I can't take that. It's bolted down.

It's been a week since the staged reading of Thorstein the Staff-Struck, and I've had a lot to process. It sort of capped off my time at the Network, like graduating, or doing a Div III. (Hey, I started the script back in December, worked on it intermittently through the rest of my apprenticeship, and got it in the Fireside Festival...sounds like a Div III to me.)

I lucked out with my cast, though the fact that nearly all of them are professional actors made scheduling difficult. Will Myers came in to direct on short notice, and in two rehearsals we had full blocking and action and continuity and tone shifts and fight scenes and all sorts of fun. As a staged reading, I really couldn't ask for better. I learned a number of lessons, and am now making notes on the next draft.

For me, the second half played much better than the first, and I find this strange because some of the hardest work I did on the piece was restructuring and rewriting scenes two through five. Meanwhile, the final scene, which I didn't do much more than touch up since the first draft, worked very well for me.

The talkback was great. I was fully expecting to take some hits to the face from Saga scholars who disagreed with my reading and manipulations, and from non-Saga-scholars who had no idea what the hell was going on, but neither came up. People truly seemed to get the setting and conflict, and that makes me very, very happy. There was a lot of curiosity about the elements of Christianity in the story, and for several minutes it was the only topic of discussion. At another point someone thanked me for making the play educational, and I was torn between being heartwarmed and being all like, "I didn't mean to make it educational! I meant to make it groovy!" I think I just thanked her for the comment (the most common thing, as many comments were just, "Good job on x").

A few people commented on political elements of the story (one person said Iraq, and another compared Thorarin and/or Rannveig to Dick Cheney), and I tried not to get caught up in that discussion, because current politics weren't my focus in writing it. It's cool that people took the material there, and I won't say they're wrong if that's what they saw.

I took some much-needed criticism, a significant piece of it directed at the pacing of Thorarin's scenes. Can't quite argue with that, 'cause I felt it, even though John Manfredi was wonderful in the role. The audience seemed divided on whether or not we need more of the farmhands. I side with the "yes" vote on this one. The comments I took on the side-plots concerning Bjarni and Rannveig...uh, would take too long to explain and I'm pretty sure I know what to do. And, I have to say, I got some fantastic compliments that I'd kind of like to frame. Such an ego boost.

So, now it's time to continue work on That New Project, even while it's hard to get my head out of the world of the Sagas. I'm still working my way through a huge collection of them. This morning, I finished Gisli, which we read at the legendary Mod 5 Viking Party* back in 2003, passing the book around a the circle. Yes, we read a 60+ page story while drinking mead and eating gravlax**. Little did I know, eh?


*It's now clear to me that not understanding the story at that party wasn't my fault. It has a very tangled cast of characters! Even looking at the family chart and reading back over key chapters, certain connections are hard to discern. I hereby forgive myself for not getting why anyone was doing anything. Drinking and Sagas go together, but not when you're trying to figure out who everyone's related to and why they feel like tossing spears at each other.

**Made by Colin, who also made sure to point out all the creative sexual insults obscured in the text by tasteful prose.

All right, well, maybe I'll actually post this one. Recently, I've been starting posts and saving them "to finish later" or some such, and, well, so far, they've just been staying saved. Let's see how this one goes.

Been busy. As far as I can tell, I have two weeks left on my apprenticeship, and there's lots to be done in that time. Basically, we need to get the theatre out of Renovation Mode and into Season Mode. On a more personal level, I'll need to kinda get myself out of Desk Mode, into Manual Labor/House Management mode, and then into What Comes After Your Apprenticeship, Russ? mode.

So, I'll back up here just a bit. I feel that this is an excellent time to recount some recent, uh, adventures, or goings-on, at least.

You may recall that I had a whirlwind two weeks of rehearsal for a production of Eurydice. The staff of PNT was gracious enough to give me a few scattered days off for tech rehearsal, and the production was gracious enough to factor in my work schedule, so all in all, it was, uh, harmonious. I'm very fond of the people I met through the show, and I may have lucked into some friends and possible collaborators for the future.
The show itself was extremely ambitious, going for a high level of tech (huge screens, running water, three-camera video) and also pursuing a goal of being as "green" as possible. I enjoyed playing Orpheus, and though Ruhl's script dances along the edge of sweet-tooth preciousness, some of the writing works really well, certain monologues for the three leads in particular.

