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!

Just Under A Month

I am finished. Earlier today I submitted the 10 Minute One Act Script I have been working on recently. A little over a month ago I gave myself the goal of writing, revising and submitting a One Act for a Play Festival in Illinois. I met my deadline, early, and am happy to have done so.

The script? The idea? Is it genius? Probably not. It's hard to cram genius into a 10 minute production, especially given the month long development time-frame. I sometimes work on projects for years. This particular script meets the specifics of the festival for which it was written, and, I hope, is different than most of the other submissions that the company will receive.

I am not sure as to whether or not this script will be selected as a finalist, and receive a staging in the festival. Who can predict these things? Right now that isn't as important to me as the fact that I completed this short term goal I set for myself back before the New Year. This latest script was more of an writing exercise than an inspired venture, but it was step in the right direction. Hopefully, I will ride this momentum and contemplate, nay, actually work on some of my other writing projects that have had many hours of creativity, and effort invested in them.

An Artist Playing An Artist?

Or maybe it's more a matter of an unprepared actor playing a self-involved painter who runs off at the mouth... A LOT! We were forced to change scripts, and the size of my role has increased considerably. (I've killed 2 highlighters working on this script.) The show opens the 1st week in March and I feel a little pressure because we've had to start all over from square 1. It's a good group of people, an interesting play, and a tight deadline. That doesn't always make for a relaxing, exploration rehearsal process. It's going to be interesting.

How's It Going So Far?

Well, I finished writing a rough draft of a ten minute One Act Play for the contest I mentioned below. Now I have a few days to read, revise and submit it for consideration. How is it? That remains to be seen. It will definitely need some revising.

I've been nominated for a W.A.T.C.H Award! I was in a play almost a year ago; 'Frozen'. That play was nominated for Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, Featured Actress, Sound Design, Direction, and Outstanding Play Of The year! The Washington Area Theatre Community Honors Award Ceremony will take place the 1st weekend in March. Keep your fingers crossed.

Oh, and the theatre company that I am currently working with decided on a new, completely different script to mount this March. Let the line memorization commence. I also replaced my cracked windshield, and got a MD inspector to sign off on the repair; so that's taken care of... anything else? That's about it.

2 Memorable Quotes From The 1st Week Of 2011

- "Sir, I pulled you over because I'm concerned for your safety."

- "The rights have been pulled."

The 1st quote was uttered by a Maryland State Trooper after he had pulled me over during my afternoon commute for having a cracked windshield. The windshield has been cracked for years, and yes I realized it isn't the safest thing but this Smokey was on the hunt. When I passed him he had just finished ticketing an Infinity, then he found me and pulled me over JUST for the windshield, nothing else, and finally we saw him pull over another driver 2 miles down the road. Hope he met his quota. I am being ordered to replace my windshield. Oh joy!

The 2nd quote came only a few hours later when I was informed, along with the rest of my cast-mates, that the show we'd recently started rehearsing is no longer going to happen. Long story short, the rights were yanked, and we're now exploring other options. Whether that means a different script with the same cast and director, possibly a different director, or we all just go our separate ways and leave the stage dark is yet to be seen.

Yay 2011!

The year In Review (2010)

Let's look back at the year 2010 and hit some of the highs and lows of the last 365 eays, shall we?

