red shoes on a thuuursday

JULIUS CAESAR (SEPT 11th - SEPT 27th)

2009-09-14T13:10:00.000-07:00

SHOW:
JULIUS CAESAR
Directed by Erwin Tuazon
*I play the role of Cassius

WHERE:
The Powerhouse Theatre
3116 2nd St
Santa Monica, CA 90405
*between Marine & Rose - closer to Marine
powerhouse theatre

WHEN:
SEPT 11th - SEPT 27th
*Fridays & Saturdays @ 8p
*Sundays @ 7.30p

TICKETS:
15$ online - click--->CAESAR tickets
20$ at the door (CASH ONLY)

PARKING:
It's HOR-RID!!!
Please, Please, PLEASE allow extra time for parking. It WILL be a nightmare. And, if you let that stop you from coming to see me...well, i just don't know...
*There is street parking available along the neighborhood streets - read the signs!
*There is also a parking structure and parking lot that cost 5$ to park in.

EVENT PAGE:
facebook

She's a Sofisticat!

2009-06-30T19:43:00.000-07:00

AS YOU LIKE IT (May 23, 2009 - June 20, 2009)

2009-06-02T18:15:00.000-07:00

ONLY PLAYS SATURDAY EVENINGS @ 8p

SHOW:
AS YOU LIKE IT
*I play the role of Celia

WHERE:
The Next Stage Theatre (a hole in the wall "intimate" theatre space)
1523 N La Brea Av, 2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90028
*Next Stage is located between W Sunset Bl & Hawthorn Av

WHEN:
Saturdays (ONLY) @ 8p
May 23rd
May 30th
June 6th
June 13th
June 20th

TICKETS:
15$ (CASH ONLY; you will pay at the door)

RESERVATIONS (should be made by calling or emailing):
213 926 2726
declanadamstheatre@yahoo.com

PARKING (special note):
It's HOR-RID!!!
Please, Please, PLEASE allow extra time for parking. It WILL be a nightmare. And, if you let that stop you from coming to see me...well, i just don't know...
--Hawthorne Av has lots of street parking (read the signs); there are lots of apartment complexes in which you may find parking, for FREE!!!
--Also, the lot in which the theatre is located turns into a valet parking area after 7 or something.

LOCATION OF THEATRE (special note):
WELL...it's located in an area where you wouldn't think there'd be a theatre! I believe there is a description of it in the first review from, playing shakespeare (*found below).

EVENT PAGE: facebook

*REVIEWS:
from - Playing Shakespeare
from - The Tolucan Times
from - Melpomene Blogs Back (some gal that watches much of LA theatre from broadway tours to little hole-in-the-wall productions)
from - Stage Happenings

THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO (March 27th - April 26th, 2009)

2009-03-10T12:51:00.000-07:00

Show: THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO by Alfred Uhry
Directed by Cecilia Fannon

Where: Newport Theatre Arts Center
2501 Cliff Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92663

When: March 27th - April 26th, 2009
(Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays; then add-on Thursdays after Opening week-end)

Time: 8p on Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays
2p on Sundays

Tickets: 15$ (unless, it's the Gala, which is 20$)
949 631 0288 (to make reservations, which, I believe, is the wisest thing to do. That is, IF you want to come...)

Parking: FREE! We've got a small lot adjacent to the theater. Also, you are able to park on the street (just not in front of the theater because...well, it's not allowed=P)

Box Office hours: Open the week of Tech and thru the run of the show
Tuesday and Wednesday - 4.30p to 7p
Thursday to Saturday - 4.30p to 7.55p
Sunday - 12.30p to 1.25p

For more 411, visit: Newport Theatre Arts Center

That's all.

xxolovely.

**
I've been receiving many questions about the purchasing of tickets for the show I'm in: THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO.

I hope that this note will fill those concerns.

Reserve your tickets through the Box Office's number, 949 631 0288.

A message from the Box Office will play that will say they are not open until March 17th. Please, DO NOT listen to that message. That refers to the process of walking up and purchasing tickets at the actual, physical Box Office in Newport Beach, NOT to reserving your tickets on the answering machine.

Leave a message with:
1. your name
2. your phone number
3. the date you would like to attend the show
4. the number of tickets you would like

**DO NOT leave your credit card number/info on their answering machine!!!**

A representative of the Box Office will then give you a ring back and that is where the process of giving your credit card number will occur.

Your tickets will be held in the Box Office at Will-Call.

Please, do not ask me to hold tickets for you. I am not able to because of a couple of past bad experiences the Box Office has had with actors saving tickets for family/friends that never showed up. So that option is out. Sorry, folks.

EVENT PAGE: facebook

REVIEWS:
from - The Daily Pilot

Full-Time Angel

2008-12-13T00:34:00.000-08:00

(the following was originally composed on my facebook account)

A little more than a year and a half ago (I think or more, time is such a funny thing...), I was sent a friend request (through myspace) from a woman in Germany, whose profile name was: Full-Time Angel. Her profile photo was luminous, beautiful and full of such genuine joy. We corresponded through comments (both on our mutual pages and our photos) and personal messages. What brought us together was a mutual myspace-friend (Mahmut Altunay) who created the first Romy Schneider profile on the site (which we were both on). He thought that the both of us would really get on. So, came her request and my acceptance of it.

In the brief, too-little correspondences we shared, it was to my delight that her spirit matched her photo. But, how could it not? We encouraged each other, gave words of support, offered gentility in those episodes in life that bring darkness... We never spoke about acting. She was also an actress. Much of her credits lie in the theatre, with, I believe, 2 or so credits of film. She would always tell me that she was going to steal the quotes I had on my site because it held such truth for her as well and she would always thank me (as if I were the one that said it). The quote she most loved was the one by Samuel Beckett:

"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." (Which I only knew of because of an interview I read on Natasha Richardson, long, long ago)

My favorite comment of hers that she made about one of my photos was:

"what a wonderful picture!
it looks like you're lying in your own wing....beautiful!! "

Only she would write me something like that! Angel-thoughts.Her birthday is tomorrow, December 13th. She would have been 32.She was killed on Wednesday (December 10th) evening when a car hit her as she was crossing the street. She was on her way home after a workshop held by Rosa von Praunheim. She died at the scene.

She was born in Mannheim. Spoke Turkish, French, Spanish and English. Studied philosophy, history, sociology, and theatre. She is survived by her mother, two sisters and boyfriend.

She was an angel through-and-through. And now, passing from this door to the next, she takes her angelic attribute and is watching over all of us she has touched. Perhaps, even over those who never had her in their lives. I wouldn't be surprised.

Our very last exchange (on this earth) was my response to her status of her being lost in a deep black hole:

"remember it's always darkest right before the light appears...
sending wonderfully beautiful thoughts to you~"

From that she sent me a message and I sent her one back. That was the last of it. I never had the chance to meet her...

Our Full-Time Angel's name: Melek Diehl.

Her name is Turkish and means, "Angel." (Thank you for telling me that, Mahmut)

Melek is now resting in Great Peace.

(c) lovelle liquigan 2008

*Please, if you know of any error that is written here, let me know and it will be corrected straightaway*

Mark Your Calendars! (or not...)

2008-11-16T20:01:00.000-08:00

I'll be performing on Saturday, November 22nd @ 1p. Reading the roles of Nora and Odile in Evan Guilford-Blake's AN UNCOMMON LANGUAGE, directed by David Gold
And, I'll also be performing on Sunday, November 23rd @ 1p. Reading the role of Melissa in Michael E Wolfson's CAT AND MOUSE, directed by Karen Wray

I'll be performing the opening week-end:
Friday, December 5th @ 8p
Saturday, December 6th @ 4p & 8p
Sunday, December 7th @ 4p

COME! COME!! COME!!!

www.panndoraproductions.com/index.html

red shoes

Friends in the Theatre

2008-10-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

If you are in the Southern parts of Cali, watch my friends: Anna-Kate and Larry, in their respective shows: MAME and BAT BOY.

Anna-Kate is playing Gooch in MAME at the Long Beach Playhouse. http://www.lbph.com/Mainset.htm

Larry is playing various characters, including a surprising character (which he told me because he thought I would be in NY and wouldn't get the chance to catch him in the show... Oh! How plans change...) in BAT BOY at the Warner Grand Theatre. http://www.therelevantstage.com/

And...if you are in NY, I found out yesterday morn that my friend, Daniel, will be in the musical SHREK. Can you say, "Donkey"? =) http://www.shrekthemusical.com/index.html

Yes. I have no shame in plugging my friends, my happiness for them, and showing them off. Get yourself to the theatre and have some fun. Not only are they extremely talented, but they are supreme human beings.

red shoes

"The Fall"

2008-09-19T03:19:00.002-07:00

I wanted to watch this because I'm a huge fan of Justine Waddell and Lee Pace. I am now a fan of the little Romanian girl that played, Alexandria, Catinca Untaru. She is charming, enchanting and a joy to watch.

Quoting with Martha Graham

2008-09-18T00:58:00.002-07:00

No artist is ahead of her time. She is the time. It is just that others are behind the time.

Sing it, Mama! Ain't that the truth?

Poetry-Time Cafe with Emily Dickinson

2008-09-02T01:02:00.002-07:00

Part Four: Time and Eternity

LXIII

Ample make this bed.
Make this bed with awe;
In it wait till judgment break
Excellent and fair.

Be its mattress straight,
Be its pillow round;
Let no sunrise’ yellow noise
Interrupt this ground.

What's Up?!! with Gymnastics and Jenn Stuczynski's Coach?

2008-08-18T20:45:00.009-07:00

The Olympic Committee needs to meet up again and fix the rules for gymnastics scoring. Nastia was tied with the Chinese gymnast, Kexin He, in the uneven bars individual standing. Tied for the gold, mind you. But, because of RULES in gymnastics...you can't have 2 gymnasts winning gold. What?!!! Let me shout that one out again,

WHAT?!!!??!!

And, and, AND...they took away the perfect 10 score? Huh?!!! Uh...why?

There should have been 2 bright, smiling ladies on that gold podium: Kexin and Nastia. Nastia's program, though, was superior, I believe. But, away from that, they shoulda BOTH been up there.

Even when Marta Karolyi (Bela's wife) was explaining the scoring and the tie-breaking rules to both Nastia and her father...I was still confused! Even when the commentators explained...I was scrunching my forehead. Even when things seemed to be clearer in my head about the scoring...I was wanting to slap the Australian judge! Ha! But, not many things are judged objectively these days. It's all subject.

Get it straight for the next Games, Olympic Committee! Don't be robbing future athletes.

And, now...for the coach of pole vaulting silver-medalist, Jenn Stuczynksi. If I were the people standing next to him, I would have DECKED him. No doubt in my mind. How dare he talk to her in that way. He was so defensive with her, so angry. He couldn't even look her in the eye and was holding on to his Blackberry the whole time he was chastising her.

Coach! Your girl won the silver! Shut the hell up and be proud.

I Hate douchbag, ass-wipes like that. She needs to get a new coach.

Three Cheers for you, Jenn! You placed in the Olympic games against Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia (who broke her own world record!) who was the gold-medalist the last Olympics.

Jipped at the Olympics, the Emotional Bela and a Post-Script

2008-08-17T20:25:00.001-07:00

What the hey-ho? What was up with the judges for the women's vault? Alicia should have gotten atleast bronze and she ends up in that awful place of 4th?!!!

What?!!

And how much do I adore Bela Karolyi? I've always loved him and having him choke up while in reaction of ghastly sadness about Alicia? He was so choked up that I finally let my tears out for Alicia.

C'mon!!!

Alicia hit her vaults. Tiny steps on her landings. But, I'm sorry...did she fall out of bounds? No. Did she almost land on her knees? No. Did she ever put her hands down on the mat when she landed? NO.

And who did? China and Korea. I have had great support for China in gymnastics. They were amazing in the team performances. But, HELLO! I understand the start values of their vaults were high BUT there were some obvious mistakes those girls made. Mm-mm-mm.

I don't get it.

But, let me give *three cheers* to Oksana competing for Germany (not her native Russia). That woman is 33-years-old. Hello! She had gold and was knocked down to silver after Korea went (and made her mistakes. Mm...).

PS I love Shawn Johnson. I wish she won the gold for her floor exercise. She's adorable (I mean that in a great way...because I know what it feels like to always be called, "cute," *ugh*) and illuminating.

One More Thing About the Torres That is Dara...

2008-08-17T11:24:00.004-07:00

I was watching her on NBC. She was giving an interview and I loved her honesty. She said that she was disappointed. She's a competitive person, so, of course she would be. And she was saying, Thank God, that what happened to Cavic against Phelps 2 nights ago had never happened to her. She added with, maybe she had jinxed herself. She's supreme, man.

Wouldn't it be aMAYzing if she came back for the London games? *whew*

She's got a great spirit.

Here's an article on Dara done last year in November:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/meet-dara-torres

I Love Dara Torres

2008-08-16T19:56:00.003-07:00

"Don't put an age limit on your dreams."

What an amazing woman she is. I remember looking at photos of her in Olympics special magazines in Olympics years past. What an inspiration. 41-one-years old? Get out! 11 Olympic medals? Missing 2 Olympics and then coming back this year? C'mon!!! She's got a kid? And she chats her competitors and her teammates off like a 16-year-old school girl! She's great.

Last night, she showed sportsmanship. The kind of sportsmanship that is worthy of the Olympics. One of the swimmers (I believe the one from Sweden) had ripped her suit and went to put on a new one right before the semi for the 50m freestyle. Dara went over to one of the refs (is that what they're called? Beats me) and told her about what was going on with the Swedish swimmer. Lane 2 was empty. Dara then went to splash herself on the side, went back to her place, and let every one know that things would be okay and to calm down, that they just had to wait a couple of minutes for the Swedish swimmer to get her suit on.

With all that that COULD HAVE marred her focus, she pulled out to be first place in that semi to secure a place in the final in which she won silver. She almost had the gold. She needed that Phelps miracle.

I know what that feels like, on the minutest of levels. I played basketball for 6 1/2 years. Was MVP for 3 years and Most Inspirational for 1. I'm very competitive and hate to lose. There were games where my team would lose by 1 point to which I would have rather lost by 20. It was always hard to swallow but you always continue on. But, I can only imagine (yet, perhaps not) what kind of disappointment one must feel in the Olympics when they are so close to gold.

BUT, that does not take away anything at all from one competing in the Olympic Games. They are one of hundreds of the greatest athletes in the world. Amazing.

I love the summer Olympics. I always have. There's nothing like it. The intensity of the demands made on these spectacular individuals; physically, mentally, emotionally. Mm-mm-mm. The strain, the pressure, the Want. These athletes have an objective and they will do what it takes (hopefully, legally) to win.

I love it. I'm inspired not only by the ones who win gold, silver, bronze; but by the personal stories, the people behind the athletes, the sportsmanship, the teamanship, the Great support. NEVER have I not cried during the Olympics. Never.

Quoting Stella Adler, Not Seen (AGAIN), Opportunity at the Last Moment, and a Roof Over My Head?

2008-08-13T12:09:00.002-07:00

"It takes three things to make it in this business: the tenacity of a bulldog, the hide of a rhinoceros, and a good home to come home to."
~Stella Adler

She was right.

I went to an audition for the New York Theatre Workshop. Ready to go. Again, there were many of us (of course!), and EMCs and Non-Eqs were not seen. I was somewhat ecstatic when the announcement was made. Not because I didn't have to audition, but because I didn't have to play the waiting game! Waiting in vain. WELL. It was disappointing but like the last EPA, I left my headshot and resume at the front desk. I was 8th on the EMC list. But, the Equity alternate list (by the time I put on my hide of a rhino over my face) was up to 40. Yikes. I am a lucky-unlucky gal.

I really hope these experiences don't turn me into a sado-masochistic, repressed hermit. In which I will dwell (somehwere hopefully with a roof and four walls) in a place where I will let the vines grow, the dirt accumulate, cats gathering (and I don't even like cats because I'm allergic to them. And I'm afraid of them), blah-blah a la "Grey Gardens" or Kim Stanley's dwellings towards the end of her life. I'll end up writing gads of poetry (which I'm known to do in my bouts of inspiration), never sleeping because I'll just want to paint (which I used to do back in 2005-2006, until it got too much, I dried out and went to sleep, and hoped that I would like my work in the morning) all night, dance in a sheer nightgown at 3 in the morn with nothing under, sing every song I know, and shout Shakespeare out to the sea (hopefully, I'll live by the sea. Otherwise, where will I shout Shakespeare?). I'll be gloom and doom, offereing acting classes in my backyard to which I will wear a big hat and Jackie Os, and be named one of the most intriguing people who are unknown. Oh! And in between all that, find time to frolic in the rain and laugh. HA! I think I should stop. I'm having too much fun with this. Spooky...

Alright.

Last night. At about 5.45 my phone rang with a 212-area code. I had this feeling(can't describe, it was a feeling). I wasn't going to answer it but the thought that kept scrolling in my mind's eye was: The Pearl Theatre Company. I didn't want to answer it. I did anyway (there goes doing something I fear for that day=P). Sure enough, it was the assistant to the Artistic Director of The Pearl. At first, it sounded like she was calling to tell me that I was rejected (which would have been appreciated because at least you KNOW) but something inside told me that she was going to make me an offer. She did. They offered me understudy roles in OEDIPUS. I told her that I would love to. She was happy to hear that and then went into the fine print of this deal to which my heart kind of beat in slow motion, and I started to get all self-doubty and questioning myself. She told me that she would email the offer and give me more details, that she wanted me to think about it and call her with my answer the next day (which is today).

In the email, she told me that they also want to offer me an understudy role in NATHAN THE WISE, but that they didn't need an answer straightaway because it was too soo and they want to give me a chance to see if I like and want to be involved further with the company.

I rang up my Ma. Towards the end of our conversation tears were streaming down my face. I rang my Dad and the same thing happened. What's my problem? Well, it's not just one problem. Right now, the major problems (shall I re-phrase that to questions?) are two-fold: Where will I live?; and: I have no money to get a place of my own or even share a place. Mm...the actor's life for me.

I started talking very in-depth with my parents about it as I have never before with them. I believe that's where the tears came from because something is actually happening, this is like skipping 3-steps climbing up the staircase. Whereas, these auditions and callbacks, and rejections and getting cast (having to turn-down) are all moving me forward, step-by-step. Hopefully. Anywaa...then I said, "Isn't this what I came here for?"

Which is true, right? This isn't necessarily the way I had envisioned it but if I end up saying, "No," to this I KNOW I will regret it. But, I believe that God doesn't always send you questions and answers with a familiar face to them. Especially these "answers" that we ask for. We sometimes miss the recognition. Also, Rilke said that we've got to live in the questions and if we are fortunate enough, through that we'll hopefully live in the answer.

Alright.
Enough of that.

I've got an opportunity that any one in my position would want to snatch. And, if you noticed what I wrote, I did. I told her that, "I'd love to." It's just that when my cogs started to turn in this wrinkly mind of mine, I got all weird. And question-y.

My answer, of course, is, "Yes." I will be ringing her in a couple of minutes. I've got to figure out what questions I want and need to ask about this understudy-thing.

It's the classics. This is what I want to do. This is what the Pearl does. The classics. This is what I came here to do. I may not necessarily be on the stage but I'm involved and I'm being given an opportunity that I'd be a damn fool not to take.

Isn't this funny. Ironic? Of course, when I'll be leaving to come back home to California this happens. I will admit to you, however, I thought so. I thought and imagined that it would happen like this. THOUGH, I did have grander illusions. You know, like Broadway. A lead role. A featured role. You know...just that.

So...to any of my friends (I don't really have any in NY but I'll ask anyway), if you have a couch that I can sleep on for the autumn season let me know. I need a roof over my head, four walls, and a good blanket to keep me warm.

Here's a link to The Pearl: http://www.pearltheatre.org/

Currently reading: Changing by Liv Ullmann

A Question, a Long Side Note, Singing Live, and a Warning

2008-08-12T06:36:00.009-07:00

Susan Sarandon was on, "Regis and Kelly," a few minutes ago. -side note- Do you know how wonderful it is not to have to get up this morning and work at the museum? 9-5 sucks when you don't love what you are doing. My last day working at the Met was Saturday. It was bittersweet. I won't miss the job or the money (what money?!!!). I will miss, terribly, those that I worked with (not all of them); from my supervisors (who are tremendous work-horses and I never resented anything they gave me to do) to the women that worked in the next shops over (they were all beautiful to me). - Man! That was a LONG side note, eh? - Emily Proctor (who is a great actress. I first watched her on one of my favorite shows, "The West Wing") mentioned Susan as being a great inspiration and motivation. Emily sited an interview that Susan gave for some psychology magazine and she said something to this effect: Either you retreat from the world, or you expand into it.

That's great! Isn't that great?

So, the question for all of us today is: Are you a retreater or an expander?

After Susan's interview, the Jonas Brothers performed. If their fans read this next comment by me, they'll probably hunt me down and burn me at the stake, but I will say it anyway: The Jonas Brothers are AWFUL live.

This is the second time I've watched them on live TV. First time was on, "Dancing with the Stars," where they performed a great song by a-ha, "Take on Me." I really like that song. They were...eh. The vocals just aren't strong to me.

You know, maybe they're tired. They're voices are shot. They're some busy boys I can imagine. I just haven't seen a great live performance that's all. Maybe if I were a fan it would be different...? I'm not a fan.

To be honest, I can't really stand the images of celebrities today. Mostly the "young-set." Hopefully, they see themselves when they look in the mirror. If not...the mind is a fragile thing. It's powerful and vulnerable at the same time. They must be careful.

Anywaa...

If you forgot the question for today here it is, once again:
Are you a retreater or an expander?

Currently reading: FEMALE BRANDO: The Legend of Kim Stanley by Jon Krampner

...Glow...? and The Pearl

2008-08-11T20:30:00.004-07:00

A remarkable thing happened to me during my wind-down after my work-out. I do one more sun salutation before going into final stretches and elongations of my body, then end with a meditation (if you can call it that). As I was coming up from my resting pose, my eyes closed, there came from my mind's eye this bright light. The kind of light that shows up when you've looked into the sun. And then it seemed to halo around my head and for a second, I thought that the room was full of glowing light. I opened my eyes in amazement and almost started to tear up. Which was followed by confusion and seconds of wonder at what just happened. Beats me why I became skeptical. I suppose that's what NY does to you...makes you jaded, cynical and always questioning (though, I was always questioning before I came here!). I also noticed that heat was emanating from my hands and from my orange chakra (when I was back in college in movement class, we did a session working with our chakras. When class ended, one of my classmates said that my green chakra was powerful. At that time, we learned the green chakra was where our sexual organs were. I would NEVER have thought someone would EVER say that to me. It was a shock. I write this because it is the orange chakra which we thought was the green. It is related to emotion, sexuality and creativity. Hm...nice.).

