HELL OF A TOWN, HELL OF A MONTH

August, and for that matter July and June, has been what you might call hectic. Or crazy. Or glorious. Or some mix of all three. I sometimes feel like I am running through several dreams, or reality shows, or alternate timelines that have all converged in what I perceive to be me.
And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I teach theatre, I direct theatre for young people, and I write scripts for both the stage and screen. The money isn't fantastic- yet- but I can't imagine pursuing anything else in this life. That's one of the things people tell you in the performing arts business- if you can picture yourself doing anything else for a living- do it. Which always seemed bizarre to me. How could anyone picture doing something else? I eat, drink, sleep, breathe, dream stories. It's my drug of choice, and I will not give it up. I don't think I could, really. I've quite smoking and drinking- both cold turkey. But no way in Hell can I, or will I, ever give up the wicked stage.
Not gonna happen.


Anyway- where was I? Ah, yes- semi-complaining about my busy summer. Poor me. I got to direct stage versions of Harriet the Spy, The Phantom Tollbooth, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Alice in Wonderland, the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Annie this summer. I also got to have my latest play, April's Fool, open at the New York International Fringe Festival.

That's what I wanted to talk about- New York. What a town. It always feels to me like you enter another dimension, with its own laws of physics and time and such, whenever you land at LaGuardia or JFK or, God forbid, Newark. And no matter how long you've been away, once you step into Gotham, not a moment has passed, you slip back into your New Yorker identity, and it all makes sense and feels right. At least, that's how it is with me. We took a red eye flight, arriving at LGA around 9 in the morning, jumped in a cab, and headed to the upper east side, to my old apartment where my sister currently lives with her two boys. Drop off the luggage, get Lisa a set of keys so she can go to Central Park, and my sister Heather (who is playing Norn in April's Fool) and I catch the 6 train down to Bleeker for the final rehearsal before opening. The space is classic New York space- run by a minor lunatic who shows up late with the keys. The show runs smooth enough for a Fringe show- which means minimum rehearsal time, crazy schedules that make it impossible to get everyone in the cast together that much due to the fact that in a Fringe show you don't really pay anyone anything. But still, there was my show- my baby, my child full of quotes, madness, plaintive longing and more than a bit of magic. I dig it. There are some changes to be made in the script before it gets done again- little cuts and clarifications- but the soul is there. It is a strange thing to see mostly complete strangers perform something you wrote. And I imagine they found it strange to have the writer of something they'd been rehearsing for a month sitting in the front row of the rehearsal room. I prefer to be at rehearsals when a show is new- that's usually where the best things happen- the moments found out of frustration with moments that don't work, the bits discovered by the actors that inform the characters. Sadly, I was unable to do that with this production. This happens when you live in a different state. Still, I feel good about the show, and head back uptown to get some sleep.
The next day, it's down town- first to brunch in the Village with my wife, her son, and his girlfriend- but eventually I have to excuse myself and head towards the theatre. A playwright on opening night of a show is now fun to be around. I head to Fringe Central, see old friends, pass out some post cards for the show, and make my way to the Connelly Theatre on East 4th.
Finally, it's show time- and all these wonderful people I haven't seen in ages arrive- friends not only from NY, but from California- from when I was a student at San Jose
State University, and even one friend from Blackford High. Very wonderful.
I watch the show from above, in the unused balcony section of the theatre. It goes well. People applaud.

After the show, we all head out to gab, catch up, and discuss the show. I don't have enough time to see all my friends. I bounce from table to table, catching snippets of conversations- then am pulled somewhere else.
That is the one drag of going back to somewhere you once lived. There is never enough time to see everyone. I suppose that is one of the main drags of life in general.
Sunday I go to a Fringe U event where Martin Denton leads a great discussion on the role of theatrical criticism in this age of bloggers and DIY websites. Later, I finally get to meet the children of one of my great friends, Vinnie and Shannon. They are amazing and cute and funny, and Lisa and I stay way too late, laughing and catching up and soaking up as much time as we can.
On Monday, the first review comes out, by Martin Denton on nytheaternow. It's really nice. You can read it HERE.
I blink my eyes twice, and it's time to go home, to tech rehearsal for Spelling Bee and casting for Anything Goes- the first show of many I'm working on this fall.
And here I am. Summer is beginning to lose her fight, the show goes on, and today I am told we had a great performance out in NYC. We have two shows left, by the way- if you are in NYC, you can get your tix HERE.
I dig it.

