The River Knew His Name (For Jack Leigh)

So, I wrote and submitted a poem that I wrote last year to the Seersucker Rag, a local quarterly publication that features writers.  They look for all kinds of submissions and when I returned to Savannah last year, I found myself writing a poem a day.  It helped to pass the time and was something to write in the process of settling back in town.  Be sure to pick up a copy and support local awesome!

The poems that suck were the ones where I was talking about how lonely I was.  The ones that were pretty good were the ones that were about the city and the Deep South in general.

The one that I submitted (which is the one that I'm including down below) was inspired after spending an afternoon looking at Jack Leigh photographs.  I've always found a lot of comfort and peace in his photos.  My house growing up always had a few of his books floating around.

I got the email today that the poem was selected and going to be published.  Very exciting!  Here's a copy of the poem below:

"The River Knew His Name (for Jack Leigh)

The coursing, pulsing water met mud,

And faced the trees in grey hues,

The tired boat yawned on the water

As it broke into sunrise.

Johnson had carved the river for thirty years

With exhausted, rich black skin

The nets were useless but

Maybe they’d catch breakfast again.

His deep white eyes were matched in reflection

And all he drinks ripped from him,

Skimmed on a mirror of morning

White wood floated through onyx water.

A salted neck craned through branches

Maybe to see the sun, say goodbye

But how to catch the star while all was rocking?

The world was bobbing to a silent symphony.

Aged fingers crossed into the surface

The tips pierced into darkness

And the life beneath quietly looked on,

Existing as statues do.

Fog held up the hugging trees

A lone fish jumped in the air

At the though of all the promises

Laid out at the beginning

His eyes were closed as the air filled him

Ancient knees bent and racked

The moment was born out of a careful plan

And the crash of water woke the dawn.

He drifted to where water slept

Letting the bubbles trickle to the sky

Here, there was peace, no struggle

Here, he would start again."

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!

A Midsummer Night's Success!!!

So, it got down to crunch time and wasn't able to do the live-blogging as much as I was hoping that I would be able to (I know I did four posts but that was just for the writing!)  Skipping the play festival and getting to when I went to bed at 1am Sunday morning, I slept until 2p the following afternoon.  Then, I went back to sleep.  Woke up, had three tours last night and then went back to sleep.  8am, back at work... well, I say work, I'm writing on my blog now...

The festival was a complete and total success!  The fundraising, the organizing, the turn out to participate and the turnout for the show itself was awesome!  I spoke to the audience before the show began and it was the first time that I was nervous speaking in front of a group in I don't know how long.  Below is a list of the things that I loved about the festival and some things that I would change for next time:

JUST A FEW THINGS THAT WERE AWESOME

-  People doing things that they had never done before and being totally successful at it.  Bill Cooper and Morgann Daniels had never directed before.  They had done some pretty impressive work.

-  People moving out of their comfort zone and being totally successful at it.  Ruby was pretty nervous about doing the show.  But she pulled through and was a great success.  You have to remember, that the audience doesn't want you to fail, they want you to succeed!  That's why they come out, that's why they donate or pay for the ticket!  It takes a sick bastard that wants to see the tight-rope walker fall into the net.  You don't play for that crowd.

-  Everyone, the audience and the performers were ENJOYING themselves.  I think that the flaw of my early days in theatre was that I took everything so deathly seriously.  I had a hard time enjoying myself and it stressed me out and theatre seemed to be more of a masochistic ritual than a pleasurable experience.  And here I was, stressing out, getting even more gray hairs, but in my heart I was enjoying myself.  Hopefully everyone else was too.

THINGS THAT SHOULD BE TWEAKED FOR NEXT TIME

-  There should be stricter guidelines for the writers.  The theme was okay (and a decision that I'll stand by), but the chance to the use the line was thrown away in some cases.  This may sound strange, but if there was more consistency in the sets, the table and two chairs, the transitions would have gone a bit smoother and not have had as much to worry about.  JinHi had also suggested that there be a dedicated stage crew for the set.  That's for next time.