Earlier today, I had an audition at the Pearl Theatre Company for 2 of their shows which will start off their season: OEDIPUS AT COLONUS and NATHAN THE WISE. I auditioned for the Pearl in late March. I did alright. Not bad. Could have done better (as always). This audition went very well and I really was taken with my auditioners. They were kind and supportive. It was an energy and the way I was spoken to. They had me read for Polynices (in OEDIPUS... - yes, Polynices is the BROTHER of Antigone. A female is playing that role) and Rachel (in NATHAN...). They need understudies for both roles. I was pretty nervous going in. I was almost late; I made it by 3 minutes. *whew* Once I got off the train, it was as if an outfit of nerves draped over me. My God. I couldn't walk. I was weak-knee'd. My arms were weak. It was strange. The guy I read with was a good guy. I liked him. He was onstage with me and I felt we were on the same wavelength. That's always nice!

I've discovered it's easier to let go of auditions these days, not completely, but I don't get my hopes up. I'm grounded in my own reality.

I've recounted some of my auditions whilst living here in NY. I think I have all of them, but there may be some that I've missed...or not:

for a short film (I got a call for this audition as I was waiting for my plane to take me to NY. I auditioned the next evening. I was cast, but I let it go because I didn't have a good energy from the guy. Not that he was a creep...just something)
for The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (for their tours of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM and ROMEO & JULIET. And not for roles that you would expect me to auditon for: Titania - what?!!! and Lady Capulet - eh?!!! I did very well at this one and I enjoyed my reader)
for a management company: Baker Management (I had to read a commercial for Columbo yogurt - GOD! and then I had to do a monologue. I did not prepare because they told I didn't have to. Mistake. This one wasn't a good one. But, I learned, as usual!)
for Primary Stages Advanced Scene Study (I got in and got a scholarship)
for HB Studio (I got into the Shakespeare class. After my monologue, the teacher exclaimed a question, "Was that JOAN?!!!" I loved my teacher)
for The Pearl Theatre Company (it was a general audition in which I performed 2 Joan monologue's: Shakespeare's and Shaw's)
for WEST SIDE STORY (I didn't get seen. They cut me. Can you believe that? I was so angry, it was a healthy anger where I said to myself, "Where's the next audition? I'm ready.")
for The Acting Company (I was AWFUL!!! HAHAHA!!!)
for SPF (The Public Theater's summer festival founded by Arielle Tepper. I didn't get seen and was down about that)
for EYES FOR CONSUELA (I had a great auditon. I got called-back)
for THE SEA GULL (I learned a lot from this one, mainly that I could even go bigger. To think...I could have been understudying Nina and Masha, and watching Kristin Scott Thomas from the wings)
for MARISOL (I performed my newest monologue - which I love - and kicked ass with it. I got called-back)
for AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (don't ask. I was awful. But...after that audition I set out to find more earthy monologues for my repertoire)
for a short film through Metrofilms (the title of the short was, "The Panty Pantry," I did not know that until I got the script at the audition. The script ended up being cutely clever. I kicked major ass in that one and got cast. I had to give it up because of scheduling conflicts)
for the seasons of The Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons and Second Stage Theatre (I didn't get seen. Poo)
for the Pearl, again (OEDIPUS AT COLONUS & NATHAN THE WISE)

You know...I've got to be an Olympian in this acting scene. With these auditions, that's how I gotta think. I'm an Olympic auditioner! HA!!!!

Currently reading: FEMALE BRANDO: The Legend of Kim Stanley by Jon Krampner

Kim Stanley

2008-08-11T09:15:00.005-07:00

Exactly 2 years ago today, I wrote an entry about this actress I knew nothing of. Two weeks ago (tomorrow) a co-worker of mine bought me her biography that I've wanted since the title intriguing me at Borders 2 years ago. I'm almost halfway finished. I started it last Friday. I have my issues with the book. But, I won't get into it. Nothing to do with Kim, but more the content that has Nothing to do with Kim that unnerves me.

Anywaa...here is what I wrote in 2006:

LOOK at that face...

That's right folks...don't mess with her!

I am a woman OBSESSED right now. My obsession lies in finding out as much as I can on the actress Kim Stanley. I did not know who this woman was at all (I don't think). Until, I went to the Drama section at the Borders in the Cerritos Town Center a couple of weeks ago. There was a hardback book with a title that intrigued me, FEMALE BRANDO: The Legend of Kim Stanley. Now, I was confusing this actress with Kim Hunter (the one who played Stella opposite Brando in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE). I kept thinking of Hunter but when I looked at the pictures, they didn't look like her. At all. OBVIOUSLY! HELLO! I'm such an idiot! But, while I was looking through the book and the pictures...I could not think of Hunter's last name. Until, today when I was researching on Stanley. Sheesh!!! Man! I'm gonna have to go and buy the biography. There are a couple of films that I want to buy as well: SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON, THE GODDESS, THE THREE SISTERS, FRANCES, &c.

What got me thinking about Kim Stanley, again, after all these weeks was John Garfield. I was flipping channels (as usual) and came upon TCM. They were doing a special on John Garfield and it was at the point where he had to testify during the McCarthy trials and he put himself through a professional suicide. Then it went on to him performing in GOLDEN BOY (which, I believe, Clifford Odets wrote for him) and they showed a clip of him performing it in 1950 (?) on CBS (?) alongside Kim Stanley. And, now, here I am beginning my journey on trying to learn as much as I can on this actress that I know nothing about except that she was a great actress. A great, great actress. A method actress that took the method too seriously, perhaps. Her life is laced with tragedy. She had numerous affairs, 4 failed marriage, some children (3, I believe). She was an alcoholic. There's so much. I'm gonna have to get that book. I want to get the biography! Her film credits are few. Too few. She's had many, many appearances on television, doing live drama. Live. Not taped. She much preferred the theatre. That was her home. Definitely.

Kim Stanley seems very fierce to me. Meticulous and tenacious. Ferocious. Rawrrr.

I wrote a bit more in the entry about my difficulty getting into the skin of the part I was playing at that time, Princess Estrella in LIFE IS A DREAM. I wasn't filming any comfort in her skin, at all. It was a strange discomfort of nothing fitting and it was driving me crazy. I was researching Kim with no end believing that she would help me with Estrella, in some mystical way as it can happen only in the theatre to an actress that is stuck.

Currently reading: FEMALE BRANDO: The Legend of Kim Stanley by Jon Krampner

Bayo Iribhogbe

2008-08-11T06:08:00.007-07:00

Bayo is an artist that I met on the street while on my break from work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

His work moved me. I would NEVER have stopped had his work not punched me in the face (in a good way=). The colors, the atmosphere...I just had to stop and tell him. It turned into a full-fledged conversation where we shared the same outlook and passions. We traded cards (yes! I finally made a business card for myself!) and I hope to keep in touch with him.

He displayed about 3 (or 4?) of his newest pieces. One was titled, Gathering (a splash of my favorite colors to paint in: red, orange and yellow), and Market Scene (blues and white, with a speckle of red deliberately painted on - love to paint in blues and white as well).

Here is his website (you Must more than check it out...you will not regret it):
http://bayostudio.com/

Currently reading: FEMALE BRANDO: The Legend of Kim Stanley by Jon Krampner

Guess Who Got Cast? ...

2008-08-05T19:30:00.006-07:00

I did!
Guess who had to turn it down?
I did.

Yes. You read that right. I had to turn down a 10-minute short because they will be filming in September/October and I'm leaving for California on the 25th of this month. *bleah*

The director told me that he really wanted me to be part of his short but I had to let it go because ... well ... to put it frankly: I'm not getting paid for it and I have no funds to buy another ticket to fly back to NY and then back to CA. He was kind to say that he would pay for my ticket if he could.

What was nice is that the director told me that they kept going back to me when trying to put the cast together. He kept asking the others with him if it was because I was the first to be seen. But, even at the audition he told me (which is totally weird because MOST OF THE TIME auditioners are very stoic or just hoity-toity, and don't say a word except, Thank you, and the dreaded, Great job) that he was really impressed (which means that they are at the beginning stages of their own careers, as well, because that just doesn't happen) and that he defintely wanted to keep in touch. He said that I came in like a bullet after only just 5-10 minutes of having the script; I had great timing and the emotional range...et cetera and so on and so forth...

The guys kept telling him, "The first girl! We gotta go with the first girl." And every time he watched the tape he kept saying, "She nailed it." So, that makes me feel real good.

But, I had to turn it down. Ha! *ugh*

You know...the feeling I have to start off this week and this month is exactly how I felt my first month in NY back in October/November. This is good.

Real good.

Currently reading: Self-Portrait by Gene Tierney

"Leave Her To Heaven"

2008-08-04T16:05:00.006-07:00

One of my favorite movies. Starring one of the most beautiful actresses I've ever seen on screen. Gene Tierney. Another one of my favorite actresses. It also stars Cornel Wilde, who is dreamy.

Directed by: John M Stahl
Written by: Jo Swerling (based on the novel by Ben Ames Williams)

Currently reading: Self-Portrait by Gene Tierney

Harvey's Broadway Blog: Estelle Getty

2008-07-28T08:58:00.004-07:00

Saturday, July 26, 2008; @ 3.49p; from: http://broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=30439

by Harvey Fierstein

Harvey Returns! Welcome to The Return of special new series on BroadwayWorld.com - four time Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein's personal MySpace blog about the journey of his new musical A Catered Affair and more. We'll be exclusively picking up Harvey Fierstein's blog as he shares his first hand reports from rehearsals to the upcoming closing night on July 27th and beyond.

I wrote the following about ESTELLE GETTY for today's edition of the NY POST but just in case you missed it...

At the height of "The Golden Girls" popularity, there was no more beloved character on television than Sophia Petrillo. Estelle Getty, who brought Sophia indelibly to life, was awestruck: "What the hell is going on? I have the highest TVQ of any woman on television?"

It was true. For several years, Estelle Getty, formerly Estelle Gettleman of Bayside, Queens, was the most popular, likable and bankable star on any network. She was bigger than Carol Burnett, more salable than Mary Tyler Moore, and surer to deliver viewers than Cher. Still, the day after she won the Emmy, she told me she'd trade it and her Golden Globe for a Tony.

Estelle Getty was, despite all of the glamour, glory and gold of television fame, a theater creature.

Along with her husband, Arthur, and friends Anne and Jules Weiss, she was a fixture at La Mama ETC and other Off-Off Broadway venues. Working as a bookkeeper by day, this semi-pro actress haunted the East Village by night supporting experimental theater.

In 1978 when we produced the first of the plays that would become "Torch Song Trilogy," Estelle chided me: "Listen, Mr Big Shot playwright. Why don't you write the role of your mother and I'll play it opposite you?"

Just picturing this 4-foot-8-inch fireball playing the mother of a 6-foot-tall drag queen made me giggle. The following year, when she came to see the second of the trilogy, she challenged me again and this time I took the bait. I went home and created Mrs. Beckoff for Estelle.

From the first reading through seven years of productions here and on the road, the marriage of actress to role was remarkable. There was simply nothing like seeing Arnold's front door open and this henna- wigged tornado dressed in a turquoise suit and carrying a raffia purse arrive onstage to announce, "I'm the mother."

So great was her performance that almost every audience member identified with my character. You read that right: Estelle's Mrs Beckoff was so identifiable that everyone claimed her as his or her mother. And if she were their mother, then they were a 6-foot drag queen. It was magic.

The thing about Estelle was that you could not catch her acting. She was being. If her character was supposed to be angry, Estelle got angry. If her character was broken hearted, the actress was broken hearted. On stage there was simply no deception. It all felt real.

Acting opposite her was an absolute pleasure and complete challenge. She demanded the same truth from the rest of us that she was delivering. And when we'd fool around onstage, as actors in long runs are apt to do, she would berate us, even hit us, and then join in the laugh.

Popular thinking is that by creating Mrs. Beckoff, I launched Estelle's career. But it is just as true that when Estelle inspired that character, she gave me mine.

Without the mother, "Torch Song Trilogy" would never have achieved its universal popularity and might not have reached further than La Mama. But with the mother the play was, and remains, a force not to be denied.

And so, hand in hand in hand, Estelle, Mrs Beckoff and I marched our way to Broadway and theater history.

Still, with Estelle's triumph in the show came disappointment, When the Tony Award nominations were announced for 1982, Estelle was somehow overlooked. We were all stunned. How could anyone who'd witnessed that performance overlook the achievement?

The only explanation I could muster was that she was so natural in the way she inhabited the role that people couldn't see how hard she was actually working. She made it all look effortless when it was anything but.

Estelle was dealt another blow four years later when she wasn't cast in the film version of "Torch Song." Although we never discussed it directly, I knew how much that hurt her. (Recently, I've come to know exactly how she felt — know what I mean?)

Estelle and I remained friends and supporters of each other's efforts for more than 30 years. I'm proud to say that her last professional job was voicing a character for my HBO family special, "The Sissy Duckling." I take comfort in knowing that the world will always have a part of her in those endless "Golden Girls" reruns.

But only the theater audiences who saw her onstage have any idea who we really lost this week.

Harvey Fierstein is the author of Torch Song Trilogy, for which he received Tony Awards for Best Play and Best Actor. He is also the recipient of the Tony Award for his book of the musical La Cage Aux Folles. His other plays include Safe Sex, Spookhouse and Forget Him. Harvey's most recent Broadway credits include starring as Tevye in the record-breaking revival of Fiddler on the Roof, and as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, for which he won his fourth Tony Award (Best Actor in a Musical). Other honors include three Drama Desk Awards, the Drama League Award, the New York Magazine Award, a special Obie, Theater World and L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards. He has also been nominated for an Emmy ("Cheers" guest star), American Comedy Award (Mrs. Doubtfire) and London's Olivier Award (Torch Song Trilogy). Harvey won the Humanitas Award in 2000 for writing the HBO animated special "The Sissy Duckling," which is also published as a children's book. Fierstein has also appeared in numerous film and television productions.

My Favorite Moments of the Tony Awards '08

2008-07-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

I'm kinda late in posting, but what the hey! I got tied up and didn't bother to finish. But, here it is, anywaa... It's nice to be brought back, eh?

Deanna Dunagan winning Best Actress for AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. I really wish that there had been a tie, though. I think BOTH Deanna and Amy Morton should have won the award.

Rondi Reed winning for Best Featured Actress for AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. And her praise for: Amy Morton! Amy Morton! Amy Morton! &c...

Patti LuPone's speech for winning Best Actress in a Musical for GYPSY.

Laura Benanti's speech for winning Best Featured Actress in a Musical for GYPSY.

Lily Tomlin's hommage walk to Marisa Tomei.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's speech for winning Best Original Score for IN THE HEIGHTS.

Anna D. Shapiro winning Best Director of AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY.

Tracy Letts winning for Best Play for AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY.

The irreverant speech of Mark Rylance, winning for BOEING-BOEING.

And...Whoopi Goldberg as the Host. She was dynamite!

I auditioned for...

2008-07-17T19:50:00.006-07:00

...AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY.

Honestly. The Broadway production.

I fell on my ass. But, that's okay. I'm pissed -- I'm more bummed out, really.

It's okay because I'm always learning from my auditions. Especially in the last year or so.

I went in with a piece that I was/am passionate about. It just fizzled out. I'm a horrible auditioner but that's not an excuse because there have been auditions in which I've knocked it out of the room and then back again.

I'm examining what happened today. Not asking that dreaded question, "Why"? but more, "What can I do for the NEXT time. The next lucky/blessed opportunity?"

The past few weeks I've had 4 auditions (2 that were very good and 1 that was alright, and 1 that bombed -- HA!), and 2 callbacks (both of which were very good). What I noticed was the 2 that were good and bombed...were for Broadway shows (THE SEAGULL and AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY).

Interesting...

So, let me leave you with 2 scenes from the show (I found this video on Steppenwolf's myspace page).
Enjoy. Really. I always do.

I can't WAIT for the NEXT Rejection!!! It's another step on that ladder (and it's a LONG 'n' HIGH one). All it's doing is bringing me a little closer each time.

Bring it.

Smiling Down On Me

2008-07-10T18:08:00.006-07:00

The weather was marvelous today in NYC. Mid-80's with an oh-so-just-right breeze. I was on my lunch break sitting in Central Park on a bench under the shade, and when I looked up above me with my eyes shaded by my Jackie O's and my body shaded by the trees, I swear, there was a rainbow smiling down on me.

Good things are coming. Whether they're disguised or in plain sight; good things Will come.

SEAGULL, with Kristin Scott Thomas and Peter Sarsgaard, to Play the Kerr

2008-06-30T16:03:00.007-07:00

I love Krisitn Scott Thomas.
I love Chekhov's THE SEAGULL.
What a combination!

Last week, I auditioned for this production. They need(ed) understudies for all the roles. One lucky gal will understudy both the roles of Nina and Masha. I didn't receive a call about it, and it really stinks that I have to let this one go, but I must persevere on---> =)

Nonetheless, I would LOVE to see this production.
(I would Love MORE to be in it, to be part of it;)

By Andrew Gans
30 Jun 2008

Ian Rickson's acclaimed production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, which played a January-March 2007 run at London's Royal Court, will begin previews Sept. 16 at the Walter Kerr Theatre.

The production, which features a new translation by playwright Christopher Hampton (Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Philanthropist), was the final play to be directed by Rickson as the Court's artistic director. Opening on Broadway will be Oct. 1. The production will play a limited run of 14 weeks through Dec. 21.

(The Kerr is the current home of A Catered Affair, which will end its run July 27.)

Kristin Scott Thomas will reprise her Olivier Award-winning performance as Arkadina for New York audiences. She will be joined onstage by Peter Sarsgaard, who will also be making his Broadway debut, as Trigorin. The cast will also feature members of the original Royal Court Theatre cast, including Mackenzie Crook as Konstantin, Art Malik as Dorn, Carey Mulligan as Nina, Pearce Quigley as Medvedenko, Peter Wight as Sorin, Christopher Patrick Nolan as Yakov and Mary Rose as the Maid. The production will also feature Zoe Kazan as Masha, with other casting to be announced at a later date.

Chekhov wrote The Seagull in 1985. The classic play, according to press notes, concerns "the romantic entanglements and regrets of a group of actors, writers and artists gathered on a Russian estate."

The production will feature designs by Hildegard Bechtler, lighting by Peter Mumford, sound by Ian Dickinson and music by Stephen Warbeck.

Kristin Scott Thomas won the 2007 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance as Arkadina in The Seagull. She received an Academy Award nomination for her performance in "The English Patient" and has also been seen in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," "Gosford Park," "Random Hearts," "Life as a House," "The Horse Whisperer," "Angels and Insects," "The Other Boleyn Girl" and "The Walker" as well as the upcoming ""Easy Virtue," "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and "I've Loved You So Long."

Peter Sarsgaard made his screen debut in "Dead Man Walking" and has since appeared in "Kinsey," "Shattered Glass" (National Society of Film Critics Award), "Garden State," "Boys Don't Cry," "Rendition," "The Dying Gaul," "Jarhead," "The Skeleton Key," "Flightplan," "Year of the Dog" and the upcoming "In the Electric Mist," "Orphan," "Elegy," "An Education" and "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh." He trained at the Actor's Studio and appeared Off-Broadway in Signature Theatre's production of Burn This and Laura Dennis and Drama Dept.'s Kingdom of Earth.

The Seagull will be produced on Broadway by Sonia Friedman Productions, Bob Boyett, Robert G. Bartner, Dede Harris, Eric Falkenstein, Fox Theatricals, Dena Hammerstein, Sharon Karmazin, Olympus Theatricals, Spring Sirkin, Tara Smith, Mort Swinsky, Karl Sydow, The Weinstein Company and Jay & Cindy Gutterman.

Show times will be Tuesdays-Saturdays at 8 PM with matinees Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 PM and Sundays at 3 PM. There will be an extra performance Sunday, Oct. 5 at 8 PM.

Ticket information will be announced shortly.

The Walter Kerr Theatre is located in Manhattan at 219 West 48th Street.

from: playbill.com
photo of Kristin Scott Thomas as Arkadina in the London production of THE SEAGULL by Johan Persson

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY to Play London's National in Fall 2008

2008-06-21T21:41:00.008-07:00

from: http://www.playbill.com

By Mark Shenton
June 20, 2008

It has been confirmed that the National Theatre will present the London debut of this year's Tony Award-winning Best Play, Tracy Letts' August: Osage County.

The Steppenwolf Theatre Company production will begin an eight-week run in the Lyttelton Theatre in late November (with precise dates still to be confirmed). Most of the original Broadway cast will likely reprise their performances in London.

Steppenwolf previously appeared at the National Theatre in 1989, when they transferred their stage adaptation of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath from Chicago to London, ahead of a Broadway run the year after.

Playwright Letts won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the three-and-a-half-hour dark ensemble comedy-drama about three generations of an Oklahoma clan. The Broadway production also picked up five 2008 Tony Awards, including one for Best Play.

Directed by Anna D. Shapiro, August: Osage County "tells the explosively funny tale of the Weston clan, triggered by the recent disappearance of the family patriarch."

The designers are Todd Rosenthal (sets), Ana Kuzmanic (costumes), Ann G. Wrightson (lights), Richard Woodbury (sound) and David Singer (original music).

In New York August plays the Music Box Theatre.

Currently reading: Anecdotes of Destiny and Ehrengard by Isak Dinesen

Fengshen and a Ferry Down in the Philippines

2008-06-21T21:29:00.003-07:00

I can't seem to get over this line in the article: "...children's slippers were scattered on the shoreline."

UPDATE 1-At least 4 dead after ferry down in Philippines

Sat Jun 21, 2008 11:18pm EDT
(Adds details throughout)

By Rosemarie Francisco

MANILA, June 22 (Reuters) - A ferry with more than 700 people sank off the coast of the central Philippines in winds and high waves caused by Typhoon Fengshen and at least four people were killed, local officials said on Sunday.

"I sent a speed boat to check," Nanette Tansingco, a mayor of the coastal town of Romblon province, told local radio.

"They saw the boat upside down with a big hole in the hull."

She said at least four bodies were found and childrens' slippers were scattered on the shoreline.
The MV Princess of Stars stalled in rough seas near Sibuyan island on Saturday with 626 passengers and 121 crew on board as Fengshen, with winds gusting up to 195 kph (121 mph), ripped through the Philippines archipelago.

Coast guard vessels were unable to reach the ferry due to high waves and winds.

"We were told that at around 5 am the captain sounded the abandon ship signal," said Lieutenant General Pedro Inserto, military commander in the Visayas, the central region of the Philippines.

A local councillor, Ricardo Aligno, said the bodies of two women had been washed ashore. He said on a radio programme that more corpses had been found in other villages but high winds and rain made it difficult to reach those communities.

The coast guard was still verifying the reports early Sunday.

The ship, with a gross tonnage of 23,824.17 and total passenger capacity of 1,992 people, was enroute to the central province of Cebu from Manila.

Fengshen has already killed at least 17 people in the southern Philippines including an 8-year old girl and her grandfather who were buried in a "trash slide" at a rubbish dump in Cotabato City.
Over 20,000 people were being housed in evacuation centres in the centre and south of the archipelago, where the storm had triggered flashfloods, landslides and torn up trees and power lines.

