The Upstart Theatre Company!

So, when I stood up in front of the audience the night of A Midsummer Night's Play Festival, I was visibly nervous speaking in front of a group of people for the first time since I don't know when.  Reason mainly being that I hadn't slept that much in 48 hours, but I was also proposing a new venture in Savannah, GA:  The Upstart Theatre Company.

Now, there are a lot of theatre companies in Savannah.  Bay Street Theatre, Savannah Children's, City Lights, the Collective Face, the Savannah Theatre. But I wanted to start something that would start new works in Savannah and the Lowcountry.  There's going to be an outreach to local authors (some connections have already been made because of MNPF) to create new works here in town.  

It's going to start off pretty small.  We might do two full-length productions in the coming year, but there was MNPF and this coming February, we're going to do another 24 hr 10 min play festival called The Winter's Tales at Muse Arts Warehouse.  There are a few other events planned that are still being fleshed out.  It kind of depends on the 

If you are interested in the projects, want to know more about it, please email me at theatreupstart@gmail.com.  I'll be more than happy to discuss at length!

On another personal note, The Errant Knaves opens this week at TestoGenius Fetival in New York.  Even though I haven't seen any of it, I'm absolutely terrified.  Of it being a failure and of it being a success.  Everything is going to be fine though.  I'm proud of my work and I'll stand by it!

Gay writer or writer who happens to be gay?

First, turns out Edward Albee is still alive.  And, secondly, he's gay.  Maybe it's been a while since I've paid that much attention to this sort of thing, but both are completely true.  At least, that's what Albee says.

Below is a link to an article that was posted on NPR.  I recommend listening to the story.  One gets the better sense and tone that Albee is trying to convey.

Gay writer or writer who happens to be gay?

Before I really get into it, I wanted to mention that I think his mustache looks absolutely dapper.

First, I think that its a mistake to say that "gay plays are wrong" was what Albee was saying.  He wasn't saying anything negative about them.  If anything, he's saying that any time that you put a definition on anything, you're limiting it to just those things.  If something is "gay", it'll always be thought of in those terms.  It's College Philosophy 101.  Albee was making the point that you shouldn't pigeonhole yourself into writing only one different thing.  It's like putting shackles on your wrists and trying to write at the same time.  A limitation is a limitation.

But when Albee describes himself as a "writer who happens to be gay", he's talking about an aspect of his life that he himself says is irrelevant to his writing.  (Sidebar, his observation on Tennessee Williams is spot-on). This begs the question of why mention it at all?  I think that he's perfectly entitled to say that he's gay in any way, shape or form that he wants to say that he's gay. I thought that the wording on it was unique and alluding to hypocrisy.  However, he's careful about the way that he says this and manages to avoid it entirely.

Finally, the man is 83.  He's a legend in American Theatre, he can pretty much say whatever the hell he wants to whoever he wants to say it to.  He's at least earned that.

New Work Around the Corner

So, normally, I try to post more regularly than this but there have been mitigating circumstances.

Started a new day job.  Very low stress which I'm more than keen about.

Also, moved out of the condo and back in with the 'rents.  Should be a temporary measure, but it's hard to argue against free lodgings.  Plus, they have immaculate taste in coffee (though I have to supply the creamer).

I'm on the far left, looking more hip than I do in real life. 

Not to mention that I've been under the weather for the last couple of days.  Yet, this soldier still carries on.


On the theatre front, though, Boys Next Door is going up next week at the Bay Street Theatre in Savannah, GA.  Tickets are on sale at this link: Here we go to Club One!

Thanks again to everyone for the congrats and the well-wishes for The Errant Knaves that's going up at the Manhattan Theatre Source in June.  I'm going to see what I can do about going to New York City this Summer to catch the festival.  The curiosity is killing me!

Speaking of new works, I'm going to send in a clip of Here Are the Rules to the Well Theatre in NYC as well.  Though the play is not completed, it is in my mind and would be happy to finish it for a production.  I think that it will work well with their company. They seem to enjoy productions about youth in difficult situations;  I think this will be right up their alley.