-  I should have a second banana that can take over when I need to take a disco nap.  I find that I'm more effective when I'm awake and when I'm not awake, things tend to go the wayside.  A right hand person could take over for a little bit and that would mean that everyone would kind of have to know the schedule of everything that was going to happen.  Which leads me to the next point...

-  Things seemed to go a little bit better when I was very explicit and direct.  Something that I know I find frustrating about processes is when the person in charge is kind of wishy-washy.  I think that as the producers there were some moments, where I wasn't being clear and that can lead to frustration and whatnot.  My concern was being too dictatorial when I really wanted everyone to express themselves and have a degree of destiny throughout the process.  However, I think that there's a balance that can be struck.  At least, I'll have a chance next time...

A common question that I got throughout the festival was "Are you going to do this again?"  At first, the question was hinged on the success of MNPF, but when I arrived with Morgann to get everything set up, JinHi was already primed for a sequel.  To put it mildly, everything with the MNPF was a success, so JinHi and I are planning The Winter's Tales (tentative title), another 24 hour 10 minute play festival slated for this January, kind of as a beginning to the theatre season of 2012!  Stay tuned for details.

All said and done, I'm really pleased with the way that the event had turned out.  This was a good coming out event for the UpStart Theatre Company and I can't wait for more events like it in the future.

Again, thank you to everyone who was involved in the event, directly and indirectly.

Live Blogging from the Event! A Midsummer Night's Play Festival! Part 4

The actors and directors are already hard at work on the scripts.  Gabe, Peter, Thomas and I got a little sleep (speaking for myself, I might have gotten about an hour).  Such is the nature of the event.  I find comfort in being tired in a theater...

I'm working on the order of the shows (proving to be a little elusive).  Sheila Lynne is very generously grabbing props for us, as well as Kimmi and Jason.  Later on, I'm going to be working on getting a sound list together, that way it'll be a fully fleshed out productions.

Morgann Daniels and Bill Cooper are directing for the first time.  They seem to be having a good time of it (which is ultimately the point!)  Also, new writers as well.  Kimmi and Molly Hall have not written dramatic scripts before, so there are some fresh and talented faces here on the cusp of creation!

Stay tuned for updates!  And be sure to come out tonight and see how it all turns out!

Live Blogging from the Event! A Midsummer Night's Play Festival! Part 3

The plays are written!  Right now, they're printing off and I should be able to close my eyes for about an hour and a half before the directors show up!

Some of the writers are pulling double duty.  Peter Griffin, Thomas Houston and Gabe Reynolds are also acting in the plays as well.

It's going to definitely be a challenge, but we have a lot of talent working at the plays.  Its going to be a great show.  The Who is playing out the evening.  Thought that was worth mentioning.

Now, we just have to wait for the directors and actors to get here.  There will be some running around for props and costumes during the day.  Programs will be taken care of by Creative Approach (they also printed the poster and the postcards, really really excellent work from them!)

Be sure to tell your family and friends and the neighborhood dog!  The show's tonight at 8pm!  Don't miss out!

Live Blogging from the Event! A Midsummer Night's Play Festival! Part 2

Approaching 2am!  Switched over from the Johnny Mercer station on Pandora to Cee-Lo Green.  This is about to get real!

We have the first draft of one play completed.  Jason Arons was the first to cross the line.  He's got a great script and is working on the final draft now.

Even though it's just ten pages and they've been working since about 830pm, they're not all done at this point.  But there's a good vibe with the writers.  They've talked with each other, running ideas by each other and having a good time.

I'm pretty tired.  Its great talking with them about what they've written.  It's great being in such a creative and hard-working environment.

More updates to come!  Stay tuned!

Live Blogging from the Event! A Midsummer Night's Play Festival!

We finally got the internet working after about six hours (hah!).  Truth be told, we didn't really put that much focus on it until just now.

At this moment, six writers are working on plays for the event.  They've been given a theme (still a secret at present!).  The coffee is brewing, the snacks are available and I hope that the new found Wi-Fi connection doesn't distract the authors.  They have until 6am to write the plays.

