I received this email today from a friend. I always enjoy reading Andy Rooney’s column periodically in the paper and caught him from time to time on 60 Minutes…. even if he seemed hypercritical I thought this was at times touching, humorous, but oh so true. A great thing to pass on today since a great friend is having a birthday today. I hope you have a great one, L and we will call it 29 and holding if you like 😀 !

In order to save on space, I am going to reprint my favorites:

I’ve learned…. That just one person saying to me, ‘You’ve made my day!’ makes MY day. (Go ahead, make my day).

I’ve learned…. That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world (very true especially if you can get one to do it… a miracle in itself at times, but when it happens… it is magic)

I’ve learned… That being kind is much more important than being right. (of course there are exceptions to every rule)

I’ve learned… That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act Goofy with. (Gawrsh… that is my favorite of the bunch… wonder why. hyuck, hyuck)

I’ve learned… That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand. (That is beautiful and very true)

I’ve learned… That love, not time, heals all wounds. (Again, very profound)

I’ve learned… That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile. (You may not like the person you meet, but a smile is nothing more than a frown turned upside down. I was also once told that you use more facial muscles when you frown. Myth or fact?  Going along with that….)

I’ve learned… That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks (not sure that I totally agree with that one, but never hurts).

Happy Birthday, Lis 😀 . You are my friend and I AM honored!

As I recently learned there is New Kids on the Block reunion tour; however, one group you will probably not be seeing soon is Culture Club, that wonderfully odd 1980s pop group led by the ultra-colorful, ultra-fruity George O’Dowd (more commonly referred to as Boy George).  Boy was planning a 30-day United States tour to begin on July 10 (thank goodness, no unwanted surprises).  However, he was denied a visa due to charges  that accused him of “falsely imprisoning a Norwegian male escort”.  Please tell me how it would not be false to imprison another person.  Although he plead not guilty to the charges, the US government still denied the cross-dressing performer the visa.

Culture Club enjoyed their (what now seems much too long) 15 minutes of fame with songs such as Karma Chameleon.  I think there were a few other successful songs but obviously less familiar.  Yet another group that seemed good when you were about 10 years old that make you shake your head and wonder why.

Has he not been in trouble with the law before.  If memory serves, he was sentenced to community service a few years ago and seen picking up garbage?  I do recall the Broadway musical Taboo that he wrote the lyrics to and Rosie O’Donnell financed a few years ago that lasted entirely too long.  A good suggestion for any theatre group.

I suppose if you live across the Atlantic, you could catch Mr. George on his United Kingdom tour.

I never before realized what a great month July is. Not only does it bring the birthday of a very good friend (and the up-coming birth of the couple’s fourth child) but also many Superman related anniversaries

• July 1, 2004: Marlon Brando (Jor-El from Superman – The Movie [Blu-ray]) dies of lung failure at age 80
• July 4, 1924: Eva Marie Saint (Martha Kent in Superman Returns) born
• July ?, 2008: Baby C (future SuperFan) born
• JULY 10, 1914: Superman creator Joe Shuster born
• July 11, 1972: Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor on Smallville – The Complete First Season as well as the voice of The Flash on Justice League Unlimited – Season One (DC Comics Classic Collection)) born
• July 22, 1939: Terence Stamp (General Zod on Superman and Superman II – The Richard Donner Cut) born
• July 26, 1959: Kevin Spacey (Lex Luthor from Superman Returns (Two-Disc Special Edition) born
• July 29, 1982: Allison Mack (Chloe Sullivan of Smallville) born
• July 31, 1966: Dean Cain (The Man of Steel, himself from Lois & Clark – The New Adventures of Superman – The Complete First Season) born

Happy birthday (or deathday as it were) to all.

My introduction to musical theatre was in the first grade as I sat in the high school gymnasium watching a performance of a Rodgers and Hammerstein show that I will come to later. Let me just say I was forever changed at that early age. I have to say that I enjoy a musical even more than a regular play because not only do they tell a story through dialog and action but also through music. The best musicals use that music to progress the rest of the action on stage… becoming a character all its own. Some of the greatest musicals also have a third component that I shudder to mention: d-d-d-d-ance (?) or as I prefer to call it stylized movement.

The following is a list of musicals that have found a permanent place within me. I would not necessarily say they were my “favorite.”

• Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1993 Los Angeles Cast)(the first show I ever saw on The Great White Way, also the first community production I was cast in)
• Matthew Broderick in “How to Succeed in Business WIthout Really Trying!” (I saw the ’90s revival with Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker and met them backstage… Bud Frump…. )
• Singin’ in the Rain (Two-Disc Special Edition)(classic Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor flick about the transition from silent movie production to sound. Make Em Laugh… Cosmo…hmm scene stealer)
• The Phantom of the Opera (Original 1986 London Cast)(The first professional show I ever saw my junior year in Chicago. I have seen it twice since… more for the spectacle and music of Lloyd Webber. I HATED the movie and it was not because I was not sitting in the audience of a live stage production. It was a terrible transformation from stage to screen)
• Annie (1977 Original Broadway Cast) will always be remembered as the 1992 EHS musical. And to think I auditioned for the part of Daddy Warbucks?! Daniel Francis Hannigan aka Rooster Hannigan aka Danny the Dip was my first villainous role… and now my second favorite role)
• Jesus Christ Superstar: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Album ( I have only seen the horrid ’73 movie but I am told it is the best soundtrack… one of the worst things to come out of that year… I like to think there were better things 😀 I really the role of Herrod. Lloyd Webber’s best and most controversial… maybe that is why it is his best… have I mentioned this before?)
• Jekyll & Hyde – The Gothic Musical Thriller (1994 Concept Cast)(tremendous Wildhorn and Bricusse score. Some of my favorite songs from any show. When done right can be terrifyingly fun and breathtaking. I have mentioned the rotten the best is the Anthony Warlow concept recording).
• Les Miserables Complete Symphonic Recording(heartbreaking, triumphant, humorous in a few moments, hopeful. M. Thenardier is a fun, evil, scene stealing villain… hmm…again a brilliant, almost operatic score)
• Carousel (1994 Broadway Revival Cast) (the musical mentioned at the top. Forget the rest… this is the only Rodgers and Hammerstein show to see. Why is it never done? I saw the 90s revival in NY as well. “Soliloquy” is 8 minutes of inner turmoil and indecision).

I just know I am forgetting at least one.

Broadways Best at Amazon.com

Following the run of any show I am involved in I go through a period of reflection and a bit of depression (just more so for certain shows). I have found that the best way to deal with this is to continue auditioning or until the next audition arrives by putting my thoughts into words. I am often asked by some people what draws me to the theatre so much and why it seem that I audition for EVERYTHING?! The best explanation I can come up with is the term play, itself. Being in plays allows us to play in new worlds. I find that the best actors and those I really enjoy working with tend to generate a playful persona, but at the same time be able to know when to work (if you want to call it that). The director is the playground monitor who tells his children (cast) what to do and when to do it… setting the rules for the game/play. When the performers are good they are rewarded and when they goof up and not do as well, they know that as well.

Each person involved in every show varies in experience. There are the more experienced who have been there and done that and can seem more comfortable in their surroundings. Then there are those who come along who may never have stepped foot on the stage who may seem shy and apprehensive but hopefully will be able to learn how to play along as well and make new friends. Of course there are those who venture to other play spaces and play in yet other’s backyards and once again become the new kid on the block. Even allowing past characters to reemerge in moments of flashback can bring laughter from some while driving others to distraction 😀 Right, Morat?  EVERYONE WINS!

So, I really do think that the world of theatre is best enjoyed to its fullest by those who refuse to completely grow up. And those who are willing to let their playful sides come out even in the most serious of tragedies there are moments of brevity.

The fun does not necessarily need to end when the curtain drops on the final call. Game nights, cast parties, and other activities can be enjoyed by those involved. As a wise old man once advised a certain android who wished to be more human: “Don’t forget… you have to have a little fun every day.” Well said.

Well…. here is my final post on the great experience that began back in late March.  New director, new cast members, new atmosphere, but still great fun.  It is rather strange how intimate I have become with the stage in our little corner of Ohio.  Twice I have been in shows where I end up lying downstage center.  Whether it be sleeping and being pulled into my television or being stabbed in a duel and killed.  During our final performance this afternoon, Marmee suggested that I combine Braxton Prendergast with my favorite character (of course many of you who read my blog know who that is).  As thrilling as that would be, I decided that I better not although it may have drawn an even larger reaction than normal.  The director could not understand why Braxton’s death always drew chuckles from the audience.  As our lighting tech so kindly observed, he does not know me very well, does he.  Actually, I was quite impressed at the amount of time it took to strike the set.  It took less than an hour and a half.  Everyone really pitched in and helped.  So, after that most of the cast and crew went for a final wrap gathering at an area pizza shop and said our final farewells amidst the sadness and joy.   Once again, my sincere thanks and congratulations to everyone involved in this marvelous production.  I found many ways in which to deliver the line “Who are you?” so it would be different each time I said it.  I think I found as many as Jo found to deliver “Christopher Columbus.” Plus, my goals for the show were met.  I believe that the cast worked hard but still enjoyed themselves, and I got to wear pumpkin pants (tights as well, but that was definitely not on my list).

