Just as I predicted, there are beginning to be strains on the rest of the cast of Shrew because of the differences in the blocking between my performances of Petruchio and my counterpart's performances. I thoroughly empathize. I 'd be freaked if I was asked to accommodate. It's not so much that one way is right and one wrong; it's that they're different, and sometimes very different. Okay, I'm not being totally honest. Of course I think my way is truer or I wouldn't be doing it this way. When I say truer, I mean truer to the text and what I take to be the meaning. I assume my colleague feels the same. Still, I believe we will have a good show, if people will learn their lines! What is up with that? It's always the case; people wait forever to get off book and then they really can't focus on character development until the second week of the show. People. I am not a young man (at least compared to everyone else in the show save one or two). I am an extremely busy professional, I have a family, I have other obligations, and damned it all; if I can find time to learn the lines of one of the principals, then you can take the time and learn the lines! It is half past time for the director to kick ass and take names. Man!

One would never know, reading the posts for the past couple of months, that I am generally an extremely low maintenance actor. I think I've ever argued with a director perhaps twice in my life and both times the argument was resolved at the rehearsal in which the conflict arose. I have said it before and I'll reiterate; I am not a director, nor do I want to be one. I will however fill a vacuum when one appears. I strive to come to rehearsals on time, prepared and ready for feedback. I'm not used to competition in acting. I don't like it, I don't seek it. I don't present with an attitude and I don't direct my fellow actors. I want to act. I want to be a part of a community of people who share a vision that is put forth and maintained by a director. Sadly, this is lacking in this show. It's not that the director does not have a vision; it's that she is allowing herself to be drowned out, her vision subsumed. I emphatically do not dig it.

Last night I finally got back to rehearsal with Shrew. I must admit that I've been feeling some trepidation about lines and blocking because I've been fundamentally rehearsing in my head; neither Carolyn nor Sommer are eager to run through this voluminous  play with me. In addition, due to the cursed double casting, I have had no opportunity to rehearse more than a scene here and there and some scenes not at all! BUT last night we ran the entire play and I was Petruchio. Very gratifying. Most of all, that I pretty much remembered my lines. In the first three 1/2 acts I stumbled perhaps twice which was excellent. Unfortunately the woman playing Kate with me had to leave after that and so I didn't have the opportunity to complete Act IV and finish Act V. Perhaps on Saturday.

The rest of the cast is looking sooo much better. There's the beginnings of some snap and, with more people knowing their lines, more nuanced delivery. For my part, this is when I can really begin interpretation; now I have the lines. I expect to improve enormously and in short order.

A word about the venue for those planning on coming. It's small. How small you ask? Well, it makes ActorsNet look like the Kimmel Center. It seats, at max, about 50 people. It's not close quarters, there are high ceilings and room to walk around. It's basically a small event room with a minuscule stage and folding chairs which will be set up in a fashion to allow most of the action to take place on the floor, creating a theater in the round experience. It's intimate and I think that will make the play even more interesting. BUT there is no AIR CONDITIONING! If you come, come naked or as close to naked as you might legally be able. Tank tops and shorts with sandals will be just about too much clothes. And it's a long show. But come anyway. It will be a good night.

I've been in Chicago all week and, looking at this site I realized that I haven't written in awhile.  So I figured I'd take a few minutes and bring you all up to date. Actually nothing much is happening.  Of course I haven't been to rehearsal all week ( because I've been in Chicago).  I have been studying my lines and, leaving tomorrow, I'll have a nice plane ride to study them some more. Maurer Productions announced their 2008 2009 schedule and Man of La Mancha is on it, just as I was told.  It says on their webpage that they will be having auditions within the next few weeks, even though the show does not go up until February 2009. This could be an error or, they just might be clever enough to want to lock up some good talent before the competition heats up in the fall.  I hope it's the latter because I would like to lock up something in my schedule, or at least have the possibility of locking up something in my schedule.

