I emailed the director of Fair lady at Media Theater anyway. I figured, why not? So hopefully he'll give me a heads-up one way or the other. If he says it's a possibility, I'll audition. If he says no, so be it. If he doesn't answer; well that would be a no, wouldn't it? Even if he said come audition, I know it would be quite a long shot. Nothing ventured though, eh wot?

Tonight I went to a fund raiser for Haddonfield Plays and Players. Being the somewhat curmudgeon that I am, I rarely go to these events but Dave Stavetski was one of the organizers and the cast of Pajama Game was doing selected shorts from the show. Sean Duggan is a featured player in the show and, since he's in Shrew with me, I figured it would be a nice thing to do. (How rare.) Also it was to raise money for the renovation of the lobby at HPP. Given that the lobby is very gross; it's a good cause. Readers may remember that I appeared there in Christmas Carol.

So...I hate going to community theater shows. They often suck. Now I know this is enormously hypocritical given that I subject my friends and family to my own performances. So sue me. Okay, they don't all suck. Tonight's highlights were really pretty good. The cast was spirited and talented. The ingenue (I don't know her name) was cute, and had a great voice (and she was very cute, did I mention that?). She reminded me of my old friend Joy Lober (now Anderson) who went on to have an illustrious professional career. And she was cute. (I would say foxy, but I was recently teased by some young adults for using the term. Apparently it went out of vogue...40 years ago).

I was looking at the TAG site and noted that Media Theater has auditions for Fair Lady. I got excited for about 2 hours. Hate the play, love the role (Higgins) but; the odds of getting an Equity lead not being in Equity are slim to none and, given that my headshot is 40 pounds out of date, it's too amateurish for prime time. I'm working on it (the headshot).

Saturday ends my run in Shrew. Come see it if you can. It's being done at Haddonfield Friend's School this weekend and I'm sure you can get tickets at the door. Reminds me, I'd better brush up my Shakespeare. Oh yeah, it doesn't suck.

It is hot. It is a hot heat that hastens horrific health. And yet we do Shakespeare in an non-airconditioned venue. Last night it was probably close to 100 degrees under the lights. The audience was miserable. About half of them left at intermission. I would say that they were dropping like flies, but there were no flies...it was too hot.
I must give credit to my erstwhile castmates. Everyone was a trouper. One would have expected, even excused some wilting, but I detected none. Actors went out in full regalia and regaled the audience with, (dare I say it?) a cool production.

Today however it was hotter, and there was a 3 PM matinée. For the first time since I've been in this show, I was happy it was double cast. My sympathies however go out to my castmates. I hope you all survived. My fervent thanks to those brave friends and family who came to see the show this weekend. Even more so to those who stayed!

To any who still desire to see the show; next weekend is a benefit performance for Haddonfield Friends School. I perform Saturday. You can reserve tickets through the Collingswood Webpage and they'll pass it on to Haddonfield.

I was checking my email after writing the last post and I was pleasantly surprised to get an email from Joe Doyle of ActorsNET. He invited me to a folk and bluegrass show that the NET is running next weekend. http://www.actorsnetbucks.org/on_stage/coming_soon.html  It was good to hear from Joe, it's been quite a long time. I did some very good work at the NET and they usually produce quite good shows. We haven't always seen eye to eye on casting. Joe and Cheryl haven't been inclined to feel that I'm quite as brilliant as I believe and I haven't felt that they have always made the best casting decisions (makes sense does it not?). Nevertheless, I've had good times there and felt a part of the company at one time. However, as I've stated on the blog ad nauseam, I have a brief period of time to continue performing lead roles and, since I have been fortunate enough to be cast in many principal roles in the past several years, decided to move on to greener pastures. But for the right role I'd happily renew my membership, have my card stamped.

I don't usually opine on politics but the upcoming nomination of Barack Obama is too amazing to allow to pass by without comment. I haven't actually been a fan. However, being a yellow dog Democrat, I'd vote for anyone who was not Republican. But the most amazing thing is that I can remember traveling down south when I was a boy and being incensed at the fact that there were "colored" water fountains and segregated facilities. Being from Philly, this boggled my mind. Now, some 46 years later, an African American may be president. This is truly America at our best. If he becomes president, the world will cheer. It will go along way toward repairing the tremendous damage of the past 8 years. As to whether he can be effective; people, we elected Alfred E. Neuman for 8 years. Any change will be an improvement.

