"We've got a hit..."

One more weekend of CATFISH MOON at Studio. Thanks to all who've come out and made this show a big hit. If you haven't made reservations, do so, as they're going fast! THanks to the cast and crew for doing such a superb job on a piece that's very special to me.

Also BOSTON MARRIAGE opens at AGL this weekend. Check it out!

Still no baby...yet.

Awful news...

This one really blows me away.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080122/ap_en_mo/obit_ledger

Heath Ledger is apparently dead. I don't know why this kicks me in the gut quite so hard, but it does. Perhaps it's that he was SO young and gifted, perhaps it's his 2 year old he leaves without a Father, perhaps it's just where my head is, but damn...this sucks.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

"There's a gator in the bushes..."

Happy New Year, everyone!

It's my first post of the new year. Got lots going on:

1) NEW BABY - any day now, the wife should be delivering bambino number 2. We can't wait to meet her!

2) NEW SHOW- Catfish Moon opens at STUDIO PLAYERS this week. Come out if you get a chance! Great cast and crew, cool set, and a REGIONAL PREMIERE!

3) NEW SEMESTER- Lots going on with the new program. I'll offer an update on our Spring doings asap! Can't wait to get revved up...

So, I hope everyone has a great year! Looking forward to 08 and the joy and surprises it will bring. If you have anything cool coming up soon, leave me a message! See you in the funny papers...

Oh yeah....and ....GO EDWARDS!!! DON'T BUY INTO THE CORPORATE MEDIA BLACKOUT!!!!!

...that is all....

"Hallelujah, Noel..."

Greetings Divas!
Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas celebration. I know it's not "fashionable" for a good liberal such as myself to bestow Christmas wishes on anyone, but to heck with it! It's what I celebrate, and I'm gonna wish you a happy one whether you want it or not! I also have to tell, there is absolutely NOTHING in this world so wonderful as seeing Christmas morning through the eyes of a child. Santa was very generous to the Wolverine this year (not TOO generous, as we're trying to avoid making this time of year completely about "gimmie gimmie") and he has been wide eyed and over the moon all day. Whatever troubles I've been ruminating on have evaporated under the warmth of seeing my son so incredibly joyful. It is indeed a blessing from God.

If you have any glad tidings or thoughts on the new year you'd like to share, feel free. Meantime, here's our topic-

What are you MOST looking forward to in the new year?

Write it down...and Merry Christmas to all, and to all ...a good night!

"They can't stop me..."

So, granted, having an (almost) three year old DOESN'T leave a hell of a lot of time for going to the movies, but we did get out to see a few this year. Of those, BOURNE ULTIMATUM was tops with me. Lots of great action, and what my Mom lovingly refers to as "spy business". Great way to spend a stress free afternoon, and the only trilogy completion of the summer that was worth watching!

(btw- I'll give honorable mention to SUPERBAD, a film that made me laugh at stuff I'm STILL ashamed of laughing at!)

So, what do you think? Those of you that actually get out of the house once in awhile...what was the best film you saw this past 12 months?

Hit it and quit!!!!

"...but all I heard was a drone..."

Ok...so it's probably not TOO hard to guess what my vote for album / song of the year is (DUH!)...and a fine vote it is, despite the Grammy snubs. (Amy Winehouse and Herbie freakin Hancock??? WTF) With MAGIC the Boss reaffirms that old classic rockers needn't rest on their past glories and shows that a man nearing 60 can indeed still have his finger on the artistic pulse of a nation...but that's just me. What say you? What's the best music you heard in 2007? (and please confine it to music FROM said year, not some old 45's you dusted off and rediscovered.)

So...hit me with your best end of the year shots, people. And let's have a little more chatter out there! Not allot of postings lately...bring the meat, people!!!!

"...spread your wings to the sky..."

Sigh...those famous people DO always die in threes, don't they?


First Sean Taylor of the Washington Redskins (Tragic home invasion shooting- also looks like there's a break in that case...nice to see the wheels of justice move rapidly every once and awhile...)


