Genius Words

This afternoon I attended a press conference of the Cannes jury. Its president, Emir Kusturica, said at one point that Cannes "kills uniformity." Its films are made one at a time. "To be global," he said, "to make a film that plays everywhere, you have to be slightly stupid." - Roger Ebert

Producer Headaches

Few people know the thankless hell that can be producing a show.

RE; The New York Fringe. The way it works is:
- you submit materials with a non-refundable $40. If, after adjudication, your show is invited,
- you submit a $500 registration fee and a series of signed agreements

Then you market the hell out of it and organize the trip.

This past week, apparently between leaving my home in a sealed envelope and being opened in NYC, the Author's Agreement disappeared. In order for the Fringe folks to allow us access to upload our specific show information (used on their website, in print previews, and the program) they must have all of the forms - including the Author's Agreement.

I got caught in a web of inflexibility (which is somewhat understandable given the size of fringeNYC). After several back and forth emails (some hot, some placating), we are finally on the website and Elena Holly, the head administrator of the festival, held the SNEAK PREVIEW deadline for us, which is good.

I expect as least one of these "emergencies" per week until we leave in August.

Sold Out DADA and Grillin'

We ended up turning away a good number of folks - it was packed. Fuzzy, Erica, Goss, and Buese sat up in the booth with Speedy. It was (apparently) an excellent show - I had to sit in the lobby with Pitts and Yeater because there were no seats - the group got tons of after show kudos. My brother-in-law mentioned after that he felt kind of hip (he's pretty hip anyway). Bob Fisher (founder and director of The Mammals Theater, recently defunct and moving to Florida) had some issues with Dada prior to coming to see it - there's a whole thread on the WNEP message board debating the pluses and minuses of utilizing Dada as a performance style - but I think he dug this particular Dada show. Nice to go out on a high note.

___________________________
Today we grill.

I love to grill. First, my grilled meats and veggies kick ass. Seriously. Second, it's totally fun to have folks from WNEP and other groups from around town come, hang out, eat and drink, and talk.

I made a huge pot of chili (for general consumption as well as garnish for hot dogs and brats) and we have lots of food in the fridge. Ah...Meorial Day.

Some factoids:

Memorial Day began as a memorial for Civil War veterans. The first official recognition of Memorial Day as such was issued by General John A. Logan, first commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. This was General Order No. 11 stablishing "Decoration Day" as it was then known.

On May 5, 1868, Logan declared in General Order No. 11 that:

"The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit."

In 1966, the federal government, under the direction of President Lyndon Johnson, declared Waterloo, N.Y., the official birthplace of Memorial Day. They chose Waterloo�which had first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866�because the town had made Memorial Day an annual, community-wide event during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.

By the late 1800s, many communities across the country had begun to celebrate Memorial Day and, after World War I, observances also began to honor those who had died in all of America's wars. In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated the last Monday in May. (Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor all veterans, living and dead, is celebrated each year on November 11.)

Today, Memorial Day is celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery with a ceremony in which a small American flag is placed on each grave. Also, it is customary for the president or vice-president to give a speech honoring the contributions of the dead and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. About 5,000 people attend the ceremony annually.

Brennan Wedding

What a lovely time; what a beautiful ceremony.

Jenny looked like an angel; Patrick was beaming. Seth officiated and was moving and funny and sweet. Jen & I read from Shakespeare and the Bible and the whole ceremony was over in 5.7 seconds.

Then there were the tiny hamburgers and hot dogs. And booze. And dancing - Christ, I danced until my heart burst in my chest! Watching Jenny and her father dance to "The Rainbow Connection" was marvelous. It was awesome seeing so many WNEPeeps out having a good time together.

The whole experience reminds me how "filled with...lucky" I am, being married to Jen. She truly is the best part of my life. She is the smartest and most talented person I know. She is beautiful beyond comprehension (and she was looking hot in her little black dress tonight - whew) and is also kind, sweet, funny, and generous. And she loves me - go figure. I know being married to the chunky, loudmouthed, rude, arrogant jackass that is D. Ray Hall can be a burden. She puts up with me, instructs me, and makes me feel loved and appreciated. She is a wonder.

Thanks to Patrick and Jenny for reminding me of that.

