Over the past year or so, Warner Brother’s Animation and DC Comics have released a series of direct to DVD movies starring some of their mainstay superheros.  Starting with Superman: Doomsday then with Justice League – The New Frontier) onto Batman Gotham Knight and, most recently to an adventure featuring the Amazon Princess herself, Wonder Woman .  In the coming months, we will have a Green Lantern movie.  Then a Batman/Superman team up entitled Public Enemies which is taken from the first six issues of the team up comic series.

United States President Lex Luthor uses the oncoming trajectory of a kryptonite asteroid to frame Superman and declare a $1 billion bounty on the heads of the Man of Steel and his “partner in crime” Batman. Super heroes and super villains alike launch a relentless pursuit of Superman and Batman, who must unite – and recruit super help – to stave off the action-packed onslaught, stop the asteroid, and uncover Luthor’s devious plot to take command of far more than North America.

Hopefully, this will eventually lead to the development of a live-action Justice League feature that has been in creative limbo for several years.  However, I forsee rival company Marvel unveiling their Avengers movie before this happens.

I used to enjoy reading movie novelizations.  I enjoyed digging deeper into the film by reading what was going on inside the minds of the characters and reading the parts that ended up on the cutting room floor.  I recently came into a copy of the movie-tie in to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.  While everything from the movie was present, there were minor differences (Willie does not cause Indy’s gun to fly out the window of their moving Duesenberg while being pursued by a group of Chinese gangsters).  One major difference (and definitely a scene that had to be cut from the film that established the PG-13 movie rating) involved phallic symbolism that would have disturbed me as an 11 year old.

My favorite part of any novelization is getting to see inside the minds of the main characters.  What makes them tick? What are their real motivations for the actions they perform? When (if ever), does Indy change from an archaeologist who is out to achieve “fortune and glory” into something more?

There was a lot of humor inside the inner workings of Dr. Jones’ companions: the sulry nightclub singer Willie Scott who is accidentally thrust into the adventure and Indiana’s 12 year-old bodyguard, chauffeur, and Man Friday, Short Round.  I loved reading about the young Chinese orphan’s penchant for thievery, religious idoltry, movies, and sports of the 1930s.  Very entertaining read.

Ok… I must have been mistaken to think that I previously posted on my small junior high school’s science teacher and his intriguing way of chastising craziness in the classroom.  Mr. Stoll had a copy of the 6,7, and 8th grade spelling books.  Every week, there was a list of 20 spelling words that we had to learn.  In science class, if a student stepped out of line, he had to write that list of 20 words 15 times.

On two very rare occurrences, I found myself on the short end of that punishment (and almost a third time).  The first time (the only time I remember the particulars but I know I had one more) was at the sink following an experiment as we were cleaning up.  I guess I got a little carried away with the water because all of a sudden I heard the dulcet tones of

MISTER SHAFFER… FIFTEEN!

Another time, my cousin was given his turn.  A classmate had borrowed his pencil and he was attempting to reclaim it.  Apparently, he was a bit more vocal than needed because once again came the all powerful howl:

MISTER MAXWELL… FIFTEEN!

However, this did not stop Dan.  He was adamant that he did not deserve the cursed punishment.  At the teacher’s suggestion that the fifteen might be turned into thirty, he reluctantly gave up the fight, but recovered the pencil.

How did I fit into this drama you might wonder?  I don’t know why but something about two students fighting over possession of a pencil just struck me as hilarious.  Even after Mr. Stoll inquired whether I would like to practice my spelling skills,  I still found it hard to contain myself much to my cousin’s disbelief.  BTW Dr. Maxwell, if you can help me remember my second time…

that I am glad my last on stage theatrical experience was only a three night affair (no pun intended).  I returned “home” tonight to a marvelously hilarious yet intriguing tour de force.  The Lion in Winter is a brilliant play that has everything: comedy, drama, comedy, backstabbing, COMEDY, a steller set, did I mention comedy.  There were at most 30 people in the small audience but everyone of those thirty were in stitches (maybe it was the three in the third or fourth row… but it was really that funny and not at all what I expected.

First, I MUST commend the hard work that went into the scenery constructed that turned the small stage of the WCCT into the castle of King Henry 2nd at Chinon, France at Christmas circa 1183.  Tapestries, stone walls, a throne and such depth and perspective that you would have thought that you were actually inside the castle.  BRAVO Karen for another magnificent set!

The cast is totally phenomenal.  I must commend the newcomer to the stage who gave simpering, whining life to Prince John.  The newspaper review did not do his performance its due credit.

Nor did it do justice to the performance of Prince Geoffrey.  The audience could see the brilliant machinations going on in his head.  What little he said in words while the others bickered and plotted aloud, he more than made up for in his presence and movement.  Brilliant portrayal, my friend!

I must give huge praise to the King and Queen themselves.  When King Henry was on stage, he OWNED the stage.  Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine was Katherine Hepburn personified… maybe even a bit better.  Their scenes together were magic.