In Iloilo City, the navy was using rubber boats to rescue some residents marooned on the roofs of their houses.

The typhoon pelted Manila with torrential rain and high winds early on Sunday, triggering power outages in many parts of the capital.

Most domestic and international flights were either delayed or cancelled and the airconditioning at Manila's international airport was only partly working.

Fengshen, the sixth typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, is headed north and expected to hit Taiwan in the next few days, according to storm tracker website http://www.tropicalstormrisk.com/.

About 20 typhoons hit the Philippines every year, triggering flooding and mass evacuations. Environmental groups blame illegal logging for making flooding worse, particularly in the central Philippines, where more than 5,000 people were killed in 1991 by floodwaters triggered by a typhoon. (Reporting by Carmel Crimmins; Additional reporting by Rosemarie Francisco and Manny Mogato; Editing by Valerie Lee)

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Currently reading: Anecdotes of Destiny and Ehrengard by Isak Dinesen

Art House Cafe avec red shoes on a thuuursday

2008-06-09T02:34:00.000-07:00

untitled
2002
pastel on canvas

untitled

2002
pastel on paper

untitled (blue)
2003
acrylic on canvas

untitled (green)
2003
acrylic on canvas

broken hearted
2003
acrylic on canvas

cordelia
2003
pen on paper

untitled
2003
acrylic on canvas

self-portrait (as frida in, "time flies" - make up class project)
2003
pencil on paper

untitled
2005
acrylic on canvas

untitled
2005
pen on paper

amnesty / compassion
2005
permanent marker on paper

blue sacrifice
2005
acrylic on canvas

carlos (a lesson in anger, sadness & forgiveness)
2005
acrylic on canvas

for debra
2005
acrylic on canvas

grotto prayer
2005
acrylic on canvas

torchsong
2005
acrylic on canvas

girl and hand mirror
2005
acrylic on canvas

lady in sandstorm
2005
acrylic on canvas

untitled
2005
acrylic on canvas

prayer for the faceless
2005
acrylic on canvas

for jen-jen (through the curtain)
2005
acrylic on canvas

untitled (on my birthday)
2006
acrylic on canvas

grey gardens
2006
acrylic on canvas

for liberty acting students
2006
acrylic on canvas

for kristin gedney
2006
acrylic on canvas

for AS YOU LIKE IT cast
2006
acrylic on canvas

untitled
2006
acrylic on canvas

for the andreas
2006
acrylic on canvas

for cecilia
2006
acrylic on canvas

for LIFE IS A DREAM cast
2007
acrylic on canvas

untitled
2007
acrylic on canvas

untitled (pink)
2007
acrylic on canvas

for eva
2007
acrylic on canvas

for serein
2007
acrylic on canvas

keeping the buoyancy
2007
oil pastel on gouache

untitled
2007
oil pastel on gouache

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY Wins Pulitzer Prize for Drama

2008-04-07T20:09:00.003-07:00

I had NO DOUBT that Tracy Letts would get the Pulitzer. YAY!!! Sure you can go and buy a copy of the play and read it. But, but, BUT (!) you should really go and SEE it at the Imperial till the 20th, and then starting on the 29th right next door at the Music Box. Go go GO----------------------dammit!

***
Here is the article from Playbill.com:

By Andrew Gans
and Robert Simonson, Adam Hetrick
07 Apr 2008

Tracy Letts' dysfunctional-family drama August: Osage County, which opened at Broadway's Imperial Theatre in December 2007, has won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

The Pulitzer Prize for Drama finalists were Yellow Face by David Henry Hwang and Dying City by Christopher Shinn.

The 2008 Letters, Drama and Music jurors included Peter Marks (drama critic for The Washington Post), David Lindsay-Abaire (the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner), Jeremy McCarter (drama critic for New York Magazine), Charles McNulty (drama critic for the L.A. Times) and Lisa Portes (head of MFA Directing and artistic director of Chicago Playworks for Young Audiences, the Theater School, DePaul University).

Since Tracy Letts' August: Osage County arrived on Broadway — directly from Steppenwolf, where it also garnered rave reviews — theatre folk have talked of the triple-decker drama (three acts, three generations of one tortured family) as a classic award-getter. It's serious-minded; it's long; it examines the timeless American subject of family — all earmarks of those sorts of works that are frequently considered significant.

At this time last year, few would have thought Chicago-based playwright Letts a contender for the Pulitzer. He was known for two potboiler genre plays, Killer Joe and Bug, both of which did well Off-Broadway, but didn't necessarily inspire critics to dust off a place for the writer in the theatre pantheon. His third play, Man From Nebraska was a Pulitzer contender. Still, when August: Osage County opened at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company in June 2007, many remarked that it constituted a wholly unexpected step up for Letts. Reviews compared it to Albee, O'Neill, Shepard and a host of other weighty writers.

The story concerns the Weston family, a large Oklahoma clan with its share of problems. The family is handed a fresh peck of trouble and strife when patriarch Beverly up and disappears. Old wounds are torn open and new ones are unearthed, with the force of family exerting as irresistible a tidal pull on the various Westons as any ocean.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning play — directed by Anna D. Shapiro — will offer its last performance at its current home, the Imperial Theatre, April 20 at 3 PM. Beginning April 29, the Steppenwolf production will begin performances at Broadway's Music Box Theatre.

The cast features Ian Barford, Deanna Dunagan, Kimberly Guerrero, Francis Guinan, Brian Kerwin, Madeleine Martin, Mariann Mayberry, Amy Morton, Sally Murphy, Jeff Perry, Rondi Reed and Troy West. Michael McGuire recently joined the cast as patriarch Beverly Weston. McGuire succeeded Dennis Letts, the playwright's father, who created the role of the dissipated poet and died Feb. 22 after a battle with lung cancer.

The Steppenwolf Theatre Company production of August: Osage County is produced on Broadway by Jeffrey Richards, Jean Doumanian, Steve Traxler, Jerry Frankel, Ostar Productions, Jennifer Manocherian, The Weinstein Company, Debra Black/Daryl Roth, Ronald & Marc Frankel/Barbara Freitag, and Rick Steiner/Staton Bell Group.

Tracy Letts is also the author of Man from Nebraska (Pulitzer Prize finalist), Killer Joe and Bug. His newest play, Superior Donuts, will make its world premiere in 2008 at Steppenwolf, where Letts is an ensemble member and artistic associate. As an actor, Letts has appeared in the Steppenwolf productions of Betrayal, The Pillowman, Last of the Boys, The Pain and the Itch, The Dresser, Homebody/Kabul, The Dazzle, Glengarry Glen Ross, Three Days of Rain, Road to Nirvana, Picasso at the Lapin Agile and The Glass Menagerie. Letts' screen credits include "The District," "Profiler," "Prison Break," "The Drew Carey Show," "Seinfeld," "Home Improvement," "Guinevere," "U.S. Marshals" and "Chicago Cab."

According to the Pulitzer website, the award is "for a distinguished play by an American author, preferably original in its source and dealing with American life" and "productions opening in the United States between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007 are eligible" (and opening does mean press opening, as opposed to simply beginning previews). This year is only the third year that the drama prize has used the calendar year, as opposed to the previous system of considering plays between March of one year and March of the next. A small committee of theatre critics and artists determines the nominated finalists, and the overall Pulitzer board picks a winner.

*

The Pulitzer Prize — named for American journalist and publisher Joseph Pulitzer — was established in 1917, a stipulation of Pulitzer's will. The first Pulitzer Prize in Drama was awarded in 1918 to Jesse Lynch Williams' Why Marry?

The complete list of Pulitzer Prize in Drama winners is listed below:

2007: Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire
2006: No award
2004-05: Doubt, by John Patrick Shanley
2003-04: I Am My Own Wife, by Doug Wright
2002-03: Anna in the Tropics, by Nilo Cruz
2001-02: Topdog/Underdog, by Suzan-Lori Parks
2000-01: Proof, by David Auburn
1999-00: Dinner with Friends, by Donald Margulies
1998-99: Wit, by Margaret Edson
1997-98: How I Learned To Drive, by Paula Vogel
1996-97: No award
1995-96: Rent, by Jonathan Larson
1994-95: The Young Man From Atlanta, by Horton Foote
1993 94: Three Tall Women, by Edward Albee
1992-93: Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, by Tony Kushner
1991-92: The Kentucky Cycle, by Robert Schenkkan
1990-91: Lost in Yonkers, by Neil Simon
1989-90: The Piano Lesson, by August Wilson
1988-89: The Heidi Chronicles, by Wendy Wasserstein
1987 88: Driving Miss Daisy, by Alfred Uhry
1986-87: Fences, by August Wilson
1985-86: No award
1984-85: Sunday in the Park With George, by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim
1983-84: Glengarry Glen Ross, by David Mamet
1982-83: 'night, Mother, by Marsha Norman
1981 82: A Soldier's Play, by Charles Fuller
1980-81: Crimes of the Heart, by Beth Henley
1979-80: Talley's Folly, by Lanford Wilson
1978-79: Buried Child, by Sam Shepard
1977-78: The Gin Game, by D.L. Coburn
1976-77: The Shadow Box, by Michael Cristofer
1975-76: A Chorus Line, by Michael Bennett, James Kirkwood, Nicholas Dante, Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban
1974-75: Seascape, by Edward Albee
1973 74: No award
1972-73: That Championship Season, by Jason Miller
1971-72: No award
1970-71: The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, by Paul Zindel
1969-70: No Place To Be Somebody, by Charles Gordone
1968-69: The Great White Hope, by Howard Sackler
1967-68: No award
1966 67: A Delicate Balance, by Edward Albee
1965-66: No award
1964 65: The Subject Was Roses, by Frank D. Gilroy
1963-64: No award
1962-63: No award
1961-62: How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, by Abe Burrows, Willie Gilbert, Jack Weinstock and Frank Loesser
1960-61: All the Way Home, by Tad Mosel
1959-60: Fiorello!, by Jerome Weidman, George Abbott, Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock
1958-59: J.B., by Archibald MacLeish
1957-58: Look Homeward, Angel, by Ketti Frings
1956-57: Long Day's Journey Into Night, by Eugene O'Neill
1955-56: The Diary of Anne Frank, by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett
1954-55: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, by Tennessee Williams
1953-54: The Teahouse of the August Moon, by John Patrick
1952-53: Picnic, by William Inge
1951-52: The Shrike, by Joseph Kramm
1950-51: No award
1949-50: South Pacific, by Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan
1948-49: Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller
1947-48: A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams
1946-47: No award
1945-46: State of the Union, by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse
1944-45: Harvey, by Mary Chase
1943-44: No award
1942-43: The Skin of Our Teeth, by Thornton Wilder
1941-42: No award
1940-41: There Shall Be No Night, by Robert E. Sherwood
1939-40: The Time of Your Life, by William Saroyan
1938-39: Abe Lincoln in Illinois, by Robert E. Sherwood
1937-38: Our Town, by Thornton Wilder
1936-37: You Can't Take It With You, by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman
1935-36: Idiot's Delight, by Robert E. Sherwood
1934-35: The Old Maid, by Zoe Akins
1933-34: Men in White, by Sidney Kingsley
1932-33: Both Your Houses, by Maxwell Anderson
1931-32: Of Thee I Sing, by George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind, Ira and George Gershwin
1930-31: Alison's House, by Susan Glaspell
1929-30: The Green Pastures, by Marc Connelly
1928-29: Street Scene, by Elmer Rice
1927-28: Strange Interlude, by Eugene O'Neill
1926-27: In Abraham's Bosom, by Paul Green
1925-26: Craig's Wife, by George Kelly
1924-25: They Knew What They Wanted, by Sidney Howard
1923-24: Hell-Bent fer Heaven, by Hatcher Hughes
1922-23: Icebound, by Owen Davis
1921-22: Anna Christie, by Eugene O'Neill
1920-21: Miss Lulu Bett, by Zona Gale
1919-20: Beyond the Horizon, by Eugene O'Neill
1918-19: No award
1917-18: Why Marry?, by Jesse Lynch Williams
1916-17: No award

PHOTO CREDITS: Amy Morton & Deanna Dunagan by Michael Brosilow; Tracy Letts by Aubrey Reuben; Cast of AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY by Joan Marcus

Peace Protest in Union Square

2008-03-22T20:52:00.003-07:00

It's funny to put the words "peace" and "protest" together but that's what they called it in the news just a couple of minutes ago. People were down in Union Square today holding hands and spreading Peace.

I don't really have anyting poignant to say (when do I EVER have anything profound to say?) about it. BUT the reason I started this blahg was because there was something very sweet and humorous said by a kid which was written on this piece of cardboard he was holding:

BUSH IS A TUSH

3 Films Added to my Favorites:

2008-03-22T16:05:00.005-07:00

la Vie en Rose

Y'all already know how I feel about this one...

Big Fish

Right after, I rang up my Dad and told him that I Love him.

2 Days in Paris

How can I get myself to work with Julie Delpy?

Poetry-Time Cafe with Charles Bukowski

2008-03-19T21:21:00.005-07:00

The Genius Of The Crowd

there is enough treachery, hatred violence absurdity in the average
human being to supply any given army on any given day

and the best at murder are those who preach against it
and the best at hate are those who preach love
and the best at war finally are those who preach peace

those who preach god, need god
those who preach peace do not have peace
those who preach peace do not have love

beware the preachers
beware the knowers
beware those who are always reading books
beware those who either detest poverty
or are proud of it
beware those quick to praise
for they need praise in return
beware those who are quick to censor
they are afraid of what they do not know
beware those who seek constant crowds for
they are nothing alone
beware the average man the average woman
beware their love, their love is average
seeks average

but there is genius in their hatred
there is enough genius in their hatred to kill you
to kill anybody
not wanting solitude
not understanding solitude
they will attempt to destroy anything
that differs from their own
not being able to create art
they will not understand art
they will consider their failure as creators
only as a failure of the world
not being able to love fully
they will believe your love incomplete
and then they will hate you
and their hatred will be perfect

like a shining diamond
like a knife
like a mountain
like a tiger
like hemlock

their finest art

*
Thanks are in order to Carletto for sharing this Bukowski in a bulletin

Padam...Padam...Padam...She is EFFING Stunning

2008-03-18T15:50:00.004-07:00

Back when I was rehearsing for LIFE IS A DREAM at SCR, I researched about who Marion Cotillard is. There have been so many comments by critics, journalists, fans, &c...about how even though she was lip-synching the role, they couldn't get over that it wasn't coming from Cotillard's own soul. WELL, there was this article (I believe) that I found that said she went to a voice teacher and asked how she could produce that sound that Piaf possessed. Not so that she could mimic it. She was definitely not interested in imiating Piaf (Please! She's smarter than that=) It was so that she could use the same exact muscles that Piaf used. (Smart gal! I LOVE her!) The same breath. WELL, when time came to film all those singing scenes, she'd have the sound guys buh-last the soundtrack (Piaf's recordings) that way she could sing full out and make us believe that that strikingly amazing sound was produced from her soul.

I can't get over Cotillard. She captured, she understood Piaf's soul, her heart, her skin. She's stunning. Je l'adore.

And what about Edith Piaf? Marlene Dietrich said it in, "La Vie en Rose," You are the soul of France.

Please...argue with me. Oh! I'd love it. I'd love it. C'mon! Don't hang back! (Now if you can tell me what film that's from...you're hot!)

***

On a sad note...one of my favorite directors/writers, Anthony Minghella, died today of a hemorrhage at the age of 54. I just got home a couple of minutes ago and read that. The world lost a great visionary. A moving poet. Such a gentle, passionate, loving, warm soul. The first person I thought of when I read that he past away was Juliette Binoche, and when I saw her on the Actor's Studio saying how she wanted to be on the set of, "The English Patient," forever if she could. God. The depth of emotion that revealed when she spoke of that time of filming.

The second person I thought of was my good friend, Frank. "The English Patient," is our film.

May Anthony Minghella see the sky shining like diamonds and hear the angels sing.

Fire Diagonally Across The Street

2008-03-17T05:13:00.007-07:00

So...in the wee small hours of yesterday morn, around 2a, standing in front of my mirror modelling my new tote bag for myself, I heard a *POP* outside my window. I thought, "Oh.My.God! What was that? Don't tell me that was a gun. Oh, no! Is there a shooting going on?!!" LOL! I felt firetruck lights and saw them winding round and round, instantly. I looked out the window and diagonally across the street from where I live, fire. My goodness. It was in this alley/driveway, right behind this white van.

I couldn't believe. It was fascinating. I mean, that early in the morn and people were out! I'm thinking they came out of their homes just to see what was up. OR, they could have been coming home from a night out. Though, for some reason, I can't believe that because there have been times when I've come home after midnight or so, and there was no one on my street.

I also rang my Ma after the fire was put out. Bad idea, she had a very calm sounding, concerned freak-out (is that possible?) but I calmed her down and told her it wasn't my building, that it was across the street and the firemen already put the fire out. It took a few minutes to make that clear to her!

Anyhoot...here are some photos that I took:

Check out this event: Public Hearing re: New Globe Theater

2008-03-02T15:39:00.002-08:00

Hosted By: New Globe Theater
When: Monday Mar 10, 2008
at 5:00 PM
Where: Federal Hall
26 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005
United States
Description:
New Globe Theater

Click Here To View Event

Take a few seconds to SAVE THE NEW GLOBE!

2008-03-01T19:20:00.003-08:00

Spread this around like butter on just baked and taken out of the oven bread! *Mm*

from the New Globe Theatre website:

I am asking you to help save an amazing project: the New Globe Theater is proposing to transform a decaying military fort in New York Harbor into a vibrant performing arts venue and education center.

Despite overwhelming broad public support (from Senator Schumer to Community Board #1, from Al Pacino to Ralph Fiennes, from war veterans to acting students ... see www.newglobe.org), the National Park Service is about to disallow the plan.

If we do not act now, we shall forever lose the opportunity to create this inspiring cultural icon in New York Harbor.

Please take action today by sending an e-mail to the National Park Service immediately. It only takes a few seconds to forward the pre-written statement.

Thank you very much. (... and don't forget to tell YOUR friends!)

*

more info: http://www.newglobe.org
http://www.myspace.com/newglobe

PLEASE APPROVE NEW GLOBE PROPOSAL

2008-03-01T19:10:00.004-08:00

A thousand *CHEERS* to Barbara Romer and ALL that are involved!

from the New Globe Theater website:

I urge you to embrace the public-private partnership proposed by the New Globe Theater as part of your preferred management alternative for Governors Island National Monument.

This innovative vision respects the site's history while achieving three vital objectives:

* PRESERVATION OF CASTLE WILLIAMS - structurally as well as spiritually, the new Globe's architecture would show off the site in the best light;

* PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT - through entertainment and education, showcasing history alongside Hamlet, the New Globe will infuse New York Harbor and its national parks with new life for years to come;

* FINANCIAL SECURITY - the New Globe's philanthropic contributions coupled with the steady revenue from theater performances and operations, over and above the park's income from visitation, will breathe new (and renewable) life into the park site, the castle and the harbor for the next generation and beyond.

The New Globe proposal has generated widespread support: from the New York congressional delegation to the entertainment, media and performing arts communities; from the public at large to a host of internationally respected civic and cultural leaders. PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS GROWING CHORUS THAT FAVORS THE NEW GLOBE AND RECOGNIZE THE TRUE POTENTIAL OF CASTLE WILLIAMS AND GOVERNORS ISLAND - a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the NPS.

In his May 2007 report to the president, "The Future of America's National Parks," Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne asserts: "We will engage community partners to reach young people and new audiences, enriching their lives and protecting America's treasures for future generations." Here is an opportunity to build a public-private partnership with the New Globe, reach young people and new audiences, enrich their lives and protect the treasure of Castle Williams ... which currently rests dilapidated and infested with hazardous materials.

Castle Williams was constructed to defend America against the British in the War of 1812. The "New Globe for the New World" celebrates this history by creating a unique cultural center, but this time working with our former English foe to preserve America's history and celebrate our common cultural heritage. Appropriately, the center would face the "French" Statue of Liberty (similarly united with Fort Wood) as a complementary symbol of US-UK friendship.

The New Globe plan protects and preserves the 1811 fortification and interprets its role in the defense of New York Harbor and the nation within a 3,000-square-foot museum on the ground floor - highlighting the history of the harbor's forts and exploring a wide range of themes: harbor defense systems, politics, culture, history, transportation, economy, ecology and more. In this manner, the New Globe proposal adheres to the national monument's stated purpose of providing "an excellent opportunity for the public to observe and understand the harbor history, its defense, and its ecology."

The New Globe plan fills the open courtyard with the stunning auditorium that (1) preserves the three-tiered open space at the center of the structure and (2) preserves the views onto the sandstone walls through its back walls made of glass. The Draft GMP argues that "visually, spatially, and in terms of communicating the fort's military function and history, the visitor to the National Monument would be confronted with a very large, permanent intrusion. This would not be the superlative visitor experience expected by the public." However, this statement ignores the fact that, during the public scoping period, 65% of respondents requested the presence of the theater in the open courtyard.

In March 2007, New York Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, New York delegation Chairman Charles Rangel and another dozen congressmen signed a letter which requests National Park Service approval of the New Globe plan. Additionally, some 3,000 emails in support of the New Globe were received by the NPS last year.

The planned New Globe is dedicated not just to exploring the military past via exciting interpretive exhibits, workshops and seminars, but also to creating an inspiring future that celebrates cross-cultural understanding via the performing arts.

In order to provide the financial underpinnings for the operation of this museum and for the maintenance of the historic site, and in order to attract a wider, more diverse audience to national parks, the New Globe plan also incorporates the construction of a visionary theater inside the open courtyard of Castle Williams. The reversible design by Lord Norman Foster (celebrated for his sensitive treatment of historic structures, such as the British Museum and the German Parliament) creates a stage for world-class productions of Shakespeare as well as works by modern playwrights, classical and contemporary concerts, jazz performances, lectures, and a wide range of other events. The theater, with its extensive education program (modeled on London's Globe, serving 100,000 students annually), will operate entirely independently of the museum, restaurant and roof deck, which would remain accessible to the general public at all times.

The New Globe performance space, with a total capacity for 1,200 visitors and with 400 "groundling" tickets at $10 for each show, will provide a continuous revenue stream to create a self-sustaining national park.

While the draft GMP rightfully thinks about Governors Island National Monument within the larger context of the National Parks of New York Harbor, the preferred Alternative D ("Harbor Center") duplicates a role already fulfilled by the visitor centers at Federal Hall, Castle Clinton, and others.

Drawing from the visitor base of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island by forcing the Monument to "become a primary stop on harbor ferry tours," Alternative D fails to attract a wider and more diverse audience to the National Parks of New York Harbor. On the other hand, the New Globe plan provides a clear differentiation from the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, is open after 6pm, and attracts unique visitors to a new dramatic tourist destination and world-class educational and cultural center.

Furthermore, preferred Alternative D is the most expensive of all alternatives and thus proposes to spend $50-60 million in one-time capital costs plus $107-128 million in life-cycle costs to offer redundant programming to the same interest group already served by the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and other National Parks in New York Harbor.