ADDED THE NEXT MORNING:
Oh my god. I'm old. I am sore from the dancing whirlwind.

DADA Hecklers

We had a great audience tonight for our next to last Chicago DADA show.

A group of four men came with attitude, though. One cat thought he could play the backtalking, funny guy with Dabo. My favorite moment was when she looked at him and simply said, "You know that everyone hates you right now."

Ultimately, I could tell it was frustrating for the DADAs, but they did an excellent job with the obstacles in front of them and it was a great show. At the end, I asked for donations for New York and sold two DADA ties (made by Jen, Emily, and Noah). AND Noah showed up (in full DADA regalia) to deliver a Teddy Bear, filled with donation dough for the NYC trip.

Noah kicks ass. A first class gentleman, all the way around.

Bitter Disappointment

Not the show. The fact that I taped the season finale of "American Idol" - yeah, I know, but Jen & I have become complete geeks over this season - and the VCR fucked me and only taped the first 20 minutes. So my review of "The Full Monty" is colored by being pissier than normal.

"The Full Monty"

Before I start on the show, let me state that when we sat down, I noticed in PZ's bio that he mentioned LTBL and the New York Fringe but not WNEP. I was pissed enough to want to leave - I mean, what does it hurt to give the little struggling theater a two word mention, especially when you mention the show we worked on and performed for over a year and a half anyway? After the first ten minutes of this gem, however, I was glad to not have WNEP mentioned. Seriously.

How do I begin? Since all the reviews I've read talk about the new Drury Lane space, I'll start there. Tacky. Terrible acoustics (I mean really terrible). When the tiny pit orchestra (situated in the house left box because there isn't an orchestra pit) began playing the bad faux jazz overture, I looked over to Yeater and Rebar and explained that the show was being opened by Jose Feliciano. It looks like a Reno show room (not Vegas - Reno).

The show? Well, the script is dismal - how many times can the author remind us the guys are out of work and that Jerry needed them to strip for the $50K to pay his child support? If you guessed every other fucking line, you'd be close. The music is a desperate and unsuccessful attempt to mimic Cy Coleman's "City of Angels" complete with the stereotypical Old Jew singing a "showstopper" at the top of Act II and a salsa number sung by a hardly developed character.

The lyrics are the worst I've ever heard (including those from "Pippin" which just got bumped a notch for worst musical I've ever witnessed). I commented after that Stinton could have a bowel movement on a piece of paper and have better lyrics. Rebar commented that when she took classes at Second City, she once wrote a song about dicks, too, and it was better than anything in this slagfest.

The staging was horrendous, misusing the sightlines and dull, dull, dull. The set was terrible and made extremely poor use of the clunky stage. The lighting was excellent, though. It looked like a well lit high school production.

PZ is a tremendous actor - and I mean that; the kid has prodigious abilities - who looked tired and gaunt and as if he were consigned to a couple of months in hell. The rest of the acting was shallow and uninteresting, including the Elaine Strich wannabe (I don't blame the actress for this - this was a shit script).

AND IT WAS THREE HOURS LONG!!! And the mouth breathing sheep in the audience gave it a standing ovation!

As I sit here, typing this, I really wonder what is wrong with me - that I can't have the same enjoyment of this crap, that I can't laugh and titter at the endless and unimaginative dick jokes, that I can't feel so moved by the show that I need to stand and applaud to show my appreciation?

It's too easy (and a bit arrogant) to say that these people who so enjoyed themselves are stupid and just don't "get it". The laser must point inward and so I wonder - what is wrong with me? I saw the same show as the overdressed suburban couple sitting to our right and one row ahead of us. In spite of their 1980's white jumpsuit fashion gaffes, I assume they aren't mentally retarded and are possessed of basic intelligence. But they howled with laughter and clapped their hands throughout, while I spent time wondering how I could poke my eyes out without inflicting permanent damage.

Compile the fact that I missed out on the season finale of "American Idol" because I sat through this pigshit, and it all adds up to some pretty bitter disappointment.

WeekendMadness!

This weekend is a busy one, both with social and business engagements.

Tonight, we go to see "The Full Monty" at the new Drury Lane Water Tower. We're not going because we liked the movie (I haven't seen it) or because big budget musicals are our standard fare (yeah - I know we just went to "Wicked") but because Peter Z. (one of the actors in LTBL) stars in it and support is good.