Just days after the show was done (it was only one weekend), I found myself furiously writing press releases, newsletters, e-blasts, website articles, blogs, Tweets, and Facebook posts: mostly, reminders and instructions regarding the Community Foundation's online matching fundraiser, and then minute-by-minute updates on how to deal with the technical problems caused by half of southeast Michigan trying to donate to their favorite arts nonprofits through the CFSEM website at the same time. (Half of my work that day, to tell the truth, was maintaining donor morale.) The 18th was quite the day, I tell you. If you're interested, PNT did quite well, exceeding our own expectations. Thanks, patrons and theatre-lovers!

Aaaand. I got a callback for a show at the Williamston Theatre, so I had a few days to prepare a monologue and a song for Monday evening. Good fun, very laid-back...they seem to go for a low-stress setting.
I tried my hand at accompanying myself on guitar--the first time I've ever done that for an audition--and, if nothing else, I was on-key (I think) and didn't play the wrong chords. The monologue was from The Four of Us by Itamar Moses, a play I read with Cichon earlier this year for kicks. Glad to have been called for that, and also, it gave me a chance to finally get a look at the Williamston (I haven't really had the time to go see other people's shows this year).

Uh. What else? Revisions are moving along, albeit slowly, on Thorstein, and I'm scheming to have it read by one group of folks or another. I'm making tentative plans for what I'm doing post-PNT, but I'm not quite ready to post about those yet. Be certain that in the coming weeks, there'll be more about that.

Somewhere in all there I had the time to read Arthur C. Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama, which is guaranteed to turn you into a physics wonk, even if only temporarily, and begin John le Carre's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, which makes bureaucratic infighting surprisingly saddening. Mom sent me a book about grizzly bear attacks in Banff, which looks to be a good read. Saw Inglourious Basterds, but I don't want to write about that yet, because, outside of the controversy (is it brilliant? is it irresponsible? did Tarantino grow up? is he more adolescent than ever?), it's just too loaded for me right now, and this post is long enough. I, uh, liked it.

It's September, and I miss fall on the East Coast. Hmm. Might have to do something about that.

August 14 and 15
7:00 p.m.
Video and Performance Studio

"This modern, whimsical re-telling of the Orpheus myth, by award-winning playwright Sara Ruhl, follows Eurydice into the underworld, where she is forced to reckon with memory, love, and loss. This theatrical production, presented by ARTillery and Basement Arts, will employ an array of digital and visual arts to create a unique and immersive experience.

The project brings together a cast and production team from multiple schools and departments across the University and from the greater Ann Arbor community. In its partnership with Planet Blue, a U-M initiative to reduce energy consumption on campus, this production also serves as an experiment in ways to implement environmental awareness through practice and design, without sacrificing creative vision.

Tickets are free for students and $5.00 for non-students. To reserve a ticket in advance: EURYDICE.tickets@gmail.com"

So, I didn't expect to be doing any acting this year, but as it happens, I'll be appearing in a production of Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice in two weeks. I had a very odd conversation with my bosses. It went like this.

ME: There are two things that might take me away from work. You'll probably want to say no to both of them. They're also mutually exclusive.
BOSSES: Okay, let's hear it.
ME: There's a wedding in Massachusetts. I'll be away for a few days, all at once, in the middle of August.
BOSSES: Yeah, that can't really happen. What's the other one?
ME: There's a production of Eurydice that lost an actor. They've offered to let me read for the role. If I get cast, I'll be away from the theatre for various days, but never all at once, and I'll still be working most of the time.
BOSSES: What's the part?
ME: Orpheus.
BOSSES: Go for it.

I am, of course, extremely sad that I'll miss Matt and Anne Marie's wedding, but if I can't go, at least I'll make up for it by playing a famous lover, albeit a sad one. (And working really really really hard for two more weeks, but it'll be worth it.)