It's that long week between shows. I next do Petruchio on Saturday night and that's it for this week. Next week I do Saturday as well but that's a 3PM show, benefit for Haddonfield Friends. This has been a lot of work for a few shows but, in the end, I'm glad I stuck it out. I have to thank Francie Pagell, the director, because without her strong encouragement I would have been gone.

It finally dawned on me that one of the reasons I have not felt connected with the rest of the cast- or them to me, is because of the serious lack of rehearsal time. Conversely, the cast has had too much rehearsal, if anything, and has been frequently bored with doing the show over and over again with different leads. I've been told that, in this respect at least, it kept interest up that Alt. Petruchio and I do things very differently.

It's going to be close to 90 on Saturday folks. Keep the farshlugunna windows OPEN!

After previews of domestic terror to come, I decided, discretion being the better part of valor, not to do Kiss Me Kate in Delaware. "She who must be obeyed" was quite negative about the prospect, even with not rehearsing on weekends. There was a time when I would have thought, "What would a real man do?" and then done the show anyway. Gaining wisdom with age however I have understood that my generation's concept of what "real men" do inevitably leads to divorce, distress, and a long time between trains (nudge nudge; wink wink). So...I thought, "What would a real man do?" and then I did the opposite. He that knows better how to tame a shrew...

I am making arrangements for new headshots. I am now down 40 lbs. from my weight of 10 months ago.

Okay, I've been negative and critical and now I'll be positive. Today's Shrew was pretty much as good as I have hoped it could be. Of course there are things we can do better; I can do better. But I was so happy, at last, to be in this production.

I had 10 people in the audience, a significant proportion of today's gate, and they are all knowledgeable theater goers, albeit fans. They are not shy about slamming both me and the show I'm in if they think it blows. But...they liked it! They really liked it! While they really enjoyed the entire cast, they singled out Kate, Grummio, Biondello, Hortensio, and Licentio for particular comment. (I want to mention this, not to discourage any other cast members, as they liked all of you, just to be an honest reporter.) I think I gave my best performance today but there are still things I can do better and will strive for next week.

It was hot! The theater has no air conditioning, the fans have to be off as they're tied to the lights, and the crew FOOLISHLY insisted on closing the windows! It must have climbed into the 90's in the room. As I walked around the room (it is in the round) the people looked like the graveyard scene from "Our Town." Come on people, keep the windows open! Yes the theater is near the train but the audience can hear the train anyway. Okay, on to next week.

I got an email from Arden Club Theater in Delaware to audition for Petruchio in Kiss Me Kate. They are having trouble casting the role and I had inquired a few weeks ago. They've since had several auditions , but I couldn't make any of them.  I would love to do it but it is far! In addition, it will cause challenges with my wife as it breaks my compact not to do shows in the summer. I am going to see if Arden will agree to not have me rehearse on weekends and also honor my vacation. Of course I'll have to affirm this before I even audition! But maybe... I would love to do Kiss Me Kate and I ain't gettin' any younger. I figure I've only got a few more years in which to pull off any romantic leads other than "The Sunshine Boys." (And that's not very romantic). As it is, if my leading lady is too young it looks weird. My voice is still in good shape and I can still hit the high notes but that's going to go eventually as well. So maybe I can squeeze in another show or 20!

We're in the run! Last night was...okay. There were areas that went extremely smoothly and areas that were embarrassingly rough. Missed cues and dropped lines, although not too many; but enough to be noticeable. I missed an entrance; fortunately only by about 10 seconds and there was no one else on the stage (it was an entrance for a short monologue). It just seemed that people's heads were not in the game. Part of the trouble may have been the extremely poor turnout. I won't give the numbers; suffice to say that it was the smallest audience I've ever performed before, opening night or no. Company members mentioned that opening night is always difficult and I had to wonder, if one knows that they are not going to sell many seats for opening, why not offer incentives such as a wine and cheese reception after opening with a chance to meet the cast? Many theaters do this and patrons get in the habit of specifically booking opening night so that they can be part of the festivities. Comping people in might be useful as well. This is the only company that I know of that does not offer comps to the cast. Why not offer comps, but only for opening night?