Thursday - penultimate DADA show in Chicago plus I have to go to the Brennan/Seidelman Wedding Rehearsal before.

Friday - It's all about the Brennans, baby!

Saturday - DADA meeting and closing night o' the DADAs.

Sunday - GRILLIN'!!

Monday - hang wif mah skirt.

The Fall of the Duke

Met with the MALICE cats tonight. This show is going to be something else - funny, I mean. We sat around and brainstormed "scenes we want to see" in the show then everyone took a couple to write in the next two weeks. Gilley brought a graphic that is simply awesome. This will be fun.

Currently reading "Freakonomics" - economic diagnostic tools and methods used to answer questions about how things really work, like "How are the KKK like Real Estate Brokers" and "How Roe v. Wade caused the 1995 crime drop". Very interesting stuff.

Tomorrow I clean and prep the gas grill on the back deck in anticipation of Sunday's first summer grill! Boo-yah - me loves some BBQ!

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

"Yet another triumph of form over content." - Chicago Reader on The House Theatre's "Dave DaVinci Saves the Universe"

Here is where the artist in me gives way to the mouth breathing consumer. The dichotomy that is me - the art that I love must have great performances, deep meaning, a great script, etc. - but I love me some freakin' "Star Wars"!

Jen and I went and saw the final chapter in the Lucas' saga and I was not disappointed. Yes - the acting for the most part was pretty bad (although I thought Hayden Christiansen was quite a bit improved from "Attack of the Clones") especially Natalie Portman's whiney, crying spineless Senator with hormones. The script, while still pretty crappy with the dialogue, was better paced than either of the last two. The light saber duels, the space fights, the little transitions to fit into the world and look of the 1977 film these were prequels to - awesome.

The name of the series? STAR WARS. That's what you came for, folks. Lucas delivers exactly that. Unfortunately, he's not a capable enough artist to deliver much more than the spectacle, but, Oh! What Spectacle he delivers!

I've compared empty spectacle entertainment to giving a blow job to a stranger. Well, thank you, George, for the hummer!

_________________________________
The DADAs met yesterday (before Star Wars) and brainstormed a bit on ways to raise dough for NYC. If you're reading and want to throw $10 our way, go to the WNEP link to the right and go to the "Send the DADAs to New York City" page. We appreciate it. We're also going to see about a one night DADA benefit and a DADA Masterclass.

Afterward, I was reminded, rather forcefully, that I am probably too hard on the people I work with - that my expectations of them are perhaps too high. I expect that if I am loyal to you, you will likewise return that loyalty. However, as I learned last year - Everyone interprets loyalty according to their own desires.

DADA and Blog Issues

The show last night was awesome. We had a nice house and the DADAs were in rare form. As Bob pointed out, we're just getting our stride (audience wise) just before we close. Greg Allen (impresario of the Neo Futurists) came and loved the show - this is definitely right up his alley and he was very impressed by the material and performances.

We've also booked a two night performance of Neue Weltaffen at the Acorn Theater in Three Oaks, Michigan (owned by Kim Clark and David Fink) on Fri/Sat, July 29/30.

[Edited because I have more important things to spend my time on than dealing with histrionics.]

For those trolling my blog for dirt to spread around, please go fuck yourselves violently.

Why WNEP Isn't a Household Name, Part 3

In the email from Fred, he comments that WNEP is a "rebel theater". Merrie has commented in the past that WNEP is perceived as "stand offish" with other theater groups. A couple of years ago, on the Chicago Improv Message Board, when answering the question "Why don't more improvisers go see 'Postmortem'" the answer was that WNEP shows are like eating broccoli - it is known to be good for you but most don't like the taste. An actor that I was working with a year or so ago claimed he didn't come to WNEP shows because he didn't want to see something that made him feel bad about the work he's doing.

In essence, WNEP doesn't play ball. WNEP rarely involves itself in co-productions or goes en masse to see other shows by other companies. We are well respected but it seems the perception is that we believe our shit stinketh not. WNEP is not a group of joiners. WNEP is fiercely independant. WNEP is that kid in school that sets himself apart from everybody else, who skips math to go paint a mural on the side of the school. The mural is awesome, but everybody else had to be in class and there is resentment.

