two special-event performances, working at Music Plus and Vestavia High School, directing The Last Five Years, and all the general time-demanding activities of life. I am scheduled to get a good night's sleep somewhere around next January...

FLT3

The Boy Friend

Well, we're moving into the third week of Rising Star part 2...the older kids are getting ready to present The Boy Friend, and as usual, they have really impressed me! This is such an amazingly talented group of kids, and they are going to have a phenomenal show. After working with adults for so long, and getting accustomed to the level of attention an adult with a job, family, kids, etc. can bring to a show, it always amazes me at how quickly kids can commit everything to memory. I guess that's what happens when you're still young...all those healthy little brain cells and no real worries...ah, the joys of youth! :-)

Anyway, I am so proud of this group of kids. The future of Birmingham theatre is completely secure. I was commenting to one of the parents just last week that it's kind of scary to be essentially training your own "replacements." There is a great joy, however, in seeing them blossom. There are several kids in this group that have been around CenterStage for years, and to have known them first as little kids and now see them as young adults getting better and stronger as performers is really heartwarming...the cycle of life in full view, ya know? We even have one kid who at 15 has already directed a show, and several others who have worked in professional settings. On the other hand, we have a couple who are almost completely new to theatre, which is also exciting from an educational standpoint...having the opportunity to introduce a young person to the world of the theatre is really an honor. Even if none of these kids ever make it to stardom on Broadway, my hope is that they will all maintain a love of the theatre throughout life. If that happens, we have all done our jobs as adults and teachers.

FLT3

Happy Birthday, Leah!

Today is the birthday of Leah Luker, who is one of my very closest friends. Happy Birthday, sweetie!

(Other things are going on in my life, but I'm too tired to post them after teaching at workshop all week. More to come...)

FLT3

Here We Go Again...

Today was a fun day. We started our second CenterStage Rising Star workshop of the summer. This time the older kids (with a few younger ones joining us) are enjoying classes in acting, music, stage combat, and dance. At the end of three weeks, they will be presenting the musical The Boyfriend, which is one of my favorites. I am very impressed with this group of kids...they are all well behaved and enormously talented.

The violence at the World Cup has been distressing. The Frenchman who was involved in the head-butting was apparently provoked by a comment from one of the Italian players. It's easy to sit calmly here at the computer and say "no words should ever lead to physical violence," but if someone had called my mother a terrorist (as is rumored to have happened) I'd probably want to punch the guy out, too. I would hope that I am civilized enough not to act on that impulse, but if you're already playing for The World Cup, I guess emotions are running pretty high.

Weirdness...I've had the song "Rhiannon" running through my head all day. Now, it's a great classic and all that, but I don't remember all the words, so it's been going something like this:

Na na na na doo doo doo doo
Who will be your lover?
Dee dee dee dee boo boo boo
Something something lover...
Bum bum bum if she promised you heaven,
La la ever will...
Dum dum ever will...

If anyone reading this knows all the lyrics, please send them to me. I'm really getting tired of just humming through 2/3 of the song. :-)

Only three more shopping days until Guy Fawkes Day. I suppose fireworks would be appropriate...God save the queen!

Not much else to report. Cheers for now!

FLT3

Beebopareebop Rhubarb Pie...

I just got back from seeing A Prairie Home Companion, and the Rhubarb Pie song is stuck in my head...of course, being a Garrison Keillor fan as well as a Robert Altman groupie, I loved the movie! Add to the fact that Virginia Madsen (on whom I have had a crush for years) is in it, along with Woody "the funniest human being alive" Harrelson, and it's a hit with me.

I fell in love with Lake Wobegon when I was in high school and first discovered Keillor's books. (I even used to have a Powdermilk Biscuits t-shirt, but I have no idea what happened to it.) The film takes some familiar characters, mixes in one or two new ones, and provides a very faithful homage to the A Prairie Home Companion radio show. If you love the books as much as I do, you'll definitely get into the movie. Even if you're not familiar with Keillor's writing, the film still stands alone as an enjoyable story. Below is a link to the more substantial review I have posted on epinions.com.

http://www.epinions.com/content_240225980036

FLT3

God Save Our Gracious Queen...