Taking all these considerations to their logical conclusion, Alternative D will seek to allocate over $100 million of federal funding to serve a redundant target customer base on Governors Island; in the process, it will cannibalize federal funding that should be directed towards Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Unfortunately, the NPS plan condemns Castle Williams to remain sitting derelict for a few more decades, as the National Park Service is battling an $8 billion maintenance backlog and an annual $600 million operations shortfall. To prepare the public for this scenario, the draft GMP three times states that: "The implementation of the approved plan will depend on future funding and Servicewide priorities. The approval of a GMP does not guarantee that funding and staffing needed to implement the plan will be forthcoming. Full implementation of the GMP could be many years into the future."

Thus, despite President George W. Bush's mandate to "leverage philanthropic, partnership, and government investments for the benefit of national parks and their visitors," and despite the Centennial Initiative promise that "a new era of private-public partnerships will bring greater excellence to parks," THIS DRAFT GMP PROPOSES YET ANOTHER HUNDRED-MILLION-DOLLAR, FEDERAL-GOVERNMENT-DEPENDENT SITE WITHOUT A VIABLE SELF-SUSTAINING REVENUE SOURCE, WHILE REJECTING AN EXCITING, INSPIRATIONAL AND VISIONARY PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT WOULD ENSURE THE FUTURE FINANCIAL *AND* HISTORIC INTEGRITY OF THE PARK AND ITS RESOURCES.

Thus far - 5 years after taking over management of the site - the NPS locally has been unsuccessful in securing the federal funding needed to stabilize the decaying structure.

The public-private partnership proposed by the New Globe will attract new large donors to give generously to the National Park Service, with the recognition that preservation and rehabilitation of the monument is not just the government's responsibility. The New Globe will help raise funds to forestall further severe deterioration, stabilize the structure, and remediate the building to allow for summer performances during the planning and development period. Furthermore, the proposal builds capacity for park operations and maintenance, since New Globe will provide for operation (incl. additional staffing) and maintenance of the national monument without government subsidies - thereby relieving the federal budget of an additional burden. Finally, for self-sustaining operations, an endowment will be raised from private sources. (And in the unlikely scenario that an exit strategy becomes necessary, the endowment is earmarked for the removal of the reversible theater inset in the open courtyard.)

Given the New Globe proposal has attracted overwhelming public interest and support as a bold and imaginative public-private partnership; and given the New York congressional delegation's urging "that the GMP for Castle Williams National Monument allow for the adaptive reuse proposed by the New Globe Theater," I respectfully request the National Park Service - as the American public's steward - find a way to adjust or expand the existing legislation to include the New Globe.

If in the 1880s the same rules and regulations that the National Park Service is trying to rigidly enforce on Castle Williams had been applied to the Statue of Liberty, that symbol of freedom would not grace our Harbor today. I therefore strongly urge you to listen to the general public, to be "mindful that boldness matches our history" (to quote Secretary Kempthorne's opening sentence of "The Future of America's National Parks"), and to have the vision to create another great American icon in New York Harbor - the New Globe Theater at Governors Island National Monument.

*

more info: http://www.newglobe.org
http://www.myspace.com/newglobe

RIP, Dennis Letts

2008-02-26T12:00:00.007-08:00

Dennis Letts, Actor Who Appeared in Son's August: Osage County, Dead at 73

By Kenneth Jones
24 Feb 2008

Dennis Letts, the patrician actor who created the role of Beverly Weston — the father who goes missing at the top of the acclaimed Chicago and Broadway play, August: Osage County — died Feb. 22, his son playwright Tracy Letts told the Chicago Tribune.

Mr. Letts' final role as an actor was in his son's most embraced and popular play, which is currently an audience and critical sensation at Broadway's Imperial Theatre. A failed poet whose marriage is soaked in booze and pills, Beverly hires a housekeeper in the opening scene of the play, and then mysteriously vanishes. The event prompts a reunion of the dysfunctional Weston family.

The juicy play was inspired by Letts' family history, and is set in the territory from whence the family came — Oklahoma. Mr. Letts died of cancer in Tulsa, OK. He was 73 years old, the Trib reported. He left the Broadway show in late January.

Mr. Letts created the role in the Steppenwolf Theatre Company's world premiere of August in summer 2007, and moved with the troupe to Broadway. He was diagnosed with lung cancer in September 2007 after the Windy City run.

"His choice to persevere with the New York production in the face of his devastating diagnosis is a testament to his love for the project and the people involved," Tracy Letts said in a statement. "Dad had a full and fascinating life, and August: Osage County was the cherry on top."

August will move from Broadway's large Imperial to the more intimate Music Box on Broadway in the spring. There is buzz of Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award potential for the humor-laced soap-operatic drama.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Mr. Letts was a college professor who specialized in literature and writing. He taught at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. He began acting late in his career, at age 50.

Mr. Letts has appeared in more than 40 films and television shows as a character actor, including "Little Boy Blue," "Infamous," "Secondhand Lions," "Cast Away," "A Perfect World," "Bloodsuckers From Outer Space" and "Where the Heart Is." Recent theatre work includes two original plays performed in Austin, TX: Dead Presidents' Club by Larry L. King and Sonny's Last Shot by Lawrence Wright.

Survivors include his wife, Billie; brother Ray Don; and three sons, Tracy, Dana and Shawn. A memorial service for Mr. Letts will be Feb. 28 at Mallett Funeral Home Chapel in Wagoner, OK.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/115328.html

Dennis Letts, Actor & Father of 'August' Playwright, Dies

Sunday, February 24 2008 10:39p
by BWW News Desk

Dennis Letts, who was currently appearing as the patriarch-gone-missing from the highly-acclaimed new play August: Osage County, penned by son Tracy Letts, has died of lung-cancer on Friday, February 22. He was 73 years old.

Dennis Letts originated the role of Beverly Weston in August: Osage County, with both the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago and the Broadway company at the Imperial Theater on Broadway. He was an Oklahoma actor and retired English university professor; and appeared in more than 40 films and TV shows in his lifetime.

Tracy Letts released the following statement: "My father was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in September of last year, following the Chicago run of August: Osage County and prior to the Broadway transfer. His choice to persevere with the New York production in the face of his devastating diagnosis is a testament to his love for the project and the people involved. Dad had a full and fascinating life, and August: Osage County was the cherry on top. My family will be forever grateful for the many kindnesses shown to Dad by the wonderful people associated with the production."

The New York Times details: "Letts, whose cancer was diagnosed in September, was an English professor for 30 years, mostly at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant. He performed in community and university stage productions during those years and took up acting as a second career after retiring from teaching. His acting credits include Where the Heart Is, the film version of a novel by his wife, Billie Letts; he served as an editor for her novels."

Dennis Letts is survived by his wife, Billie; brother Ray Don; and three sons, Tracy, Dana and Shawn. A memorial service for Letts will be held on Thursday, February 28 at Mallett Funeral Home Chapel in Wagoner, Oklahoma.

http://http://broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=25442

My Favorite Oscar Moments (there are 6):

2008-02-25T05:19:00.006-08:00

When Tilda Swinton won for Best Supporting Actress, Michael Clayton; and her reaction to that win (One of my favorites for quite some time since, Orlando)

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova winning for Best Song, "Falling Slowly," Once

Jon Stewart allowing Irglova to give her speech after being cut-off; and her speech

Cate Blanchett's wonderful reaction to Marion Cotillard's win for Best Actress (I adore both of them!!!)

Marion Cotillard winning for Best Actress, La Vie en Rose

Amy Ryan's listening to Cotillard's speech and her emotion (the moisture/tears in her eyes--lovely); who was sitting behind Cotillard (Another favorite of mine since I saw her on a televised version of recent Broadway production of THE WOMEN on PBS)

"Letyat Zhuravli" ("The Cranes are Flying")

2008-02-05T21:17:00.000-08:00

Year: 1957
Director/Producer: Mikhail Kalatozov
Writer: Viktor Rozov
Cinematographer: Sergei Urusevsky
Music: Moisey Vaynberg
Film Editing: Mariya Timofeyeva
Starring: Tatyana Samojlova
              Aleksey Batalov
              Vasili Merkuryev
              Aleksandr Shvorin
              Svetlana Kharitonova
              Konstantin Nikitin
              Valentin Zubkov
              Antonina Bogdanova

SEE THIS FILM.
Buy it through The Criterion Collection, The Criterion DVD Portal, Amazon, Borders, Barnes and Noble, &c...

I just saw it tonight for the 5th time...? I'm not sure how many times. It played at the Walter Reade Theater. How lucky was I to see it on the big screen? It was glorious. No matter how many times I've seen it...*tears* I took a good friend with me and he totally dug it!

What a great city this is! I mean, who would think that this film would be playing here? The best part was that I wasn't the only one in the theater! There were actually more than 10 people! Ha! But, I should have known better. This is NY!

Tatyana Samojlova (Veronika) is Beautiful.

After the film, we got into a (sort-of) discussion with a Russian young lady and (after he came back from the bathroom) her Russian date/friend/boyfriend...

Now, I'm just waiting for, "Hiroshima Mon Amour," to play somewhere HERE, sometime SOON!!!

PS There were 2 poems that I wrote inspired by this film. The first was just because the title struck me while I was browsing through the DVD Portal (Criterion) and I just wrote away. The second was actually on the film.

Poetry-Time Cafe with red shoes on a thuuursday

2008-01-22T18:36:00.001-08:00

BREAK OF DAY

© red shoes on a thuuursday
Tuesday, 22 January 2008 8.49a

*
Thank you "III" for letting me read it to you over the phone.

poem taken down: Saturday, 26 January 2008
by: red shoes on a thuuursday

Inspired by one of my favorite co-workers

2008-01-17T20:51:00.000-08:00

Adelle was one of the people that I met at work whom I really took a liking to. She's got a great energy. Anywho...the other day she told me it was her last day which I did not think was cool. I asked for her email and number so that we could keep in touch with each other.

I sent her an email and she wrote back and also sent me a link to her artwork. I'd like to share her work with y'all.

http://www.adellemarcero.blogspot.com/

I was left inspired after looking at her pieces. Too bad I can't do anything with that inspiration. I'm just feeling--okay, I won't say, "dry" (even though, that's how it REALLY feels)...but--as if this period of adjustment and transition is disguising itself as a time for refueling, refocusing, regaining focus and reflection & prioritizing. *bleah*

More Dysfunction! August Gets Five Added Weeks on Broadway

2008-01-14T18:32:00.000-08:00

Oh.My.Gooshnick!!! Say, WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How EXTREMELY Joyous does this news make me feel? Wow. So, all you out there have MORE time to see this whoop-ass show. For my friends in the area of California that is southern =P, I suggest that you make some plans before 13 April to head over to NY. Not only to see moi But to See This Show. Even if you DON'T see me and see the show instead...that would be SO fine with this gal!!! That's how much I Love-Love-LOVE this show.

This is probably the wrong word for the show but, it is sublime. Intensely sublime. Dark. It's an actor's utopia. I'm gonna stop now because I think you'd need to be sitting with me inside a NY French cafe =P, and listening to my description, my experience of the show. I'm not focused on writing about it!

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY is The Show that I have been recommending to anyone since first seeing it in November. Everyone: GO.

*

By Kenneth Jones
14 Jan 2008

The Broadway engagement of Tracy Letts' August: Osage County, critically embraced and an audience favorite, has been extended to April 13 at the Imperial Theatre.

The producers announced the added weeks on Jan. 14. The play was to be seen in a strictly limited 16-week run to March 9, but the dysfunctional-family drama is like a house on fire. The Steppenwolf Theater Company production is doing big business in the 1,400-seat theatre usually known as a home for musicals. In addition to enthusiastic reviews, the staging has prompted good word of mouth, fueling the box office.

The play tells of "the Weston clan after the disappearance of their patriarch. The family returns to their three-story home in rural Oklahoma to get to the heart of the matter."

The cast includes Ian Barford, Deanna Dunagan, Kimberly Guerrero, Francis Guinan, Brian Kerwin, Dennis Letts, Madeleine Martin, Mariann Mayberry, Amy Morton, Sally Murphy, Jeff Perry, Rondi Reed, Troy West, Munson Hicks, Susanne Marley, Jay Patterson, Dee Pelletier, Molly Ranson, Aaron Serotsky and Kristina Valada-Viars.

The cast does not change with this extension — the Chicago-based actors who created the central roles in the humor-spiked drama will still bite into their parts. Mutiple Tony Award nominations are assured.

Anna D. Shapiro (The Pain and the Itch, Iron) directs the production. The design team includes Todd Rosenthal (sets), Ana Kuzmanic (costumes), Ann Wrightson (lights), Richard Woodbury (sound) and David Singer (original music).

The Imperial Theatre is located at 245 West 45th Street. The performance schedule is as follows: Tuesday-Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday at 8 PM, Wednesday & Saturady at 2 PM and Sunday at 3 PM.

Note some early curtain times, which take into account the show's three acts and three-and-a-half-hour running time.

Tickets are available at Telecharge.com and at (212) 239-6200. Prices range from $99.50 to $26.50.

*

The Steppenwolf Theatre Company production of August: Osage County is produced on Broadway by Jeffrey Richards, Jean Doumanian, Steve Traxler, Jerry Frankel, Ostar Productions, Jennifer Manocherian, The Weinstein Company, Debra Black/Daryl Roth, Ronald & Marc Frankel/Barbara Freitag, and Rick Steiner/Staton Bell Group.

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

2008-01-13T21:00:00.000-08:00

SO glad that the original cast from Chicago transferred to NY. Thank you!!! I would change no one in the cast. No.One. And it has found an audience, I believe. It's been packed both times I went. When we tried to get tickets for this past Friday night, they were sold out! So, we were lucky to get tickets for Saturday night=)

Broadway.com's FRESH FACE Interview with Deanna Dunagan

2008-01-12T23:49:00.000-08:00

Where's the meat?! Where's the meat?!! Where's the meat?!!!
Shame on you! It's not cowboys and Indians! It's cowboys and Native Americans!

Oh, my! This woman. Last night, I watched AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY for the 2nd time with 2 of my good friends. To me, there is no weak link in the ensemble. It's so strong and down to the guts and marrow. One of the great things about the play is that there is HUMOR and IRONY. It's definitely an intense family-drama and THANK GOD (!) for the humor. *whew*

Deanna is...you know, there really aren't any words that would suffice so I will just stay silent, BUT will say THIS (atleast): If you are in NY, I beg you to please, please, PLEASE see this show. (I shouldn't have to beg) And even if you aren't in NY, you really Should make EVERY EFFORT to come to the Big Apple just to see this show. It closes on March 9th, I believe. I'm hoping to catch it atleast one more time before it closes.

Deanna Dunagan
by Kathy Henderson

Age: "I don't tell. And the reason I don't is that nobody can divorce that [number] from who you are. It starts getting that way in your 40s."
Currently: Playing Violet Weston, the pill-popping, meaner-than-a-snake matriarch in Tracy Letts' acclaimed family epic August: Osage County.

Hometown: Monahans, Texas. "It's 36 miles west of Odessa, where Friday Night Lights was set, and 60 miles west of Midland, where George Bush is from."

Lone Star Lady: "My heritage is a long line of Southern Baptist and Methodist preachers—who were all just frustrated actors," Dunagan begins, when asked about her background. "My dad was a Coca-Cola bottler and president of the Texas Historical Association. He wrote history as his avocation." Like a good southern girl, Deanna got a degree in music education and married young, but the union didn't last, and her parents agreed to fund graduate studies at the Dallas Theater Center after her divorce. Dunagan breezes through the next section of her resume—"I lived in Mexico while I was writing my thesis and was engaged to a bullfighter"—and goes on to explain that she honed her skills at regional theaters such as the Asolo in Florida and the Actors Theatre of Louisville before trying her luck in New York. (The bullfighter moved to Spain.)

Please Stand By: A star of the Chicago stage for more than two decades, Dunagan is quick to point out that August: Osage County is not her Broadway debut. "In 1979, I was an understudy at Circle in the Square in Shaw's Man and Superman," she says. "George Grizzard, Philip Bosco, Richard Woods and Mark Lamos were in it. One night I got to the theater three minutes late for half hour, and they said, 'You're going on.' Ann Sachs was sick. I was terrified! But I said to myself, 'Just go out and say the words. These are fabulous actors; just feed them their lines.' And it was one of the best performances I ever gave. The head of ICM, Milton Goldman, was in the audience and signed me the next day. They wrote a story about it in Back Stage."

Wonderful Windy City: Arriving in Chicago just before Christmas on a national tour of Children of a Lesser God, Dunagan felt at home immediately. She decided to put down roots and soon became a stalwart of the city's thriving theater scene. "I've worked at more than 30 theaters in the Chicago area, so it's always fresh," she says. "I'm a Gemini—we're communicators, but we have a short attention span. I enjoy being able to work on a show for three months and then go on to the next project. I get to do twice, if not three or four times, the number of plays I could do in New York. I love my career in Chicago."

The Parent Trap: For much of the three-plus hours of August: Osage County, Dunagan's drug-addicted character spews venom (often hilariously) at her three grown daughters, sister, various in-laws and a Native American maid. After an initial reading of the play left her "devastated," the actress repeatedly turned down the role of Violet. "I have knee problems and back problems and didn't think I could do it physically," she says of walking up and down the three-story house set. "And Violet is so vicious. The pills release her inhibitions, and she just lashes out. I played Mary Tyrone [in Long Day's Journey Into Night] when I was younger, but Mary is a piece of cake compared with Violet Weston." The overall strength of Letts' play made her reconsider, and Dunagan's performance won a Jeff Award in August's premiere production last summer at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre.

Big Apple Return: When Dunagan heard that August would transfer to Broadway, her initial response wasn't exactly what one would expect from an actress playing one of the season's juiciest parts. "I went into such a depression," she confesses. "For the last few weeks of the show [in Chicago] I was in physical pain, so I spent all my time after we closed seeing doctors, physical therapists and voice coaches, trying to get in shape to do this Broadway run." She missed a nephew's wedding during previews, but managed to fly to Cincinnati to see her grandson in a school play during the stagehands strike. And—happily—she's enjoying presenting the evil Violet to Broadway audiences. "It's a brilliant play—that's what makes it worth it. We want to share this wonderful work with more people. That's why we all came to New York."

Who Doesn't Love...

2007-12-25T00:15:00.000-08:00

...Carole Lombard?

(If you don't, please, don't tell me...)

Evolution of a Grab Bag Gift

2007-12-24T23:16:00.000-08:00

Last week, I started to paint. Bad idea. At work, we picked names for the grab bag. I didn't want to give the usual (candy, gift card, lotion, &c). I should have! Ha! Late in the game, I decided to paint my person something. The price was at least 15clams. I spent 65 on the supplies! Yikes! AND, on top of that, I DIDN'T even like what I had given=( *brr-brr* I gave it anyway because I didn't Hate it=P Meh...

I should have just left the painting as it was. But, no. I painted over it. And over it. And over it. And over it. And, finally, over it. Yes, folks. There are 5 paintings on top of each other on that canvas for my grab bag person! I took pictures of the first painting, third and final. I would leave the piece and come back hoping that I would like it. Didn't work. Eventually, I had to surrender at around 2.30 the morning that it was due to my supervisor.

My person told me that she had to take a peak at it and she said from what she saw she liked it. So, who knows... I feel like I should get her a consolation gift! *ugh*

To think that if that painting is x-rayed...Ha!

PLAYBILL.COM'S BRIEF ENCOUNTER With Amy Morton

2007-12-20T17:53:00.000-08:00

By Robert Simonson
19 December 2007

Meet Chicago actress Amy Morton, who plays a rumbling volcano of a wife-mother-daughter in Broadway's August: Osage County.

*

Much of the pre-opening press about the cast of August: Osage County centered on Deanna Dunagan, who plays Violet, the vicious matriarch of the triple-decker Tracy Letts drama about three dysfunctional generations of a small-town Oklahoma family.

But Amy Morton, who plays Violet's strongest daughter, Barbara, is actually on stage more and tracks the more expansive character arc. Over three and a half hours, we watch her comfort her mother, then challenge her, outright attack her, verge on becoming her and then abandon her altogether, all while putting out sundry immediate and extended familial fires. Barbara is played by Amy Morton, one of the most dominant actresses and directors in her hometown of Chicago, but a talent almost unknown in New York. Morton mustered up the energy to talk to Playbill.com about the show that has been a thrilling and exhausting experience for her.

Playbill.com: Is this the biggest acting assignment you've ever had?
Amy Morton: Uh, yeah, this being a three-act play (Laughs), this is probably the most time I've been on stage.

Playbill.com: Have you ever been in one of Tracy Letts' plays before?
AM: No. I've been in quite a few shows with him as an actor, and I've directed him.

Playbill.com: When you read the play, did it come as a surprise to you, knowing his previous work?
AM: The breadth of it came as a surprise to me, meaning the size. That many characters, that many generations, that big a set, yeah. I had no idea that was what he was working on. It didn't surprise me it was as good as it was.

Playbill.com: Are you from the Midwest?
AM: Yes, I grew up in a suburb of Chicago.

Playbill.com: I grew up in Wisconsin. When I was watching the play, even though the action takes place in Oklahoma, I recognized many of the attitudes of the characters and the family dynamics and behavior. Did any of the writing speak to you of your own experience growing up?
AM: Absolutely. It was interesting. Most of the cast members of this play come from small towns. All of us in the original Chicago production were from the Midwest. In the New York production, all but two are from the Midwest. And it's a very Midwestern tale. (Laughs.) I don't mean because it's got sensationalism or any of that stuff — the huge surprises you find in the play. I think it's stoicism, its pent-up pain — it's certainly Midwestern.

Playbill.com: Letts has mentioned quite a lot that the character of Violet is based on his own grandmother. Has he said that your character is based on anyone in particular?
AM: I think my character is an amalgamation of a few people in his family, but not specifically just one.

Playbill.com: Your character has an incredible arc in the play. What was the hardest part of achieving that journey?
AM: Stamina. Building up the stamina. Physical and emotional. It's a long haul and it's a tough uphill slog. It takes a while for your emotional muscle and your physical muscle to be able to withstand the whole three hours and 20 minutes. I remember during the previews in Chicago thinking, "Oh my God, it's the third act and I can't act anymore."

Playbill.com: You were out of acting!
AM: That took a little while. But the great thing about the play is it doesn't require a lot a preparation, emotionally or anything like that. It's written so well, you just get on the ride and there it goes.

Playbill.com: What's the most difficult scene for you?
AM: No particular scene. It's jumping up and yelling as much as I do. You see, your body doesn't know you're lying. At the end of the show, the next day you wake up and feel a little bit like a cripple, because as far as your body's concerned, it thinks you're in trauma eight times a week. So, I'm sure the show has taken a number of years off my life, but that's OK.

Playbill.com: Is there a scene in the play that is the most fun for you?
AM: Well, certainly the scene where I say, "Eat your fish, bitch!" That's a fun scene. I get to get away with murder. It's just fun.