Next, Kevin DuBrow- lead screamer of the 80's metal band QUIET RIOT (nobody's talking- sounds like maybe he fell off a wagon or two) and now THIS bombshell!



CLEARWATER, Fla. - Evel Knievel, the red-white-and-blue-spangled motorcycle daredevil whose jumps over crazy obstacles including Greyhound buses, live sharks and Idaho's Snake River Canyon made him an international icon in the 1970s, died Friday. He was 69.

Bummer of a week. DuBrow and Knievel really hit me hard! As a kid growing up in the 70's I, like most kids my age, idolized this guy! I had the action figures (with the cool motorcycle you could rev up and jump over stuff with!) and I spent many a Saturday afternoon constructing ramps to jump over garbage cans with my bike, or bails of hay with my motor cycle. (Somehow, I never so much as even got a skinned knee doing this- talk about a charmed life!)
Then, as a teenager in the 80's I adored QUIET RIOT! A lot of people look at these guys as sort of joke worthy now, but they really kicked open a lot of doors for the hard rock community back in the day. They were the first metal band EVER to have a #1 album, and amongst their early band members was one Randy Rhodes, perhaps one of the finest rock guitarists ever to grace the stage (who died a very tragic death WAY the hell too young!). These guys also were hitting it big around my Junior year of High School, so obviously this was some very seminal music for me.

It truly is a bitch to get older and watch the people you admired in your youth pass away. But such is the circle of life I suppose (cue the ELTON JOHN music and the barf bags!) Perhaps it's also the paternal thing, as the wife is about to give birth in a few weeks... nothing to make you stare your mortality right in the eyes like having a child. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, mind you...

Oh well- Rest in peace Mr Knievel... tell Kevin and Sean we miss 'em already.



* And just to keep the Q and A going (albeit in a slightly morbid direction)...what loss in the entertainment world has hit you the hardest this year?

"I've got another confession to make..."

(pictured, one of my fave shows of the year ANTON IN SHOW BUSINESS at AGL)

OK gang- so since another year is almost in the books, we're gonna do a few BEST OF lists!

Let's get the ball rolling in grand fashion- BEST PLAY YOU SAW IN 2007! It can be local, professional, Broadway, what have you....what was the best piece of Theatre you witnessed in the past 12 months? **NOTE- things you were in / directed/ designed for/ etc DON'T COUNT! And another thing.. this ain't just for locals. I wanna hear from you folks out in the hinterlands as well...

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOTS!!!! And just for fun, let's try to start getting these lyrics again! You people are gettin lazy on me...

"I see no sense in this crying and grieving"

Hey Gang!

Follow this link...

http://www.larryneuzelphotography.com/

and it'll carry you to shots of our recent production of THOREAU.

Unfortunatley, the set wasn't 100% the night Larry showed, but they still look pretty good, if I do say so myself!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

In for my usual holiday tradition, feel free to post anything you personally feel thankful for this year.

Peace,

X

"The Sun is just a morning star"

Greetings, one and all.

BCTC , in cooperation with AGL, presents Jerome Lawrence and Robert E Lee's THE NIGHT THOREAU SPENT IN JAIL, Nov 15th - 17th at the DAC. Showtimes are at 8pm each night.

Tickets are $5 for students , $10 for GA. For more info, call the DAC box office.

Love to see you all out there. It's a great little show we have in store for you.

Now, if you'll excuse me , I have 1000 things left to do and a sick toddler...


-x

" 84-68!!!!"

Soooo.....Tubby may have had his issues as the coach of the UK b-ball team, but to my recollection, he never got his ASS handed to him by the likes of GARDNER WEBB!!!!!!!!

Somewhere, in Minnesota, a man named Orlando is probably still enjoying a very well deserved fit of laughter!

"Look for...the union label..."