Well, it's that time of year again...the 4th of July. This is a particularly awkward time of year for us Anglophiles. While the rest of the country celebrates America's independence from The Crown, there are those of us who don't view an affiliation with Mother England as such a bad thing. (I'd much rather be under Tony Blair's leadership than Dubya's, I have yet to find an American city half as grand as London, and a nation where everyone has health care seems damned civilized to me...)
Now before anyone calls Homeland Security on me, I am not suggesting that the Redcoats storm Philadelphia or anything like that...merely suggesting that we could learn a few things from our neighbors across the pond, including:

. The civilized ritual of afternoon tea. Stopping everything for scones with lemon curd and clotted cream at 4:00 could take the edge off God-knows-how-many surly and carb-deprived people every day. The Cadbury Chocolate machines in the tube stations are a nice touch, too.

.Royal Ascot. Yes, we have The Kentucky Derby (which is glorious) but this is beyond words. I have been to the racetrack, but have only seen pictures and news footage of the race itself. Even deserted, Ascot Raceway had an aura of excitement blended nicely with grace. (And yes, I did shout "Come on Dover, move your bloomin' arse!" to the empty stands.)

.The West End. Broadway but better.

. Not that one usually sings the praises of British food (even the British) but one of the best meals I have ever eaten was at Simpson's-In-The-Strand. I think I lived on peanut butter sandwiches for about a week after buying dinner for myself and a date, but it was well worth it. I remember it was July 16, 1995. (I have no idea why I have held on to that particular bit of information, but there it is...)

. European thought has always seemed very sensible to me. If one dares to mention Socialism on these shores, the word usually conjures images of grey, government-dominated drudgery. Although the UK has a Parliamentary government with a figurehead monarch, the day-to-day lives of the people are essentially lived in a Euro-Socialist mindset, and I think I have seen a greater concentration of happy, prosperous, bright, colorful people in the UK than anywhere else I have traveled. (Universal health care and governmental services do not mean that everyone has to live like an extra in Fiddler On The Roof. ) There is also a sense of social awareness and open thought in England that has genuinely touched me. Of course there is crime, poverty, etc. but there seems to be a genuine love for one's fellow man in Europe that we don't always have in the US. There are also sensible, adult viewpoints on social issues which eclipse many of the right-wing hysterical dogma (dogmae?) espoused under the rule of Bush II.

.Elizabeth Hurley. Enough said. :-)

. The sense of history in the UK is amazing. I was fortunate to spend 6 weeks at Oxford through the "Alabama At Oxford" program when I was an undergraduate at UA, and we were literally living in buildings three times the age of the US. My friends and I spent a lot of time (too much, I'm sure) at The King's Arms, a pub immediately adjacent to Wadham College, where we were staying. This pub was like a glimpse backwards into history, from the decor to the regulars, a few of whom I think may have babysat William The Normand. There is a seemingly seamless juxtaposition of the old and the new in the UK...one of my favorite vacation pictures is of a McDonald's in Bath, housed in a magnificent old building, with the Golden Arches smiling out from a window in what looks like a castle. (Admittedly, sometimes corporate sprawl can go way too far, but this was cute...)

...and the list goes on...Westminster Abbey, the white cliffs of Dover, the rough beauty of Newcastle and Durham, The Tower of London, the coast of Swansea, breakfast at a traditional British cafe (baked beans, anyone?), tea in The Georgian Room at Harrod's, a ride on Britrail trains, and the soft, lilting Mayfair accent... (sigh.)

So there you are. I am, as the song goes, proud to be an American, but I am also extremely proud of my British lineage (on both sides of the family.) On Tuesday, I will eat barbeque and watch fireworks with the rest of the nation, but I must confess that at some point, I may also have to enjoy bangers and mash while humming "God Save The Queen."

FLT3

It's A Bird...It's A Plane...

I just wrote a review of SUPERMAN RETURNS, which can be found on the following link to epinions.com:

http://www.epinions.com/content_239264108164

For those who are unfamiliar with epinions, it's a very neat website that allows you to post reviews and commentary on everything from books to electronics to movies, etc. The fun part is that you can get paid for your efforts (don't get too excited...in a year's time, I think I've earned $26.00.)

Not much time to post today, but the review will share my thoughts on the movie.

FLT3

Workshop Fun!

Tonight was opening night for CenterStage's Rising Star Workshop production of Winnie The Pooh. At the risk of sounding immodest, I think we did an amazing job! The cast is made up of 13 performers, all under the age of 12. To see what these kids are capable of doing is truly one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had.

After the curtain call, the kids made a lovely presentation of flowers and gift cards to the faculty members, which was extremely kind and generous. This really is a very special group of young people...varying ages and levels of experience, but all extremely good-natured and supportive of each other. I will honestly miss each and every one of them after tomorrow night's closing performance.