The directors and actors are trying to get some sleep (I assume that's true.)  Bill Cooper, local talent, is taking a director position.  I'm excited for him!  He's never done it before, but part of the purpose of the festival is to get people to do stuff that they haven't done before.  Thomas has the best writing process that I've seen so far.

I'm writing a little bit myself.  Not going to stage it, but it serves as a remind to some writers, especially the one's whose name begins with a "P" and ends in "Eter Griffin" will focus on the work at hand.  Plus, any chance to focus on writing is a good thing.  The sound of a keyboard hard at work I find truly comforting.

At 8am tomorrow, the directors will show up, get their scripts, then call the actors and get cracking at the work!  It's going to have a fun show and I'm hoping for a solid turn-out.

There should be some more updates later on.  Stay tuned!

A Midsummer Night's Play Festival's in the Paper!

So the papers are in!  Two articles, one from Connect Savannah by Bill DeYoung and another at the Savannah Morning News by Linda Sickler are up on their respective websites!  Below, I've included links:

Connect Savannah: The show must go on... quickly.

SMN: A Midsummer Night's Play Festival to present plays created in just 24 hours.

As a side note, I don't think that I've ever really interviewed well.

But, most of all, I want to thank Bill DeYoung and Linda Sickler for taking the time to ask me questions and publish articles about the event!

In regards to the Truth Is Soap during the event:  I'm going to be live-blogging the entire time.  I'm going to post regular links over to Twitter and Facebook, so look out for that!

Biography on a Ray of Hope

So, the last thing that I had to do for Testogenuis festival was to send a bio to them.  With everything that I've had to do in the last week, it fell to the wayside.  I'm writing the bio and for the first time I'm streamlining my career down to just writing.  And two things occur to me:  first, this is the first time that I've written a bio that focused on me as a playwright.  Second, the bio could be depressing as hell.  I mean, here I am calling myself a playwright when this is the first time that I've gotten a professional treatment.  I thought about the stuff that I had mostly written, sitting incomplete in files on my computer.  I thought about the rejections that I've gotten in the past.  The last time that I've had a play produced was by my own college and I had picked them to be produced.

The last professional treatment was at the Youth Playwrighting Festival in 2006 at the Horizon Theatre in Atlanta.

But then I thought that this was an opportunity.  This isn't the summation of my career, it's the notation of the beginning.  Writing "The Errant Knaves" took some work, but it did get done.  It's possible, I'm capable of it.  They're not mostly unfinished plays, they're opportunities, they're chances, they're beginnings.

It's been a crammed last couple of weeks, between moving, two jobs, graduation and everything.  A Midsummer Night's Play Festival is happening this weekend (!!!) and I couldn't be more excited for it!  Things are coming together and life is good!

Going to go write something now!

And, as usual, a picture that I find when I Google "budapest theater".

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

A Midsummer Night's Play Festival: SHARE THE LINK!

Had an awesome dinner last night with the cast of The Boys Next Door.  Chris Stanley shall forever be one of the most kind and generous souls I have ever met.  After the dinner at Alligator Soul (one of the best meals I've had in Savannah, FYI), we went over to Club One for drinks and karaoke.  I did sign up for a song (To Make You Feel My Love as done by Billy Joel) but it was getting too late and the day job came too early.

But it's really nice to be amongst peers and colleagues.  Maybe that's putting college words on people who are just friends, but it's nice to experience a kind of night life every now and again.

The fundraising for A Midsummer Night's Play Festival has begun.  Already had some donations, but still a ways from the goal.  Below is the link for the fundraising website, Kickstarter:

http://kck.st/gKZcRK

Give what you can and pass the link along.  Naturally, I'm going to try to annoy everyone to death with raising the money.  The more you donate, the sooner we are to making goal and therefore, the sooner I will stop asking for it.

But very happy about the outreach that many have done already, offering their services helping set-up the event. Not just happy, but kind of touched.  It's good to get this kind of encouragement with events.  Makes me feel that I can do anything in this town but... well, let's take one thing at a time.