Playbill.com: Do you take your days pretty easy to rest up?
AM: Yeah. I really can't do much. It's just too hard to do. I had all these fantasies that "During the day, I'll go to the museum and blah, blah, blah." That's not happened so much.

*

Amy Morton is one ferocious mama. I bet she would eat your eyes if you were a horrible collaborator! (JUST KIDDING) Thank you to Matt who told me to get a ticket to the show when I met up with him to watch Pinter's THE HOMECOMING (great performance by Eve Best).

It's a small world. I know her husband. Matt and I worked with him while we were doing LIFE IS A DREAM at South Coast Rep. He was one of the composers.

For me, there really was no weak link in AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. But, of course, my favorites were the mother (Deanna Dunagan) and the eldest daughter (Amy Morton). Watch out!

I'm so glad that I have more opportunities to see the show. They extended 3 weeks because of the strike. They close on March 9th, I believe.

Get ready to go if you're a friend of mine that lives in NY or that will be visiting before March 9th...!

PS This article came out yesterday the 19th, which--by the buy--was my parents' anniversary. Thirty-one years, folks!

"What Color is a Man?"

2007-11-11T19:31:00.000-08:00

Joni Mitchell, ladies and gents. Joni Mitchell:

The Move

2007-11-11T10:05:00.000-08:00

Waiting in the airport of JetBlue, trying not to think of my family because I'll have a breakdown, I check my phone, and notice that I missed a phone call from an unfamiliar 646-area code and that there is a voicemail. I listen to the message and it's a director asking me if I could be at his 34th street office to audition for him that afternoon. Uh...obviously, I can't. I'll be on a plane. I give him a ring back and he tells me that if he doesn't find anyone, he'll give me a buzz. I ask him to let me know either way.

Getting ready to board, I squish my way into the crowd (not that bad). I didn't understand what the attendant said about where I should go. I decided to just follow whoever was in front of me and make sure that I stepped into the "Hopelessly Devoted To You"-plane. Honestly, the name of the plane. Yeah, I should have gone the ground-back way and taken the stairs, rather than stay on the platform and take the first set of stairs. I had to walk all the way to the back causing some light traffic. At the end, there was a very nice gentleman that let me go and put my stuff up. Another attendant, a sweet older man, took my duffle bag and put it up in the compartment for me.

The flight was fine. I tried to sleep. Was in and out of it. I took the complimentary snacks (all that I had eaten were those snacks--blue chips, cranberry juice, cookies and water). Went to the bathroom a couple of times. Watched some lousy TV, et cetera, et cetera, and so forth...

I rang my cousin to let him know that I had landed. By the buy...my outfit...I looked like I was going to go riding because I was wearing these boots that one of my best friends let me borrow because she said that I would need some boots. I clunked and clunked as I walked. It was distracting to me but where could I have possbily stuffed those boots? Alright...my cousin told me that he was 10-15 minutes away. I thought, "I have to get my luggage myself?!!" Honestly. That's what I thought. I had 2 big suitcases that I checked in, and my own bag and a duffle that I took on the plane with me. Then, I thought, "My God. I have to get a cart?!" LOL! So, I did and did. I went outside to wait for my cousin. Cold. Real cold. Not the fake California-cold. Please. But, it was quite refreshing. I listened to Nellie McKay on my new (RED) iPod that The 3 bought for me (my brothers). Traffic was horrendous but I got picked up and off we went to Queens, where I would be staying with my cousin, his wife (who is amazing and awesome), they're 5-year-old kid, and his in-laws.

I shacked it up inside the kid's room. Cramped but I was grateful. I had somewhere to sleep! Hello! Living with my cousins is a joy because they offer warmth, homemade food and family=) Not to mention hot water for tea, a working bathroom, the Internet and cable TV. My cousin is a chef and a very good one!

I stayed with them till the first of this month. On the early-evening of the first, I moved in to my apartment in the City. My apartment is weirdly shaped. It's like a hallway. A bit bigger in some areas. I've got a pretty good-sized bedroom. No complaints EXCEPT girls really should be clean! I mean, I had NEVER seen so many dust bunnies on the floor in my life! Not even in the Philippines! I'm still trying to imagine how the girl before me slept in a bed with her headboard and side tables filled with dust. Absolutely disgusting! Even the drawers and the desk were icky-dusty. BUT, I'm thankful that I actually have a place and that I don't have to worry about rent for a couple of months.

My roommate had to go to a party at 8p. I was glad because then I'd have the place to myself and could just unwind and settle-in. I unpacked everything and before putting anything in it's temporary place, I took west paper towels and just wiped away all the dust from the furniture. Yuck! I checked out what kind of cable we had. Uh...NOTHING! What the HELL am I paying for then? And the Internet is a bit shoddy. What the Hey?!! Wasted money. I mean, the cable should have, I think, atleast the Disney Channel and Nickleodeon! Right? Yeah. I think we have TBS, A&E and some NY channels...whatever. Thank God that, "Pushing Daisies," "Ugly Betty," and "Brothers and Sisters," are all on channel 7! Ha! Honestly.

The next day, I was to meet up with one of my best friends. I had to pick her up from her voice lesson on 72nd. Not bad. I found my way=) I took her over to the MET because my cousin's wife told me that I should go there and meet with one of her patients that was going to help me get a job over at the museum! So, I went. What an adventure. There was a mix-up, and I thought the man I was supposed to be speaking with was the man I was supposed to be speaking with! I forced him and tried to convince him that he knew my cousin. He looked at me like I was crazy. I started sweating. Then, right when everything was going to completely go down the drain, the man that I was supposed to meet with came up behind me! Eureka! And, just WHO was I speaking to? Yeah, I was talking to the manager of the Luxury Boutique. Yikes! Well, my cousin's patient cleared it up with his manager and said that he'd just take me up to HR to fill out an application. But, the manager said that he'd give me an application right there and interview me after I finished filling it out. Wow, how easy was that? I hate filling out applications. I used my own pen and it exploded black ink all over the fingers of my left-hand. Oh, well. It took me some time to finish the 2 pages because my hands always shake when I fill those damn things out. I got interviewed and he hired me on the spot. I almost cried. He asked if I had any experience with jewelry and textiles. "Uh, actually, I don't." "That's okay. It doesn't matter." What?! He said that he liked my appearance and said that I was nice. LOL!

That was my 5th day in the City. FIFTH!!!

Oh! I almost forgot...let us backtrack*** The day after I landed, the director wanted me to audition because he needed a last-minute replacement for the SAG actress that he hired. There was some trouble with the Union. I auditioned for him in the lobby of my cousin's apartment and he gave me the role. I thought about it and turned him down a couple hours later because the energy just wasn't there for me. There was something that kept telling me to say, "No." So, I turned it down and decided that I really needed to take care of myself first. It was the best decision!

Alright...on Sunday eve, on the way to Saint Patrick's for the 5.30 mass, I met a guy on the subway. He got off at the same stop just so that he could ask my name. He was coming from church and I was going to. I was late. So, I went to get some coffee with him. He's from South Africa. An investment banker in training. Crazy. Don't worry...I went to church the next day. That was the first time, in a LONG time that I've been to church.

Monday, I went to do paperwork and get my picture taken for my ID at HR. I met another guy. A musician from Maine that has been in the City for 5 months. He's such a cutie!

I started training on Wednesday. Two days of it. It wasn't so bad. I really felt positive and ready to go after Wednesday's training. Then Thursday came and I got scared. My first day was Friday and I did very well. I didn't sweat at all! =) Even with the mistakes I made. Which I can count as having made three, or four.

It's amazing the people that you have the opportunity of meeting. I felt like I was back working in Disneyland, it's just that I have to sell jewelry and sculptures and the like. I hate sales. I don't want to be pushy. I read the person's energy and find a little hole that I can enter in with my, "Good morning (or whatever), if you need anything, just let me know." And then I leave 'em alone.

Well...in between those times that I've written, I've been running mad around the City doing not what you think I would be doing considering that I'm an actress. I was running errands for myself. Shopping for work clothes and shoes (I still have to find some flats and another pair of boots), shopping for things to keep me warm!!!, shopping for food and cleaning supplies, toiletries and blah-blah-blah. Things that I absolutely Need. I've also been back to Queens with my cousins. Spending my Saturdays with them.

So, that's the gist of my first 2 weeks. I wish I could be more specific but in this town, there really isn't time to just sit down and think about doing things. You just gotta Do.

PS I can't believe I'm able to write this long post. I just haven't had the time! So, I hope you enjoy=)

PPS I have been going to bed (on work days) before 10p! Unbelieveable. This from the gal that doesn't sleep till 3 in the morn! D.R.A.I.N.E.D

The Reaction of a Piece of My Artwork from My "Nephew"

2007-10-29T23:27:00.000-07:00

First, he gasped and with widended, amazed eyes he exclaimed, "That's AWESOME!"

And, this is the piece in which his amazement could not be contained:
It was one of the greatest reactions I've ever received. He scrolled through all my pieces and he'd say, "I like that one," &c. At others he'd say, "I don't like it." I'd ask him why and he responded with, "Because it's pangit," (which in Tagalog means, "ugly"). Can you say, "WHOOPS!" HAHAHA!

I say he's my "nephew" (with quotations) because he's really not. He's the son of my cousins which would mean that he's my 2nd cousin, right? But, no. In my family tradition, he'd be my nephew=)

What's funny to me is that I don't really like the painting! It's this new style that I started painting in because I just wanted to. Though, the more people have responded to it, I may begin to like it...?

Gig-Time with red shoes on a thuuursday

2007-10-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

Hey, hey, hey All!!!

This is the first inaugural theatrical event in the Norma Kershaw Auditorium housed in the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, Ca.

I'm part of it so Come, Watch and Support the Arts!

"Be My [G-D MotherEffing] Friend!!!"

2007-10-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

I am high on, "Weeds."

Elizabeth Perkins has always been a favorite of mine. Mary-Louise Parker has been a recent favorite. She often reminds me of one of my good friends. The 2 together are dynamite. Mary-Louise plays Nancy Botwin and Elizabeth Perkins plays Celia Hodes.

I think that everything they touch turns to acting-gold!

Let this video be a warning to my friends...! =P

My New Favorite Show on TV: "Pushing Daisies"

2007-10-05T02:50:00.000-07:00

Finally! A show packed with creativity, genunine warmth, charm, fun and eccentricities! Oh! And...LIFE!!! It's like a Technicolor-extravaganza. I mean, the saturation of color is tremendous and bold, and I Love it! On top of the technical aspects of the show...the cast is great and chock-full of Broadway Babies (Swoosie Kurtz, Ellen Greene, Jim Dale, Kristin Chenoweth...). The lead, Lee Pace as Ned, is absolutely likeable and I dig the way he delivers the dialogue. His partner, Chi McBride as Emerson, is equally likeable and quite funny. Anna Friel as Charlotte, aka "Chuck"...now, I did not know that she was in this! I first saw her in, "A Midsummer Night's Dream." She was also in CLOSER with Natasha Richardson, Ciaran Hinds and Rupert Graves. She is so deliciously adorable.

I love the twist to the show with Ned's being able to bring people back to life. The consequence of that power.

It's such a magical show. And, sometimes, we all need some magic in our lives. Good magic. Not that black magic stuff that can get you into trouble!

Here is a big and bold, BRAVO!, to Bryan Fuller, the creator.

The Mad Who Burn-Burn-Burn

2007-10-05T00:28:00.000-07:00

Poetry-Time Cafe with red shoes on a thuuursday

2007-09-22T01:58:00.000-07:00

PORTRAIT OF A LADY WITH THREE ROSES

© red shoes on a thuuursday
Monday, 17 September 2007 (2.05a)

poem taken down: Sunday, 23 September 2007
by: red shoes on a thuuursday

Currently listening to: Outtasite!

Alice Ripley to Star in Blank Theatre's LITTLE FISH

2007-09-21T20:54:00.000-07:00

By: Brian Scott Lipton
June 8, 2007
Los Angeles

Alice Ripley will star in the Blank Theatre Company's production of Michael John LaChiusa's musical Little Fish, October 9-November 18. The show will be directed by Kirsten Sanderson.

The musical, which premiered at New York's Second Stage Theatre, focuses on a group of friends in New York City. Ripley received a Tony Award nomination for Side Show and her other Broadway credits include The Rocky Horror Show and Sunset Boulevard. LaChiusa is the composer-lyricist of such shows as Hello, Again, Hotel C'est L'Amour, First Lady Suite, and The Wild Party.

The Blank's 2007-2008 season will begin with the world premiere of EM Lewis' Heads, directed by Darin Anthony, August 14-September 23. The play tells the story of four civilian American and British hostages in Iraq. In Winter 2008, the Blank will present the world premiere of Dickie & Babe: The Truth About Leopold and Loeb, written and directed by Daniel Henning, the company's artistic director. The play is based entirely on trial transcripts, medical records, and other material relating to the Chicago teenagers who shocked the world in 1924 with the brutal murder of a young boy.

For more information, call 323-661-9827 or visit http://www.theblank.com/.

from: http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/10934

**

**
Alice Ripley was the first performer I ever met. She was such an inspiration to me during my later college years, and her music/recordings that was out at the time (musicals, compilations CDs with Emily Skinner, songs here and there for musical composers, &c) were integral in getting me into the next and last level of acting while I was in school. Atleast, I think so.

I've seen her live a couple of times (theatre shows and concerts), met her backstage, she even recognized me in a bar in Dayton, Ohio(!), when I went on a roadtrip with two friends to NY and made a stop there. I also watched her in master classes. She's a true inspiration!

I met her in LA at the Ahmanson Theatre when she was performing in, THE DEAD. I wrote her a letter and hoped that it would get to her before I went to see her. My best friend came with me. After the show, we headed to the stage door. I was on the verge of tears. I had never "met" anyone before. Then my best friend threatened me and said that he wouldn't take my picture with her if I brokedown. I know, what a jackass, eh? Ha! We waited and waited. Faith Prince came out, Stephen Spinella, my best friend got checked out, &c. Finally, Alice came out in the center of a small group. I heard her voice and looked up. Oh.My.God. I don't think I was breathing. She saw me and asked, "Are you Lovelle?!" What?! How the hell did she know? "Yes!" And I put my arms out and we embraced. "We usually take the other exit in the theatre but I wanted to meet you!" What? Honestly. Wow. She told her husband that I wrote her a lovely letter. Upon hearing that, I told her that "lovely," is my real name. Blah-blah-blah. She and I took a photo together and that was that. Oh! She told me to keep in touch and that if I was ever in NY that I should hit her up. Can you believe that? Wow.

She's an amazing and exciting performer. She's got a solo-album out, "Everything's Fine," and two albums out with her band, Ripley: "Ripley," and "Outtasite." Her music rocks. (If only I knew where to get the lyrics to the last two albums!)

L.A. Run of Jones' BRIDGE & TUNNEL Canceled

2007-09-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

(What a damned disappointment! I really wanted to experience the show once again, if possible. I am lucky that I got to see it in NY, though)

from Playbill.com: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/111082.html

By Andrew Gans and Ennio Hernandez
16 Sep 2007

photo by: Brian Michael Thomas

The Los Angeles run of Sarah Jones' Bridge & Tunnel has been canceled, according to Variety.

Jones, who won a Special Tony Award in 2006 for her one-woman show Bridge & Tunnel, was scheduled to play 28 performances at the Brentwood Theatre, Sept. 25-Oct. 21. The trade paper reports that the engagement has been canceled because the show's national tour "failed to materialize"; the Brentwood Theatre was the tour's first destination.

Bridge & Tunnel originally played Off-Broadway beginning Feb. 6, 2004, at the 45 Bleecker Street Theatre. It opened Feb. 19 to positive critical and audience response. Actress Meryl Streep produced that run with The Culture Project, Allan Buchman, Robert Dragotta, Jayson Jackson, Michael Alden, Eric Falkenstein, Marcia Roberts and Tom Wirt Shafter. The solo show recouped its entire investment of $200,000 within seven weeks of the first preview performance.

The Broadway run at the Helen Hayes Theatre began previews Jan. 12, 2006, and opened Jan. 26. The show played 16 previews and 212 performances.

In Bridge & Tunnel, press notes state, "fourteen characters travel the roads of assimilation to tell the story of American change in an ever-changing America. Mohammed, a charismatic Pakistani accountant; Mrs. Ling, the Chinese mother adjusting to her daughter's alternative lifestyle and Nereida, a young Latina with a quick wit and an even faster tongue, are but a few of Jones's gallery of characters. This mix of voices emanates from the reaches of New York's boroughs with origins far beyond the city's limits."

In a previous statement writer and actress Jones said, "Whether we are women or men; older or younger; straight-laced or queer-eyed; whether we pray Saturday, Sunday, everyday or only at football games; whether we're born here or not; barely scraping by or more comfortable than most, we are all much more connected than any of us realize. By neighborhood, by circumstance, by chance and most importantly by our basic human dignity, we are all cosmically, and of course, often comically linked."

Sarah Jones penned and performed Waking the American Dream, Women Can't Wait and Surface Transit. The actress also appeared in the Spike Lee film "Bamboozled," Off-Broadway in Eve Ensler's Vagina Monologues and in her own Bravo television special "The Sarah Jones Show." As a poet, Jones has performed on HBO's "Def Poetry Jam."

The Brentwood Theatre is located on the Veterans Administration grounds at 11301 Wilshire Boulevard in Brentwood, CA.

**
Alright...I'm off to an audition...

Poetry-Time Cafe with red shoes on a thuuursday

2007-09-16T01:35:00.000-07:00

(as with the first-and last-poem that I posted EDIE, you'll be lucky if you get to read this one as I may take it down...)

It seems like I haven't written a poem in AGES. But, really, I haven't written one since the 15th of last month. It seriously feels like AGES, though. I really don't know why I decided to post this. It's my ennui. Whenever it's present, I feel like sharing personal stuff...

THE WINTER SEA

© red shoes on a thuuursday
Sunday, 16 September 2007 (12.58a)

poem taken down: Saturday, 22 September 2007
by: red shoes on a thuuursday

Musical Stylings with Donna Murphy

2007-09-05T10:04:00.000-07:00

Donna Murphy hails from the theatre, and also has a good career as a working actor in TV and film. She is supremely talented and if you can get your hands on the DVD of Stephen Sondheim's PASSION, you will witness the greatness I speak of.

She was on a short-lived series starring Joan Cusack called, "What About Joan?" I never saw the show when it was out. But, I found this clip of Donna's characeter, Ruby, taking a risk and doing which she is afraid of.

My Friend's Entry into Sephora's THAT GAL Contest

2007-09-03T02:13:00.000-07:00

Starring: Christine Terrisse
Directed by: red shoes on a thuuursday

It was SWELTERING in my house while we filmed. We also went on LOCATION to downtown disney!!! She came to my house not really caring and procrastinating. I told her that she couldn't just come in and not have a "plan." You've got to be methodical and have some kind of structure. And within that structure she'd be able to play. She got down to business figured out and fine-tuned what she wanted to say, and away we went. By the end, she and I were ladies obsessed, and looking up other entries and watching them on YouTube!!! LOL! There were 2 or 3 of the entries that we really liked which we thought were strong contenders and made us say, "Damn," outloud! Ha!

The limitations of doing a 15-30 second entry was (OF COURSE!) the time! Time constraints are very difficult. Naturally, we chose to use all the 30 seconds. I think it all worked out and you catch her personality. Hopefully, those judging will think so, as well!

What I'm most proud of is that we finished it. She said she wanted to enter this contest and she followed through. Good gal!!!

C'est so Paris!

2007-09-02T01:36:00.000-07:00

I found this wonderful site: http://www.cestsoparis.com/language-lab.php?show=street-french-lessons&video=to-leave-a-rabbit

There are 4 videos up on the site. But, I couldn't upload the 3rd one. Which, by the buy, is HI-larious! So, check out the website and click on the video that reads: "To get tackled."

Mm...isn't this a lovely way to learn French slang? Oh-la-la!

Art House Cafe with red shoes on a thuuursday

2007-08-31T11:44:00.000-07:00

Some of my pieces. There are pieces out there that I did not take photos of, or forgot, or just didn't think to. If you have any artwork of mine, I'd love to have a photo of it. (More at the end of the entry)

untitled

untitled

untitled

untitled

broken hearted

cordelia

untitled

untitled

make-up project as frida

untitled

untitled

amnesty / compassion

blue sacrifice

grotto prayer

torchsong

girl and hand mirror

lady in sandstorm

untitled (napoleon and horse)

the faceless

through the curtain (for jen-jen)

untitled

grey gardens

for liberty students

for kristin

for AS YOU LIKE IT cast

untitled

for the andreas

for LIFE IS A DREAM cast

untitled

untitled

untitled

untitled

for eva

for serein

I'm working on cataloguing my and building my portfolio of artwork. So, as I said in the beginning, if I have given you a piece of my artwork (be it pastel, sharpie, black ink, black thin-point marker, acrylic, on paper, on canvas, on cardboard, on panel, poetry on acrylic/canvas, &c...), I'd like to ask you to take a photo of it and send it to me. If it's dated, let me know the date, as well (if there is no date on the artwork, if you remember when i gave it to you, that would be rich!!!). Also, if you can give me the dimensions that would be a tremendous help. Thanks!

I Need them before September 19th, 2007. Merci, mes amis...

Salut!

Cecilia Fannon

2007-08-30T01:01:00.000-07:00

So, I've bee inspired to take out a journal entry of mine that I wrote about Cecilia last year.

Sunday, 6 August 2006

"I thought I'd be a dancer. But I'm not that good at it. Truly one of the great things to happen to American theater is that I never danced on stage." ~Cecilia Fannon

I wish I had a picture of Cecilia to share. She is a playwright and from what I've heard and researched, a mighty damn good one! She is a small woman; small-boned. If you look at her, she seems very fragile and meek. What makes her a powerhouse, to me, is her quick mind and dry wit, her intelligence and humor. The woman just knows what she's talking about. I'm so intrigued by people's minds. I sometimes feel so inadequate because I feels sometimes my mind is not up to par or whatever. Okay, enough of that! On to Cecilia...I also love when she laughs because it's so contagious! When something absolutely kills her, she turns very red! Cecilia is another woman that I know that is soft-spoken with a great laugh. She prefers to devote her time listening to her students' work rather than following along with the script and being the narrator for the stage directions. She takes careful notes. She knows the questions to ask. At the reading, yesterday morning, she was wearing a soft yellow, cable-knit short-sleeve sweater with (I think) khaki pants. I don't remember the pants. I remember her blouse, though. Because it set off her light red/orange hair. I think the frames of her small glasses also had red in them.

At one point, during the reading, I looked over at her and thought, "I need to paint her something." I already know the colors I'm going to use.

I first met Cecilia earlier this year. I got a ring on my cell from some number I was not familiar with, at all. And it was her asking me if I was available and interested to read a play from a student of hers at SCR. HELLO! Of course! I was ecstatic! I had given her my headshot last year around March because she wanted any of Karen's students that were interested in participating in readings for her playwrighting classes. I never got a response back until that ring on my cell. She said that she was sorry that it took her a year to get back to me. I told her that it was better late than never! HELLO! Seriously. She wanted me to read for her Advanced Playwrighting class, a play by Michael Buss titled, THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF SANJAY GUPTA. I would be playing Sanjay's 17 year old daughter, Millie. A pretty girl. Ha! Cecilia also said that she really liked my headshot. Which totally took me by surprise. "I really do like your headshot. And I'm VERY picky about headshots. Yours is a good one." And that was that. That began my association with Cecilia.