APRIL'S PRESS RELEASE

So, tickets are now on sale for April's Fool, and we are in full promotion mode. That means many emails, Facebook invites, text messages, tweets, and whatever else it takes to fill those seats, and to get the members of the press to show up- because, love them or not, a good review can make all the difference for a show- especially if you don't have thousands of dollars to spend on publicity. We've gotten some responses, and a little traction already- in fact, the first article about the show came out last week on Broadwayworld.com, and the hope is that this is a harbinger of things to come. You can click HERE to see that article. I also did an interview for Indie Theater Now about the process of writing the show- you can see that HERE. And soon, also on Indie Theater Now, you will be able to read our director Bronwen Carson's thoughts on the play.

And if you are planning on coming, I will be at the opening performance- August 9 at 4:15 at the Connelly Theatre. Get you tickets now by clicking HERE.

So, there you are. And below you can see our official press release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW YORK HAMLET PRODUCTIONS
341 East 65th St Suite 3RE
New York, NY 100065
Phone: 646-319-6445 E-mail:cnobbs99@gmail.com

NEW YORK HAMLET PRODUCTIONS
PRESENTS
APRIL`S FOOL
NYC Fringe Festival 2014
New York Hamlet Productions is proud to announce the world premiere of April’s Fool, a new
play by Kelly McAllister, directed by Bronwen Carson. Performances will take place at The
Connelly Theater, 220 East 4th St on:

SAT 8/9 4:15 - 6:15, SUN 8/17 6:30 - 8:30, WED 8/20 2:00 - 4:00,
FRI 8/22 9:30 - 11:30 and SUN 8/24 NOON - 2:00

At a costume party on April Fool’s Day in the East Village of Manhattan, Fate arrives in the guise
of a Norn (Norse Goddess of Fate) and, over 24 hours, toys with the lives of four young New
Yorkers as they struggle with love, life and entanglement. As time and space shift, we follow
these characters through a varied Manhattan landscape that includes an East Village
apartment, a hipster bar and Central Park. Lies are told, confidences shattered and the fabric of
reality itself is questioned.

The cast features Liz Conway, Ian Campbell Dunn (The Leftovers/HBO), Heather McAllister,
Casey Shane and Sarah Wharton.

Kelly McAllister, a three time veteran of FringeNYC, is an award winning playwright whose
work has been published and produced all over the world, from NYC to Prague to Sao Paulo.
His play Last Call won the Excellence in Playwriting award in FringeNYC 2002. Other plays
include: Burning the Old Man (NYIT 2005 Outstanding Full Length Play) and Hela and Troy
(Finalist Humana Festival Heideman award 2010). His plays have been published by Applause
Books, Playscripts Inc., Smith & Kraus and NYTE.

Bronwen Carson is an accomplished director/choreographer based in NYC. Credits
include: Viva America (Broadway Workshop), The Cherry Orchard (Off-Broadway), In The Key of
Cy (Off-Broadway), Myopia (Neighborhood Playhouse) and Dim Sum(Neighborhood Playhouse).

Producer Craig Nobbs was recently Associate Producer on SAM, a feature film co-written and
directed by Nicholas Brooks and Producer on the film The Cat’s Cradle, written by Tawny
Sorensen and directed by David Spaltro. He is an award winning playwright and screenwriter
and a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ Dramatic Writing Program.

Website: www.aprilsfoolplay.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/aprilsfoolplay
Twitter: @AprilsFoolplay
FringeNYC: www.FringeNYC.org

GET CAPE. WEAR CAPE. DANCE

Sometimes, you get to see a little magic in this life. Not all that often- but I suppose that's what makes it all the more wondrous when it occurs. I've been directing a week long theatre camp this past week, which will culminate in a performance of an hour long stage version of Harriet the Spy. The age group is kids going into third grade to kids going out of sixth grade. So there can be moments that are a little trying- like when one of the younger kids went on a half hour long crying jag after losing at a game called Mafia- a charming game of imagination involving murder, trial, and execution. But now and then, when I am teaching the younger artists of this world, something happens that makes it all worthwhile- makes me so happy to be alive in a world that has human beings in it. I got two such moments on Friday.