One last note:  if you're interested in being involved in the event, through writing, acting, directing, please go ahead and let me know.  I'm making lists of those expressing their interests at this point.  I haven't settled on the number of plays until I get a better idea as to the number of people involved.

Keep watching this space for more updates.  Again, SHARE THE LINK!

A Midsummer Night's Play Fest!!!



Me!  Fuzzy in the background!  Yay!



Had a pick-up rehearsal last night at the Bay Street Theatre for "The Boys Next Door" (buy tickets here). God, it was a lot of fun.  It was insane.  Sped through it, played around with the scenes and just haven't laughed that hard in so long over a play.  We shifted from being silly and goofy to trying to get through the lines as fast as possible.  Awesome.  It's a great show with some top-notch actors.  If you didn't get a chance to see the show last weekend, you should definitely try to come out this time around.  Worth it!


Yesterday, I got the approval from JinHi of Muse Arts Warehouse  that her space was available on June 10th and 11th.  That is the weekend of the Midsummer Night's Play Festival!  In 24 hours, six ten minute plays will be written, staged and performed for the genearl public!  Put it out as an event on Facebook (it must be official now, right?)  In the same vein, there's going to be a Kickstarter campaign that will begin at the end of the weekend.  The requested amount of funds is going to be pretty small (relatively speaking?) but me at Peter Griffin are working on the details. 

Do spread the word about the Play Fest.  It's going to be a lot of fun and it would be astoundingly awesome if people from every different theatre company in Savannah were to come out and participate.  There will be space in the program to advertise for your upcoming events and whatnot.  Plus, you'll be cool. And isn't that what it's all about?

So, keep watching this space if you want to know more about the event.  And you'll be sick of me shaking the internet collection plate for fundraising BUT if you participate in the event, you'll get lunch taken care of for you.  That's right.  Lunch. 

The day of the event... not, you know... tomorrow.

"Last word" has to go to the Bay Street Theatre and the production of "The Boys Next Door" running tonight, Friday and Saturday.  This is your last chance to see a wonderful story told!  Don't miss it!

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.

The Errant Knaves

The Festival emailed me back.  They said that the deadline was extended so I still had time to submit, which will be done later on today.  I think a day off is really a day where you still have a bunch to do but you don't get paid to do those things.  Generosity!

I wanted to speak a little bit more on the "workshop" that I had with Peter and Katie.  First, I wish that I had given myself more time to read through the piece.  I wanted to see how instinctively the words came to the actors from the page.  The answer was not really.  And it's not their fault, its my own because what I wrote was dense and awkward.  If  I had given  myself more time, we could have gone through the play again and I could have given little notes here and there.  That way I could get an idea as to how far a leap has to be made.  Again, everything was insanely helpful.

Even though I said that I didn't want the feedback, it would have been a good thing to have.  Peter mentioned that it was a very Greek piece and that gave it a lot of clarity.  Didn't see that coming.  The feedback thing wasn't a question of ego but I was more scared that there was going to be input that I would really take to and then the play would go off in a million different directions.

I already think that it's a little more "complicated" than what I had imagined.  That's not really a good thing.  I find that it's hard to keep focus on themes when I'm writing (hence the workshop).  But Katie and Peter were great helps.

Art = Windmills.

I went back and read through it and found myself making a lot more notes than what I figured I would.  I really should allow more time on these projects because when I do, it comes out better in the end.

The play ended up being a bit longer than I thought that it would.  I was shooting for fifteen pages and ended up at nineteen (the max was twenty).  With the Pinter Pauses that I put in there, this might run a good bit of time.

Finally settled on the title:  The Errant Knaves.  Something about it seemed to fit, but naturally I reserve the right to change the damn thing.  It's appropriate enough but something about it suggests that the father and son go out on quixotic adventures when they don't.  I guess it's something that I would have written back in my high school days.  But it's a lot stronger than what I would have produced back in the day.  At the very least, I feel like I've grown as an artist.

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.