Interestingly enough, the Group Theatre (in the 1930's) had a similar rep among their contemporaries. The Living Theatre had a similar rep in the 70's, as did the Wooster Group and the Ridiculous Theatre. These were groups that were fiercely independant, decidedly anti-authority, who were charged with creating innovative, never-been-done-before theater. Likewise, none of these groups ever made a huge commercial splash (except perhaps for the Group Theatre who had several hits on Broadway, most notably "Men in White" and "Waiting for Lefty") and were constantly struggling with the inherent need of theater folk to be well known and paid against a stubborn strain to have their specific, individual voices heard over the din and noise of the banal commercial theatre of their day.



So, in answer to the question - why isn't WNEP a household name - I don't have one, clear cut reason. More importantly, I don't really care. WNEP is a part of the history of American theater. We have persevered under great duress and managed to keep coming back smiling, resolute to keep singing our own peculiar song. Spending time worrying about why we aren't famous yet wastes time better spent doing shows and doing shows is why we are here. Popularity is given by people we don't know and those in pursuit of being popular often lose their way on that road.

WNEP may very well be a household name - we just don't know which households.

Why WNEP Isn't a Household Name, Part 2

Before I get to attempting to answer the initial question, I'll pose another.

Why would WNEP *want* to be a household name?

One one hand, the simple fact is that once a theater company (or an actor, painter, band, etc.) becomes extremely well-off and well known, the drive to keep that success begins to dull the art. Lookingglass is going through this right now - they are discovering that with their new, state of the art space comes the expectation to produce shows that *everyone* will like and pay inflated prices to see. With that kind of success, being risky with the art amounts to self destructive behavior. Thus, mediocrity floods in and de-spices the work the way Chilis and the Olive Garden do to their entrees.

On the other hand, the benefits of a certain amount of "fame" include financing, more impressive opportunities in terms of scope and vision, and, most importantly, more people to see the work.

As Fred just pointed out (in a recent email), if WNEP did a season of Mamet and Miller, we'd clean up because we have established the quality of our abilities and people like the *safer*, more well-known choices for their entertainment dollar. The easy road for WNEP would be to eliminate the risk in our work, silence our individual artistic voices to do brilliant reproductions of someone else's stuff.

But didn't Mamet and Miller have to make the same choice? And didn't they choose to go their own way? If the Organic Theatre hadn't committed to doing the (at the time) unknown work of a kid named David Mamet, he'd be working as a clerk somewhere and no one would have ever seen Jack Lemmon say 'cocksucker.'

The timeline might look something like this:
• WNEP decides to do a production of "House of Games" - it is pretty successful, both critically and financially; the audience comes from areas that haven't heard of WNEP before.
• After much soul searching, WNEP decides to put off the production of an original play written by a member of the company to do a production of "The Crucible" - again, critical and financial success - a Jeff Recommendation - awards and the prestige of getting the awards - grants are granted - donations are up from sectors that aren't friends and family.
• A company member pitches heavily for WNEP to do "Sexual Perversity in Chicago" - it's a comedy in many ways - and practically guarantees another Jeff citation - after all, we're on a roll, aren't we? It does well - no awards this time, but a solid audience base and at this point, the company has enough money to pay a couple of folks full-time salaries to maintain the office and outreach program.

What are the odds, given the above timeline, that WNEP's next show is going to be "Soireé DADA: Neue Weltaffen," or "pretty things," or "The Lost Shakespeare Play"? More likely it'll be another brilliant reproduction of a known work.

"So?" you ask "The success of those shows gives WNEP the opportunity to do the riskier work."

In principle, you are correct. In practice, I've yet to see any group do that. Why? Because money and security is seductive. Because keeping what you have is an almost primal instinct. Because only an insane person would want to go from packed houses to houses of five.

Is it that WNEP trucks exclusively in original works? I don't think so - Collaboraction, The House Theatre, and the now defunct Defiant Theatre all do original works. They are examples of spectacle over substance, form over content. WNEP is a content-driven theater - we fall short on the spectacle aspects. I will note, however, that our most commercially successful productions involved a certain amount of spectacle (MHB with the transformation of the space, LB with the Murphy Boat, Christmas My Ass with the set pieces (not ours, btw) and costumes, Statuette with the Hollywood sign).