The entire cast, crew (the scene changes were very necessary to the effect and done well), direction (brava Shirley and Alice).  King Philip was portrayed by an actor who is a huge fan of the show and rightfully so.  His onstage time may have been limited but what he did with that time was masterful.  Richard the Lionhearted was portrayed with fiery passion for battle and blood yet had a tender side.   Alais, mistress of Henry II, was also well cast.

As the trailer says: It will make you laugh, cry, and go HUHN?  Definitely check out the final performancces of Lion in Winter this weekend.  And I did see a bit of typecasting as my friend so fleetingly commented upon.

I don’t like to complain about ANYONE, but sometimes the need presents itself.  At my fpoe (former place of employment) one of my fellow associates seemed to get more than his fair share of personal phone calls during the day.  One day while at the service desk, I counted at least 10 unnecessary pages to call him to the phone.  Ironically, one of which was his wife calling him to compare the price of an item to another stores price of a similar product.  Needless to say, this genius did not last as long as I.  No, I did not get him in trouble.

I understand the need for a periodic phone call while on the job for important things, but as many as 10 IN ONE EIGHT HOUR SHIFT?!  But it seems to be happening again.  Its as if I can answer the phone and know precisely who it is for even when that person is not working that day.  Of course, I have been known to make a phone call while at the store.  One incident included calling a friend while being alone and not having had a customer for 30 minutes right before closing.

I have already posted on my junior high science teacher’s most famous reprimand for students who step out of line.  Today, I discovered that he may just be getting rather lax in his distributing of “15” in his old age.  I found it ironic that Shelby should bring it up because I thought that he had retired a few years ago… my mistake.

It seems that my oldest niece stayed up WAY too late last night.  She was sleeping in class.  Her friend sitting next to her attempted to revive her to no avail.  Moments later, Mr. Stoll went to her table and (apparently) quite gently nudged her and revived her.  HA!!!! I got fifteen for two separate incidents (and ALMOST a third) in my day for less than that!!!

A few years ago, I had a cousin who passed through the hallowed door of the science teacher.  I would periodically hear her relate tales that would have led to her writing spelling words as well.  I don’t think she ever got the pleasure.  To this day, I think Charnel was his pet.  It sounds like he has another.

While watching the Jay Walking segment on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, I was chatting with a friend about a device that most people use everyday.  In junior high, I was taught that a gentleman named Sir Thomas Crapper invented the flushing toilet.  I found out today that that bit of useless trivia is in fact incorrect.  It seems that Mr. Crapper was not a knight at all and only has patents that improved upon the device already invented by Sir John Herrington.  Sir John was a 16th Century author who installed a functional prototype in the facilities of his godmother, Queen Elizabeth I.

As for the brilliant contestants on Jay Walking, here is one sterling question and answer:

What did Alexander Graham Bell invent?

A BELL

And another:

What was the Iron Curtain?

The Pittsburgh Steelers offense

Still another:

What is kept in Fort Knox?

Change

Finally:

What U.S. President had polio and needed a wheelchair to get around?

OH… the president in Pearl Harbor…. Churchill (not only a bad answer but another movie that we knew the ending to before it began only with the sappy love story attached)

I could have added this post to increase the genius blog, but hey… I needed one of my own.  And I was seriously fishing which is something I could have done nearly anywhere I looked in our little corner of the world today with all the flooding.

Since I have developed a slight writer’s block, I will expand on the subject I like most.  Therapeutic in the days following the close of a show that came and went so quickly.  It seems like only yesterday (in reality back in January) that I received a phone call asking if I would like to audition for a musical that was not being done by the WCCT.  I was not apprehensive in the slightest.  A few weeks prior, I had auditioned for Lion in Winter and then thought… why not?  IT IS A FULL-SCALE MUSICAL.  Plus, I had been involved with two other groups prior to joining my home away from home.  This would give me a chance to reach other audiences and spread my name around and meet more people with the same passion.  Little did I know that I would be helping to bring fresh faces  “home” to play in my backyard.

When reading the finished playbill, I noticed that “Lon” had previously played Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors and considers it his favorite role.  Coincidentally, we are doing the show in October just in time for Halloween.  Since this production is all cast (everyone who auditions is cast), I decided to approach Travis about it and he was really excited.  As soon as he rearranged his directing duties, he informed me that he was indeed available.  He even said that he was open to any part: there are no bad parts in the show.  RIGHT YOU ARE!

“Katie” was also excited about the opportunity to audition for a role on Skid Row.  She was cast in Hicksville’s production but unfortunately circumstances arose that caused her to drop out.  Mary has been a stage veteran for many years and has a fabulous presence.  Both of them will make a great addition.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the young man who played “John Truitt.”  He really grew from the first time I heard him at the piano trying to sing.  However, his enthusiasm and ENERGY led to the creation of a fine performance that generated a number of chuckles from the audience even if he did get beat up by a girl.  Being a junior in high school who had never before stepped foot on stage, I think he did a tremendous job.  In fact, he felt that he had fallen under the tag of “high school jock” who wanted to try something else.  He even told  me that he was apprehensive about what his friends would think and that they might come to a performance to disrupt it.  Totally needless fear.  I know more than a few school athletes who also excelled musically and theatrically…. triple threats?  I was really proud how far he had come in his stage debut.  Good luck to you, Nate!