Artistic Fiber in the Water

"Workshop" with the actors yesterday went well.  Wasn't looking for feedback, just wanted to hear how everything sounded in new mouths and brains.  It sounded awkward as hell.  Not because of the actors but because of how I wrote it.  BUT some crucial points were brought up in my own head.  Thanks to Peter and Katie for reading through it.  Especially, Katie given that she had no heads up about the reading.  And Peter made a good comment off-hand.

To TestoGenius Festival Website! (To the TUBES!)

Had the first read-through for The Boys Next Door last night.  It's a weird way of putting it, but it's great working in a "regular" play.  That's to say something with a little structure, no music, just a plain and simple story.  I haven't played a character like Jack in a long time (if ever) and I'm looking forward to it.  Lots of monologues too and that's always a good thing.

It's a wonderful feeling in general.  It's like with the coming of spring, there's been a Spring Awakening for me and for everyone around.  It's like artistic fiber has been put in the water... don't quote me on that metaphor.  I feel good about writing and acting and, if things go my way, directing as well.  I miss directing already, it's like quitting smoking; I can feel the withdrawals in my arms.

Also, have a interview on Monday for a 'real' job.  Hopefully that works out.  That way, my evenings are free for these kinds of artistic endeavors.  You never know how things will work out, but at least, if I get the job, I would have the peace of mind to create without worrying about creditors and the like.

Wish I could go see Frost/Nixon at Muse Arts Warehouse this weekend.  Won't have the time do so, but it's always important to support local awesome.  Really excited for Chris Blair too.  He's worked hard for a very long time and I'm sure he'll tear the thing apart.  I like that there's something consistent in Savannah.  At least in a sense.  There's more than one group with more than one project coming down the pipeline.  What's more, I get the feeling that things are only going up, in quantity and quality.  Here's hoping!

TestoGenius Festival! (Part Two), Puppets and The Boys Next Door!

This was the most reasonable picture I found on Google Images when searching "Father and Son".

So the "Father/Son" play is finished!  Still haven't figured out a title yet, but I'm happy with my process this time around, more so than other things that I've written.

Also, I want to try something a little different this time before submitting and that's to have actors read the script before making another draft of the play.  A little bit of workshopping if you will.  I know what it sounds like in my head but thats not whats going to be on the stage.  Pretty excited at the prospect!  Hopefully, I can get something done by the end of the week.  Deadline for postmark is Mar. 15th.



I've been working with Angela Beasley on a show about Juliette Gordon Low.  Very fun show and it's performed for senior citizens around Savannah.  Nice having a consistent show to do with her again.  I like working for her because it's a reminder that a performance should be fun, regardless of what you're doing.  You should have a good time.  Or at least try to.



Last, but not least, last night I auditioned and was asked to play Jack in a production of The Boys Next Door at Bay Street Theatre!  Get to work with that crowd again and I get to act opposite Chris Soucy, a feat that Savannah theatre hasn't seen in TEN YEARS!

I'm at the age now where I get to say that about people.  I think it's a good thing.  It means that I haven't given up.  It means that I've worked hard at something, in a sense.  And given other things that have happened in my life, that means quite a bit.

TestoGenius Festival! (Part One)

Right now, I have a great start on a play for the playwrighting festival.

TestoGenius Festival!

I love festivals because they give parameters and a deadline.  In other words, they give a fire that I flee from.  There's no kind of motivation like death... or severe tissue scarring... it's not a perfect metaphor.

I'll post the entire script on www.scripped.com when it is completed.  The theme is fatherhood;  I had a couple of false starts.  I was trying to deal with the theme directly and that wasn't what I wanted to say.  I think I like subtlety in art.  I like having to read between the lines, even when I don't get it.  Naturally, I want to use my experiences as a father in the show, but I kept coming back to the way that my father treated me while I was growing up.  And there will be something about the Flying Dutchman and some Greek myth thrown in if need be.

I feel good about this one.  Might be a good piece of writing.

Tried putting it on the typewriter.  Had a good steam going but the ink ribbon gave out.  So, computer it must be!  But at least I tried with the typewriter.

Aiming to have the play done by the end of the week!

Not me, not my father, just a fitting image.