First moment. We were rehearsing a scene where Ole Golly is saying goodbye to Harriet. Old Golly is Harriet's nanny/friend/adviser/teacher. She lives with Harriet's family, and she loves Harriet and Harriet loves her, and it's one of those goodbye's in life that mark a turning point. We have the kid playing Harriet carrying these binoculars, because Harriet is a spy. Go figure. Anyway, in the scene, Ole Golly and Harriet recite their favorite poem together, then hug, then Ole Golly walks out of front door and out of Harriet's life. As Ole Golly walks away, we play a little music, Harriet watches her go, then turns and goes to her room and writes in her journal. But on Friday, out of the blue, as Ole Golly walks away, the girl playing Harriet watched Ole Golly go, then held up her binoculars and watched for longer- as if Harriet wanted to hold onto her time with Ole Golly as long as possible, and watch her walk down the street and into the distance. It was a little thing- a choice the actor made that was spontaneous and appropriate. But it touched me. Made me think, wow- that kid knows a thing or too about acting in the moment.



Second moment. As the day wore on- and it wore on! Tech rehearsals with young actors can be, are usually are, long and tedious. But at the end of this long day, we were practicing the scene shift into the final scene of the show. The shift takes almost a minute, and while it's happening, we have the stage in blue light and play this song, "Once More with Feeling", by a group called Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. The lights went blue, the song began- and the entire cast, with hive-mind like precision- all ran up onto the stage and starting dancing around, silently, to the music while the stage hands moved scenery. They looked like elves or something, half shadows flitting in and out of the deep blue. Their joy at being on the stage, dancing in the dark, was like a wave of joy that you could feel roll through the theatre.

We perform the show at 6pm tonight.

On other notes- my upcoming show APRIL'S FOOL, which is having it's world premiere at the New York International Fringe Festival this August. Being starving artists, we are raising funds for this show via Indiegogo- if you have a minute to spare, please to HERE and then follow, share, and/or contribute to the cause.

Or click here: http://igg.me/at/AprilsFool/x/3385268

And I wish you all some magic.

FATE, IT SEEMS, HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR

That's the tag line for April's Fool. And I dig it. I've been writing this play for a little over a year, and I am in love with it. I am in love with all my plays, of course. When you write a play, it becomes one of your children- and you love it unconditionally. Whenever people ask me which play is my favorite, I truly can't say. I love them all.


April's Fool is set to have it's world premiere this August at the New York International Fringe Festival, and I am soooooo excited. The Fringe is where my first play, Last Call, premiered. It's where I became addicted to writing. It's my birthplace as a playwright- and something about this whole experience feels so right it's more than a little freaky-deaky. First off, the director- Bronwen Carson- gets me and this play like she's psychic or something. Second, the show is being produced by my great friend Craig Nobbs- who is just such an inspiration to me with his attitude and work ethic and general awesomeness. Third, we are performing in the Connelly Theatre, where I had one of the best theatrical experiences of my life playing Boxer in a puppet version of Animal Farm. Fourth, we just cast this sucker, and the cast is mind blowingly perfect. Fifth, the Fringe is good mojo. And beyond all that, my gut is telling me that this is going to be special.

Sometimes, when working on a play, you get this feeling in your gut that something magic is in the air. I remember when I was writing Last Call I had this feeling. I was in my apartment in Williamsburg, talking with good friend Jack Halpin about the show- and we both noted that there was something in the air, some sort of electric charge about the show. Something was happening that was going to change our lives, and somehow we knew it.

I feel that way about April's Fool.

And I just hashed out the ending- or new ending, as there have been several incarnations- and it feels right. Like something clicked and now I get it and there's the ending I've been wanting/needing/striving for- and now it all makes sense. It's weird, and exhilarating, and a little magnificent.

So get on board with me. Join the team. Enlist in April's Army, as a Fool, Magician, Lover, or Star. We are setting the course for points unknown- but we have a cosmic playlist, plenty of snacks, and an open road. For more info, click HERE.

And on another groovy note, my play RIDDLE LOST has just been published on Indie Theater Now. If you want to check it out, click HERE.

Onwards, and May the Fates Be with You.