Hopefully, I can find a new tangent to go on soon.  I am sure that some of my readers are growing tired reading on the same topic although I could spend hours singing the praises of this one.

They say a hat makes the man.  Grandpa probably would say that a hat (as well as a suit) is like a man and likes to step out once in a while (pretty girl or no pretty girl).  One of my favorite parts of Meet Me in St. Louis was the enormous array of wonderful hats I got to wear as Grandpa Prophater.  I pick out most of them from the costume room at the Huber and one was brought by the producer.  Grandpa went from a genuine Shriner’s fez with tassel and all kings of bells and whistles to a Holmesian deerstalker cap on Halloween to a huge Admiral’s hat and one more that I will expound upon in a moment.  There were a few plain, ordinary hats that were just not wild enough.  There were only two scenes in which Grandpa was not seen wearing one: a dinner scene with the family and the Christmas Ball (although I thought the old Civil War vet would have looked smashing in a top hat with his old tuxedo he had gotten out of mothballs).

The Admiral’s hat presented a few problems as I began to learn how to wear it.  I thought it should be worn “sideways” with the ends at the sides.  Then, I had it on backwards with the tailfeather hanging over my face.  Finally, I got it right amidst thunderous applause.  The first time I rehearsed with it, the entire cast had to stop the scene from laughing.  I was told that I looked like Cap’n Crunch which was where I got the inspiration to wear the cap sideways.  I also had to be careful entering during the very serious scene as the audience roared as I snuck in through the kitchen door after performing Grandpa’s favorite pastime: eavesdropping.

The deerstalker was my idea.  It added a nice touch to the Halloween excitement of egging on “Agnes” and “Tootie” in their quest to throw flour into the faces of evil cat poisoners and other monsters.  It also helped in discovering the truth behind the mysterious injury to Tootie’s lip.

I had discovered a fez in my combing of the costume department.  However, a much better one was found complete with medallion to wear around my neck and handy pouch to store them in.  I felt like I should be in the Shriner’s Convention scene in Bye, Bye Birdie or the Grand Poobah of the Loyal Order of Waterbuffalo.

My next to final costume was by far the most challenging, but one of the most entertaining.  The family is awakened EARLY by Mr. Smith on Christmas morning.  I KNEW Grandpa had to have a memorable outfit for sleeping.  I knew exactly what I wanted.  The turquoise robe was already there.  The costume mistress took my measurements for a long nightshirt and the piece de resistance: a wonderful multi-colored, tassled nightcap.  I loved it.  After the scene, not so much.  I had to make the fastest change I have ever made into my summer outfit for the World’s Fair.  The hardest part of the role.  At one of the dress rehearsals, I came out clutching the night shirt and made everyone think I was Linus from the Peanuts comic strip.  Thankfully, I was able to devise a scheme to change quicker.

I think this will be my final post for Meet Me in St. Louis.  Each production I have ever been in has been different than the last.  Each performance of every production I have been in has been different than the last (for better or worse) but that is the beauty of live theatre.  Everyone involved has to be on their toes and at their best.  That is one of the many things I will always cherish about it.

To those who made a trip to St. Louis,  I hope you had a great ride.  To those who could not, my apologies.  I hope that one was surely watching from above saw me continue to grow.  There are better shows out there but I think big, happy, family-friendly shows need to be done if not only as an escape from today’s troubling reality.

I’m not entirely sure but after the final curtain fell, I began to wonder.  While we were striking the set, the tornado siren sounded not once… not twice… but three times (a lady).  We all piled into the catacombs of the Huber and enjoyed pizza, cake, cookies, and other goodies.  I’m so glad the warning did not sound until AFTER the show was over.  But everything the theatre took in I believe today at least if not part of last night’s take was all profit.  Good for the joint venture of the  Village Players and Huber Opera House.  I just cannot express enough how great it was to be involved in this production in the beautiful theatre.  There are stories I have heard about the building only a short 20 years ago that would not be appropriate for this blog.

I just find it amazing every time a set is taken down.  All the time and hard work that went into the creation of such a beautiful picture and down in less than half that time.  This was even harder because this was ONLY a three day event as opposed to the seven show run of the WCCT.  However, no matter the outcome, there is always something memorable to take away from every show… yes, even Grease had a few fantastic things come out of it and anyone who reads my blog KNOWS what that is.

But, once again, thank you to all involved in Meet Me in St. Louis to the Village Players and to the Huber Opera House.  Hicksville Ohio has a wonderful venue that harkens back to an era long ago.  I look forward to auditioning again.