So...back again to my question - why isn't WNEP a household name?

Why WNEP Isn't a Household Name, Part 1

To understand why WNEP isn't a household name after twelve years in Chicago, one must first examine why I ask the question at all. What kind of hubris cocktail did I drink that justifies that WNEP Theater *should* be a household name?

WNEP Theater is:
• one of the most relentless producing organizations in Chicago
• one of the most critically acclaimed theaters in Chicago

Relentless Production
------------------

In twelve years, WNEP Theater has produced 73 different productions - that's an average of 6 full shows per year. Redmoon Theater, Strawdog Theater, and The Hypocrites average 4 per year and Collaboraction and The House average 3. WNEP generally has significantly less money as these groups as well. "Now, Don," you might say, "Quantity doesn't equal quality, my chunky friend." You would be correct. But WNEP has the quality to back up the claim.

Critical Acclaim
-------------
“…apocalypse…”
"...[WNEP] demonstrates a rare talent for shaping spontaneous sparks of truth into palpable, fluid, provocative drama...People who believe in the power of theatre to shape minds and societies should flock to this visionary fable..." -- Chicago Reader

“The Armageddon Radio Hour”
"An outstandingly clever parody of the old wartime radio hours ...brilliant sound effects...an integrated and resonant work..." --TheList (Glasgow)

“Postmortem”
"A startling and well-staged trip to a possible afterlife...moving and emotionally satisfying..." -- ImprovReview.com

“Statuette – A Hollywood Musical”

"...funny, stylish and sexy...well acted across the board...the music is memorable, and the cast sings as well as any I have ever heard...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED" --TheatreChicago.com

“LEOPOLD!”
“Director Don Hall's latest "cavalcade of downright tomfoolery" revels in the random:
Leopold! is a fast-paced hodgepodge of absurdist comedy sketches…deliberately disconcerting…deftly original…” – Chicago Reader

“My Grandma’s a Fat Whore in Jersey”
“…the two actors have done the impossible in a town bursting with improv shows: Put one up that is unique and worth seeing…tremendously brave theater…(Recommended - listed as one of the top five shows to see in 1999)” -- NewCity

“Wise Blood”
“...as smart as the novel it comes from, as fun and as beautiful...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED..." -- NewCity

“The Mysteries of Harris Burdick”
“...a playful and magical show that illustrates one of the best aspects of small Off-Loop theaters: an unabashed determination to invent uniquely original work.….RECOMMENDED” – Chicago Sun-Times

‘pretty things’
“...quite moving...disturbing but captivating...it was superb...” -- Lois Price, WLUW

“LOSERS BRACKET”
“...a gut-busting comedy with no-nonsense doses of heart...elements of the Coen Brothers’ twisted sense of truth mingle with the laidback lunacy of Mayberry..." – ChicagoTheatre.com

“Let There Be Light..!”
“...elegant, intelligent adaptation...a fascinating serious drama...the actors playing the soldiers are adept at conveying their characters’ sometimes extreme psychological problems with grace and subtlety...remarkable...” HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - Chicago Reader

And those just a quick scan of some favorites!

So.

Back to the original query - why is WNEP not a household name?

The state of American theater, from my limited perspective, is in the same shape as the overall American culture.

Throughout the history of American theater there has been the tug of war between those who want to present the status quo as being fine. These artists present shows that depict a world where things are fine and that every American has the same chance as the protagonist - in short, that the American Dream is a viable, doable, tangible thing. These artists present happy endings and, in general, are content with the sheeplike qualities of their audience. "Sit back, relax, laugh, and let yourself forget about the troubles of your day," these shows say. "It is too difficult to extracate yourself from the dull monotone of everyday existence so be amazed and delighted at the pretty visual stimuli we present." And, because these works tell the audience that things are OK, these works are big moneymakers.

On the other side of the tug rope are the artists dissatisfied with the way things are. The shows they present say "Wake up! Things are not as they have been advertised. The only happy ending is the ending you earn and sometimes, even then, you don't get it. Get off your ass and DO SOMETHING." And, because the vast majority of Americans have no desire to "do something" outside of their regular, safe routine, these shows are rewarded with dwindling audiences and marginal financial return.