FLOYD AND CLEA KICKING ASS AND TAKING NAMES

Why is it that every time I write about the theatre at the Fine Arts Center of Colorado, I start with
the words "yet again"? As in, yet again, under the direction of Scott Levy, the Fine Arts Center provides the best theatre in Colorado. It's really amazing- over and over and over, I have seen shows there- and always, they remind me why I love theatre: because, when done right, it's exciting, and fun, and relevant. I know there are those in the theatre community who bemoan the state of theatre in America- who complain about finances and donors and whatever else- but those people need to wake up and smell the coffee and get their collective butts to the FAC.

The theatre, I am happy to report- is alive and well and living in Colorado Springs. Case in point: the Colorado premiere of Floyd and Clea Under the Western the Sky. What a friggin' great show this is. Entertaining, moving, unique- this production shakes the dew out of your eyes and reminds you that you are a human being- frail and majestic, living in a world of beauty and sadness and connection and hope and loss and redemption. This show is like a breath of fresh air- new and exciting and hard to define in the boring old terms like musical or serio-comedy or whatever. It is beyond labeling. It's a work of art, alive and kicking and drawing you in like a great song you hear on the radio- the song the you never heard before but that is so good you have to keep the radio on until either you find out who it is singing or what the name of the song is, because you must- right away- buy that song and play it over and over until you know every word. It's part modern drama, part concert, part intimate musical- and one hundred percent engaging.

The plot follows Floyd- a singer/songwriter who at the start of the story is obviously in the middle of a downward spiral. He's clearly talented, and charming- but also an alcoholic with a talent for self-destruction. As Floyd, Jordan Leigh is a revelation- charming, infuriating, and sad. Floyd isn't into self pity, however. Simply self immolation via a flask he keeps filled with booze. While anyone destroying themselves is tragic- there is something doubly tragic in watching Floyd degenerate, because you can see glimpses of greatness in him- particularly when he's singing one of his plaintive songs about love and loss and loneliness. Fairly early in the story, he meets young Clea- a girl with dreams, talents, and an inability to take no for an answer. Clea is a firebrand, fiercely portrayed by the outstanding Chelsea Ringer. She lights up the stage the moment she enters- and when she sings  she has the voice of a angel. Watching Ringer and Leigh in a scene, or singing a duet, is a treat- a master class in style, grace, and agility. They listen to each other and play off each other so well, so naturally, so splendidly- it's mesmerizing. I don't want to say too much of what happens in the story- but it's not your average boy meets girl type of story. It's not a romance in the traditional sense. It's a very modern story about some classic problems with human beings- dealing with ourselves, figuring out who we are, what to do with dreams deferred or detoured, what to do with dreams come true- so much, and yet it's all crammed into about 90 minutes of stage time. The music, by David Cale & Jonathan Kreisberg, is amazing. It sounds like something T-Bone Burnett would produce- slightly rock-a-billy with and edge and lyrics as clever as something Elvis Costello would write. And the Band! Holy crap, what a band! Jim Christian on guitars, Bobby McGuffin on percussion, Jay McGuffin on Bass, and Jim Robertson on guitars, all under the music direction of Jay Hahn, are the tightest, rockingest, grooviest band I have ever heard in a show. Ever. When the performance is over, thye play a few songs while the audience ambles out. I highly recommend staying, and savoring every ounce of these music gods. I did.

Scott Levy directs this show at a perfect pace- moving action along when needed, and letting other moments develop their own quirky timing. There are a few scenes in a motel room that are just magnificent- quiet, simple, conversational- but with so much heart and emotion bubbling underneath the silent veneer, with so much unspoken tension between the two characters based on a need to express their true feelings and needs that you can't help but lean in from your seat watching them. The set by Christopher L. Sheley is outstanding- sparse, imaginative, and with a fantastic sky stunningly lit by light designer Holly Anne Rawls. And the costumes, by Janson Fangio, are perfect, natural extensions of both Floyd and Clea at the various stages of their lives as they both make a rather arduous journey.

If you haven't notice, I love this show.

And I love the Fine Arts Center.

On other fronts: my show APRIL'S FOOL- which had it's first ever public reading as part of the Rough
Writers Festival at the FAC, has been accepted into the New York International Fringe Festival- the largest performing arts festival in North America- and will have it's world premiere this August. We are crowd sourcing this production through Indiegogo, and would greatly appreciate it if you checked out the campaign- and if you like what you see, please share it via social media. You can find the campaign by clicking HERE.

So, to reiterate: Go see Floyd and Clea now! I myself plan on returning to see it a second time before the run is over.

