We finally opened the show, this past Thursday, to some great reviews and full houses, which isn't usual for the first week, so we are all thrilled. It seems all our hard work has paid off.
It has been a wonderful, albeit exhausting, month. For 3 1/2 weeks my schedule pretty much consisted of the following: rehearsals, dinner, working on lines, sleep, wake-up, breakfast, reviewing the previous night's work, and then rehearsal again. I even worked at it on my one day off. Wasn't sure how I was going to cram all those lines into my poor, brain-weary head, but I somehow managed to, with due diligence and the Creator's help. It helped to have a beautiful place to stay, with the beach just outside my window, and glorious sunsets, although have not yet had a chance to enjoy it. But I will!
The technical aspects of the show are exquisite, with an amazing set, beautiful lights and sound, although we did have some trouble with the costumes. A pretty easy show to costume, the designer, a well meaning individual but not too savvy, dropped the bucket. With 3 weeks to get it all together, she waited until the last minute for fittings and I didn't actually get my 2 costumes finished until opening night. Not a great thing for an actor, not to have time to work in a finished costume, but it all worked out, in the end.
Although it feels like being on a roller-coaster, both in terms of the emotional journey my character goes through, and the fact that I virtually never leave the stage, it is a joy to work on.
Will still have to review the script every day, and in between shows on Saturday, but at least I can relax some, and start blogging again, other than on weekends.
Blessings to all.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
Just wanted to wish all you that happen to be Dads a very Happy Father's Day!
Am still filling my brain with dialogue and monologues, and will probably be doing so for the next week or so, at least until we open.
Wishing you all the best!!
With love and respect,
Incognito
Am still filling my brain with dialogue and monologues, and will probably be doing so for the next week or so, at least until we open.
Wishing you all the best!!
With love and respect,
Incognito
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Roachies Don't Discriminate
Some of you might remember the battle I had with a roach in one of the actor apartments, last year. That particular housing is located in a semi-questionable section of downtown, and although there is some gentrification going on in the area, with upscale condos next door and across the street, there are still plenty of crack houses around, and the actor apartments, although comfortable, are in need of a major facelift. The apartments are ground level and it's not surprising roaches roam the streets and easily find their way indoors.
So, when I arrived here at my very upscale, beachside 7th floor condo, I breathed a sigh of relief. Roaches and wealth don't mix; surely a building with a concierge and a guard gate would never allow for those nasty creatures of the night. Or so I thought. So, yesterday evening, I'm sitting in the living room working on my lines when I see this dark spot on the white marble floors. Curious, I get up and there, to my horror, is a roach (or palmetto bug, I still can't distinguish the 2) on its back, its legs wiggling wildly. I had left my flyswatter and bug spray at home, so I panicked, momentarily, trying to decide how to do away with this unwanted intruder. All I had was hairspray, and I know that if it's strong enough, it will freeze the insect in place eventually killing it. So I ran to my room, grabbed the bottle and gave the bug a spritz, which just made it turn right side up and start crawling. I wound up spraying about a quarter of the bottle and sprinkled a little ajax on it, which finally did the trick. A little cruel and unusual punishment, but I just couldn't face smashing it with a shoe on the beautiful white tile floor.
It's still sitting there, unceremoniously, until I figure out how I want to dispose of it, as I can't seem to find a dustpan anywhere.
Guess roachies don't discriminate.
So, when I arrived here at my very upscale, beachside 7th floor condo, I breathed a sigh of relief. Roaches and wealth don't mix; surely a building with a concierge and a guard gate would never allow for those nasty creatures of the night. Or so I thought. So, yesterday evening, I'm sitting in the living room working on my lines when I see this dark spot on the white marble floors. Curious, I get up and there, to my horror, is a roach (or palmetto bug, I still can't distinguish the 2) on its back, its legs wiggling wildly. I had left my flyswatter and bug spray at home, so I panicked, momentarily, trying to decide how to do away with this unwanted intruder. All I had was hairspray, and I know that if it's strong enough, it will freeze the insect in place eventually killing it. So I ran to my room, grabbed the bottle and gave the bug a spritz, which just made it turn right side up and start crawling. I wound up spraying about a quarter of the bottle and sprinkled a little ajax on it, which finally did the trick. A little cruel and unusual punishment, but I just couldn't face smashing it with a shoe on the beautiful white tile floor.