I know you're all dying to know what I'm doing in Chicago.  I've been attending a joint continuing education conference between the American Bar Association And the American Psychological Association titled "Reconceptualizing Child Custody: Past, Present And Future-Lawyers and Psychologists Working Together."  Now you can't tell me that that does not sound like a hoot. Actually, it was a good opportunity to network and, somewhat less significantly, learn some new information. Unfortunately, living out of a hotel for five days by oneself is not as much fun as it sounds.  At least not at my age.  I did get to ride in a Hummer limousine; something I never thought I'd do, and indeed never wanted to do.  For those of you who have not had the experience, the inside was like a late 1970s disco.  All it lacked was the disco ball.  I swear the ride made me have flashbacks.  I began madly searching for a Valium.  It's an interesting comparison between lawyers and psychologists.  I think lawyers must make significantly more money than do we.  Either that or they just live higher on the hog.  As an example, the food.  When psychologists get together for a conference, refreshments are likely to be along the lines of chips, pretzels, and maybe salsa.  If it's a really high class affair, there might be some cheese.  The lawyers sponsored numerous receptions with shrimp, wine, all kinds of fancy finger food, and butlered hors d'oeuvres.  In fact, one of my lawyer friends took a group of 12 of us out for an extremely expensive dinner and picked up the tab (hence the Hummer). So why am I writing about all of this on an acting blog? Because I'm still in Chicago, the conference is over, I'm sitting in my room by myself, and I'm bored out of my mind.  I was thinking of going to see a show, but going by myself just felt pathetic.  Well, I will be back at home tomorrow and hopefully have something more interesting to write about within the next couple of days.

My brain has finally started working again. The lines of Shrew are beginning to stick. Don't get me wrong; I'm not totally there yet, but I know I will be within the week. This is a relief. When I began studying the lines in earnest, it just seemed that I could not recall lines after a few trials. I've always had this difficulty with Shakespeare and I suppose it's not unusual. It just was noticeably more challenging this time. There is some latitude in this production; I mean if you're doing the Bard in Tucson circa 1880, you'd better be flexible. So there is the occasional "you" in place of "thou," and vice versa. There has also been a plethora of cuts to try and bring the show in at two hours or slightly more. I haven't agreed with all of the cuts, nor have I agreed with all of the lines that have been kept in, but it has not been a collaborative process at all. This is a pity; the type of collaboration that is possible could help to make the cast more cohesive. The cast is, sadly, not very cohesive. Some of the fault is with the idea of double casting, some of the problem is just the nature of the company. I get the impression that there are "innies" and "outies." Of course I'm an outie. There are of course some friendly people in the cast, in fact no one is openly unfriendly, but in speaking to others who have not worked with the company before this show, the impression of this not being the warmest group seems to hold. Even though I believe the show will be decent; I doubt I will ever perform with the company again. Contrast this with my eagerness to work with Maurer Productions, or Playful, or Stars in the Park, or Like 40, or Langhorne or ActorsNet, among others. I know I shouldn't write negative comments like this because it just serves to make me more unpopular with those who already may have problems with me but...screw it. For the record, I'm open to warmer interactions; try me.

I finally found out the dates I'm Petruchio. They are Friday May 30th and Sunday June 1st; Saturday June 7th, all shows at 8 PM and then Saturday June 14th at 3PM. All the shows except the 6/14 show are at American Legion
Tatem-Shields Post 17, 620 S. Atlantic Ave., Collingswood, NJ. If you're interested, go to http://www.collingswoodshakespeare.org/cscevent.htm to get info about tickets. I am officially inviting all my friends and readers (who may or may not be friends) to come to this show. On the dates I'm performing of course. I think it will be good, possibly very good. It will not suck. It will be funny, if iconoclastic. For the record, I am very happy with the person playing Kate opposite me and I know you will be as well.

If the title makes no sense to you then you're not a M.O.T. If you understand, Best Wishes.

Today we ran the Shrew in its' entirety. I shared the duties with Petruchio the other and I found it confusing. I do not share the view that the Company will not be confused about following different blocking and even cues when I perform and when alt. Petruchio performs. For instance, he plays the banjo; I don't. Now one might think, "banjo? Where is the scene in Taming of the Shrew with a banjo?" Well, we have it.

I am afraid I like my Shakespeare straight; no chaser. He was a pretty good playwright and I think the show  is funny as written. That's how I intend to  play it. Doug will play banjo, I  will not. It is not that the bit with the banjo is not funny; it is. As I've said previously though, funny is not necessarily good Shakespeare. Of course the director is emulating a 1976 production that was channeling Comedia del Arte, so the more clownish the better I suppose. There is still no replacement for me on off nights when the director requested I play the Merchant. I'll have to remind her because I definitely do not wish to play that character.