FAC KICKS IT IN THE ASS WITH NEXT SEASON LINE UP

The Theatre at the Fine Arts Center of Colorado Springs is one of my favorite theatre companies in Colorado. The reason is simple- they create exciting, pertinent theatre that engages the mind and soul, on a visceral level. I believe that theatre should be like a good rock concert- an almost tribal event where you gather together with strangers, sit or stand in the dark, and for a few hours become one- a united tribe grooving together in the darkness. I have seen many shows at the FAC since Scott Levy became Artistic Director, and they have all been fantastic. Highlights include Hairspray, Lovers Leapt, and Other Desert Cities. I can't wait to see there upcoming Colorado premiere of Floyd and Clea Under the Western Sky, which opens June12.


Not only do they have a great main stage, but more and more they are using a second stage for smaller shows, staged readings, and their Rough Writers series- a festival of new work that spawned, among other things, my latest play APRIL'S FOOL, which is set to have it's world premiere at the 2014 New York International Fringe Festival. (You can find out more about April's Fool by clicking HERE)

Here is what they have planned for next season:

MAINSTAGE

Dracula

By Bram Stoker, adapted by Steven Dietz (Denver native)

Oct. 9-Nov. 2, 2014

A sensual, suspenseful, scary and bloody adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic.  Steven Dietz’s version conjures the raw, stark intensity of the original novel in this not-to-be-missed theatrical journey. For Mature Audiences Only.

Mary Poppins

Musical based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film

Dec. 11, 2014-Jan. 4, 2015

Based on the classic Disney film celebrating its 50th anniversary, our regional premiere of this award-winning Broadway musical features an irresistible story, eye-popping sets and costumes, breathtaking dance numbers and beloved songs such as the Academy Award-winning "Chim Chim Cher-ee," "A Spoonful of Sugar," "Feed the Birds," "Step in Time" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." You'll have a "Jolly Holiday" with Mary!

Reefer Madness

Book by Kevin Murphy and Dan Studney/ Music by Dan Studney/ Lyrics by Kevin Murphy

Feb. 12-March 1

This raucous musical comedy inspired by the original 1936 film of the same name (long before there were dispensaries and retail shops), takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the hysteria caused when clean-cut kids fall prey to marijuana, leading them on a hysterical downward spiral filled with evil jazz music, sex and violence. You won’t be able to resist the spoofy fun of Reefer Madness!  You don’t even have to be stoned to laugh.  Mature Audiences Only.

4000 Miles

By Amy Herzog

March 26-April 12, 2015

This regional premiere by celebrated new playwright Amy Herzog is an acclaimed comic drama that tells the story of Leo, a 21-year-old tree hugger from Seattle who unexpectedly arrives at the Manhattan apartment of his feisty 91-year-old grandmother, Vera as he finishes a cross-country bike trip. Over the course of their reconnection, we discover the fragile connection they share between growing up and growing old. Named Time magazine's #1 Play or Musical of 2012.

Guys and Dolls

Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows/Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser

May 21-June 14, 2015

Winner of 8 Tony Awards, luck will be a Lady again as we produce what’s been appropriately called “the perfect musical comedy.” Capturing the 1920s confluence of gangsters, floating crap games and missionaries in New York City (“Runyonland”), Guys and Dolls continues to delight.  

SECOND STAGE

Love, Loss & What I Wore
Written by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron/Based on book by Ilene Beckerman

Sept. 18-28, 2014 

With its fashion forward subject matter, this intimate collection of stories by superstar sisters Nora Ephron (Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, Heartburn) and Delia Ephron (You’ve Got Mail, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants), is based on the best-selling book. The show has played to sell-out crowds from London to Los Angeles, using clothing and accessories and the memories they trigger to tell funny, startling, and often poignant stories that every woman can relate to. The perfect girl's night out!

Stuart Little
Book by E.B. White/ Adapted by Joseph Robinette

Oct. 23-Nov. 2, 2014

The debonair mouse in the smart little tennis shoes from E.B. White’s classic children’s book comes to life in this charming stage comedy.  Prone to one misadventure after another as he tries to adjust to his adopted human family, this is and witty adaptation of a timeless tale.

WYNOT Radio Theatre

Dec. 11-28, 2014

The finest old-time radio parody troupe around, WYNOT radio theatre is back and this time with a twist.  Three weeks, three different episodes.  Join the WYNOT gang for laughs after laughs and come back each week for an entirely different show!