I was cast after some reading and a long conversation with the director. The show goes up in the big studio in the Duderstadt, and apparently one of the performances is getting a three-camera treatment.

That said, it's time for me to get back to memorizing. And practicing some guitar. And doing laundry. And, eventually, sleeping.

The new script, which I started last December and have been working on intermittently ever since, has a complete first draft. I'm sure I'll make a ton of disclaimers, but I really need some sleep.

I should be done reformatting it from FinalDraft to Word tomorrow afternoon. I wanted to do it right now, but I really, really need some sleep.

If anyone is up for offering constructive criticism, hopefully tomorrow I'll judge it worthy of getting looked at. Volunteers?

Oh, and many thanks to my stalwart research team: Nate, Colin and Andi.
Special thanks to Zach for being the reason I found the theme in the first place, and letting me take his book.

I also would like to post more about my life and the way things are going and all, but I really, really, really need some sleep.

I must be getting lazy. But I haven't written anything about movies recently. I'll probably make this quick, all the same.

I finally saw Doubt, which, as you know, is based on a clever, involving, multiple-award-winning, and intentionally frustrating play. The movie didn't totally work for me, though I respect most of its pieces individually. John Patrick Shanley, adapting his own play, sees fit to literalize one too many metaphors, eliciting from me at least one "Oh, gimme a break." Worthwhile for its performances, but if you can see it on stage, I'm guessing the experience will work better for you.

I finally saw RocknRolla, which, as you might know, is the most recent Guy Ritchie movie. Almost all Guy Ritchie movies are stylish go-kart races starring (usually) good actors playing London gangsters. No complaints here: as long as he keeps making 'em, I'll keep watching 'em. I even defended the what-was-he-smoking-Revolver...well, I tried, at least, if only for some funny Jason Statham bits. This one, which is all-around-better, has a few high points, including an extended robbery scene involving two indestructible Russian gangsters.

What have we learned today? We have learned that my attention span is getting shorter.

Ah, an evening off. When you're used to 12-15 hour days, working 9 am to 6 pm feels mercifully light. Yeah, it's been that kind of week...well, apprenticeship. Once, Cichon and I were in a meeting with the artistic and executive directors, and they asked a general question about what we'd learned so far. Cichon mentioned time management. So funny, yet so unfortunately true.

So, I've been working on foam bricks for five days. I finally got to start nailing them up today, which was satisfying if only because the prior job was so repetitive, messy, and leg-cramping.

As Passover is ending, I feel I should mention that it's a great holiday. I flew back to DC for three days so I could have the seder with my family and hang around a bit. Though it was one day longer than my last trip home (Thanksgiving), it still felt rushed. Can't be helped.
But I was talking about why I love Passover in general. Apart from the whole family-togetherness-visiting-thing, it comes with a few perks that I've grown to like. These include:
-Matzo. I like it. And charoset.
-The fun bits of the seder that take years to develop, like Michelle and me knowing to yell in unison, "Our teachers, it is time to recite the morning Sh'ma!" without ever having discussed it.
-Seder leftovers. People give them to me. I eat well for a week. And I know people who can cook, man.
-Perspective on Judaism. For some reason, I tend think more deeply about it, or maybe just in a different context, than on, say, Yom Kippur. Of course, the whole point of that day is deep thought and consideration, where Passover is a space of time where it can sink in, let it mix with everyday life and see what thoughts shake out. (See, on Yom Kippur, I tend to want to think about Life, The Big Picture, etc.) I might just be extra-reflective this year, though, as I've spent the last five days doing repetitive chores. Concerning bricks, no less. The irony staggers. But anyway. Somehow, Passover gives my concept of our people a nudge, and I'm always glad for it.
-I always see my family, and would hate to be away for the seder. This year we were all still in the "...without Harris" phase, myself totally included, but missing the seder wouldn't help that, either.
-Somehow, the bread thing ends up being more of a change of daily routine than an inconvenience (as I said, I like matzo), and I don't tend to mind very much.
-Someone makes matzo brei with apples. Sometimes it's me (I introduced the dish to Mod 5). Doesn't matter. It gets made. Lissie has my grandmother's recipe online here, on her food/humor blog.