The state of America right now is that there is a huge political push to be blissfully ignorant. In Kansas, they are debatingwhether or not to allow evolution to continue being taught in public schools. There are anti-gay marriage bills abounding in order to protect the institution which has been decaying through divorce rates that are heterosexual couplings. The message being sent is "Close your eyes, close your mind. Believe in the DREAM that says that you can be President, that you can go the full fifteen rounds, that you are special and important." It is a pursuasive message - everyone wants to feel like he could be Rocky Balboa or Peter Pan or Harold Hill. Everyone wants to believe that he could turn his life around by showing the Full Monty.

Christ, the very existence of WNEP is founded on me believing the Dream. That if a group works hard and creates works of quality and significance, that group will succeed in the world of commerce. "Do what you love, the money will come." I've discovered that while the money most certainly will not come, the reward is the doing what you love. So few Americans do what they love because of the pressure to make money and have things. A house (or condo), a car, nice, new IKEA furniture, the latest version of Mountain Dew.

I believe that theater has power but only if it promotes ideas. Empty, idea free, entertainment is as substantial as a roll of septic friendly toilet paper - awesome in the short term but ultimately disposable.

Moving Day

Last night, after the DADA show, the DADAs and I talked about whether or not we could muster the massive energy involved in taking the show to the Fringe. It's a lot of money and raising that dough has to be a high priority for each member going. Everyone was in and ready to go, so I sent out the non-refundable $500 registration fee and we leap in.

Today, however, was surreal. It was my last day at the Massage School, and the official day of the big move of everything in Lakeview to the downtown facility (they wisely hired professional movers). It became the morning of the long knives. Not only was my boss (David) fired this morning, not only was Jesse (Brad Norman's girlfriend and the person who got me the job in the first place) fired this morning - 17 people were fired! SEVENTEEN!

The mood was bizarre - you had your group of people fired who were happy about it, the group who were completely blindsided by it, and the group who had not been fired and didn't know how to react around those who were. All while in the mad scramble to get everything boxed up for the movers.

I left at noon. I have real stuff to do.

"Wicked" was wicked good

Know these things first:
1. I hate the musicals of Stephen Schwartz ("Godspell" and "Pippin" in my opinion are total shit).
2. I hate it when a big musical waters down the source mterial to reach a mass audience.
3. I loathe the fact that big spectacle theater has taken the place of simple stagecraft.

Now know that I loved "Wicked". A genuine ride. Great performances. A fairly brilliant set and lighting design. Sat in the second row - could see the actors spit during their songs.

Aside from the happy ending, it was a truly enjoyable experience all the way around.

The CIC group is called "Cornwallace". They're not bad (in that they're new enough to each other to not have developed a ton of bad habits). They seem to be earnest in their desire to do something unique and smart. We spent the time last night simply doing scenes and talking about what makes them work - a lot of side coaching. Nice beginning, though.

Jen had an asthma attack yesterday - taking the day off today. We're going to go see "Wicked" tonight with Ken Manthey, who is giddy like a schoolgirl. He loves his big Broadway musicals. I'm interested if only because I don't get to see how the other side of theatrical history plays itself out very often. The big spectacle is always fun, but I'm apt to be super critical about it - I won't be snarky around Ken, though - he bought the wildly overpriced tickets.

Still don't have a location for "The Lost Shakespeare Play" reading - we're now looking at alternate dates.

It's raining and I have no desire whatsoever to go to work today (gotta though).

Middle Aged...

It just occurred to me today that in less than a year, I will be 40 years old.

Four decades. Jesus.

I don't *feel* forty. I don't *feel* like someone who has four decades under his belt. I still play video games. I like milk and Coke. I sing silly songs and play goofy couple games with my wife. I do sleep more. And I'm heavier. And I can't eat most foods anymore without getting gas. I know more things. I'd like to believe some of it amounts to wisdom, but I'm not so sure all the time.

My driver's license has been suspended for over two years. I can't manage to hold an *adult* job. I run a decidedly non-commercial theater company and work with other groups for app. $10 an hour. If my life expectancy is even remotely accurate, I have between 15 - 25 years left. If my (typical) luck holds out, I'll last another 50-60. I have no savings, own no home or car, have no children. Other than the kids, I don't really care too much about the other stuff.

I'm getting crankier in my middle-age.