I feel as though all I've done is complain about this production since the get go. I want to be clear that I think it will be a good show; just not particularly the way I would like it to be. I suppose if I want control, I need to direct. I have no desire however to direct. So, I will just continue to bitch.

I'm seeing audition notices for the Fall Season already. I imagine directors want to cast as early as possible to increase the probability they can get the best actors. This does create some dilemmas though. If one auditions too early, something else might come up that is a better fit for any given actor (read, me). In general I don't like it when directors pre-cast leads BUT I have to admit that if I'm the one being cast it makes my season very easy. So...hint to John M.; I am definitely available for Don Quixote. Wouldn't it be nice to wrap that role up? Okay, I know how this business works; I got $5 for you John, small bills, (nudge, nudge, wink).

I've had to miss two rehearsals for Shrew, but I'm just about off book and we still have about 5-6 weeks until opening. I will enjoy running the entire show once we are all off book; should be by the end of the month. Of course after Shrew I have nothing until the fall. This is a deal for a healthy marriage. I can rehearse a show during the summer, just not on weekends. I know some troupes, understanding people's summer schedules, will only call rehearsal M-F and leave out weekends. That would suit me fine.

I finally had some members of the Christmas Carol Cast over to screen the DVD of the show; three of them. Well, it has been a long time since the show. We started with about 20 people coming and, over the weeks, the numbers dwindled. Nevertheless, it was the right three people and we had a good time. I'm glad to have the project finally out into the hands of the cast. It might be a while until I decide to film another show. Thanks to David, Steve and Abby for showing up and making the evening a lot of fun.

I'm feeling more confident about Shrew. We have about 6 weeks until opening and I'm mostly (mostly I say) off book. Gives me a good amount of time to do character work. I still don't know what dates I'll be performing so stay tuned for details.

"And now comes the sad and weepy part oh my brothers and only friends."

Today I said goodbye to my oldest friend Al. I've only been Al's friend for 8 years, but he is 87. Al is in hospice and will be gone in days. I know this has nothing to do with acting but I can't stop thinking of Al and so I want to write about him.

Al and I became friends when we were both battling cancer in 2000. He is the father of my sister-in-law but, while we knew each other, we were not "friends." I never had a friend 30 years my senior and I doubt Al ever had a friend 30 years his junior. But, as we are both somewhat stoic men, affable but not intimate with others, we reached towards each other to share our fears and pains that we were either unwilling or unable to share with others that we loved. We spoke and emailed often and became important supports one to the other. Al confided in me his views on his four score years; sharing concerns that I knew he never shared with anyone else. And so I to him.

Al beat cancer and so did I. We've spent some happy times over the past 8 years and every year has been a blessing to me. It was cancer that brought me back to performance from the knowledge that my time on this planet is finite and "If ye will not when you may; ye shall not when ye will."  Al moved back to PA from Florida a couple of years ago and he has been an enthusiastic audience whenever he could make one of my performances.

Our friendship was born of mutual need and I may never know its like again. I just felt the need to launch his name and memory into cyberspace on this blog which will probably endure in some cache longer than will I.

Goodbye Old Friend. I love you dearly.

I'm slowly gaining ground in getting off book for Shrew. Last night I did Act 2 off book and only needed a few prompts; mostly at the end of the act. I am feeling much better about the show as a direct consequence. The other Petruchio and I still have quite different takes on the character but there are also emerging some points of convergence. Mostly our differences have to do with how obnoxious Petruchio becomes and at what point in the script. Of course Petruchio becomes obnoxious once he "wins" Kate's hand, but I believe there ought to be more of a contrast with his earlier behavior than does Petruchio the other. Anyway, the difference is narrowing; at least enough so that I am not crazy. Excelsior!

I know y'all were waiting breathlessly to hear how things were going, so I figured I'd write again. Things were much better at this evening's rehearsal (for me). I don't know if it was because of the scenes we played or because there was some effective communication; but there was more of a convergence of interpretation between Petruchios. I will not have to swig Pepto Bismal tonight to quiet my GI tract. I am still not exactly certain that I love this whole Shakespeare Out West interpretation; especially because it seems inconsistent but...I am not the director, nor would I want to be. Block my part, give me feedback on my character interpretation and the rest is not my concern: sets, lighting, music, costumes, as Sergeant Schultz used to say..." I know NOTHING!" Tomorrow is another rehearsal and hopefully the good vibe will continue.