For some reason, I've meant to mention, here on my LJ, the albums I've been listening to over the last few months. Might as well...since I don't have time to see movies, I guess this is what takes up the slack.

The Decemberists, The Hazards of Love and Always the Bridesmaid - They just cannot quit being my favorite band. Every time I think I'm going to be sick of them through overexposure, they do something awesome that sucks me right back into their odd, grim world. Hazards is the rock opera that Crane Wife hinted at, and though it doesn't have quite the replay value of that album, what does? It's fun, creative, disturbing, and has some excellent moments. There are two new vocalists to sing the roles of Margaret and The Queen, and they're great; Colin Meloy sings both male characters, which would be off-putting if the songs weren't as good as they are. Bridesmaid balances the hard-focus of Hazards by just being a handful of Really Good Songs.

Tarkio, Omnibus - A 27-song collection from Meloy's folk band. Less assured and specific than the Decemberists, but iTunes is offering the full deal for $10, which means a lot of Really Good songs for cheap.

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Real Emotional Trash - Creative and fun rock, with a lot of song-morphing and soloing. Think of a collaboration between Phish and Beck.

The Silver Jews, American Water - This took me a long time to get into, but it grew on me. Lo-fi country-rock with low, nonchalant singing doesn't seem like it'd be my cup of tea, but the songs are actually quite good.

The Killers, Hot Fuss - Shut up. I get to enjoy synth-driven over-dramatic narcissistic power pop every so often. (Is it still cool to like The Killers? Please advise.)

A.C. Newman, Get Guilty and Neko Case, Middle Cyclone - In lieu of a new New Pornographers album, much of that sound is on these two solo albums. Like good rhythms and muffled vocals? Newman. Like creative folk with crystal-clear vocals? Case. I prefer the songwriting on the former (as it most resembles the New Pornographers), but Neko goes for broke doin' her own thing, and of course, she's an amazing singer. I draw the line at the last track, though...half an hour of rural ambient sound? Well, hey, maybe it'll save you a few bucks on a Brookstone white-noise CD.

Yeah, so I haven't used this LJ in a long time. If you and I have talked recently, you'll know it's because I've been really, really, really busy with the apprenticeship. I keep on meaning to update and talk about how I'm doing. Not much of that tonight, just a few things.

I will be in Alexandria for Passover, Tuesday evening through Friday evening. I mean to spend a lot of that time with my family, but I do want to make some time to do some socializin'.

Nate came into town yesterday afternoon, and leaves tomorrow to continue his noble westward sojourn. Upon arrival (though just after our jaunt through the parade going on in downtown Ann Arbor--how's that for timing?) he promptly volunteered to help with the PNT strike and build so we could hang out. It's been a way fun two days, even though there was a FREAK SNOWSTORM last night that blanketed the town.

I'm starting to feel like making this a longer post, but guess what, I'm too tired to do that. Perhaps later I'll find the time and desire to start writing about stuff on this site again.

For those that don't know:

Today is Keanu Reeves day!

(Meaning, of course, Friday the 12th.)

Walk around in a seeming daze, half-observing your surroundings, the other half lost in impenetrable labyrinths of profound thought. Respond to all human contact with "Huh?" "Uhhhh..." or, of course, "Whoa" before you actually engage in conversation. While conversing, make sure to do a lot of staring or looking distractedly at the ground.

If you have to show emotion, make sure it hits the others around you like a sledgehammer made of love-struck wolves.

React to any given situation as if it's the first time you've ever seen anything like it. Get out of bed and it's sensory overload; buy a coffee and suddenly discover a bizarre new landscape.

I love Keanu Reeves day! Show your respect for The One! I certainly will.

(While house-managing. Whoa.)


Thanks to Gabe for some of the wording.

I know my personal page is a strange place to put this, but I know lots of theatre folks, and theatre folks know more theatre folks, so perhaps it'll be worth a shot.

Performance Network of Ann Arbor, MI, is seeking a third apprentice. The timing on this is unusual, but it's a great opportunity.