Middle age.

Huh.

I'm halfway through the forest. Too late to go back now.

I start two new projects in the next week and end my "project" with the massage school.

The two projects are 1) working with a new improvising group at CIC and 2) directing the new MALICE show, centering around the 1988 Presidential Election. I'm excited about both, although my experience with the "coaching" hasn't been too successful - both groups I have coached (Cinco De Bob and Pastor of Muppets - both from the Playground Theater) fell apart soon after I left them. Doesn't bode well for the CIC group.

The MALICE show should be a challenge (I like challenges). I loved "Hellhouse" (the MALICE show Jen directed last year) so we need to do something completely different.

Also working on A) getting audiences for DADA, B) getting DADA to NYC, and C) getting "The Lost Shakespeare Play" Reading up and running. Beata at Trap Door doesn't recall letting us have the theater for the reading, so I have to book something else fast. Ahhh...the life of a producer.

DADA UPDATE: The audiences are getting bigger (meaning more of them are coming). Nice house last night - the build begins. One woman, after the show gushed, "It was intelligent. And fun. So intelligent and fun. Isn't that what one wants from the theater?" It helped that we were the "Best Bet" in the Tribune (complete with a color photo of the DADAs on the stairs). Things are looking up for DADA...

Notables in the audience last night: Mark Sutton and his fiance Claire Gaell. Jonathan Pitts. Patrick Brennan and Jenny Seidelman. Chris Biddle (and date). The couple bartending for Trap Door also LOVED it - said the fact that the Tribune was putting so much support for a show like this is a good sign that the Tribune is broadening it's collective tastes.

_____________________________________________

Mom is coming to NYC with us (for a few days). She wanted to pay for everyone's hotel rooms until I told her how much it was. Now she'll be buying dinners for the group. My mom rocks.

______________________________________________

I'm tired but life is good.

Just thinking out loud...

DADA AUDIENCE: 14 paid, coupla comps. Best Thursday night so far. The show was fine, but Bob's illness is sapping his strength. Joe Janes (one of the founders of 'NEP and a co-creator of the original Soireé DADA) came - it was his birthday. He seemed to like it a lot - seemed kind of bummed that he wasn't in it.

On the CSMT front, my position is being eliminated next week. Friday is my last day. I always knew that the deal was full-time temporary position, so it comes as no surprise. Still disappointing, though. I was hoping things would pan out to have them offer me a permanent position. I'm not overwhelming disappointed, however - a long term commitment being the handy man, step and fetch it for a mismanaged massage school (including the lugging around lots of heavy shit) is not my dream gig, y'know? I feel bad for Jen - she needs to quit this job she has and can't until I find a full-time, permanent gig.

I'm sending out the resume and, in the meantime, focus my energies on freelance work and raising dough for DADA NYC.

DADA NYC

It's official.

WNEP has been invited to perform "Soireé DADA: Neue Weltaffen" at the New York International Fringe Festival this August.

Second year in a row is good. We can apply what we learned last year (LTBL). I'm pretty jazzed - out of nearly 1100 submissions, they chose 200 companies to participate.

I think the DADAs are excited, too. Now, if we can generate some paying audience for this run, life will be a dance.

Rage...Subsiding...

OK.

We had a decent little audience for DADA last night. No records broken, but a decent size (about half full) and mostly paying. The show was good (I miseed the first 15 minutes, but caught the rest).

I went at 5PM to do a tech for Asaf Ronin's "Imp" that was performing on the CIF Showcase stage. We were in and out in 15 minutes. Had a bite with Sinead Aylward (the Showcase Venue Manager and all around kickass human), met up with Rebar (my favorite person on the earth besides my wife) and headed in.

It was an excellent show. "Imp" is Asaf and Karen Wight n a semi-silent clown-like improvised set. Very physical and simple - very funny and they received a partial standing ovation. I played my trumpet along with a keyboardist (Jeff Rosien?) who, in my opinion, was a bit heavy handed with the accompaniment. Asaf and Karen can handle silence well and Jeff just couldn't not play for almost every scene. Otherwise, it went well. Great show.

As far as I'm concerned, CIF is over. Next week, Pitts and I are going to sit down and restructure how it works for next year. If it doesn't receive a major overhaul, I won't be involved at all.