Well...looks like my favorite show WON'T be returning in February after all! In case you've been under a rock, there's a writers strike. This, I'm afraid, will be the result:

"Look for lots more unscripted shows, which were not a major commercial force (if they existed at all) during the last WGA strike nearly 20 years ago. “The Real World” didn’t arrive on MTV until 1992. The first three major-network reality shows – “Survivor,” “Big Brother” and the ABC version of “Making the Band” – didn’t arrive until eight years later.
Variety reports that CBS is contemplating the first-ever spring edition of “Big Brother” – possibly a celebrity edition – to launch in March should the strike prove lengthy. The highly rated “Brother” is a particularly potent network weapon as it affordably provides CBS three hours of new primetime programming weekly. "

GREAT! Just what the world needs...ANOTHER edition of BIG BROTHER! (As if the one in Washington wasn't enough!) My question is this- Is this going to be akin to the Baseball strike of a few years ago? Is it going to drive TV watchers away in droves? Is this finally going to be the death knell of scripted TV? I hope not, but when you look at the less than stellar ratings most of these shows get anyway, then add in a potentially lengthy strike? I'm afraid many of the consumers may say "No thanks!" when these shows return. There is actually discussion I've read that perhaps one of the major networks is considering going to , and staying WITH, an "all reality format". There are also TONS of viewers who'd rather watch their shows (particularly those with a continuous story arch) on DVD or the web. I just bought Season 3 of VERONICA MARS (a DAMN fine show, btw) and I never watched a single episode on TV.

Perhaps in this day and age of so much new media and new ways of distribution, the old TV model is broken. (I've thought for years that the Nielsen ratings were an absolute joke! How many times have we seen a show die an premature death, only to have the network bombarded with MILLIONS of protests from angry fans, ALL of whom must be watching in some fashion?)I've also wondered for years why studios don't do more direct to dvd releases with shows (or shows that the networks foolishly cancel that OBVIOUSLY still have a big market, i.e. the aforementioned VERONICA, or Buffy, Alias, etc...) Perhaps a good by-product of this strike is that it might usher in a different model for creating and distributing these products. Who knows...all I know is that Howie Mandel is most likely about to get an unexpected contract extension from NBC!

I won't get into the reasons for this strike, and whether or not it's warranted (probably only one person who comes to this watering hole with a truly learned opinion on that subject), and I was raised to respect the work that Unions do in this country. I just can't help but wondering, though, if perhaps some of these folks might not be shooting themselves, and the fans of their work, in the foot .

Thoughts?

.

"Only love...can bring the rain..."

at left, SPIKE illustrates my feelings for the majority of the 08 presidential candidates.

Well, we here in Central KY are FINALLY getting some rain (Thank the Lord!) and the the great outdoors is finally dropping to a respectable, fall like temperature. SO, it's beginning to look alot like...Halloween??? (Doesn't have the same ring, does it?) And you KNOW what fall temperatures bring to mind...PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES!!!!

So as we head into what is sure to be an intriguing political year, who do you feel has done the best job of getting their message out to the American people (via the debates or other TV appearances?) AND- has your opinion of a candidate changed as a result of said TV appearances?)

Let it roll, people!

"...the undiscovered country..."

HEY ALL!

Just a quick note to remind you all to get out and see AGL's HAMLET at the DAC, running through Nov. 11th. There is a free show tonight (Thursday the 18th- you need to call the DAC box office for reservations) and a PAY WHAT YOU CAN on Sunday. So a couple of good opportunities to see it for next to nothing ( or nothing at all). Lots of board posters involved (Rick, Chuck, Adam, Laurie, etc)

Feel free to wish Ric and the gang a hearty BREAK A LEG, or leave us a stellar, glowing review on the boards...

-X

"I wasn't born for love..."

JUST FOR FUN on a Monday morning...

For those of you who are Ituned- inclined...shuffle your IPOD / I tunes account and tell me the first ten songs that come up!