Here's the official press release. ( Apprenticeship! )

I should say that I came into this hoping to get administrative/development experience. Actory and designery types will still get plenty out of it (more on this in another post, perhaps), but the apprenticeship, though it offers a lot of things to work on, seems tailored to those who want to get some experience on the business side, and see how that world works.

It's long hours and hard work, but it's an excellent theatre and you get to work closely with the staff. I've met several former apprentices, and they all stress how good for them the program was. To be fair, they also talk about how tough it was, but I'd been afraid of signing on with a program that says "apprentice/intern" when it means "secretary/gofer"--which this is not.

Speaking as a current apprentice (and I've been meaning to post a bit about how it's going for me), I can vouch for the intensity...there's no end of work to be done, across many areas. You will learn here, and I'm happy with how active the job is. The program seems designed such that the skills and ambitions an apprentice has are put to use, which I see as a very good thing.

All right, ad over. Post, email, or call me with any questions.

Great Decemberists concert. The only caveats:
1) I agree with Zach that it could have been a smidge louder, though the acoustics were great,
2) the Michigan State students in attendance could have been more enthusiastic (One could argue that either of these two factors could have led to an increase in the other, but oh well), and
3) as they had no opening band, their set could have been longer...but then, at what point would I not have wanted more music?

Colin Meloy started the evening by verbally flogging himself over mistakenly calling the place the University of Michigan (I wish), and had a fascinating bout with the word "dourer." Oh, and they rocked.

Highlights were "Shanty for the Arethusa" into "July, July" to open, an audience-participatory "16 Military Wives," and a properly nerve-shattering "The Island" sequence, which was a real treat. Their new stuff sounds great, too.

And now...some sleep.

Just thought I'd do a quick film post while it was fresh in my mind.

Shortly after I saw Casablanca for the first time back in high school, my dad said that it's a great movie, but also noted that it was made with a relative amount of innocence to the actual brutality of the Nazi regime, and the truths of life during that time. (Charlie Chaplin said a similar thing about The Great Dictator: that if he'd known how horrific Nazi Germany actually was, he couldn't have made the film.)

The Good German strikes me as a niche movie, in that it draws heavily on and juxtaposes two films (okay, so two stand out among its references) to make its point. One is Casablanca, and the other is Judgement at Nuremberg. You might guess where this is going: It's kind of the anti-Casablanca, with several parallel situations that highlight moral murk and desperation.

The film is all context. When Cate Blanchett pulls a gun on George Clooney, the line I heard in my head is the famous "You'll be doing me a favor," but the emotions are much messier than crushed idealism and failed romance, and the scene is fueled by paranoid fear. There's a familiar-looking scene with a plane, where a very different kind of truth is told.

What I mean is that you're supposed to be thinking about Casablanca for a lot of the running time, even when none of the leads' motivations are at all clear. What's funny about this is that the film was adapted from a novel, the plot of which I gather has been tweaked to suit Soderbergh's ends. It's shot to look like a film from the '40s, but not written that way. I think most critics have responded (generally negatively) to its ambiguity and art-piece concept, but I was surprised that few of the reviews saw the film as a comment on a mindset; a sobering, troubled look at history in conflict with storytelling (and film at war with itself).

I'm not saying it's a great movie, and it needs to sink in a bit more before I can really know what I think, but I responded to it on the level of something like JFK, where the truth of the film lies more outside of it--in the audience's consciousness-- than in the normal workings of plot and character.

Things I did on my birthday

-woke up to a homemade card from Scarlett

-ate breakfast at The Broken Egg with Lauren

-got website and theater software training

-postered for Geoffery and Jeffrey out in the cold

-got tons of Facebook love...thanks, all!

-got yelled at by some random guy who hates it when people turn into his driveway

-birthday cake; if you've never had "Happy Birthday" sung to you while one person imitates a didgeridoo...uh, never mind, the chances are slim and I'm not sure how to end this sentence anyway

-saw The Good German

And tomorrow...The Decemberists! Pleaseohplease let me get out of work at 6...

