MNPF, The Errant Knaves, the Odd Lot and An Evening With Cthulhu

Hello there, blogger world!  It's been a while since my last post (God, I hate reading that in other blogs but I can never say that it's not true.) but I have been quite busy as of late (Cliche!).  Started to get in the groove of things with the day job, working harder in the evening for the tours AND re-discovered an addiction to the game Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.  But that doesn't mean that things are working and coming to fruition!  It's one thing to have all the ideas but they should be implemented at some point.  (Looking at the right side of my brain re: Journey musical.)

Right side of my brain:  ... what?

First, the fundraising for A Midsummer Night's Play Festival was a total success!  Kickstarter is an excellent website and I'll definitely use it the future.  It was my first time using it and a lot of friends and even some people that I didn't know chipped into the final effort.  I might have to turn to them to get the funds raised for the Journey musical but I see that as more of an Internet wide campaign.

I'm really happy at the level of support for the festival (link will send you to the event page on Facebook; please invite yourself and others)!  Everyone seems to want to participate or chip in or something to that effect and it's great having a community level of validation. Now the festival is less than two weeks away.  Posters were handled today as well as postcards.  Get in touch with me if you're going to have time to throw the posters up around town!

The Errant Knaves in NYC is going well.  Shaun, the director, is a really outstanding gentleman who's keeping me very well informed about the progress of the play.  I also sent him a snippet of another play I'm working on called Here Are The Rules.  I believe that I've mentioned here before.  Haven't heard back from him in the last week, but no news is good news.

He's very open with me about what he thinks of the play (which is generally supportive with moments of  confusion and a lack of clarity on my part) and he has a dynamic approach with me.  Because I haven't really established a coherent style as of yet, I have to explain a lot of the choices in the play.  That actually works to both of our benefit. It makes me more critical and careful of my choices and Shaun gets a chance to find out what the 'eff I'm talking about.

Last week, I had a run at the Odd Lot.  Pirates of the CarODDbean.  Love working with these actors.  They are engaged, not trying to be funny by themselves and they're happy doing what they are doing.  They have become a true ensemble and that's always a wonderful thing to see.  Improv terrifies me.  All performance does, in a way, but there's something about improvisation that scares me terrifically.  I wish I didn't have the work schedule that I do, that way I could play with them on a regular basis.  If you haven't seen them at Muse Arts Warehouse, DO IT!  They're open most Monday nights, check the website for show information.

Last but not least, I'm working with Sheila Lynne, Chris Soucy and others on an evening reading the work of HP Lovecraft.  In my head, I'm calling it An Evening With Cthulhu.  That's pending approval from Sheila, but if it goes through, I'm totally copyrighting that shit.  I'll post more about it as the details come in.  But end of July!  At Muse Arts Warehouse (naturally!)  Mark your calenders... Do it...

And, at the end of this post, we have the poster as designed by the illustrious Morgann Daniels.  Faustina Smith donated $200 to get her hands on this puppy!  Thanks to Morgann and Faustina!

Designed by Morgann Daniels

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.