Here's Mine:

1) Born to Raise Hell- Cheap Trick (That's the lyric above, btw)
2) Heavy- Train
3) Can't Stop Lovin' you- Van Halen (Hagar)
4) Oye Mamacita- Los Lonely Boys
5) The Best of Times- STYX
6) I'll Wait- Van Halen (Roth)
7) What's on your mind?- Ace Frehley
8) Homecoming- Robert Randolph and the Family Band
9) Missing You - Rod Stewart (There's that ROD album again Mikey!)
10) Thank You- John Mellancamp

There you have it! What are YOU listening to???
PS- Fletch- you can list the first ten songs that come up on your satellite radio station!

More serious conversation at later in the week....

"I'm gonna watch you shine..."

So...the jury is in, and this little boy is about to have... (drum roll please!)...

A BABY SISTER!!!!

Yep, the wife and I went to get the ultrasound today, and there she was- big as life. My daughter! It's amazing what these things can do. I actually have a picture of her little face! As per usual, it brought a tear to my eye. However that was short lived. as the Wolverine was in the room with us and demanded his usual amount of attention. It's gonna be an interesting ride, but one I wouldn't trade for all the tea pots in China.
The coolest thing happened as we were leaving the Doctor's office. The boy looked up at me and said "You're gonna have to take care of your baby sister!" (which for some reason he pronounces "SES-stir, as though he were an extra in an episode of THE HIGH CHAPARRAL) It just made me hyper aware of how grown up he's getting, and more to the point, how fast life really comes at you. Before I know it, he'll be off to college and I'll be an old bastard. But, such is the cycle of life.
Even though we waited, and even though it makes for a very sleep deprived existence, and even though I may never have the money to travel anywhere above the Mason Dixon line till I'm old and gray (er), I'm so thrilled that this beautiful boy is a part of my life... and I can't wait for you all to meet my daughter...heck, I can't wait to meet her myself!

Feel free to shower me with all due congratulations...

My students ROCK!!!

L to R - Jeremy Brown, Sharonda Pearsall and Zack Hightower in BCTC's BLESSED ASSURANCE

Ok, so I'm really proud of all these students. Sharonda is up at NKU continuing her Theatre studies (at a damn fine program, I might add). And Jeremy Brown and Zack Hightower both received great kudos and special mention in the local media this week for shows they are involved in. Jeremy for AGL's production of MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM

(http://www.kentucky.com/182/story/178879.html) and Zack in Studio Playa's SHAKESPEARE IN HOLLYWOOD

(http://www.kentuckyconnect.com/126/story/182655.html)

Truthfully, it really makes me feel good about what I do when I read things like this. (It also plays into the greater mission of my program to get them out working in the community, not just in the school productions) They are two very talented young men, and I got lots more like 'em (men and women) in my program who I'm equally proud of. If you wanna see evidence of this, come check out THE NIGHT THOREAU SPENT IN JAIL at the DAC in November!

So if you're in the area, go see both of these shows and enjoy some great, new talent onstage. And if you go see MA RAINEY you just might catch a glimpse of an overweight, cigar chomping, crusty ole' white dude who still has some juice left his own self!

Sad news...

Italian Tenor Pavarotti Dies at Age 71 By ALESSANDRA RIZZO Associated Press Writer