I got to the theater last night only to be informed that blocking had been changed at the last dress! This is so typical. I was...annoyed. There was no good reason to change the blocking other than the whims of Alt. Petruchio. Well I was a good egg and didn't raise a fuss but once again I state: NEVER, EVER, EVER, will I do a show that is double cast. It is unlikely to be a problem. I have only known this company to double cast and I think I've worn out my welcome. It's this blog. Some people actually read it.

Well forward, forward! Unto Sunday's performance. We will revel it bravely with the best! Excelsior!

We're opening Shrew tomorrow. As amazing as it might sound after reading some of my entries, it looks to be a decent show. Last night I had my last dress rehearsal. Tonight is Alt. Petruchio's turn. I wasn't thrilled with the rehearsal as a performance, but as a dress it was pretty good. There are some really decent actors in this production and some funny bits of business. It's still rather silly but then the show itself is silly. I've stopped fighting and joined the silliness; not totally, but sillier than I thought I'd be. Now of course I am biased but, at least with this show, I've been quite critical. Now I'm saying come and see it. It ain't pure, but it will entertain. The ticket info again is http://www.collingswoodshakespeare.org/cscevent.htm

Unfortunately, I'm still quite the outsider in the company. I believe it's probably because I've been so critical. As I've learned before, it's easy to become persona non gratia when one disses a small theater company. I am very pleased though to report that we are going to have a traditional curtain call after all. I'm sure it isn't because of my agitation but probably because more influential members of the company finally stepped up and made their desires known. Then again, it could just be because the director, seeing the unhappiness, just changed her mind. Whatever the reason, I think the general mood is more upbeat.

So come see the show. Wear little; it's warm in there.

Last night we did a full run through of Shrew with me in the lead the entire time. As incredible as I know it must seem to you, dear readers, with one week until opening, this is the first time I've gotten to run the entire show! The good news is I felt increasingly strong in my performance and I believe I will peak at the appropriate time. The work Carol (Kate) and I did together really paid off. Of course we got no feedback from the director.Today is Alt. Petruchio day and so I'm off.

The bad news is people continue to call for lines and the director continues to permit it. Hell week ought to be a time where one either sinks or swims with what they know. I am past aggravated that people do not have the work ethic to spend a few hours and get their lines down.

But of all, I am royally pissed at the latest "cute" stunt the director wants to have done. She wants no curtain call but just to have groups of performers come out and put costumes back in a trunk ala traveling performers. The groups will not be ordered in any manner that might allow the audience to think it was a curtain call, thus denying everyone their brief moment of approbation. I learned of this last night and immediately penned a protest note. I did not begin a rebelion among the cast, many, if not all of whom, are equally pissed/disappointed. I will however lead that mutiny if this does not get resolved. I want my bow! I want my colleagues to have theirs. My Kate said it succinctly when she told the cast that this was her first lead, that she had waited years to take a final bow and that she was very unhappy not to have the opportunity. Well; Fear not sweet Kate. Thou will  receive thy due!

It's hell week. Although I feel confident about my lines, I do wish I'd had more time to rehearse. That might sound strange considering that this show was cast in January but it's the stupid, STUPID double casting. Rehearsing three days a week and then only 50% of that is just too little for a show of this nature. Even so, we will face the audience on Friday (next) and, hopefully pull it out our asses (the show, not the audience). I met Tuesday with Carol who plays Kate opposite me and we discussed our scenes in depth and tried to bring some snap to the same. I'm very happy we did and I believe we're on the same page. Remains to be seen whether the rest of the cast will be able to smoothly adapt to different portrayals of Petruchio and Kate. Hopefully any gaffs will be funny and not "deer in the headlights" moments. Those of you who might want to see this show ought to hurry and get tickets; the venue seats only about 55 and you do not want to rely on seats being available at the last minute.

I was just checking the TAG web page and I noted an audition for Miracle on 34th St.; in May! It's as I've figured, directors are getting savvy to the need to lock up talent early. So...I'm filling up my dance card for the fall and winter; any takers?