It's still sitting there, unceremoniously, until I figure out how I want to dispose of it, as I can't seem to find a dustpan anywhere.
Guess roachies don't discriminate.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Happy Birthday To Me, I'm Now 23.
Well, not quite, but age is relative, in the grand cosmic scheme of things, and in my business we can be any age we want, though, frankly, I would not want to be 23 again.
But, it is my birthday today and I will be spending the bulk of it rehearsing, and the rest of the night trying to cram lines into a brain that is already revolting against the onslaught. It's a wonderful classic by one of the major American playwrights of the past century, and although we have cut it to appeal to modern audiences it is still long and there is a ton of dialogue. I happen to be in every scene, so it is quite an undertaking, and an exhausting one at that. This would be one of the only reasons I would want to revisit my 20s, to have the stamina of someone that age.
It seems that everything becomes more challenging as one ages. Lines become more difficult to retain and one's energy decreases, so a full day of rehearsal becomes very taxing. By the end of the day, all you want to do is rest, but you know you need to learn more lines, so you force yourself to try and memorize a few more pages. I sleep with my script by my side, in hopes that I will somehow learn by osmosis. So far, it hasn't helped.
Until we open in mid-June I will keep posting when I can, and visiting my blog buddies when time allows.
Meantime, back to my script, and I will blow out my imaginary candles on my imaginary cake.
Love to you all!
But, it is my birthday today and I will be spending the bulk of it rehearsing, and the rest of the night trying to cram lines into a brain that is already revolting against the onslaught. It's a wonderful classic by one of the major American playwrights of the past century, and although we have cut it to appeal to modern audiences it is still long and there is a ton of dialogue. I happen to be in every scene, so it is quite an undertaking, and an exhausting one at that. This would be one of the only reasons I would want to revisit my 20s, to have the stamina of someone that age.
It seems that everything becomes more challenging as one ages. Lines become more difficult to retain and one's energy decreases, so a full day of rehearsal becomes very taxing. By the end of the day, all you want to do is rest, but you know you need to learn more lines, so you force yourself to try and memorize a few more pages. I sleep with my script by my side, in hopes that I will somehow learn by osmosis. So far, it hasn't helped.
Until we open in mid-June I will keep posting when I can, and visiting my blog buddies when time allows.
Meantime, back to my script, and I will blow out my imaginary candles on my imaginary cake.
Love to you all!
Monday, June 02, 2008
Joke of the Day: Why Did The Chicken Cross The Road: From the eyes of Obama, Oprah and Others
Just finished a project and started a new one, so..
from patjknowsitall comes this fun look at how Obama, Oprah and others interpret
Why did the chicken cross the road?
BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a CHANGE!
The chicken wanted CHANGE!
JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.
HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure -- right from Day One! -- that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.......
DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on 'THIS' side of the road before it goes after the problem on the 'OTHER SIDE' of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his 'CURRENT' problems before adding 'NEW' problems.
OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.
GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.
COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road...
ANDERSON COOPER - CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.
JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.
NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's GUILTY! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.
PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.
MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to acertain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.
DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain. Alone.
GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.
BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its life long dream of crossing the road.
ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.
JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.
BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken2007, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check book. Internet Explorer is an integral part of the Chicken. This new platform is much more stable and will never cra...#@&&^(C%> .......... reboot.
ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?
BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of chicken?
AL GORE: I invented the chicken!
COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?
DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?
AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.
from patjknowsitall comes this fun look at how Obama, Oprah and others interpret
Why did the chicken cross the road?
BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a CHANGE!
The chicken wanted CHANGE!
JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.
HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure -- right from Day One! -- that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.......
DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on 'THIS' side of the road before it goes after the problem on the 'OTHER SIDE' of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his 'CURRENT' problems before adding 'NEW' problems.
OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.
GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.
COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road...
ANDERSON COOPER - CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.
JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.
NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's GUILTY! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.
PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.
MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to acertain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.
DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain. Alone.
GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.
BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its life long dream of crossing the road.
ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.
JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.
BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken2007, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check book. Internet Explorer is an integral part of the Chicken. This new platform is much more stable and will never cra...#@&&^(C%> .......... reboot.
ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?
BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of chicken?
AL GORE: I invented the chicken!
COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?
DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?
AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.
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