It was very nice to see several familiar faces in the audience...my good friend John Hisey came up from Tuscaloosa, as did Matthew and Emily von Redlich. Matthew teaches stage combat, and the kids LOVE beating each other up every day! Also in the audience were Dianne and Kimberly Piazza (thanks again for coming...that really meant a lot to me, and I know the kids were thrilled to see Kimberly!) All of our faculty members were there, which was also very good. I think we had almost 90 people in attendance, and they all seemed to enjoy the show.

After a week or so off, we move ahead to The Boyfriend, which will feature our older kids, ages 12-17. As with Pooh, the workshop will be at 1st Methodist Church (courtesy of the wonderful Paul McCracken...thanks, Paul!) However, where Pooh performed at the church, The Boyfriend will be performed at Playhouse scenic and costume co-op. The business has just moved into a HUGE downtown building, and Ed Gurney (owner) is converting two of the upstairs floors into rehearsal/performance spaces. We will be able to re-use the Padua set from Kiss Me, Kate for The Boyfriend, so that will be nice...it's a very attractive set, complete with a balcony and a bridge connecting two of the buildings.

So there it is...the State Of The Union address on Rising Star '06. :-)

FLT3

Married

...no, I'm not referring to myself! :-) My good friends Russ and Maree were married tonight. They held the ceremony at Virginia Samford Theatre, which is where CenterStage performs. The bride was beautiful, the music was very nice (especially an excellent solo by Howard Green) and the reception in the courtyard was fun and well-attended.

Brent Jones, (who is directing Little Shop Of Horrors for CenterStage this fall) has just cast the show, and done an excellent job. There have been a few ruffled feathers from those who did not get what they wanted, but such is the nature of theatre...I know the show is going to be outstanding, and as always it will be fun to work with Brent (I am producing the show, and possibly doing a small cameo.)

Looking ahead to '06-'07, CenterStage has an exciting season lined up. It is as follows...

October 13-22: Little Shop Of Horrors (Directed by Brent Jones)

December 1-10: A Christmas Carol (Directed by Frank Thompson)

March 9-18: Guys And Dolls (Directed by Frank Thompson)

June 8-17: Cabaret (Directed by Melissa Bailey)

I think it will be a fun and successful season. I also think I will have fun going to sleep, and will be successful at sleeping. (Can you tell I'm tired?) Good night!

FLT3

Late Night Thoughts

Well, it's after 4am and I'm wide awake! After tonight's performance of Kiss Me, Kate, a bunch of us went to Formaggio's, a little all-night diner not far from the theatre. After a couple of beers I switched to Mr. Pibb, and I suppose the caffeine is doing its' thing...oh well, I haven't seen the sunrise in a while...

The show went well tonight, and Andy did a superb job stepping into the role of Harry Trevor/Baptista. Paul's wife, Nancy (who is also on the stage crew) told us tonight that Paul is recovering well from his surgery, and should retain 100% eyesight. This is good news, and we look forward to his recovery.

Next week begins the younger session of CenterStage's "Rising Star" youth workshop. The little kids will be doing Winnie The Pooh, and tonight I got Erin Mason (a grown-up friend of mine who is in KMK) to agree to come in as a guest artist and play the role of Kanga. I may also get an adult to play Pooh, which will give the kids a very good perspective on putting on a show by watching the adult "guest artists."

FLT3

Another Year Older...

Well, my birthday was Sunday (4 June) and I am now 36 years old. 35 really bothered me, but 36 is just a number, as they say. I had a wonderful day, starting with church and breakfast with my parents. I then had a performance of Kiss Me, Kate which went extremely well. After the show several friends treated me to drinks at Rojo (a local Mexican restaurant) and then Melissa took me to a wonderful barbeque dinner. All in all, a very nice birthday!

The season finale of The Sopranos was a snoozer. Hardly worth mentioning. Frank Capra would have appreciated the "It's A Wonderful Life" ending, but in terms of an HBO drama, it wasn't much.

There is a little drama surrounding Kiss Me, Kate. Paul McCracken, who plays the role of Harry/Baptista, is having emergency eye surgery tomorrow to repair a detatched retina. Andy, our director, will be taking his role this weekend. I'm sure Andy will be fine in the part, but we will certainly miss Paul.

Primary results are coming in, and unfortunately my candidate (Don Seigelman) is not doing well. It looks like our current Lieutenant Governor, Lucy Baxley, will be the Democratic nominee. I would have preferred Seigelman, but Baxley will get my vote in November.

FLT3

Sopranos musings, KATE update and philosophical question...