The reading was pure joy. We all had so much fun up there with each other. Michael said that he wanted us to get up and move around and be free. We didn't have to stay in our seats. We took total advantage of that direction and we all flew!

I was also involved in another reading for her student, Scott Samson. I was a last minute replacement. Karen was in charge of finding a person to fill in that day since Cecilia was in NY at the time.

The play was titled, REALLY USEFUL PEOPLE. And I played about 5 characters in that piece; ranging from a Louisiana torch singer to Liz Taylor in, "Suddenly, Last Summer," from a black Starbucks employee to a newscaster. Seriously. It was great! Though, I got my script a few minutes before the reading and did not have time to go over it. I went into the bathroom with the script and started to thumb threw it. Karen had highlighted all the parts I was to play. So, I came upon a couple of sections that were italicized. Yeah. Yyyeah. I had to ... wait for it ... SING! Yes. I had to SANG!!! What?!!! I was crazy! Karen came in at that moment and I said to her, "Karen...I have to sing..."

"Yeah."

"Karen. You've never heard me sing."

"You'll be great."

And she rushed out of the bathroom! Mm. Mm. Mm. No, she didn't. Yes, she did. She SURE did. I mean, I had NO time to be nervous. Man! I had to sing, "Stormy Weather," and two other songs. One of the other songs went like this: "This will be/An everlasting love..." Makes me think of Natasha Richardson in THE PARENT TRAP because that song was part of their soundtrack. Anywho...I just went for it. On EVERYTHING. I had fun. I was free. It was great! Wonderful time!!!

After both readings, Cecilia had emailed me, thanking me for participating. Please. She doesn't have to thank me. I'm so grateful that she thinks of me every now and then and wants me to be involved. I want her to use me! She was sad that she wasn't able to be there for the second reading. But, I believe, she had a funeral to go to. She's a New Yorker. And she wrote to me, "No doubt you were wonderful..." I mean...stuff like that makes me feel good because it's from people that know my work first. She is someone that I do respect. I remember Karen coming up to me the last day of class, I believe, and told me that Cecilia asked her, "So, what's this Lovelle like?" And Karen told her that I was reliable and a good actress. "We need to get you out there. Let's get you started." I absolutely love that woman. She's really good for me that Karen Hensel.

Yesterday, I was involved in a reading of scenes for her students. All us actors, had to run by the time the last scene was read. I felt bad for jetting but I had to go. It was past 2 and we were supposed to be out at around 1 or so. So, obviously, it was "or so"!!! I didn't want to leave without saying, "Bye" and "Thank you," to Cecilia. So, I did. I gave her a hug we chatted and she walked me out. She mentioned my headshot again and said, "I love your headshot. I really do. There's such joy in it. And you look chubby." I laughed at that and she said, "And OBviously, you're NOT chubby!" She told me to keep her updated with what I'm doing. She said that she thinks I'm an eloquent actress. "You're wonderful at cold reading. You do such a good job. You really are good." Wow.

[Her] class is so full of talent. It's a bit overwhelming. They're all so fun and creative and intelligent folk. I love it. I love to surround myself with people that really care about the craft and always want to learn and are open to criticism and improvement. It's important for artists. Plus, I'm in my element. It makes all the difference.

There's this deep well to Cecilia. She's full of depth. I don't know. How can she not be? It's in her eyes. Makes me want to get to know her. Same thing with Karen.

I have to keep going. I can't stop. I have to keep faithing in myself.

I need an audition. LIFE IS A DREAM (this was the production I was involved with last summer not the South Coast Rep one) will be coming to a close and I'll be jobless, acting-wise.

Er...I'm jobless both ways!

http://www.citybeat.com/archives/1998/issue506/onstagearticle1.html
http://www.cincypost.com/living/1999/redcor011499.html

So...I just saw her a couple of hours ago at the play reading. For the first act she read the stage directions and the second act she played a character named, Mrs Morgan. She was Good. I was rolling on the floor! The play is titled NUDE AND SUNFLOWER by Reba Thomas. I played, Clara, a dancer. A dancer working in a cabaret who has a German accent and sings! *whew* It was loads of fun. I am still so in awe with Cecilia's students.

During our break, she came up to me and we started to talk about the Bowers Museum gig. I'm Very Excited! I swear, I'm totally enamored with her. Oh! She told me not to chop off my hair. I told her that I had wanted to get it cut like Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby. "No! Cut it after the show if you're gonna cut it." But, really, I can't cut it because of my new headshots. I don't wanna get new ones just because I hate my hair and wanna chop it all off! Ha! I told her that I was re-learning French and she went off with that one! She told me that she speaks Italian and that she got that Rosetta Stone program for French. She loves it. She made it sound like it was a program that hypnotizes you, puts you in a trance. And she said, "It's like they're brainwashing you! I love it." Then, with her eyes wide-open, "You begin to think in French! So, you don't really have to 'translate.' It's wonderful!" God! She's makes me smile.

You know...she reminds me of Deborah Kerr in From Here to Eternity.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/homepage/article_1259298.php
(There are 2 photos of her in this article)

Press Release for THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT

2007-08-30T00:31:00.000-07:00

(This is the project that I'm involved with through Cecilia Fannon, in which I will play a long-lost mummy and a Haitian Voodoo Woman! Come watch!!!)

October 26, 2007

Bowers Museum Presents “Things that Go Bump in the Night,” Scary stories

Bowers Museum Presents “Things that Go Bump in the Night” Halloween Special that Premieres on Oct. 26 with Encore on Oct. 27 Scary stories come to life in 1930s-style radio play format

“Things that Go Bump in the Night,” a Halloween special event featuring ghost and mummy stories set in a 1930s-style radio play format, premieres at the Bowers Museum’s Norma Kershaw Auditorium on Friday, Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. with an encore performance on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. Admission is $22 for adults; $20 for children, seniors over 62 and students; and $18 for Bowers members. This performance is not recommended for small children.
Commissioned by Bowers Museum, Cecilia Fannon, playwright, screenwriter, and director, has adapted three classic horror tales for the stage. Edgar Allan Poe’s iconic “The Tell-Tale Heart” is a story of horror and paranoia about an old man with a clouded eye who terrifies his caretaker to a murderous degree. “The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs tells the tale of a collector of oddments who comes upon an irresistible talisman that brings unexpected wealth and other less pleasant consequences. In “The Ring of Thoth,” by Arthur Conan Doyle, an insignificant museum worker fulfills a life’s dream by traveling to Egypt to make a stupendous archeological discovery – a long-lost mummy.

Fannon has had plays produced at regional theaters across the country, South Coast Repertory, on National Public Radio and abroad. She is winner of the prestigious Lois and Richard Rosenthal award for playwriting. She holds an M.F.A. in film from UCLA and has won the George Burns and Gracie Allen award for comedy screenwriting and the coveted Samuel Goldwyn Award. Fannon has written for film and television, including the Emmy award-winning “Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?” The Guiding Light, and several works for Leonard Nimoy’s production company, Alien Voices. This year, she directed Michele Lowe’s play, “String of Pearls” for Panndora Productions and her own short film, “Red Hot & Bothered.”

“There is a novelty in creating “Bump” for Bowers because theaters tend to perform Christmas plays, not Halloween shows,” says Fannon. “Halloween is a $5-billion dollar industry, getting more popular each year – and that figure doesn’t include horror movies.” “‘Bump’ is an opportunity for adults to step into the past and relive the stories from their youth and for some to remember the hang-on-every-word days of radio drama. It’s for teens and young adults who can temporarily leave the special effects of the movies behind and discover the power and suspense of live theater,” Fannon says.

Seven actors with scripts in hand will perform in front of microphones. An onstage Foley artist will create the sound effects for the audience to “see.”

According to Bowers Museum Director of Education Linda Kahn, who brings a myriad of lectures, films and performances to the museum throughout the year, “I caught the performance of Cecilia's 'Halloween Special' with Leonard Nimoy on television several years ago. What a remarkable, creative endeavor. It was a perfect combination of terrific actors, tantalizing suspense with spectacular sound effects (thanks to the Foley artists!), and brilliant writing. Some years later a colleague at the museum introduced me to Cecilia. When the opportunity arose to collaborate, I approached her with the idea of doing something unique for the Bowers. Her ideas, ingenuity, and scope of experience were a perfect match. 'Bump in the Night' is the result. I've no doubt: they will be a marvelous couple of performances!”

The actors who will appear in this production include Michael Csoppenszky, Ree Johnson, Lovelle Liquigan, Cameron Markham, Pete Taylor, Rebecca Taylor and George J. Woods. Cast is subject to change.

Bowers Museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every fourth Thursday. Exhibitions featured include “GEMS! Colors of Light and Stone,” and “Mummies: Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt…Treasures from The British Museum.” Bowers offers shopping at its two unique gallery stores and a world-class dining experience at Tangata Restaurant of the Patina Group. The museum also features an array of films, lectures, festivals, art, music programs and events throughout the year.

Biographies

Cecilia Fannon has had plays produced at regional theaters across the country, South Coast Repertory, on National Public Radio and abroad. She is winner of the prestigious Lois and Richard Rosenthal award for playwriting. She holds an M.F.A. in film from UCLA and has won the George Burns and Gracie Allen award for comedy screenwriting and the coveted Samuel Goldwyn Award. She has written, directed and produced a short film, “Red Hot & Bothered.” Fannon has written for television, including the Emmy award-winning “Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?” “The Guiding Light,” Spock vs. Q,” and “Armageddon,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Canterveille Ghost,” and “The Mark of the Beast” for Leonard Nimoy’s production company, Alien Voices. This year, she directed Michele Lowe’s play, “String of Pearls” for Panndora Productions.

Michael Csoppenszky trained at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco and South Coast Repertory’s Professional Conservatory. Theater credits include Bonifacio (lead) in Cecilia Fannon’s “Time is a Gentleman.” He also appeared in “The Case of the Crushed Petunias” and “Days and Nights of BeeBee Fenstermaker.” Film credits include “Gang of Roses,” Contraption,” and “The Akin.” Csoppenszky wrote and performed with the sketch comedy group “Fries on the Side” in Los Angeles. He fronts the rock group “the Bumbaclad Wicked” and writes/produces all of the music that can be heard nationally on Radio Wazee and Last.FM.

Ree Johnson began his career as a professional singer in Las Vegas and California, opening for greats such as Diahann Carroll. Johnson’s theater credits include “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “I’m Not Rappaport,” “Lov’in Al,” “Raisin in the Sun,” “Big,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Requiem for a Heavyweight,” “Of Mice and Men,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and “Guys and Dolls.” He also appeared as Frank in “Working,” for which he won a Drama-Logue award, and Jim in “Big River” at the Laguna Playhouse.

Lovelle Liquigan recently finished a short film for Chapman University titled “Bird Got to Fly,” and a run of “Life is a Dream” at South Coast Repertory as part of the ensemble. She was involved in the inaugural season of the Capistrano Shakespeare Festival playing in two of their four productions: Rosalind in “As You Like it” and Princess Estrella in “Life is a Dream.” She was chosen to be in The Kirov Ballet’s production of “Romeo and Juliet” as a maid and a mourner. Some theater credits include Henriette in “The Learned Ladies” (KC/ACTF Irene Ryan nominee), Nena in “The Conduct of Life,” Cordelia and the fool in “King Lear,” Fabian in “Twelfth Night,” and leading roles in Cecilia Fannon’s advanced playwrighting workshop at SCR. Next up for Liquigan is a short film in which she will play a young woman who struggles with the decision she has made about leaving her child at the door of a church. Liquigan has also finished a book of poetry and a cycle of 11 poems, and continues to explore through her painting.

Cameron Markham With over 30 theatre credits to date, Markham has been acting all of his life. Originally from New Mexico, and traveling to New York to study stage, he now lives in Hollywood and has been spending most of his time training at the world famous improvisational troupe, The Groundlings. Some of Markham’s recent television credits include “Talk Show” with Spike Feresten on FOX, “Joey” on NBC, and a starring role in Moby’s most recent video “Spiders,” which reached #2 on Top of The Pops. Markham can also be seen in many National Commercials such as Geico, Sony, and McDonalds. He feels privileged to have been able to come into contact with Cecilia Fannon and many other theater artists while at South Coast Repertory, and feels honored to be a part of this production. Markham is a member of The Screen Actors Guild.

Pete Taylor’s acting credits include leading roles in “K2,” “Our Town,” “Murder at the Howard Johnson,” “Twelve Angry Men,” “Love Letters,” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.” He is also literally hundreds of voices in various video games. His many directing credits include “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” “Arsenic and Old Lace,” “Call Me Back,” the critically acclaimed “the Belle of Amherst,” Panndora Productions hits “I’m Not Rappaport” and the world premiere of Cecilia Fannon’s “Time is a Gentleman.”

Rebecca Taylor expresses her passion for the theater through acting, writing, directing, and set design. She was a resident member of Backstage Theatre & Company ensemble. Taylor has appeared in “Miss Reardon Drinks a Little,” “The Haunting,” “Veronica’s Room,” “Love Letters,” and as Emily Dickinson in “the Belle of Amherst.” For Panndora Productions, she’s appeared in “Tennessee’s Women,” the American premiere of “Thirteen Hands,” “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and “String of Pearls.”

George J. Woods recently appeared in “Meet Me in St. Louis” at the Gallimaufry Theater. He originated the role of Angelo in Panndora Productions’ “Time is a Gentleman” at the Little Fish Theater. At Laguna Playhouse, he appeared in “The Underpants,” “Picasso at the Lapin Agile,” “Painting Churches,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Beyond Reasonable Doubt,” “Noises Off,” “Crucifer of Blood,” “First Monday in October,” and “Dracula.” Woods won a Drama-Logue award as Nat Miller in “Ah, Wilderness.” Other appearances include “Bed and Breakfast” at the Key West Theatre Festival, and “Travels with Charley” at the Western Stage Company. At South Coast Repertory, he appeared in “Galileo,” “Merchant of Venice,” “The Showoff,” and Henry IV, Part I. Woods’ television credits include “The Golden Girls,” “General Hospital,” “Santa Barbara,” “The Invisible Man,” and the feature film “Cataclysm.”

http://www.bowers.org/about_us/about_press.asp?PRID=447

Look on page 5 (October 26 & 27): http://www.bowers.org/passport/pdfs/passport.pdf

Wow! I can't believe I actually have a bio out there in public somewhere! It's nice to feel that you're movin' on up=)

Career Updates

2007-08-29T02:37:00.000-07:00

*A couple of weeks ago, on a Saturday morning, I found myself in Westwood to audition for a short at UCLA. Luckily, it was on a week-end because this gal would not have found a parking space and I'm not one for paying for parking just for an audition! Honestly. I parked on the side, right across the street from the campus and in front of some rich looking houses with 3 cars in the driveway and who knows how many in the garage! I got there early. Way early. I went in around 9.30a. Found the room and sat myself down on the chairs that were sitting outside the room. I hemmed and hawed a couple of times, discreetly, to indirectly let the people inside the classroom know that there was a chick waiting outside for them. The director came out. Invited me in. I took a seat. He said that there were going to film the audition but at the last minute decided not to. He asked if I had any questions about the script. No. All he had me do was read a question found on the GRE exam. That was it! Simple. Of course(!), I stumbled on a word (or two, but who's counting?). Then, he had me read another exam question. We spoke a little bit before we got started and a tadbit afterwards. There was another guy with him, it was his friend helping him out. That was it and I was on my way back home. I felt good about it. He sent me the script prior to my audition. It's about a guy bored out of his mind in this GRE Testing class; a girl comes in and he takes notice. Before she came in, he wanted the class to end as quickly as possible. After she arrived (late), he perked up and wanted the class to run on forever. Short and sweet.

I got cast in that role and finished filming on Sunday morn. The shoot was fun and refreshing. I really liked all the people that were involved. It's one of the extension classes at UCLA and the whole class helps with all the directors' projects. I liked the camaraderie between the classmates. They were very kind to me. I think, perhaps, some didn't know how to act around me so they were shy but that's understandable. I'm that way as well. Who really warmed me up was their instructor. He was actually there for the filming and "supervising." I say, "supervising," because he really wasn't, he was just there to lend his presence to his students. He came up to me and another actor that was playing the lead guy and asked us if were the leads. And I just chatted it up with him. There was another actor who played the teacher. The director's classmates ended up being the extra students he needed to fill the classroom. It was a successful shoot. I loved that there was food and drink. Bread and coffee (among other snacks and beverages)!!! Yummy! Though, I only drank coffee.

I can't wait to see the final cut. It'll be interesting how the director plays with the time. Hopefully, I'm not too-ugly in this one!!!

*The next day, I had another audition for a UCLA short but this time the audition was held in Beverly Hills. In the director's home. Yikes! I went, anyway, because I didn't get my usual vibe of paranoia. Honestly. Plus, in his email to me, he was pretty funny about the whole "at my house" thing and said that he lived with his parents. Sold! Ha! So, I ventured to Beverly Hills. Before the audition, he sent me his script and I liked it. He wanted me to read for the lead and also the psychotic girlfriend. Which brings me to the question: "What's up with my headshot that makes people think I'm a killer?" Hm...This is the 3rd role in which I got called to read for a killer. If you'd like to look at my headshot that I use to see if you can figure it out, let me know and I'll send it to you. But, hey...that headshots been getting me auditions for the gamut of roles! So, I'm gonna fermer ma bouche (shut up).

When I arrived, his mother answered the door. She offered me a cup of coffee and I acutally said, "Yes." I never do. Well, I spoke with her for a bit waiting for the director to come home from his haircut. He arrived and set up, straightaway. Of course, there was the regular chit-chat and so forth. He told me that he has a degree in law and that he was also taking the night class at UCLA. I asked if he knew the other director. Nope. Before, we started the audition, he asked if he could ask me something about his script. It had to do with the ending. I told him that if he stayed with his ending that it would be a more positive, sunny spin. But, if he were to go the other direction, then he'd be able to build on that with another film and take his lead girl onto another journey. It was more dark the latter way. He lit up and said, Oh! I never thought of that." He seemed to be pleased. What's funny is when I told a good friend about that, he said, "Well, now he should cast you! You just handed him his next project!" Ha! The audition went very well. And I ended my stay there by asking his mother what kind of coffee she gave me! Ha!

I got an email from him asking me to come to a callback for the lead. At the first audition, he told me that he wanted a certain look for the lead girl. If the other guys were Asian, then he'd want a white chick. If not, then he'd want someone like me. To fill the spectrum of race. So that it's not only an "Asian" flick. Understandable. He also asked me if he could pass my headshot and resume around to his classmates. Now, that was flattering! So, the callback. It went well. I'd change one thing. He said that he liked the way I did it before and wasn't gonna tape me but we did it anyway and I wish I could have done it better. I wasn't there. Well, he told me that he'd get in contact with me about the role the next day.

I didn't get cast in that one. I wasn't disappointed but I was. And it was because of the "look" thing. To which I'd like to say: Is someone really gonna tell you not to be friends with your friends because you don't look like you could be friends? But, that's not what it was about. He wanted a cast that would appeal to all races and that's why I didn't get the role because he already had enough Asians! But, I had a good experience with him and enjoyed it very much.

*Last Friday, I had my first of 2 readings for Cecilia Fannon's students. It was very fun! The play was called THE HIVE by Paula Fell. The characters were all bees! No joke. It was so clever and a joy to read. I got the part of the lead who is enthusiastic, immature, prejudicial and has a heart of gold. Wow. It was also a very fun group of actors to read with. I really liked the differences of the bees, the roller coaster of emotions and the changes that happen within some of the characters.

*On Saturday, I went to an open class with a very good friend. It would be nice to take his class for the work and also to build networking but I didn't sign up for an interview because I'm just not wanting to dish out the money. I was inspired and mad, reinforced and harshly reminded, which is all so good! Mad because I want to be out there and act. And, I know, that pleasure tends to get lost with "working" actors but I would have to have some outlet to provide me with artistic pleasure. And, yes, taking a class does do that. My friend was inpsired and mad, as well. Right after he said, "We're going to Sam French and we're getting a play that we've never read and we're gonna work!!!" And, so we did. I was happily shocked at his attitude. Even during the open class, we were talking about having a class of our own? Why the hell not? And I told him, all we would need is space.

We were also making fun of the teacher, not because he was bad but because he reminded us of one of our friends combined with Tom Cruise in Magnolia and Vincent Lombardi. Honestly. He's one of those guys that knows he's a good teacher and that knowledge lends itself to arrogance. He's a confident guy and I enjoyed his class, as did my friend.

I wanted to cry afterwards because I realized that I do have so much to offer and to give, and I need to be used up. It wasn't really a realization because I do already know that but it was a forced reminder, I guess I should say.

One last thing, when we were in the lobby area, the teacher came out and greeted us. I felt like he wanted something from us. Not money but more like he knew who we were and wanted to be part of our world/our energy. Does that sound gey? I just felt that he wanted something from us. As if he knew that we'd be valuable to have in his class...

*Monday afternoon, I had an audition for a dark short film. All I knew was that the character, Nina, is bold, pretty and a rebel. I brought in my monologue and they wanted me to read from the Pulp Fiction script. I felt uncomfortable, physically. Not because of them or the scenes but something didn't feel right to me. It was a good audition despite that. And the director told me that there were more auditions that afternoon and also the next day. She then asked me if I had a sarcastic, biting monologue for the callback. But, I don't think it's for sure that I have a callback because I haven't gotten an email from her assistant.

One thing that caught me off guard was when the director told me about a scene that will take place after sex. Yeah, didn't know about that because I didn't get a script. Usually, you aren't sent a script beforehand anyway. She asked if I was uncomfortable with that. I told her that I would be unless I was covered up. Listen. Unless, it's Meryl Streep directing me, I'm just not gonna be nude at this time. It really depends. Really Depends. REALLY.DEPENDS. And I would charge thousands of clams for each part I was gonna show! One of my best friends told me that that sounded like prostitution...well...maybe. But, no, because I'm not havin' sex with 'em! Right? Right. I really have to believe in that part of a project to bare it all. I'm tired of these actresses trying to validate nudity in the movies that they've done. Though, I do think perhaps I have a slight prejudice with foreign films. I don't particularly have a problem with nudity in those films, most of the time=) So, unless the film is being directed by Meryl and in Europe somewhere... =PPP

*A couple of hours ago, I auditioned for another short film. The audition was held at the Lee Strasberg Theatre. Ooooooooooooooohhh!!! I was an hour early. Though, I always say better way early to an audition than 5 seconds late. Eh? Let's just say that I whooped major ASS at this audition. Man! I felt so good that I wanted to scream! I had a really good audition partner. We rehearsed 3 times and the 4th time, the producer and the director came out and asked for us to come in. Inside, we found out that there were 2 directors. The one that called us in was filipino. The other director took Marcus aside and I was taken aside by the filipino one. They spoke to us about or characters.

