Cool Hand Luke

WESTPORT, Conn. - Paul Newman, the Academy-Award winning superstar who personified cool as the anti-hero of such films as "Hud," "Cool Hand Luke" and "The Color of Money" — and as an activist, race car driver and popcorn impresario — has died. He was 83.
Newman died Friday after a long battle with cancer at his farmhouse near Westport, publicist Jeff Sanderson said. He was surrounded by his family and close friends.
In May, Newman had dropped plans to direct a fall production of "Of Mice and Men," citing unspecified health issues.

I knew this was coming, and it still hits me very hard. Newman was truly one of the first guys (along with Redford) who made me want to be an actor. Those two brilliant, and pivotal (in my life, anyway) films, BUTCH CASSIDY and THE STING made such a strong impression on me at such a young age. As much as I dug Redford's macho image, it was Newman's cool, low key persona and very realistic, genuine portrayals that really helped to shape my impression of what acting, as it's finest, is all about. Over the years, I became aware of his older performances (HUD, THE HUSTLER, THE LONG HOT SUMMER,COOL HAND LUKE, and his brilliant turn as Brick in CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF) and in later years came to truly enjoy the work he did in his twilight. (NOBODY'S FOOL and ROAD TO PERDITION, especially). I was genuinely in awe of his presence onscreen, and also of the man he was off screen. A remarkably long Hollywood marriage, founding the NEWMAN'S OWN company, his opposition to the Vietnam war and his civil rights activism, not to mention that the man drove a race car well into his 70's!

There just aren't many great ones like Newman. He's truly one of the last of a dying breed. That's unfortunate, but I feel genuinely blessed to have come up in a time with his fine example of how to practice the craft of acting. He will be missed...for a long time to come.

RIP Butch...

"Autumn leaves"

Well, damned if Summer isn't over already! And where the heck did it go? I tell ya...there's nothing quite like a couple of kids to make the old life clock speed up! (and if one more a-hole says to me "Then you shouldn't have had kids!" I'm gonna explode! I work damned hard as a Father, and if I want to vent a bit to the world...deal with it!!!!) There- that felt better...

Anyhoo- Fall is, and always has been, my favorite time of year. The colors changing, a slight chill in the night air, we can all start wearing long pants again, and, oh yeah FOOTBALL!!!
There's something about a crisp Autumn night that stirs up many an old memory inside of me. It makes me feel alive.

And of course, with the school year cranking back up, Fall means BUSY BUSY! Lots going on in the salt mines of late. I'm most pleased with the cast of our Fall production of DANCING WITH DANI (by yours truly- let the "self serving" remarks begin!) Actually, I've always been proud of this script, and I just felt that now was the time to mount a full production. I have a tremendously talented cast and a GREAT designer (who's a former student, no less) ...not to mention that I'm working with my old buddy Mikey again, so let the magic begin! I think all who see this piece will be very pleased with what we come up with...and don't sleep on us just cause we're only a "two year institution". I have some of the finest young (and not so young) talent in this city in my casting pool. So come November, check us out!

In the meantime, lots of other cool productions to see. CONSTANT STAR @ AGL (which some of my students have been raving about) and DON'T DRESS FOR DINNER @ Studio are both in thier 2nd week, and UK opens up a trio of student written one acts this weekend. Plus, AGl's PILLOWMAN is on the way (with Leif R.-a fellow faculty member and frequent actor in our productions ) and MACBETH @ Woodford County ( with one of my acting students in the cast! WE'RE EVERYWHERE, BABY!!!!) coming in October.

So, as Paul Stanley might scream, "lick it up!" There's some good stuff to be seen out there.

If you can pull yourself away from all the great football, that is! (TITANS ARE 2 and 0, BABY!!!!! FIRST PLACE IN THE AFC SOUTH!!! WHO-HOOOO!!!!!)


So tell me, what's your favorite season of the year, and why???
And let's have some more responses folks! I ain't doing this for my health!!!


Cheers!