1) Polar Bear Plunge - This past January I, along with hundreds of other brave souls, jumped into the Chesapeake Bay in the middle of a snow storm! I raised several hundred dollars for the Maryland Special Olympics and froze my butt off! It was amazing: amazingly bad weather, amazingly cold, and amazingly fun!
2) Frozen - I only acted in one theatrical production during the 2010 calendar year and that was Colonial Players of Annapolis' production of 'Frozen' by Bryony Lavery. I played an unsavory sort of character, and the play was very dark and depressing. We opened late due to the severe winter weather but the production was well received and even started some discussion of possible awards. We're still waiting to see if that pans out.
3) Ivymount - In 2009 I left my teaching job at The Ivymount School, in hopes of returning to Chicago. Instead I stayed local and found myself working several low-paying jobs, and wishing for something more fulfilling. I eventually called up Ivymount, started substituting regularly and then was offered a full time contract as an assistant teacher. Many things have changed in my time at the school, and I miss the Expressive Arts teaching position (Music/Drama) but I am happy to be working. I am happy to be back in Special Education and I am happy to see the students everyday.
4) Taxes - We got whored! Recently, I discussed our tax woes with a relative and this relative said to me, "How can you guys owe so much, you don't make anything?" That was exactly our question at the time. Apparently, we both had worked contracted jobs during the previous year and hadn't put aside enough money to cover the taxes owed ob those jobs... completely our fault. Still sucked being told we owed that much money to the IRS when we barely make enough to cover our bills.
5) 35 - In 2010 I turned 35 year old. It wasn't a big deal. I just turned another year older and mourned the passing of my younger years.
6) The Wrong Package - This past July I had another script of mine produced for a theatrical production. 'The Wrong Package' debuted as part of the Colonial Players of Annapolis' One Act Festival. It was directed by a friend of mine, a very talented director, and reader of this blog. Some things worked somethings did not. It's always interesting to see my words come to life on stage. I was happy with the production.
7) Chicago - Also in July, Sara and I took a quick road trip to Chicago for a wedding. We had a great time! We stayed with my brother, Bert, and his wife, Stephanie, who live in our old neighborhood. We got to see some old friends, visit old haunts, and enjoy the city we both miss so much.
8) Minnesota - In August we flew to St. Paul/Minneapolis area to visit the Patsy clan. We were in town for the In-Laws 40th Wedding Anniversary, and my Mother-in-Law's birthday! We visited with family, and friends, sat out by the pool and Sara even took me to the Minnesota State Fair for some fried foods, and fun!
9) Department Change - Whilst in Minnesota I received a phone call from my boss. Long story short: I was asked to move over into a different department at school. I had been working with students with Asperger's Syndrome, and was enjoying my job. I had developed a great relationship with the staff, and students. I was being asked to move into the Post High School department and work as a one to one with an older student who would be working out in the community a lot, and getting ready to graduate in another year. After my employment problems of the past year, I was just happy to have a job I enjoy and so I accepted the change. It's been an interesting change in schedule, methods, and mindset. I still enjoy my job.
10) Car - We bought a car! That's right, we finally gave in and bought a car. For the past year or so it's been a joke with us as to which would fail us first; Sara's car, my car or our computer. Turns out Sara's car was 1st to go. So we traded in her clunker and got a nice used KIA Rio5. (See my December posts.)

So to review, many things happened in 2010. It was an eventful, not always fun, or pleasant year. It wasn't as bad as 2009 but it still could've been better. We're still paying off tax debt, now compounded with car payments, and trying to stretch our paychecks longer than they'll allow. We're still looking for the answers. We're still asking the questions. We're hopeful for 2011.

A Month To Write

I received an email the other day from a theatre company in Illinois that, in the past, I have submitted scripts to for production. They've never produced any of my scripts. They're inviting me to submit again for their upcoming 10 Minute Play Festival! They've come up with a new theme and the deadline is February 1st 2011.

Now to be frank, I have not been inspired lately. I can't remember the last time I actively worked on writing or reviewing any of my incomplete projects. I've had the last week off from my job and didn't use the time to write. (I did receive a rejection email a few weeks back from a literary magazine that was not interested in some of my short fiction. So that was probably the last time I worked on writing, and I submitted them a month or so ago.) I have not been a writer recently.

Last night I got into a discussion with a friend of mine about a screenplay he's developing. I really enjoyed his concept and hearing his ideas. It inspired me!

Here's what I'm suggesting. I am going to submit a 10 Minute script to the aforementioned theatre company by February 1st 2011. I am giving myself a goal and a deadline. I started brainstorming this morning, and developed a brief outline for a short script that falls within the theme. I will use the 1st month of the coming year to write, review, revise, and submit a brand new One Act. I am going to start out the new year with a writing project and get things started on a positive note! I then hope to revisit some of my incomplete projects and get back to writing. I miss the creativity.