Well, last night was the pentultimate episode of this series of The Sopranos. Starting in January, the final 8 episodes will air, and then television will lose one of (if not the) best shows it has seen in some time. Last night saw Vito's inevitable death...and I must say that I was sad to see him go. I had originally disliked the character and wished him gone, but I changed my mind after seeing him in the scenes with his wife and kids, as well as the relationship with the New Hampshire fireman. (Granted, I could have done without some of the love scenes, but they were very mild, and truly did serve a plot purpose.) It's interesting that such a minor character (until last series) was so instrumental in "humanizing" the Mafia guys. Quite possibly only Tony has shown as much of a gentle side as Vito did. Also interesting was Carmella's dream about Adrianna in Paris. The previews lead us to believe that the final episode involves Carm asking some not-so-comfortable questions about Ade's death...

At this point, Little Britain on BBC America is the only other show I truly love. Check it out if you haven't seen it. It's hysterical, and very Monty Python-esque.

Kiss Me, Kate is going to be a very good show. Right now my main concern is learning the Shakespearian dialogue. Luckily, I have a DVD of the Broadway production, so I can "learn by listening."

I was watching TCM at some point during the weekend, and saw part of an old movie with Rita Hayworth, in particular a scene where she was attemting to seduce her leading man. We never saw any bare skin below the shoulders, but there was something undeniably erotic about the scene. On the other hand, The Sopranos showed a gorgeous girl completely nude, and in a subsequent scene in a VERY "adult" situation...and although I noticed that she was very attractive, there was nothing overly sexy about the scenes. Perhaps the old saying about what you don't see being sexier than what you do see is true...and not only in terms of body parts. The Rita Hayworth scene was very charged and goose-pimply, where the more explicit scene was just sort of there. Have we as a society become so jaded that an understated sexuality grabs the attention more quickly than the overt? (Don't get me wrong...I still love the overt, but maybe there's something to be said for the implied...)

FLT3

Long Overdue

I have been very bad about posting for the past couple of weeks. It's odd...sometimes I will feel driven to post almost every day, and then I'll go for some time and the blog remains silent. Oh well, here's something new for those who follow these musings...

All of the traditional subjects covered here are moving along. Kiss Me Kate is going to be a very good production. The Sopranos is winding down to this season's final few episodes, the weather is nice, and Spring seems to have settled in for the long haul. (Or at least for that wonderful 2-week period we enjoy before the heat of Summer takes over.) Yadda yadda yadda...

On the political front, President Dumbass...whoops, I mean "Shrub" announced last night his brilliant idea to use the National Guard as beefed-up border security. Aren't we lucky to have this moron in The White House? He's keeping us safe from non-existent WMDs and at the same time protecting us from the untold dangers of Pablo the Mexican who might take away some $2.00-an-hour dishwashing job from all the Americans who are begging for that kind of work.

It's almost as if Bush has decided in his lame-duckness to literally try and make his popularity dwindle out of sight. Every day, people are killed in a senseless (and arguably illegal) war, and he's jumping on the illegal immigrant bandwagon just to draw attention away from the real dangers of the world (and to hopefully boost his numbers in the process.) What a jackass.

Hillary in '08...Hillary in '08...Hillary in '08...

FLT3

The Lusty Month Of May...

While I can't say that there has been any precipitous rise in my libido today (well, there was that Victoria's Secret commercial, but that doesn't count...) the arrival of May has set the song "The Lusty Month Of May" from Camelot running through my head over and over again. It was enjoyable and sweet at 9:00 this morning. It is now past 2:00, and I'm growing a bit weary of Mr. Loewe's delightful tune...

While not overtly sexy in a Hooter's waitress kind of way, the full arrival of spring does have a certain reproductive sparkle to it. Aside from the sneezes and coughs that invariably accompany the yellow dusting of pollen, there isn't really a downside to spring. It's easier to get up in the morning when the sun is shining and the birds are singing. Warm weather clothing is less restricting, and the long afternoons stretch into daylight-dappled evenings that seem to beckon "let's sit outside and have a drink..." (Okay, enough poetic treacle...it's nice outside, and that's good.)

Spring always seems to herald the arrival of great freedom. I suppose it's safe to assume that the umpty-jillion years spent in academic settings (from K5 to Law School) created a Pavlovian response to warm breezes and blossoming foliage. Even in the "real world," it seems that there is an unspoken acceptance of early Friday afternoons and late Monday mornings that would have seemed inappropriate in the gloom of winter.

Breeze blowing in window...birds chirping...cold beer in fridge...patio just outside...typing about to stop...

FLT3