Luciano Pavarotti, whose vibrant high C's and ebullient showmanship made him the most beloved and celebrated tenor since Caruso and one of the few opera singers to win crossover fame as a popular superstar, died Thursday. He was 71.
His manager, Terri Robson, told the AP in an e-mailed statement that Pavarotti died at his home in Modena, Italy, at 5 a.m. local time. Pavarotti had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year and underwent further treatment in August.
"The Maestro fought a long, tough battle against the pancreatic cancer which eventually took his life. In fitting with the approach that characterised his life and work, he remained positive until finally succumbing to the last stages of his illness," the statement said.
Speaking from inside Pavarotti's home, which was guarded by police, Pavarotti's assistant Edwin Tinoco told Sky TG 24 television that Pavarotti's final days had been calm and spent at home.
For serious fans, the unforced beauty and thrilling urgency of Pavarotti's voice made him the ideal interpreter of the Italian lyric repertory, especially in the 1960s and '70s when he first achieved stardom. For millions more, his charismatic performances of standards like "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot" came to represent what opera is all about.
In fact, "Nessun Dorma" was Pavarotti's last performance, sung at at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, in February 2006. His last full-scale concert was at Taipei in December 2005, and his farewell to opera was in Puccini's "Tosca" at New York's Metropolitan in March 2004.
It was the second monumental loss in the opera world in recent months. American soprano Beverly Sills, whose widespread popularity mirrored Pavarotti's, died July 2 at her home in New York. She was 78 and suffered from cancer.
Instantly recognizable from his charcoal black beard and tuxedo-busting girth, Pavarotti radiated an intangible magic that helped him win hearts in a way Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras - his partners in the "Three Tenors" concerts - never quite could.
"I always admired the God-given glory of his voice - that unmistakable special timbre from the bottom up to the very top of the tenor range," Domingo said in a statement from Los Angeles.
"I also loved his wonderful sense of humor and on several occasions of our concerts with Jose Carreras - the so-called Three Tenors concerts - we had trouble remembering that we were giving a concert before a paying audience, because we had so much fun between ourselves," he said.
Pavarotti, who seemed equally at ease singing with soprano Joan Sutherland as with the Spice Girls, scoffed at accusations that he was sacrificing his art in favor of commercialism.
"The word commercial is exactly what we want," he said, after appearing in the widely publicized "Three Tenors" concerts. "We've reached 1.5 billion people with opera. If you want to use the word commercial, or something more derogatory, we don't care. Use whatever you want."

Good for you , Luciano. The world will indeed miss you. On the OTHER hand...

...Rock and roll singers alive and kicking ass!

There are still quite a few great rock and roll singers who, at an advanced (for a rock star) age, can still bring it! Exhibit A- Paul Stanley, from a recent performance at the Rock and ROll fantasy camp (the place I'd go in a NY minute, if I had 9 grand lying around) singing the living hell outta the old IDES OF MARCH one hit wonder VEHICLE:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MYu1L8KjeiE

and how about RONNIE JAMES DIO lead singer of HEAVEN AND HELL (or as I like to call 'em BLACK SABBATH) from a recent solo NY gig:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO4u54FmoC0
This man is SIXTY if he's a day folks! And Nat's hubby Ryan said the funniest thing I've heard in awhile the other day. He said watching Dio throw the "Heavy Metal Horns" was kind of like watching John Hancock sign his name! Good stuff, Ryan!

And then there's MY personal fave, 58 year old...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gd6EhRRNJc
BROOOOOOCCCEEEE!!!!!!!!!! That song smokes.Talk about some "stuff left in the basement"! Pure, guitar driven rock and roll!

While I wound never equate these fellows with the sheer brilliance that was Pavarotti, and it's a totally different genre of music, it's kind of comforting to remind oneself that there's still plenty of greatness out there to be had...and that our old friends are still kicking it!

"I've seen a million faces, and I've rocked them all..."

above: me...directing!

Greetings everyone.

So here's a question for you. The first in a series of many queries I'll have in regards to the program I'm building.

My recent auditions for THOREAU turned out a bumper crop of students. So many, so, that it was difficult to get them read in the time constraints/ audition environment. For a number of years, I have done a straight "cold reading" auditions with no prepared piece/callback the way alot of folks do it. My primary reasoning is that I didn't want to scare off any newcomers who might hesitate to show up if they had to prepare something (Believe me, I've found many a hidden gem at an audition where someone just decided to come just for the experience). But lately, as my program really starts to take shape (quite sooner than I expected!) I am considering more and more going to the model of "Prepared piece-callbacks" as opposed to straight cold reading.

Here's what I need. FEEDBACK. Be it from an actor's p.o.v. ("I prefer this type over that type, etc...") a Director's p.o.v. ("This is what works best for me") or just an outsider p.o.v. ("I would / wouldn't show up for this type of audition").

Give me what you got people. Too many lurkers lately, not enough participation. BRING THE MEAT, people!!!!