I was sent the sides by one of the directors. I studied them, memorized them enough to be comfortable. But, nothing in the sides prepared me for what the diretor would tell me and that was, "She killed her boss before coming to the park and feeding the cats." What?!! Wow. Whoa! Wait a minute!!! Now, this is the 4th role in which I'm a killer! LOL! That took me by surprise but didn't phase me. I could still play what I was playing. I took the scene and made the choice of covering up her pain with bits of smiles and laughter towards the other character. I did the "Chekhov-thing" of covering up and layering. I made a lasagna with my acting, pretty much.

So, Marcus and I performed. The waterworks did not fail me. Praise Jesus! The thing is with crying in acting...you can't think of that result. It's too much pressure and not very good to be thinking, "Okay, I have to cry in the next couple of lines, in the next couple of seconds." I just need things to be authentic. I can't stress out about emotion. I give to and take from my partner. You never know what's going to happen. What's important to me is that I've done my homework, I'm prepared and when I get to the audition, to the theatre, to the set...I will be open and receptive and truthful. Well, they liked it but they wanted me to not smile and laugh. Pretty much, they didn't want my Chekhov acting. The other director said things about this girl being devasted and it was the end of her life, all that jazz (and I knew that). The filipino director said that he totally got it and really liked the choices I made but both wanted me to take out the covering up business. They went back and forth for a couple of sentences and finally I just said, "Well, I wanted to play the oppposite." But, I will do what you guys want me to do. I won't smile." And then, the filipino director said to me, "But, maybe at the end you can. I like that you did laugh and smile at the end. So, maybe there." Yep. I did it without smiling and I guess it was fine. I felt fine. It was challenging but I did it.

The producer right away came in with, "Will you guys be free for callbacks on Thursday or next week Tuesday?" "Yes." The filipino director asked if I had a comedic monologue. "Yes." "Can you perform it?" "Tonight?" "Yes." "Yes." Uh...yikes!!! I was prepared with a dramatic monologue because that was what the role required. I was not at all prepared with a comedic one, though, I am quite familiar with the one I always use. Which isn't HA-HA funny but more subtle, sweet, chuckling funny. I went back out into the lobby area. Tried to run the lines in my head, went outside and I just couldn't remember. The filipino director came outside to call me in asked if I was ready. "Yes." LOL! I totally screwed up the monologue. It was awful! LOL! Mais, c'est la vie, eh? The director asked how long I could stay, if I could stay longer and I said that I could. The producer jumped in and said that they still had others to see, and this one girl was running late, &c. So, he asked if I was available for the callbacks and I told him that I was. And that was that...

I did. I WHOOPED MAJOR ASS. Sure did.

*Tonight, will be my second reading with Cecilia's students. I can't wait! I'm not the lead in this one but who cares! I love reading for her students. They're very gifted writers and I've enjoyed all the times that I was part of their readings. Whether it be a whole play or just scenes.

*Oh, last thing...that film that one of my best friends recommended me for? The one where I had to leave my baby at the front of the church... Well, I got totally dropped from that one. And in such a horribly unprofessional way that I took a stand and wrote the director a letter. He never responded back. GUILTY. AND! AND! He had the AUDACITY to go up to my best friend and try to talk to her about me. She stopped him and said, "Uh-uh. No. She is my best friend. You keep that business away from me." That's right! Sadly, though, she called me a couple of weeks ago about the filming process and jazz. She had such a terrible experience and wasted so much time. She became very discouraged and disheartened. She told me that she was glad that I was off the film.

*le whew* I've written too much. I'm a chatter-box. Hm...what do you call a person who writes too much? A typing-whore? Meh...

Okay, I now leave you with Kiri Te Kanawa in Puccini's MANON LESCAUT singing the last few minutes of, "Sola, Perduta, Abbandonata." By the buy, the reason I looked up this song was because it played in the beginning of the scene that I had to audition with at the Lee Strasberg Theatre. I'm such a nerd. I wanted to know how it went. I listened to Maria Callas' version of it. Big-time nerd over here.

"I'm Not There"

2007-08-28T22:21:00.000-07:00

Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan. I read that she was in the movie a couple of months ago. One of my best friends sent me this clip:

I love the genuine awe-struck feeling she portrays through Dylan meeting Ginsberg.

How I long to work with and for Cate=) I think she is f'amazing.

Oh! And I am very excited for Elizabeth: The Golden Age to open in October!

Sarah Jones' BRIDGE & TUNNEL

2007-08-27T22:58:00.000-07:00

I saw BRIDGE & TUNNEL last year in April when I auditioned for The Public Theater's Shakespeare Lab in NY. Incredible show. Here's a bit of what I wrote a day after seeing the show:

The audience was truly diverse in race as well as age! It was awesome! I loved it. Sarah is amazing. How did she do it? She played several characters from a 6th grader to a senior citizen! From a Mexican to a Vietnamese. She wore all black and just added a coat, glasses, scarf, hat, chair, &c. for all her different people. That’s all. Damn! It was truly a great theatre experience. Two great theatre experiences in a row for me! Yeah! During the show, as with GREY GARDENS, I thought to myself, “I gotta get into The Shakespeare Lab. I gotta get in!” Ha! That woman is inspiring as is The Ebersole. Man! Such a great show. She’s talented, witty, funny, intelligent…I mean, EVERYTHING that I love about true artists. Honest. She’s an actress and a poet. Yes. The whole time I wanted to hear her real voice. What does Sarah Jones’ “real” voice sound like? After our standing ovation and her coming out twice, she spoke. In an English dialect! And then she said, “I don’t really speak like that,” and let us hear her true voice. HAHAHHAHHAHA! Very funny. She got us! Sarah also said that the show has extended to July 9th. Amazing! Wonderful for her.

Sarah Jones inhabited each and every person that she played. She truly did. She is a chameleon. A transformer. It was amazing to watch her go from the next person to the next like it was no sweat. It seemed so effortless. I cannot say enough. I wish they had a Bravo special on DVD or something. I read that she was the first artist to sue the FCC for censorship. They reversed the censoring rule which targeted her hip-hop recording of, “Your revolution,” with DJ Vadim. That is out on CD. Her show makes me think that that is what The Public Theater is all about. The “stew pot,” of America. The multi-racial layers. The richness, the acceptance, the hardships, honesty and integrity. The heartbreak and the joys. Being involved and standing up for each other. What a show.

Support this show when it comes to Brentwood, CA on September 25th. She'll be there until October 21st. Take my advice, you'll end up being devoted to me after you see the show. I guarantee. If not, well...there's something wrong with you. (Just jokes...)

So, who's goin' with me?

Playbill.com's article on BRIDGE & TUNNEL coming to CA: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/109639.html

To purchase tickets: http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1142207/

"The English Patient"

2007-08-23T02:15:00.000-07:00

I cannot help but weep BUCKETS whenever I pop this film into the DVD player. I turn into Niagara Falls. If I made just one film like this and then died after shooting it, I would die happy. Anthony Minghella is a marvelous story-teller, so sensitive and full of passion. The cast is sublime: Ralph Fiennes, Kristin Scott Thomas, Juliette Binoche, Naveen Andrews, Colin Firth, Willem Dafoe...

This is one of those rare films that touches my heart in a way that if I tried to describe it, I would certainly bastardize that feeling. I won't even attempt. It's the same kind of feeling that I experienced with Babette's Feast, The Cranes are Flying, Hiroshima Mon Amour, Les Choses de la Vie, A Woman Under the Influence, Rabbit-Proof Fence, La Vita è Bella, Le Notti di Cabiria, Schindler's List, Sophie's Choice... *le sigh* The depth of emotion, of imagery, of words, of music... I would have done Anything to get into that film.

Ralph Fiennes is beautiful, period. Kristin Scott Thomas and Juliette Binoche can Never do wrong (in my humble eyes). It's really an example of how the stars were truly aligned when this film was made. Perfection. Or, since perfection cannot be attained, Near-perfection.

The intensity of this scene makes it feel like you shouldn't be watching it. Almásy's gaze at Katherine is focused and direct. Katherine cannot do anything but look away. It seems that he will ravage her but in which way? Sexually or murderously? And the scene that follows with the sleeping Hana, her arm on Almásy's mid-section. It's tenderly comedic.

"...for the heart is an organ of fire..." *le whew*

I remember getting the soundtrack to the film while I was at school. I had rehearsal that day and brought it in to play as a personal warm-up. The theatre was empty except for me and my good friend (who is also in love with the film). We re-enacted this scene on our dorky stage pieces. It still brings a smile to my face. Mm. I love him.

I especially detest this scene but then what comes AFTER it. I'm already so emotionally invested in the story, in the people, I can't help but be upset beyond belief for Almásy at this point and I understand his ultimate "betrayal."

The novel by Michael Ondaatje is superb. So lyrical. Reading his book is like watching Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance. I Love people who know how to tell a story. Story-tellers of any kind, be it through dance, writing, speaking, painting, acting, music...

It is an incredibly moving piece of art. Both the film and novel.

"Callas Forever"

2007-08-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching this movie directed by Franco Zeffirelli. It starred Fanny Ardant, Jeremy Irons and Joan Plowright. Now, I know there are many people that are not into Callas' voice saying that she isn't sweet and soft and this and that. I want to say that there is NO ONE that can act like that woman did in those roles for the Opera. I've been a fan of Callas' for some time now. Some of my friends that studied music and vocal performance say that there are better sopranos than she. Okay, fine. I'm not a brain-box about opera nor am I an opera-person, but I do know about standards and performance. She gives me chills.

She was a diva. Some say "difficult." But, dont' they say that about all geniuses? Don't they say that about brilliance? Their bar is held up way beyond where Icarus tried to go. And, I don't think it's difficult that they are. I'd say, strongly opinionated. They know what they want and usually are right. But, I must balance this off by saying that it can be too much for some. It's a double-edged sword working with genius, I suppose...

WELL...here is the trailer for the movie. I enjoyed it. I adore Fanny Ardant. I think she is a fiery and sensitive actress. I love watching her in interviews because she is so breathy and soft-spoken. You are seduced by her voice. It's so soothing. Lucky-gal! I also adore Joan Plowright. She has these puppy dog eyes that are very expressive. And though, she is quite adorable, watch out! Because when she turns on you, those eyes are like daggers!

The movie wasn't really what I had expected. But, like I said, I did enjoy it. One of my favorite scenes is when Callas and Larry go to Larry's boyfriend's (Michael) studio. There she sees all the paintings that Michael has painted while listening to her sing. Mm...

That Fanny Ardant is one fierce lady. But, I knew that since first seeing her in, 8 Femmes.

Musical Stylings with Sutton Foster

2007-08-21T18:06:00.000-07:00

Performed at Joe's Pub in November 2006. Sutton Foster is one of my favorite Broadway performers. She is a PHENOMENAL performer, and extremely gracious and humble. I was lucky to meet her a couple of years ago after her performance of THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE.

This is part of a series they call, "Don't Quit Your Night Job." She will be singing the melody of, "Gimme Gimme," (her 11 o'clock number from MILLIE) with different lyrics suggested by the audience, madlibs-style!

Sutton has appeared on a couple of episodes for the new HBO show, "Flight of the Conchords." A very Fun show!!! Check it out. Thanks to one of my best friends for introducing me to the show.

The Classic Dames Test

2007-08-20T23:28:00.000-07:00

I saw this posted in the blog of one of my cousins. She got Katharine Hepburn. I wanted to take it, not only because I am filled with ennui (as usual!) BUT anything with classic dames and men, I'm up for! I took this quiz twice because there were some questions in which I'd definitely choose two answers for.

Carole Lombard
You scored 14% grit, 28% wit, 38% flair, and 33% class!

You're a little bit of a fruitcake, but you always act out in style. You have a good sense of humor, are game for almost anything, but you like to have nice things about you and are attracted to the high life. You're stylish and modern, but you've got a few rough edges that keep you from attaining true sophistication. Your leading men include William Powell, Fredric March, and Clark Gable. Watch out for small planes.

Please! Who doesn't love Carole Lombard? She was one of the great comediennes of film in the 1930s and early 40s. Sadly, she died in a plane crash while on tour selling war bonds. She was the kookiest thing in her movies and I always enjoyed her antics!

Myrna Loy
You scored 14% grit, 38% wit, 23% flair, and 40% class!

You are loaded with a quirky kind of class that people find irresistable. Men turn and look at you admiringly as you walk down the street, and even your rivals have a grudging respect for you. You usually know the right thing to say, do and, of course, wear. You can take charge of a situation when things get out of hand, and you do it with great poise and chic. Your wit and sense of fun endear you to your partner and every other man in the room. Your screen partners include William Powell and Cary Grant. You're quite a catch...if you want to be caught.

I Do want to be caught! I do!!! Oh, Myrna Loy! I remember waking up at 3am just to watch her in a movie called, "Thirteen Women." She played an "Oriental" out to get revenge on 13 girls that made fun of her in school, or tormented her. Something like that.

What is so great about Carole and Myrna is that they could keep up with whatever man they were playing against. They were just as quick, just as smart...perhaps even more! But, they kept their sensitivity and their femininity. They could be zany and sophisticated, vulnerable and acutely aware. Great, great actresses. They were able to do both drama and comedy. My kind of actresses!

http://www.okcupid.com/tests/4621123663119520922/Classic-Dames

"Funny Face" (And I could certainly use a release!)

2007-08-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

That's right, Audrey! I could certainly use one of those, as well!

As you can see, Audrey is wearing all black except for her socks. Everyone probably knows this story but: Stanley Donen wanted her to wear white socks and she was stunned saying that it would ruin the black silhouette. He said that she would fade into the background and that there'd be no definition of her movement. She cried, came back on set, put on the white socks, and did the dance without a tear.

Audrey later wrote Donen and told him that he was right about the socks!

"V"

2007-08-20T00:57:00.000-07:00

Let me start off by saying that I am not a science-fiction kind of a gal. BUT, for some reason, I Love, "V." It's not sci-fi to me, at all. I do like the sentimental idea of fighting for good. The Resistance against the Visitors. I Love everything about it, from the original miniseries to the Final Battle to the TV series. All of it. Including the music.

I haven't seen it in such a long time! I remember LONG time ago FX re-aired it and I was elated. I would get to see Juliet (the do-it-for-good scientist), Diana (the crazy lizard bitch), Mike (the avenger) and Ham (the vigilante) all over again. I'd go through the birth of the twin babies that turned into lizards! I'd go through all those horrifying images of the Visitors eating rats, birds, and the like. I can't believe I love it! Even though, at times it was disgusting. Odd. I mean, I'm a scaredy-cat. Truly. But, "V," was something else to me.

Juliet (Faye Grant) and Diana (Jane Badler) were my two favorites. And I always couldn't wait for Mike (Marc Singer--yes, the Beastmaster) and Juliet to get together (in that way=P)!

I was so young when it first came out and I still remember. I still can't believe I wasn't terrified of the Visitors. I also remember my deep, Deep disappointment when it was no longer on air on NBC. Sad, sad days for a little afraidy-girl. I was probably frightened yet I kept watching. I was fascinated.

I really should buy the DVDs.

Fighting back:

Mike is gonna kick your lizard ass!

This is what happens when you sleep with the enemy:

Watch out admiral-lizard! Juliet's gonna get your lizard face!

Diana (beautiful-bad) slaps Juliet (beautiful-good) & the beginning of conversion:

Krzysztof Kieslowski's Color Trilogy, "Trois Couleurs: Bleu, Blanc, Rogue"

2007-08-19T22:10:00.000-07:00

Three touching stories. Complex people. Coming together in the end. What is familiar survives. Love the recurrence of the old, crouched-over lady trying to put her glass bottle into the recycling bin. Beautiful and tender.

Juliette Binoche in Bleu (1993)

Zbigniew Zamachowski & Julie Delpy in White (1994)

Irene Jacob & Jean-Louis Trintignant in Red (1994)

Gena Rowlands (One Ferocious Mama)

2007-08-19T01:12:00.000-07:00

If I had to pick ONE American actress to be my absolute favorite, that woman would HAVE to be Gena Rowlands. This woman is out of this world! She is a masterclass. One tough broad, vulnerable to the core, receptive, aware, smart, gorgeous, sensitive... She's the real deal. Her films with her late-husband, John Cassavetes, were stories of the life inside. They were about love and the lack of it. About REAL people. Flaws and weakness all over the place. Mistakes and regrets bleeding onto film. Very raw and full of depth.

My "first" Gena film: Gloria 1980 (I say "first" because I actually saw her in, "Another Woman," first. But, this is the one that perked me up and I took notice. Same thing happened with Romy and Stéphane--it took me another look at them in another film to take notice)

Minnie and Moskowitz 1971 This is the blind-date scene from the film. Oh.My.God. The blind-date from Hell. HELL. One of the funniest scenes and I wish it were in its entirety; from the point where she meets him in the museum to the fight in the parking lot. Val Avery is magic. Gena and her face are priceless! I'd LOVE to do this scene one day.

A Woman Under the Influence 1974 Mm-mm-mm! This is a lesson in madness. A demonstration of destruction. An already fragile mind breaks and must live on with those broken pieces.

Love Streams 1984 I was able to win this film on ebay. I've got to pop it back in. The lives of the brother and sister (played by John and Gena)...man!

A Child is Waiting 1963 I was lucky that TCM aired this movie. I was able to record it on VHS. It's a heartbreaking story.

Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daugther 1979 I have never seen this. I wish I could get my hands on it!!! But, I'm always getting outbid, dammit. Bette Davis and Gena together. Whoa! In the beginning after meeting her, Bette said something to this affect, "Is that moose gonna play my daughter?" But, she ended up Loving Gena. Who wouldn't love her, though? (This is the only film in this batch not directed by John)

Susan (Freakin') Hayward

2007-08-19T00:26:00.001-07:00

What a dame! This woman is fierce. She is able to be steely, fragile and unflattering. What a broad!!!

I have seen her in so many movies. Here are a few clips of her in action.

clip from: With a Song in My Heart 1952
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3jNHcGP_4o0
Susan played the singer, Jane Froman in the movie. There is a touching scene with Susan and Robert Wagner that always seems to choke me up.

clips from: I'll Cry Tomorrow 1955
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FWFyucH2oCs
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1QpC0leJ-vU
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BNcqUICDpzE
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MEFulD0X36w
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-TOrtH86_Io
This is a movie based on Lillian Roth. What a life. Susan did her own singing. Fierce.

from: I Want to Live 1958

She won the Academy Award for this movie. Her stuff at the end of the movie (not to take away anything from the first half, at all)! That turn of hers, the back and forth...*le whew*

from: Valley of the Dolls 1967

I mean, honestly, who doesn't like a little bit o' camp? This movie is awful! But, a lot of fun (in an AWful way). And, yes. I own it. "Boobies, boobies, boobies!"

"The Counterfeit Traitor"

2007-08-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

Lilli Palmer is another one of my all-time favorite actresses. She's got grace, elegance, wit and some mean acting chops! Here are a few scenes from the first film I saw her in (that I'm aware of as my first film of hers...it could have been something else like, "The Pleasure of His Company," but I'm old and I don't remember):

To learn more about Lilli, you should check out her autobiography Change Lobsters---and Dance. You will find her to be candid, witty, charming, intelligent and loving. I got a lot out of it as an actress but mostly as a human being. Lilli was a strong woman. She is the personification of perserverance. Truly. Her book was enlightening, inspiring and motivating. On top of all that, she's one helluva writer. I couldn't put her book down. I finished it in 3 days. One of my favorite books.

http://www.myspace.com/lillimariepeiser

A Long Overdue Birthday Present...

2007-08-16T23:20:00.000-07:00

...for Serein---

Musical Stylings with Isabelle Huppert and Françoise Hardy: "Message Personnel"

2007-08-15T00:24:00.000-07:00

The first time I ever heard this song was when Isabelle Huppert sang it in, "8 Femmes." She is brilliant. Just watch and you'll witness what I speak of. It's a bit cheesy but she's Very good.

I believe that Françoise Hardy is the originator of the song. Françoise has become one of my favorite French Pop singers. Though her range is limited, she more than makes up for it with her simplicity and her investment in what she sings. She is also a songwriter and was in a couple of movies. She made an appearance at the end of, "What's New, Pussycat?" Yes, I have seen that movie. I own it. Why? Romy's in it.

Born in February...

2007-08-13T03:10:00.000-07:00

This was from a bulletin my best friend posted on myspace. I found it fun to comment on! Ha! Plus, I'm feeling super silly.

Abstract thoughts (Sure...?). Loves reality and abstract (I don't know if I love them). Intelligent and clever (I'll take that). Changing personality (For the better, yes. For the crazy, no.). Attractive (I won't go there...my best friend might slap me. Hard.). Sexiest out of everyone (Um...). Temperamental (Sometimes). Quiet, shy and humble (I'll take those...but if I'm with my friends...that's another story!). Honest and loyal (Yes). Determined to reach goals (Yes, again). Loves freedom (Yeah). Rebellious when restricted (Depends). Loves aggressiveness (Yeah. That would be a BIG FAT NO! *EW*). Too sensitive and easily hurt (Yep). Gets angry really easily but does not show it (I show it. Though, not all the time). Dislikes unnecessary things (Yes). Loves making friends but rarely shows it (I don't know how to take that one...). Horny (Oh, God! No. Do urges count? Plus, do I look like a French 60's film star to you?). Daring and stubborn (No and sometimes). Ambitious (Not at this moment). Realizing dreams and hopes (Yes, would love to). Sharp (Oh, yeah. My history teacher called me, "Astute"=). Loves entertainment and leisure (Hello!). Romantic on the inside not outside (Very true). Superstitious and ludicrous (Occassionally and yes). Spendthrift (Mm...sometimes). Tries to learn to show emotions (Hm...I don't have to learn that!!!).

They should add, "Extremely dorky." Yes, I know. I am dorky. Especially, for making a silly entry like this. But, admit it, you had a ball reading this post! =PPP

Romy Schneider (tidbits)

2007-08-11T23:48:00.000-07:00

While researching about Stéphane Audran, I came across a bit on Romy that was said by Claude Chabrol (which was posted here, previously: http://redshoesonathuuursday.blogspot.com/2007/08/mortelle-randonne-or-when-ugly-is.html):

"There have been some people I’ve found tricky. Dear Romy [Schneider], for example. She cheated me. She said, ‘I warn you, I don’t have an ounce of humor.’ Amazing! A girl who can say such a thing. The trouble was, it was true. It went well. But she spent as much time acting in between takes as in front of the camera. We had a fight at the dub."

I thought of my friend from Europe who has such a wealth of knowledge on Romy (and is also a DJ) and I shared the quote with him. He wrote back that he had never heard that before and started to exchange more tidbits on Romy with me:

*In "César et Rosalie," she didn't want other actresses to get too many scenes. I thought that he meant she was talking about Isabelle Huppert in the movie, but no, she meant Gisela Hahn (yikes!). After a previous version she had them cut out all the scenes. (Eeks!)