AWOL - A Brief Overview

It was a extremely difficult decision to move from California back to Georgia.  I was going to be leaving my young daughter behind and I wasn't sure when I would see her again.  I was going to a familiar place but that didn't mean that I knew all the same people and that those same people were the same from when I knew them. I was going through a difficult phase in my life and it was hard to find courage to do hard things that I knew, ultimately, would be better for me.



It took courage to respond to the ad AWOL put in the paper.  I didn't know anyone in the organization, which was weird for me and Savannah.  I sent Kesha my headshot and resume and, for some reason, why surprised when she called me in for an interview.  To say that I was uncomfortable at first would be a fair assessment.  I was the only white guy there.  The show that I was aiming at working with wasn't going to pay a lot (To quote Kesha from the interview "We can't pay what you're worth." with a sincere smile), and it was going to have a lot of hip-hop. I like the music and I'm familiar with the style but the most that I can boast is a Jay-Z station on my Pandora.  But I wanted to do it.  I wanted to be there.  I wanted to work with the kids, all of whom are blessings.  I think, with all of the students, it brought me a little closer to Scotland.  Corny though that may sound.

That's something nothing like art can provide.  Brought me a little closer to Scotland even though she was 3,000 miles away.

What's more, who I was and where I came from didn't matter so much.  It was more important what I was going to do with the kids.  I was greeted with nothing but love and respect from Tony Jordan, DaVena Jordan and Lakesha Green.  I was welcomed into a family without an audition or painful consideration.  Its one of the great honors of my life.

The rehearsal process was different.  No, it was bizarre.  It was going to go on for six months before any of the hard technical elements were going to be added.  The kids worked hard.  Harder than most adults I know and certainly harder than most kids their age.

"Situations" was such a beautiful experience.  We had worked on the project for so long that it was a surreal experience walking into the Trustees Theatre on Broughton Street to start pulling everything together.



One student stood out to me.  In the shortest period of time, she had the entire show memorized.  The whole thing.  And as actors dropped out for one reason or another, she moved up in the ranks.  She was brave, braver than most of the other kids.  She went from having no lines in the show, no significant role, to having the most crucial part in the entirety of the project.  In the first show, in the first moments of the show when she started to speaking, I had to fight back tears.  I was so proud of her.  I was so happy for her.

All of the children were impressive at one point or another.  I don't have the space to talk about all of them, but probably will talk about them as time wears on in other posts.

AWOL, Inc. is a phenomenal organization that changes the lives of all those involved.  It reaches out to at-risk youth and engages them creatively, stimulates them with positive energy and encourages them to take responsibility and empowers them with their own artistry.  If you have the time, visit their website at www.awolinc.org to learn more and find out how you can support them!

Theatre of the Poor and a New Intensity

For those of you that don't know, this is Jerzy Grotowski.  Ask me to spell it but don't ask me to pronounce it.  I'd have a very hard time with it.  He was a Polish theatre director in the 1960's that did something called Theatre of the Poor.  I'm going to be reading more about it, but conceptually, I'm intrigued and I want to do something with it.  Focus on text and acting, not so much about visual design, little set and props.  In some cases, the actors would use their bodies as an extension of props.  And given the economic conditions, it seems to have a practical element as well.

I was never one for big, huge fancy sets.  I remember writing a play in high school and deliberately writing that the costumes should look cheap.  There wasn't supposed to be a pretension as to the way that the story was being told.  I remember being called out on it, asked "Why did you make that choice?" and not being able to answer.  Grotowski would have had my back...

So, the idea of taking ancient scripts and plays and re-working them in true 1960's counter-culture fashion has a lot of appeal at present.  Also want to workshop a play at present but that would have to wait until AWOL is over with.  Just need to find the right body of work to play around with.  Don't really want to mess with the Bible or The Odyssey since I'm already working with that.  I'll keep positing on it.

In other news, "Situations" is in great shape and I can't begin to talk about how excited I am for the kids and for the show!  I'm really looking forward to spending that much time in a theatre.  There's something about being exhausted in a theatre and spending entirely too much time in one that feels at home.  Comfortable.  Right.

I got some writing to do.  Feels good to say that.