The end of the run of a show brings mixed feelings.  For most, it is a feeling of relief that a show has completed its run and it is time to move on and get back to their normal lives.  I do not know how many feel as I, but a run of six shows just does not seem enough.  Sure we are not paid professionals but honestly, our little theatre does wonderful work and deserves every bit of the applause it receives every night.  Not just the applause, but the acquaintances made during the 6 weeks it takes to stage a show is marvelous.  Each production is different, the cast, the set, the crew, nothing is ever the same.  You may get a mixture of cast members in subsequent shows, but each time I am part of a show I let each cast member become a part of me.  Sharing each others triumphs as well as those times we are “pushed” in order to accomplish what the director as well as ourselves know we are capable of.  It is just difficult to leave something that starts with an empty stage and grows into “Something Wonderful…” (a little tune from The King and I). Tonight, while waiting in the orchestra pit for my set change, I began to feel my closing depression set in (a day early but nonetheless there).  I would not say that this happens every show, but definitely with the best of them.  But, with the closing of one show usually comes auditions (at least) for the next show.  So, tomorrow will be the final performance of Little Women, but looking ahead to July 7th I see auditions for The Nerd.

A wise man once said that every performance of any show is different every time.  No where was that more prevalent than in tonight’s performance of Little Women.  As I posted earlier, we have been plagued by a leaky ceiling.  It was discovered that this was due to a malfunctioning air conditioner.  During the first act, the a/c was turned off and it was suggested that we speed the action up to accommodate the audience.  At intermission, we had a concession line that featured free cups of water.  The aristocrat Braxton Prendergast was seen behind the counter serving complaining that it was beneath him to serve peasants.  Mrs. Kirk threatened him with bodily harm at least twice.

Apparently, the audience did not mind the drips because the air was turned on again for the second act.  This was perhaps the best the act has run and accepted.  The final duel between Braxton and Rodrigo met with thunderous applause when the villain fell to the ground.  Every time a line was spoken having to do with water, the audience roared in hysterical laughter.  The title of this post is taken from the title of a song that Jo and Prof. Bhear sing at the end of the show.  I thought they would never be heard from all the laughter I thought would come.  However, after a few chuckles, the song went very well as did our 4th of 6 shows.  Maybe tomorrow someone will provide the audience members beneath the drips with small umbrellas of their own.

Ah, yes and a happy birthday to my co-star, Elizabeth.

Continuing with AFI’s list, I will now comment on the fantasy world. This genre is by far the one in which most people have to leave their logic and knowledge of the ordinary world at the doorstep and embrace their inner child. This was perhaps my favorite segment (as they did not include the 10 best musicals). But here goes:

• Big (I believe that this Tom Hanks film re-started the whole kid-transforming-into-an-adult-overnight craze)
• The Thief of Baghdad (silent movie that I cannot comment on)
• Groundhog Day (? OOOOKKKKKK…. Why?)
• Harvey (classic Jimmy Stewart film… near and dear to one of my frequent readers)
• Field of Dreams (they built it and they did come again a bit of a ?)
• Miracle on 34th Street (the original in glorious black and white which I have commented on before)
• King Kong (1933 big scary monkey climbs Empire State Building and go boom)
• It’s a Wonderful Life (another Jimmy Stewart favorite at Christmas time…. once in your life did you not want to know the world would be like if you were never born?)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (one of the most faithful book to screen adaptations ever conceived)
• The Wizard of Oz

In my humble opinion, the classic Oz deserves to be at the top. I dare say that this movie has lived on for over seventy years and I do not know of anyone who has never seen it. If there is they must live under a rock. Speaking of rocks, there is at least one film that should have been in there somewhere. The Neverending Story is a fun fantasy (featuring Rock Biter) for children of all ages full of wonder and far away worlds. Also, where is The Princess Bride? The inclusion of Groundhog Day just made me scratch my head. How does one get on to vote on this A.F.I. list anywho?

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This morning after I was so rudely interrupted, I turned on our local radio station where one of my fellow Little Women cast members delivers the news. One of the featured topics of the day was “The worst movies ever made.” I know the film that at least one of my readers finds to fit that bill… and I am pleased to say that I have yet to watch The Night Listener with Robin Williams. I have mentioned from time to time Norbit and Howard the Duck. However, there has to be some other good stinkers out there. Here are a few:

• Leonard Part 6 (starring Bill Cosby during the waning years of The Cosby Show… did not make me ask what happened to the other five previous films))
• Ghost Dad (also featuring Mr. Cosby which goes to show that bankability in one form of entertainment does not guarantee success in other forms)
• Rocky V ( and about 2/3 of the movies Mr. Stallone has graced us with… thank goodness the series came back and went out on a better note with Rocky Balboa)
• Jaws the Revenge (Bruce the Shark looked even more fake)
• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (sorry Mr. Shatner, your directorial debut was not your finest hour

I am sure there are several other (un)worthy films to include on this list. Please feel free to join in the fun and making us all relive some of the low moments in theatrical movie history.

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