*César was getting too much so she changed some parts of the script. (Whoops!)

*Claude Sautet said that it was, "because she is an absolute person." He couldn't say, "No," to her. He loved her. (Who could blame him? Really?)

*She was a diva sometimes; she knew what she wanted; she changed the script if she didn't like it; she was the star

*She had rights in her contract to control the final cut in her films

*In "Max et les ferrailleurs," she wanted to play the small role of the prostitute. She changed that character into a main role. (I have YET to see this movie!!!)

Wow. For some reason, this doesn't rub me the wrong way as today's "actors" bother me. She was the real deal and there are so few that are the true blue thing in our world-society of celebrity. I have YET to see a film of hers in which she disappoints me. She is always exquisite and delicious. She never fails to amaze me.

You must remember, I feel this way because I am UTTERLY bias when it comes to Romy. I'm not necessarily okay with her behavior, nor do I condone it yet in my moonstruck eyes, she can do no wrong. Even though, she was no saint (but, honestly...who is?=P)!!! Ha! I do take her flaws, her weaknesses, &c. There is NO denying that she is Greatness. Try to say otherwise to my face. I dare you. Go on. I DOUBLE dare you. And let's see if your mother will recognize you.

I Love her. I can only imagine if she were alive today what abundance she would produce. It's sad to think that we'll never know.

Currently listening to: The English Patient (Original Soundtrack Recording)

MIKA (Life in Cartoon Motion) on Good Morning America

2007-08-10T12:23:00.000-07:00

I have been a fan of MIKA's for some time now. BEFORE ALL THE HYPE (I HAD to put that point across). It's wonderful that he's gained such success and popular appeal especially because he is unique and fun-loving (among many other qualities). His exuberance is contagious and brings me tears of joy because I know what that feels like. It's such a great, refreshing comfort to see that in a performer. True-love in what you say you Love to do. AND an added bonus is that he CAN perform LIVE! (Because y'all know there are some performers out there that SHOULDN'T be doing ANYTHING live. *ugh*)

He was supposed to perform in Bryant Park but the weather decided that they couldn't handle such a unique presence at this time! =PPP And because MIKA felt bad he offered a free show at Manhattan's Highline Ballroom at 1p. What a guy!!!

His band members are also very supreme! Yeah! On guitars and providing backing vocals is Martin Waugh, on bass and providing backing vocals is Michael Choi, on drums is Cherisse Osei, and on keyboards is Luke Juby. I dig how his drummer is a lady!!

MIKA singing: "Love Today"

"Big Girl"

A very short, but sweet, interview. I Love what he has to say.

Get his album NOW.

"Mortelle Randonnée" (or, When Ugly is Beautiful)

2007-08-09T22:54:00.000-07:00

There is a little bit (or, for others,--don't want to exclude--a lotta bit) of ugly in all of us. This is not the "philosophical"-ugly dealing with a person's true identity. No. I'm talkin' about the face. Or your visAHge. I am laughing to myself because I keep thinking about why I started this post (or, I'm just plain crazy).

Now, let me start off by saying that I don't think when an actress turns "ugly" for a role that she is the bravest minx out there. No. Please. Get back to me when you find an actress that can do what Romy Schneider did in her career. That's bravery. That's courage. That's an actress. Having said that, I do admire actresses who go to ugly-UGLY. And it truly is mortifying and provides a jolt of shock when one of your favorites (who is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous and you feel NOTHING could make her ugly) is so vile on your screen that you can't help but let out gales of grossed-out, confused, horrified laughter. Case in point, Stéphane Audran in Claude Miller's Mortelle Randonnée (1983).

I apologize for not being able to provide a photo of her for you to see exactly what I am talking about. I couldn't find one. I know, I know, I know. *BOO*

Onward. Stéphane plays, La dame en gris (The lady in grey). She is not the main character. The story is of a young, pretty thing (Isabelle Adjani) that kills her many suitors that possess lots of money. She disguises herself and changes her name with each new suitor. One of her suitors ends up being a woman, and, I should add that along the way, she picks up a hitch-hiker that tries to swindle her but the plan backfires and they end up working together. They rob a bank but it turns awry and the hitch-hiker gets killed. She's not very wise with money, though. By the end of the film, she has no more cash because she has wasted it all away. Stupid, I know. There IS a man that I believe she was truly in love with (played by Sami Frey) but he gets "accidentally" killed by a detective (Michel Serrault) that was hired by the first suitor's parents. They wanted the detective to gather the girl's background. The detective has a story of his own. He has never met his one and only daughter. He doesn't know what she looks like. Through the course of the movie, he transfers his feelings for his real daughter onto Adjani's character. So, instead of turning her into the po-po's, he tries to protect her. Mm.

WELL...Stéphane enters the film right after Frey's character is killed. Her appearance! She was UUG-LEE. LOL! Very. Really. For true. C'est la vérité. I was stunned. I had read that her appearance in the movie was rather startingly ugly but I couldn't imagine it. And then, I saw her and I am still laughing! She really did look like she was somebody else. Well, maybe not somebody else, but close to it. Or maybe, I should say, she looked like a relative that would be locked in the basement if the family were obscenely cruel. (Isn't that a movie somewhere???) She looked like all the color from her face had drained away. Her eyes seemed very beady, with a bit of red and an outer circle of yellow. And I'm pretty sure that the top part of her teeth were not hers, they were disgustingly yellow and looked like they were decaying (a dentist's dream!). She was SO very funny in the movie. Funny and tragic. Maybe "tragic" is too strong of a word. I'll go with, ill-fated. Unfortuante. Wretched. Dreadful. Atrocious. Eh...

There are two scenes in which I defy you not to laugh. The first is when she comes back to the detective in a café after being locked out of her room by her co-hort. You feel so bad for her but you want to laugh (I'm still laughing). And you will. It may seem cruel to but you will. The lines Serrault throws at her are plain mean and cutting. At one point he says, "You might be less hideous with bangs," and he motions to right at his eyebrows indicating that's where her bangs should be. But, a split second after that action he lowers his hand to his mouth!!! LOL! Mean. The second scene is in the car and the both of them are outside the hotel where her co-hort is staying. The detective tells her a bunch of lies about what ensued between him and the co-hort and she goes off! Again, very funny. Serrault and Audran really played well off of each other. Their timing was impeccable.

Stéphane is so intelligent. She knows how to inject humor. It's very subtle and it can be very broad. That's part of what makes her so golden. Humor. Irony. Dry.

This brings to mind an interview that I read with Claude Chabrol. He spoke about Romy Schneider and humor: "There have been some people I’ve found tricky. Dear Romy [Schneider], for example. She cheated me. She said, ‘I warn you, I don’t have an ounce of humor.’ Amazing! A girl who can say such a thing. The trouble was, it was true. It went well. But she spent as much time acting in between takes as in front of the camera. We had a fight at the dub."

I don't think she lacked humor, though. I thought she was funny. It was very dark. She had a great sense of irony. Sardonic irony, dry wit, what you will. She wasn't a laugh-out-loud funny. She was an u*h!-what?!-yikes-WHOOPS funny.

Currently watching: Le Trio Infernale

"Les Demoiselles de Rochefort"

2007-08-07T02:15:00.001-07:00

This musical from 1967 was directed by Jacques Demy (the restoration of it was looked over by Agnès Varda--Demy's wife--in 1996). The music was composed by Michel Legrand. It is pure fun with cheesy-corniness and I adore it! It also has such a first-rate cast: Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Dorléac, Michel Piccoli, Danielle Darrieux, George Chakiris, Gene Kelly, among others... (Yes, you read the last two names right!!! HA!)

I mean, if this doesn't make you feel good...well...I just don't know!

It's really dorky. You will most likely roll your eyes, and you may even look down on me and question my taste. But, it's fun. You see, I'm into kitsch, as well=PPP

Dynamic Duo: Audran et Huppert

2007-08-05T01:23:00.001-07:00

from Claude Chabrol's Violette Nozière (1978)

Violette Nozière

from Bertrand Tavernier's Coup de Torchon (1980)

I await for these 2 to get together once again. They are absolutely explosive together on the screen. In an interview with Tavernier, he said that he only had to do one or two takes when he was filming them. They were so good and on top of their game (no surprise). It was very easy for him.

I'd love to hear from their own mouths what it was like to work with one another. I really hope that they didn't hate each other. That would leave me disheartened because I adore them both.

Shakespeare Rules instilled in The Dench by Michael Benthall and Peter Hall

2007-08-01T21:47:00.000-07:00

1. Remember it's a play, not reality.
2. Obey the metre.
3. Start scenes.
4. Earn a pause.
5. Don't separate.
6. Drive through the speech.
7. Antithesis, pauses, up at the end of lines.
8. Economy, simplicity, and negotiate with humour.
9. You don't have to carry the message, the play does it for you.
10. Trust the play, and your casting.

The Dench says that #8 is the greatest of all.

And, yes. It is.

John Stride and The Dench in ROMEO AND JULIET

10 Principal Shortcomings of Lilli Palmer (as named by Elsa Schreiber)

2007-08-01T21:11:00.000-07:00

1. Remember: you have no charm
2. Don't act adjectives. No need to illustrate what you're saying.
3. Iron out those abrupt, hasty gestures.
4. Take your time. Then no one will be bored.
5. Don't mumble.
6. Listen to your fellow actors. That will make you interesting.
7. Stay dry. Sentimentality is Mortal Sin Number One.
8. Don't stand with your feet apart. Keep them together. You're not in the gym.
9. Stay vital. Monotony is Mortal Sin Number Two.
10. Courage--above all, courage!

*Elsa Schreiber was Lilli's acting teacher/coach. A woman with a great talent who shared her knowledge and helped her students blossom and bloom.

Lilli as Cleopatra (duh) in Shaw's CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA

I'm in love with Lee Marvin

2007-08-01T02:18:00.000-07:00

Yes. You read the title correctly. I just finished watching Samuel Fuller's 1980 war film The Big Red One. It's the restored/reconstructed version.

I remember first watching Lee Marvin in one of my 8th grade elective classes. The movie was Cat Ballou. I also saw him in The Dirty Dozen. I think that's it. I wanna say that I've seen Paint Your Wagon. But, I may be lying.

Anywah...Yes. I am in love with him. There was just something about him in The Big Red One that got me goin' on him.

The film is moving, daunting and funny. Two scenes that are full of tenderness involved children. One with an Sicilian girl and the other with a Jewish boy. A scene of buoyancy involved these Sicilian women and children freed from German soldiers' hold on them in their village. There was much food, song and laughter. A scene of duality had the guys capture this Nazi boy who kept heil-ing to Hitler and the Sargeant forcing one of his men to shoot the kid. None of them would so the boy got a spankin' and his heil-ing to Hitler changed to him calling out for his papa. A hilarious scene had the guys helping to give birth to a Frenchwoman's child. The "qualified" of the group needed the woman to push but he didn't know the French for the word. The Sargeant said that it was, "pousser." Yep. They had fun with that word! There was a great scene of observation at a dinner table while all the men were eating and the French cook was eyeing and comparing how every one was eating. She caught the infiltrator. Whoops!

Now, there is an asylum scene. The star of that segment would be ... wait for it ... Stéphane Audran. She's a killer (named Walloon) that works for the underground and kills in silence, all the while acting insane in front of the Nazis. Yikes! If you blink, you'll miss her. That's how much time she has in the film. Well, maybe if you blink a few more times than once! She also has this tender, yet extremely carnal and desirous, scene with Robert Carradine. *le whew*

Another scene that took my breath away (and for a different reason than above) had this Nazi in a ward speaking to an injured Lee Marvin and kissing him. Mm. There's was the kiss on the cheek, the kiss on the lips, another on the lips, and then *whoops* here comes the hand of Lee's to the throat of the Nazi.

I thought the rest of the cast (Mark Hamill, Bobby Di Cicco, Kelly Ward) were first-rate. I'm not a war film kind of a gal but I think this one's a great one. The camaraderie of the men! There are many battle sequences but not much on the gore and blood, which I was VERY fine with. I mean, Samuel Fuller could have gone gore-out on the sequence in which Stéphane slashes away at the Nazis but he doesn't. I do understand about making things believeable but it's very difficult for me to watch and I usually don't. If I had a choice between gratuitious violence or gratuitious sex. If I HAD to choose... Well, it wouldn't be violence. But, gratuitous sex can also make me sick. So, I choose... Can I choose neither? Hey! Wait a second! This is my blog. I don't have to answer anything!

The sound on the following clip is a tish out of sync. *boo*

In Memoriam: Michel Serrault

2007-07-31T12:16:00.000-07:00

(*sigh* Bergman, Antonioni and now Serrault. And I kept telling my Ma deaths usually happen in 3's)

Michel Serrault, Star of “La Cage aux Folles,” Dies at 79

By MARGALIT FOX

Michel Serrault, a French film star known internationally for his role as the temperamental drag queen Zaza in the original film version of “La Cage aux Folles,” died on Sunday at his home in Honfleur, France. He was 79.

The cause was cancer, Mr. Serrault’s priest, the Rev. Alain Maillard de La Morandais, told The Associated Press.

Mr. Serrault, who appeared in more than 130 films, worked with some of the most celebrated directors in French cinema, among them Claude Chabrol. His films shown in this country include “The Butterfly,” “The Girl From Paris,” “Artemisia,” “The Swindle” and “Beaumarchais: The Scoundrel.”

In 1978, Mr. Serrault reprised for the screen the role of Zaza in “La Cage aux Folles” (“Birds of a Feather”); he had previously played the part onstage in Paris. In the film, Zaza (by day known as Albin) is the star act at a nightclub in St. Tropez run by his longtime lover, Renato (Ugo Tognazzi). After Renato’s son announces his engagement, the future in-laws, pillars of rectitude, show up in St. Tropez. Mayhem ensues.

The film was an international hit, and Mr. Serrault won a César, the French equivalent of the Oscar, for his performance. He returned as Zaza for “La Cage aux Folles 2” (1980) and “La Cage aux Folles 3: The Wedding” (1985).

Michel Serrault was born in Brunoy, near Paris, on Jan. 24, 1928. He performed in cabarets and on the stage before appearing in his first film, “Ah! Les Belles Bacchantes” (released in the United States as “Peek-a-boo”), in 1954.

Mr. Serrault’s survivors include his wife, Juanita, and a daughter, Nathalie, The Associated Press reported. (Another daughter died in a car crash in 1977.) Information on other survivors could not immediately be confirmed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/31/movies/31serrault.html?ref=theater

**
'La Cage aux Folles' actor dies

PARIS, France (AP) -- French actor Michel Serrault, whose hit performance as a transvestite in the film and stage versions of "La Cage aux Folles" ("The Birdcage") catapulted him to international stardom, has died, his priest said Monday. He was 79.

Serrault died Sunday of cancer in his home in the northwestern city of Honfleur, Rev. Alain Maillard de La Morandais said.

Serrault appeared in more than 130 films during a career that spanned half a century. After debuting as a comic actor, Serrault became one of France's most versatile stars, playing a serial killer, a grizzled farmer, a crooked banker and accused rapist.

"I'm against those who only want to entertain," Serrault said in 2002. "I am very happy with all the roles I've played, and I take responsibility for them all."

French President Nicolas Sarkozy paid homage to Serrault's "impressive filmography," calling the actor a "monument of the world of the theater, the cinema and the television."

Born on January 24, 1928, in Brunoy, south of Paris, Serrault initially set his sights on the priesthood, briefly entering a seminary. He dropped out, he later explained, because of the vow of chastity.

After studying acting in Paris, Serrault began as his stage career playing in cabarets.

He made his silver screen debut in 1954 in Jean Loubignac's "Ah! les belles bacchantes" ("Oh, the lovely revelers"), which was released as "Peek-a-boo" in the United States. His first big break came in 1972, with a leading role in Pierre Tchernia's "Le Viager" ("The Life Annuity")

Speaking Monday on LCI television, Tchernia called Serrault "perhaps the greatest French actor," saying he gave to his profession "all his talent, all his strength, all his humor, all his affection."

It was his role as flamboyant gay nightclub owner Albin Mougeotte, also known as Zaza Napoli, in the theater and film versions of the mega-hit "La Cage aux Folles" ("The Birdcage") that catapulted him to fame worldwide. His performance in director Edouard Molinaro's 1978 movie won him the first of three Cesar awards -- the French version of the Oscar.

Serrault remained active, featuring in films through his late seventies. Among his final films was Pierre Javaux's 2006 "Les Enfants du Pays" ("Hometown Boys"), about the role of African soldiers in WWII.

Serrault is survived by his wife, Juanita, and daughter, Nathalie.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/07/30/obit.serrault.ap

Here he is in a scene from La Cage aux Folles 3 with Ugo Tognazzi and Stéphane Audran:

In Memoriam: MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI

2007-07-31T04:42:00.000-07:00

(first Bergman and now another magnificent creator has left our physical universe)

Antonioni, Italian Director of Introspective Films, Dies at 94

By Adam L. Freeman and Steve Scherer

July 31 (Bloomberg) -- Michelangelo Antonioni, the Italian film director who explored modern alienation and the enigma of human relationships, has died. He was 94.

Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni announced a public viewing of Antonioni's body tomorrow at City Hall, according to a written statement. The filmmaker died Monday night at his home, Ansa reported earlier, citing unidentified family members.

In milestone movies like 1966's English-language ``Blow-Up'' Antonioni's work offered the audience time to contemplate interior struggles through psychology and symbolism rather than action. When the director's classic ``L'Avventura was presented at Cannes in 1960 it greeted with jeers.

``Antonioni changed the narrative structure of telling a story,'' said Chiara Caselli, who acted in ``Beyond the Clouds'' (1995) in an interview. ``In the history of Italian cinema, Antonioni with always be there.''

Born into a middle-class family in Sept. 29, 1912 in Ferrara, Italy, Antonioni attended the University of Bologna where he studied classics and economics. As a college student, he wrote film reviews for a local paper, often angering the country's film industry with barbed attacks on Italian comedies.

His attempts at documentary filmmaking ended in failure. When he tried to film an insane asylum, his subjects became hysterical every time the camera turned on them, forcing him to call off the production.

Antonioni continued to write about film in Rome, where he worked for Cinema, the official Fascist magazine dedicated to movies and edited by Vittorio Mussolini, son of the Italian dictator. A political disagreement prompted his dismissal. He opted to study filmmaking at the Centro Sperimentale.

Fishing Documentary

After collaborating with neo-realist auteur Roberto Rossellini and French film director Marcel Carne, Antonioni returned to Italy for his military service and obtained financing for a documentary about the impoverished fishermen of northern Italy's Po Valley.

Italian filmmaking came to a halt with the Allied invasion in 1943. In the interim Antonioni wrote film criticism for magazines including Film Rivista.

His feature debut came in 1950 when he directed ``Cronaca di un Amore.'' The film recounts the story of a bourgeois wife who meets her penniless lover in cheap hotels and plots her husband's murder. When he dies in an accident, the couple are left guilt stricken.

Italy's New Rich

To film the story, Antonioni departed from fashionable neo- realist practice by employing real actors and shunning social criticism. He also steered clear of traditional plot lines, aiming instead to draw the audience into the character's internal drama. The film had little success, and the director had to wait a decade before his work was noticed.

Antonioni was sensitive to Italy's budding industrial success. Through World War II the country was largely agrarian and one of the poorest in Europe. With one foot in traditional moralistic Catholicism and the other in modernism, a new monied class emerged, confused and awash in wealth.

``Scientific man is already on the moon, and yet we are still living with the moral concepts of Homer,'' Antonioni said in a 1969 interview.'' Hence this upset, this disequilibrium that makes weaker people anxious and apprehensive, that makes it so difficult for them to adapt to the mechanism of modern life.''

Shark Lie

With ``L'Avventura'' in 1960, Antonioni focused on Italy's new rich and their residual ennui and anxiety. The premise of the story is a group of well-to-do couples who take a boat tour of the Aeolian islands off of Sicily. Anna tries to add some life to the dreary trip by crying ``shark'' -- a lie that the director uses to spotlight the passiveness and lack of curiosity of the jaded middle class, and to represent Anna's friend, the serial bed- hopper Sandro.

Anna later disappears on a volcanic island. After a search, her friends return to their mundane lives and Anna is dropped from the film with no explanation.

The audience revolted against the 145-minute film, attacking it as long and pretentious. L`Avventura ``is like trying to follow a showing of a picture at which several of the reels have got lost,'' wrote New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther in 1961.

Indeed, scenes come to an end leaving viewers scratching their heads wondering if they missed something. The slowly built- up drama doesn't peak, and seems to simply disappear --just like Anna.

``Antonioni never really learned the trade,'' IMDb, the Internet movie database, quoted Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman, who died yesterday, as saying. ``He never concentrated on single images, never realizing that film is a rhythmic flow of images.''

`Blow-Up'

Crowther and Bergman aside, critics loved `L'Avventura'' for its cinematography. Despite the audience reaction, the movie won a Special Jury Prize at Cannes. (Compatriot Federico Fellini's ``La Dolce Vita'' won the Palme d'Or.)

Antonioni's biggest international success was the 1966 ``Blow-Up,'' an existential murder mystery in hipster-Sixties London.

Thomas, a famous fashion photographer bored by the grooviness of free love, finds exhilaration by snapping photos in the park where he thinks he photographed a murder. The film earned Antonioni Academy Award nominations for best director and original screenplay. Hollywood psycho-thriller director Brian Di Palma did a remake in 1981 as ``Blow Out'' starring John Travolta as a movie sound technician.

``Identificazione di una Donna'' about a filmmaker on a quest for the perfect woman was a hit in Italy and won the Special 35th Anniversary Award at Cannes in 1982. It never was distributed in North America after New York Times film critic Vincent Canby called it an ``excruciatingly empty work.''

More than a decade after suffering a stroke in 1983, Antonioni collaborated with German director Wim Wenders on ``Beyond the Clouds,'' four vignettes about love. Much later, in 2004, Antonioni directed one of three tales on the subject of desire in ``Eros,'' alongside Steven Soderbergh and Wong Kar Wai.

Presented with an Oscar for lifetime achievement in 1995, Antonioni, debilitated by age and stroke, accepted the award with one word: ``Grazie.''

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=azNY_gwcxxp0&refer=home#

I leave this entry in sadness with 2 clips:

In Memoriam: INGMAR BERGMAN

2007-07-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

Bergman passed "from one room into another"* at 89 in his home in Faro, Sweden. The world of art has lost one of its greatest creators, the "poet with the camera."

The last film he directed was in '82, Fanny and Alexander. He directed in the theatre as well. Most of his productions were for Stockholm's Royal Dramatic Theater. "The theatre is like a faithful wife," he said. "The film is the great adventure — the costly, exacting mistress."

I've only seen a few of Bergman's films (Cries and Whispers, Autumn Sonata, The Seventh Seal, and Scenes from a Marriage). In homage to the poet, I will leave you with a scene from the first film of his that I saw, Cries and Whispers:

* when asked by Lilli Palmer if she believed in life after death, Helen Keller responded emphatically, "Most certainly. It is no more than passing from one room into another."