I was going to write a nice long post tonight about my apprenticeship and the overall state of my life, with more detail on Harris' memorial if there was time.

However, my poor brain is fried right now. I just emailed my family from Lauren's account without realizing it, realized it, then signed out without taking advantage of having been logged into Lauren's email account. I lose Little Brother points.

Suffice to say that the job is going really well, and often I'm extremely happy to be doing what I'm doing, but the hours can be, as my cousin Dan once put it, one pistol-whipping bitch.

The Fortress is on its way up. All y'alls I always tell to schlep out to Michigan for the beginning of December, flipping do it already.

Also, VOTE. I so didn't need to say that, but it's a law or something.

I will write a nice long post about the memorial when I've gotten some sleep, had something to eat, and am not in my office, but I have to at least say that it was everything it needed to be and more. The emotional punch of seeing the Louisiana funeral-style brass band--which, of course, segued into klezmer--and realizing that Harris would LOVE it...I can't do it justice yet. And that was just one part of the whole thing, man.

What a weekend. lauren_london and I got into Detroit at 7:40 AM, drove back to Ann Arbor and went straight to our respective workplaces. Wish we'd had more time to hang out with everybody. And to sleep, but oh well. Like I always say, sleep is for the *thunk* zzzzzzzzzzzz

So, Performance Network just accepted me as an apprentice.

That clunking sound you just heard was me quitting my day job, to the dismay of my soon-to-be-former coworkers, who, in attempting to inveigle me into staying, will soon note that in the work-to-cash analysis I'll be working many more hours for less money, a notion I counter by my asserting that the apprenticeship will be far, far, far better for me and is in fact exactly what I want to be doing. How is that all summed up in one clunk, you ask? SHUT UP. I start apprenticing ASAP. Looks like I'll be in Ann Arbor at least until August.

In other news, Lauren and I are headed to New York for Harris' memorial this weekend. We both have speeches ready, though hers is slightly readier; mine will probably require some editing and/or finishing on the plane and/or at the hotel. And it took several attempts even to get this far.

I must fold my laundry and go to sleep. Have an awesome weekend.

It has been my opinion for at least two or three years that Wong Kar-Wai's 2046 has the best movie trailer ever. So I guess I'll finally get around to, uh, seeing it.

An overheard conversation regarding another film by the director:

"That's so lame--they don't even kiss."
"IT'S NOT LAME IT'S BEAUTIFUL."

The speakers know who they are.

So, I'm in England, or at least a place with lots of English people. Keith is around somewhere. We're working at a hotel, out by itself, near a forest. Some hoity-toity European dude--he has long hair and wears a suit--is trying to park his expensive car. I try to valet it for him, but eventually he parks it on his own.

Some stuff happens with working at the hotel that I don't remember.

An alarm "wakes" me at 5 AM. It's already light outside, but still dawn. I look out a second- or third-story window, and spend a moment lolling there, taking in the quiet morning landscape. Something feels wrong.

Deer charge out of the forest. Somehow I'm predicting what's behind them. And I'm right: It's a really frigging big bear. It roars and charges ahead, paying less attention to the deer than whatever's behind it. I have an inkling, and again I'm right.

Zombies with pale white faces, moving a bit faster than they should. Lots of them, at least a gaggle, but less than a horde. Blood is all over their mouths and faces. I start trying to simultaneously get dressed and yell "Keith we gotta GO" as quietly as I can, uh, yell. I then start wondering what our next move is.

End dream there.

Maybe now I'll be as cool as Ren.

The Meme:
"Take a picture of yourself right now.
Don't change your clothes, don't fix your hair... just take a picture.
Post that picture with NO editing.
Post these instructions with your picture"



L&Z's house, Sunday afternoon.

Oh wow, I feel like doing a movie post.

Burn After Reading: Very funny, very cruel shaggy dog story. I read a lot of reviews that criticize the movie for going nowhere, but I have to ask:

( Theory - Spoilers )

Also, there's a structural/storytelling quirk to the screenplay that I find somewhat subversive, even though it's one more thing that will turn some people off.

( Screenwriting Geekery - Major Spoiler )