Tilly The Trickster

By Jeremy Dobrish/ Music and lyrics by Drew Fornarola/ Based on the book by Molly Shannon

 March 20-30, 2015

This high-spirited musical adaptation of SNL alum Molly Shannon’s children’s book follows the adventures of a mischievous girl and her talking dog, from one scheming prank to another.

Rough Writers- 

June 4-14

Yes! The birthplace of APRIL'S FOOL! This new play festival will return with staged readings of original short and long plays written around a theme to be announced later this spring. 

Veronika String Quartet

Oct. 12, Jan. 18, May 3

One of the state’s finest classical quartets returns for another three-concert season in our beautiful Music Room, an intimate setting where their tight harmonies have helped them become a huge FAC hit.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Season Subscriptions range from $99-$173, and we’ve added special Family Packages that range from $81-$105.

FlexPasses give even more ways to save money while maintaining flexibility -- picking your favorite four, five or six shows without committing to specific days.

Ticket prices for individual mainstage productions start at $20.

Current season ticket holders have until July 1 to ensure their seating preference.

For tickets and information call: 719-634-5583 or visit csfineartscenter.org.

APRIL IN AUGUST AT FRINGENYC

April's Fool is in! Repeat: April's Fool is in! I am Fringe-ing it this summer. That's right- I am going to be a participant in the 2014 New York International Fringe Festival with my latest play, April's Fool. I am excited, a little scared, and very happy.

April's Fool, my metaphysical comedy that was first developed by the theater at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center- Scott Levy, artistic director- and recently given a reading as part of the Playwrights Festival at The Western Stage of Salinas- Jon Selover, artistic directcor- will be given it's first full production in August, marking my first full length play to be performed in NYC in almost 8 years.

I want each of you to come see it. I don't want any excuses. I want your butts in seats. That sounds a little kinky, and I don't care. Just be there- it's this August, in NYC- the best time of year to be in Gotham.  And if you haven't already- visit our Facebook page and "like" it. Pretty please. Just click HERE and then, once on April's page, click like. Ten seconds of your time.

If you like my plays at all, April's Fool is for you- it's got a bunch of hyper intelligent people acting like morons. It's got cultural references galore. It's got death, sex, loneliness, and angst. And it's funny.

The casting is in progress- if you are in NYC and have always wanted to audition for a brand new play by Kelly McAllister, this is your lucky day.

Not only is it written by me, it's being directed by Bronwen Carson- who is so talented, funny, and insane in the best sense of the word that I can't really do her justice with my feeble attempts at describing her. Just trust me when I say she is a director who kicks it in the ass.

But wait, there's more. The show is being produced by Craig Nobbs- rising screenwriter, film director, and genius. And one of my dearest friends and collaborators.

So, why else should you go see this show? Well, if you've ever wondered about reality- like if maybe this is all some sort of weird dream, or maybe you are in the wrong alternate reality and should be in the one where you have the job of your dreams and made all the right decisions- if you've ever, even for just one moment, pondered if there is such a thing as fate or destiny controlling all or at least some of your life- if you think maybe you stepped through the looking glass long ago and have been wandering Wonderland most of your days and nights- this is the play for you. It won't answer all the questions- but it will give you a little bit of solace on those occasions you think we're all mad here.


The New York International Fringe Festival is the largest performing arts festival in North America, and takes place in August. I have had the great honor of being involved in four productions at FringeNYC- Last Call; Muse of Fire; Die, Die, Diana; and Some Unfortunate Hour. To be in the Fringe is amazing- and to experience it as a theatre goer is something that should be on everyone's bucket list.

So see you in August. More details- like theatre space and show dates and times- TBA.
If you want to buy a digital copy of the script- you can do that, right now, and for less than two dollars, by clicking HERE- that will take you to Indie Theater Now- the best web site in the multiverse.

APRIL IN SALINAS

April is coming to Salinas. So is Ahab and Moira and Jaypes. They're all being brought there by Norn- or Urd, as some call her. Or is it Verdandi? Or perhaps Skuld? Who can say for sure? What I am fairly sure of is that all those strangely named folks are characters in my new play. Mayhap they're all mad. Or we are. Or you are. Or I am. Or not. It all comes down to something in the end. Doesn't it? What appears to be happening- if indeed this reality is happening and not the dream of a butterfly about to waken, at which point this world will pass- is that my latest play April's Fool is slated to be presented as a staged reading as part of The Western Stage's Playwrights Festival.


