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Closing Night - "Sight Unseen"

Another curtain falls on yet another show! Tonight was the closing performance of "Sight Unseen". (I'm obviously writing this after midnight.) It has been an pleasure to finally do a show for Dignity Players! An honor to work with the director, and to share the stage with 3 very talented actors/actresses! This show presented its own challenges that we were forced to meet, and overcome as an ensemble. That's one of the things I love best about live theatre; the working together.

We ended on a high note, I believe. Sure it was closing night and there were a few flubs, and line errors that always happen on the final night but the show felt good! We all turned in solid performances - once again this is all my opinion - and made the director proud. That's the thing about a short, 2 week run, you peak and then the show ends. I will miss this show, and hope to keep in touch with everyone but as I've written before that isn't guaranteed.

(Here's is the review from the Baltimore Sun. The Bay Weekly also gave the show a favorable review!)

The above painting is by an artist named Julian Schnabel. I have it on good authority that the play was based, loosely, on his career. My best friend, Adam, was an art major but hated art history so I don't believe I ever heard of this particular artist!

The Results Are In!

It was a very surreal moment! Surrounded by cast-mates, crew, and other theatre friends I heard my name read aloud as the winner and then things got kinda fuzzy. I know I got to my feet as all of my supporters were cheering, and applauding. I made my way to the stage, accepted my award and proceeded to give thanks. It's all a blur. Then I found my way back to my table and into several very earnest and secure hugs. Sara later told me I gave a great acceptance speech; funny, sincere, and short.

I won the W.A.T.C.H. Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play!

'Frozen', a show that we performed just over a year ago had been nominated in 6 categories. Sadly enough, I received my award but the other nominees did not! It was a bittersweet evening. I was glad my work had been acknowledged, but sad that the show, which I was honored to have been a part of, did not end up winning other awards. I was confident that we would at least take home most of the Awards we were nominated for! Who knows how the scoring worked out? It could've come down to just a few points. That's the way I hear it works.

I am honored to have been a part of this production, to know these people and to have received the award.

Interesting side-note for the evening; I was being congratulated by a young man whom just recently played the exact same role that I had just won an award for, Ralph Wantage, when I was approached by a 2nd individual. This man, I must admit I missed his name in all of the excitement, identified himself as one of the WATCH Committee Judges. He shook my hand, congratulated me and proceeded to shower me with some the most generous and passionate compliments I've ever received! He told me he had been waiting an entire year to shake my hand and thank me for my performance. It was, he said, THE best acting performance he had ever seen in his life, community or professional! His sincerity was overwhelming! All I could do was offer my thanks, shake his hand and accept the unbelievable compliment. (Even now I feel slightly embarrassed writing about it.)

It's An Honor Just To Be Nominated!

That's what they say. I guess it's true.

Tomorrow, after my 3PM Matinee, I will be racing down to Alexandria, VA to attend the 11th Annual Washington Area Theatre Community Honors presentation ceremony. I've written previously how the last show I did, Frozen (2/10), has been nominated for numerous awards including my role which is being considered for best lead actor in a play. We've got a big group of cast and crew driving down to the awards show and we're all keeping our fingers crossed hoping for the best.

We'll see what happens when the W.A.T.C.H. Award winners are announced. I'll keep you updated.

Opening Night - Sight Unseen

Tonight is opening night for Sight Unseen, my latest theatrical production. I am excited to put this show up in front of an audience. We need the audience.

We've been rehearsing this show since before the New Year - actually, that isn't entirely correct. We originally started out doing another show but then lost the rights - long story - and wound up working on this particular script. As it turns out, we've all... most of us, anyway, seem to have grown really attached to this script, and have put a lot of time and effort into the production.

The show is about a successful artist/painter who has lost his way and is trying to rediscover what made him become an artist in the 1st place. He pays a visit to his ex-girlfriend/muse and her husband in an attempt to get in touch with his past but discovers he cannot go backwards through life. It is a provocative script, a talented group of actors, and a theatre company worth supporting.
Hopefully, all of the hard work and dedication will be rewarded with crowded audiences who appreciate our efforts! Even without that I am glad I took a chance to audition for this theatre company and, in particular, this director. It hasn't turned out the way any of us foresaw but it has been an adventure, and I am proud of the work I've put into the show.

Art with a Capital A has come to the shopping mall generation!

PS. I got into the car this morning to start my commute and the 1st song on the radio is The Animals 'Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood'. A song which I feel is very appropriate for my character in the show. Then 'The Dock Of The Bay' by Otis Redding follows on the radio. A song which instantly makes me miss my mother and think about how proud of me she always was whenever she would come to watch me perform. It was quite the fortuitous beginning of my day.

I Feel Bad... Really, I Do...

...but all of these revolutions happening in the Middle East are killing me and my wallet! I know how selfish and self-centered that sounds but it's true! I filled up today and gas was almost a quarter more expensive than it was before the weekend! It doesn't seem possible. I know that we, as a nation, are reliant on that area of the world for our oil supply, and so it only makes sense that the unrest there would affect fuel prices here at home. I can't help feeling, however, that somewhere along the line someone is taking advantage of the situation and hiking up gas rates! People are dying in the streets in Libya, Egypt, and other countries; demanding a new way of life and some fat cat somewhere is raking in the dough! Things can't go on this way.

T Minus 7 Days

Is Opening Night really next week? Really?

The answer is YES! The show opens in 1 week!

My latest show, Sight Unseen, with Dignity Players opens on March 3 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis. I can't believe it's it opens next week. It's been an interesting journey - we originally started rehearsing a different show but lost the rights - and it will be great to put it up before an audience!

The show is about Art in case the picture didn't tip you off!

A Month To Write: Results!

"Dear Playwright:
Thank you for submitting your play... I am sorry to say that your play has not advanced to the next round... We appreciated the opportunity to read your play... Thanks Again!"

The above notice was extracted from an email I received last night from a theatre company. If you've been keeping up with this blog recently then you remember that I used the month of January to write, revise and submit a ten minute One Act for production. Obviously, it will not be a part of the upcoming festival.

It's a little disappointing, but half expected. This theatre company has rejected scripts from mine in the past, and, unfortunately, their supportive and polite rejection emails don't really specify on the particulars. That just leaves me wondering about my script. Is it just not good? Was it too long? To difficult to stage? Did it go over their heads? Who knows? I'll probably never know, and that's how it often happens.

New Day

Yesterday was not my favorite day of the week, or the year for that matter. Important meetings I'd been stressing out about all week went off without a hitch. More meetings. 2nd job kicks in again but on a new day, Thursday, and then I'm late to rehearsal on top of that! Oh, and I felt completely unprepared for said rehearsal because of being preoccupied with everything else. It was a bit overwhelming!

Let's see if today runs any smoother.

I Shit You Not!

I heard 2 bits of radio news during my morning commute. Maybe this will prove educational and amusing.

The 1st being that this Saturday, 2/12/11, there are plans to stage a 'Nurse In' at Washington DC's Hirschhorn Museum. The protest is in response to a mother being asked to breastfeed her infant in the restroom, and thus having her rights violated, and DC’s 'Child’s Right to Nurse' Law disregarded. The participants have been dubbed 'LACTIVISTS'! Really!

Also, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the town is having a new government building constructed. The mayor decided to hold an online contest to name the building. The front runner in the contest is the name of a former Fort Wayne Mayor: MR. HARRY BAALS! Really!