Want to spend the rest of the month working on Wake.  This was a play that I completed while I was in college.  The first version was not completed, but I re-worked the idea into something else.  The second draft got an A in my Playwriting II class (an independent study with Caleb).  I find that the more time passes, the more critical I am with what I had written.  Always with the same comments like "How could I have been so corny?"  "Why not add this or remove that?" kind of thing.  I try not to hold it too hard against myself.  After all, art is constant learning process, right?

So, several years ago, I was told that someone I half knew when I was in high school might be getting a bad diagnosis re: cancer.  Seemed kind of young for it and I sympathized.  However, in total honesty, I didn't really know them and wouldn't miss them.

"Oh, I thought you two were tight in high school."

"No," I said.  "I just knew them in passing."

"Oh.  Well, I guess you shouldn't give the eulogy, then, huh?"

I thought it was funny.  But then I thought... what if I did have to give the eulogy of someone that I didn't really know?  Well, I would have to give my limited impression of them in front of men and women who were much more involved emotionally than myself.  And things took off from there.

I began re-writing it while I was at work today.  The last version was too clunky, too long and too... well, boring.  A lot of people standing around talking.  And it's not that is the problem, the real problem was that they were saying the same things over and over again.   This version is already a lot cleaner and more what I want it to be.  Hopefully, it becomes a success!

Working out the details now of the next staged production.  Stay tuned for that.

Last note:  please vote in the Best of Savannah 2011 with Connect Savannah!!!

Vote in Best of Savannah 2011 with Connect Savannah!!!

Most Monday Nights at Muse Arts Warehouse!!!

Remember that the Odd Lot is the hardest working group in town by putting on shows on a nearly  basis!  Also remember that Christopher Blair is a wonderful talent, a hard-worker and makes a damn fine cup of brew at Starbucks!!!  SUPPORT LOCAL AWESOME!!!

I appreciate the reads and the shares.  Thanks for your help, love and support and continued patronage.

TestoGenius Festival: The Final Update! (?)

Here's manhattan theatre source's website!

I got an email this morning saying that my play, The Errant Knaves, has been selected for production at the TestoGenius Festival in New York!  I can't believe that I'm going to have something that I wrote produced on the New York Stage!

Quick geek-out:  EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!

There, glad that got out of my system.

Here's a link to the script that they accepted: The Errant Knaves at Scripped.com

They also asked if I would be able to help out in any other capacity, re: marketing, fundraising and the like.  I don't think that I will be able to to do that much from Savannah, but I do know a few people in NYC that might be able to help.  I will let you know more for that.

Now, I'm looking forward to pictures/videos or really any proof that this has happened.

It's a good thing ot have your work validated.  I remember about six years ago, I was accepted in the Eugene O'Neill program in New England.  I turned it down for two reasons:  one, I didn't want to take out a loan to pay for it.  Two, I had a chance to work at Unto These Hills and wanted to make money instead.

(I actually ended up not making any money at UTH (my own fault), but the principle remains.)

In other news: the re-write of Wake is coming along very well already.  There's a lot more thought put into it going into the actual script-writing, so I'm looking forward to how this one turns out.

Just happy for the email.  It was a wonderful wake up call.

All These Things I've Yet To Do

No word yet from the TestoGenius Festival.  It's understandable; they've had a long period of time for submissions and probably had a lot of them.  Still anxious to hear something, but I can be patient.

I went ahead and made a list of play festivals that I'm going to submit to this year.  I think this is the year that I'm going to submit to Humana/Actor's Theatre of Louisville and for the Essential Theatre in Atlanta (run by Mr. Peter Hardy).  What's cool about them is that they may not produce your script, but they like to see "who's on the radar".  Seems like a good thing, in any case.  All said and done it's quite satisfying submitting work and knowing that it's going to be read.  At least, I say that now.


I've also been thinking about the plays that I've been working on for the last couple of years.  Including the Odyssey musical, there have been at least three other plays that I feel the need to work on.  One was done, one was almost done, one was never set to paper.

The next submission is going to be at the Well Theatre (note:  not the Wells Theatre) in  NYC.  They are also looking for short plays, full-length and also sketches of plays.  If I'm looking at the right theatre, they're about to do a production of Henry V.  The executive director said that the play was is ideal for our company because, at it's core, it's a play about a young person taking on a responsibility that he is not quite prepared to handle.

