Almost

Queen Mab visited me Thursday night, and she brought all the stress that I didn't think I was feeling about understudying. In my dream, I didn't know entire scenes, the stage was gigantic and Brendan was actually there, which was confusing because I went on for him. And I kept waking up from, only to fall back into another version of it.  Actor nightmares are intense and exhausting! (Somebody should write a play about them). So, I didn't get much sleep as I prepared to take over Mercutio this weekend.  There is undoubtedly magic that happens in theatre. Like all real magic, it requires effort, energy, and ritual. And like all real magic, there is a cost. (The price I paid for appearing young, athletic, and sexy has been near bed rest for the last two days. But the price was worth it). Magic demands payment. Now, there are serendipitous moments of accidental magic, which don't take a toll, but what I'm really talking about is something intentional and astonishing! I ...

    Tonight, Steph hooked me up with a little fight choreo gig.  I went to Pepperdine to help the opera with a few moments of violence in "The Marriage of Figaro." It was so nice to be in a rehearsal room again, even if only for a couple of hours. It was also surreal to be back on the Pepperdine campus after...well...a lifetime. I did go visit campus when I first moved back to LA from Seattle in the mid/late 90s. Thought I'd check it out. Not much had changed at that point, although they had a shiny new black box theatre. That's where I found myself tonight. No longer shiny and new, but still very nice.  What some of my five loyal readers may not know (and yes, I think I'm up to five), is that I started my college career at Pepperdine. How did I get there, you ask. Well, during my junior year of high school, I went to the International Thespian Festival in Muncie, Indiana. I was the only person from the state of New Mexico to attend, and so I had to hook up with t...

 I haven't put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard since my last show closed. That is mainly because I don't have a next show. Or rather, I did have a next show, but it got cancelled because of COVID. I also was going to direct our Valentine's night at Little Fish, and that got canceled too. (Have you ever noticed that there are two ways to spell canceled that are both acceptable? What kind of shite is that?) Anyway, as most of my loyal five reader are aware, I was supposed to be starting "Grand Concourse" out in Palm Springs at DezArts right now. However, right before New Year's, their lovely Artistic Director called the entire cast to let us know in person that they had to push the first show because of COVID and cancel our show. It was very nice of him to call. But it was devastating.  Look, I'm not going to complain about my career. I have had a really open lane for the 40 years I've been doing this. As a somemewhat attractive, cis-white male, I...

  It's Thanksgiving week! I am so thankful to have found this wonderful theatre company, and to have the opportunity to perform this beautiful show with so many talented artists! I will definitely be back, Santa Ana! Wayward Artist is doing it right!  This was my first time getting to work with an intimacy choreographer, and it was truly refreshing and freeing. Knowing and respecting people's boundaries should be job one in theatre, and there are so many places that just don't care about such things. Wayward Artist also is committed to diversity, which I am fully in support of. Our cast and crew looked like our country. It was diverse and inclusive. I love that there is finally a shift in theatre towards being more inclusive, and to stop thinking that white is the default casting. Maybe as a cis-white man this could cause me to miss out on roles, but I'm ok with that. There are no shortage of parts in the world that I can play, and I want every actor to feel that same w...

  For most of my life, I was roughly the size and shape that I am right now. However, for the past couple of decades I have struggled with weight. I first developed diverticulitus in the early part of this century, and then a couple of years later and repeated bouts of infection forced me into a surgery. While recovering from that, I first topped 200 lbs on the scale.  I wasn't terribly worried at the time because I was sure that I would reset to my usual range and waist size.  But I didn't. I carried about 25 lbs more than what I wanted for many years. Then my mom died, and I had more medical issues. Then my dad died. I stressed and ate and drank everything and I put on a lot of weight. And I did all the diets and weight-loss tricks and my weight would yo-yo for years. Because it wasn't sustainable. Not eating carbs isn't sustainable. Living on lemon juice, water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper isn't sustainable. Fasting isn't sustainable. Diet foods...you get ...

  My apologies to my four loyal readers for having been so negligent in my duty to promote myself through this blog and dump all of my thoughts on you sadists who continue to read what I write.  All four of you. I have been really busy, hustling to make ends meet (or is it end's meat?). Aside from rehearsing this and doing the occasional box office work at Little Fish, I am also working for CETA (California Educational Theatre Association) as and Area coordinator and play adjudicator.  I love it!  I see talented high school students and their amazing and inventive directors put on plays. And unlike you lot, they have to read what I write. Giving feedback to another generation of actors and theatre artists is very rewarding. But to the task at hand: Please come see this show! Those of you in Orange County who can't make it up to LA for stuff, I'm right down in your artistic center. Santa Ana is so cool! Of course, I've known this for many years, as we perform Shakespe...

  It's all over but the blues. Closing a show is usually a bittersweet experience.  You are joyous that you had such a great experience, and also looking forward to the next show, but you're tired from a long run and looking to recover.  This time, not so much.  Theaters remain closed (and although I did get a job offer, it's doesn't perform until March 2022), and who knows when they will open again?  It's not uncommon to get post-show blues.  I get them most of the time.  With this, I'm still in denial.  So they haven't even hit me yet.  I keep waking up in the morning and starting to run the show in my head before I realize my mistake. It was an indescribable joy to work on this production!  It was an honor to scratch my name amongst those who have undertaken the role of Richard.  It was truly a blessing to have this window during the pandemic to get out in front of a live audience and share this experience.  And my heart is ...