The reading is on Sunday April 12 at 2:00 pm. Tickets are free, which I think is reasonable and shouldn't put anyone too much back.

Here's a taste. This is from the beginning of the first scene. It's late at night, and Ahab and April are about to break into Moira's apartment. At this point, they are standing offstage, just outside the door into Moira's place, where the scene unspools. Enjoy:

AHAB (O.S.)

Quiet! She’s probably asleep. Stand back, I’m going to break

the door down.

APRIL (O.S.)

What if it’s unlocked?

AHAB (O.S.)

Don’t be stupid! Nobody leaves their door open anymore!

The door opens, and we see April, late twenties/early thirties. She is wearing a harlequin costume, including a black mask over her eyes. In one hand she holds a bag full of tools, in the other a flashlight, which she points into the room. She takes a few steps in, followed by AHAB- same age, wearing a court jester costume, holding a crowbar.

APRIL

You were saying?

AHAB 

Your hair wants cutting.

APRIL

You should learn not to make personal remarks. It’s very
rude.

AHAB

Well, shit.

APRIL

So now that we’re in, what’s the plan?

AHAB

Grab the pinball machine Dickhead gave her, throw it out the window, and escape into the night!

APRIL

Quiet! (whispers) She’s probably asleep!

AHAB 

(whispers) Right. Flashlight.


April pulls another flashlight out of the bag, hands it to Ahab. He turns it on. They both point their flashlights around the apartment, revealing tasteful furniture, and also many empty glasses, half eaten bowls of potato chips and such, indicating a party was thrown earlier that night. There’s a door to the kitchen, and a hallway leading to a bedroom and bathroom. Ahab points his flashlight to a pinball machine in the middle of the room.

AHAB (cont’d)

Who gives his girlfriend a pinball machine?

APRIL 

I think it’s kind of cool.

AHAB 

It was a theoretical question!

APRIL

Theoretical?

AHAB

Rhetorical! You know what I mean! Not wanting an answer
‘cause it’s obvious that what I mean is that Dickhead is a dickhead. And it is not kind of cool!

APRIL

Have some wine.

AHAB

What are you trying to say?

APRIL

I think you know.

AHAB

Then you should say what you mean. 

If that whets your appetite, and you'd like to read the whole play, you can purchase it online- that's right, before it's world premiere later this year in NYC- at Indie Theater Now by clicking HERE.

The Playwrights Festival is part of a year long celebration of the Western Stage's 40th anniversary- which is a pretty remarkable achievement in the theatre world- or any other type of world for that matter. I have worked there both as an actor and a playwright, and it is part of the fabric of my soul- a place where I learned a bit about the stage, about art, about life and death and sex and drugs and rock-n-roll and the meaning of spaffles. As an actor, I had the distinct honor of being in the first two fully staged productions of Alan Cook's adaptation of John Steinbeck's East of Eden- a trilogy of plays that was in total nine hours long. If the list of shows I acted in was a discography, East of Eden could very well be my Sgt. Pepper's. Or Let It Bleed. As a playwright, they produced Burning the Old Man last summer, and the year before gave a staged reading of Riddle Lost.

Clearly, they have good taste in writers.

ALWAYS BE WRITING

ALWAYS BE WRITING.
A- Always
B- Be
W- Writing



It's as simple as that. I think the only advice I've been given over the years- and I've been given it in almost the exact wording from many people, including Taft Miller and Tom Wolfe- is "keep writing".
Amen, namaste, yippee-ay-yo, and all that. I don't know why, exactly, but writing is necessary for my soul. Feeds it. Fuels it. Makes it feel good.

Maybe it's just my ego, and my need to say "look at me and what I think!"

Maybe it's destiny.

I don't really care.

All I know is that when I write, I feel better about myself and the world. Not that both I and the world don't need work, help, and fixing. We do. But somehow, I feel much more hopeful about fixing what needs to get fixed, connecting to what needs to be connected to, when I write.

Like right now. As I sit here, writing this, I feel like I am doing what I am meant to be doing.

Yes, that could just be me assigning meaning where there is none, magic thinking, and blah blah blah. If that is the case, so be it. I still feel a sense of well being from the act, and that in and of itself is reason enough to continue.