Article on that production...

Every time I find a website like Broadway World or even the Arts Section of the New York Times or the Theatre Loop for Chicago Tribune, I get motivated.  I mean, writing is something that people are capable or doing.  And I have such a strong desire to do it, I'm happy when I do it, it seems like something that I should do more often.  It's why I like the blog because now that I share that out loud (in a sense), I feel that it becomes true and then it becomes gospel.





So, in the six weeks, I am going to be moving twice.  Probably won't have that much time to update (which is fine) but hopefully afterwards, I'll be able to finish another piece.  Deadline for Well Theatre is April 15th.  I think something could be sent by then.

Also:  I've seen that I've been getting views from Hungary on a pretty consistent basis.  I like this, I'm tickled by this.  So, I've been googling "hungary theatre" and putting up what I find.  Today, I found this:

The Waiting Is the Hardest Part and the Next Step

The Hungarian National Theatre:  A Beautiful Building!

I sprung for the delivery confirmation for the play I sent to TestoGenius and it got there this morning at about 10:00am.  Announcement comes on Friday and I'm wondering whether or not its actually going to be on Friday.  At least for mine, I know that they got it in plenty of time to read and make the final decision.

I became worried that maybe what I wrote was too weird or experimental.  I remember reading that somewhere in the description, but before I submitted it, the word didn't appear to me.  I'm probably in a frame of mind where I'm trying to prep myself for failure.  But, either way, I'm really excited that I know that someone in New York City is reading the play and would think about producing it, even if it is minimal.

Steeeeeeeve Perry!

Started to look around for the next project.  I keep on finding myself wanting to go back and rework things that I already have.  The other night at rehearsal, Chris was talking about the Journey musical, so I suppose that should really be the next key focus.  Also on the back-burner is to go back over a play I wrote in college called "Wake".

Hamlet!  Why so blue, panda bear?!

Was offered a job at a medical supplier in town.  Not enough to quit the tours, but it'll create a more stable element in my income.  That means peace of mind and that means higher output of work (hopefully).

Also I want to start thinking about producing Hamlet again, whether at the Savannah Children's Theatre or not.  Muse would be an excellent space for it.  If I ever get a chance to go into more Theatre of the Poor, I would go to town on Hamlet.  But look at him!  He probably couldn't stand to have anyone go to town on him! 

A little late into the new year, but everything seems to be finding a solid base and that means that it will be easier to take the next step.

But, seriously, I should get crackin' on that Journey musical.  If you have any info about getting the rights to perform the music in this format, leave a comment and let me know!

TestoGenius Festival! (Part Three)

I might have read the website incorrectly.  On one section of the site, they say that the submission has to be postmarked by March 15th, another said that the deadline was February 20th.  Emailed the theatre company to be clear as to what the real date is.  I have a feeling it's the former since that's the most visible.

In any case, I'm proud of what I wrote.  It's been a while since I wrote something with this kind of focus.  Again, I like deadlines and themes.  I work well in an academic climate because of this.  I never felt that stuffy about school.  Maybe that's part of the reason why I've floundered in writing since 2007.

The play is about a son talking with his dad about his divorce.  I wanted to make something where the son and the father were "close" to each other.  They acted like one another, dressed like each other but over the course of the action, the son struggles to become something different, even though it gets ugly for him.  The son loses it along the way and the father tries to regain control of the situation. 

Thankfully, nothing that weird shows up when you type "Greek Father and Son"

Normally, I put everything up on www.offbookmarket.com and www.scripped.com the second that everything meets my approval, but I'm going to hold off until March 18th.  Assuming that they are still taking submissions at this point, that's the date that they make the announcement of who's in the festival.  

I'll be on tenterhooks until the time arrives.  Excited at just the idea that someone in New York is going to be reading and judging the play!  It's not something that I've done before.  First time for everything.

If it doesn't work out for TestoGenius, there's always a chance of getting a night of short plays together and producing it here in town.  Wouldn't be that expensive and would be an insane amount of fun.