My father loved to write, but he always had to self-deprecate and call it "scribbling". I think maybe he felt guilty about the pleasure writing gave him. I don't know, and can't ask him now since he has gone to the great Elsewhere, but that's my sense.

Anyway.

I am working on several writing projects at the moment. And submitting like mad. A big part of a writer's life is submitting your work to strangers and then waiting for either a form letter of rejection, or a phone call saying "wow". Most of the time you get the former.

What am I working on, you ask? Well, there's April's Fool- which has been submitted to many places, most recently FringeNYC. And there's also Ghostlight, a screenplay that I wrote a while back and had my film students read out loud- and based on their very positive reaction I've decided to jump back into the waters, and tweak it a bit, and also film the first scene and then see what happens. And I am very very very very very close to finally finishing my short film Strong Tea, which has been in post-production for almost as long as the US has been in Afghanistan.

I hope to have more writing to share with you soon. I you can't wait for my new stuff, go buy one of my plays- either at IndieTheatreNow, or Playscripts.  Until then, here is a tiny segement from Ghostlight. Enjoy.

INT. BLACKFORD HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE - NIGHT

The theatre is empty, the only light a lamp in the middle of the stage. FOOTSTEPS AND WHISPERED VOICES approach. A KEY TURNS IN A LOCK. A DOOR CREAKS open. Behind it, a group of high school kids, ready to party. MILTON, a brainiac freshman, nervously points a FLAHSLIGHT into the theatre. RAY, the school rebel, pushes past Milton into the theatre, twelve pack of BEER in his hand. 

RAY

Lock and load!

He tosses a beer to NOEL, the class clown.

NOEL

My ninja!

TRINA, a pretty red head, laughs. The group walks in.  Ray tosses a beer to MAGGIE, Milton’s smart and sexy older sister.

MILTON

(shocked) Maggie!

MAGGIE

What?  

Noel grabs Milton’s flashlight, shines it on himself, and starts making faces. GROANS, LAUGHTER, “Loser!” ETC.

NOEL

I am the ghost of Bloody Bones!

He HOWLS. Two girls, MARNA and CECILY, giggle.  

  

MILTON

It’s not funny!

NOEL

I am the ghost of Bloody Bones, and I am walking into the theatre!

Noel FREEZES IN TERROR,  points over Rays shoulder.

NOEL (CONT’D)

Ray- look out!

Marna and Cecily SCREAM. Trina LAUGHS. Ray doesn't flinch.

RAY

Hilarious.

Unseen in the audience, LENNY- the school janitor who has been sleeping behind some chairs- sits up. 

LENNY

Morons.

Lenny takes the last swig from a bottle of whiskey, lays back down, and immediately passes out.

MILTON

Actually, Bloody Bones is an old Scottish legend. He was skinned alive, and roams the highlands seeking new skin.

Everyone stares at Milton. MAGGIE hangs her head, embarrassed. DANA, sophomore drama geek, looks scared.   

DANA

N-N- New skin?

MILTON

You could tell his victims from the lack thereof.

DANA

Lack there of?

MILTON

He'd peel them like grapes, and leave the carcass for the birds.

DANA

(shudders) That’s disgusting.

MILTON

Indeed.

NOEL

Sweet!

Milton notices everyone is listening, smiles sheepishly.

RAY

Nobody’s interested in a lecture on Captain Bloody Butt-

MILTON

Bones.

RAY

What?

MILTON

His name- it’s Bloody Bones.  

RAY

Whatever- we’re here to party- not to talk about Bloody Butt.

Milton turns to Maggie, confused.

MILTON

Maggie you said we were all here to practice our monologues for the upcoming auditions.

Maggie glares at Ray.

MAGGIE

Milton, why don't you get some candles?

MILTON

Sure.

Milton sullenly runs towards the prop room.

NOEL

Lack thereof.

Marna giggles. Noel smiles at her. Ray notices this.

RAY

What we need is some atmosphere.

Ray steps to lamp, reaches for the switch.

MILTON

Don’t turn off the ghostlight!

Ray stops, turns to Milton.

RAY

The what?

MILTON

A theatre in the dark is a dangerous place. 

Trina howls with laughter. Ray winks at Maggie.

RAY

Danger's my middle name, baby.

MILTON

Be that as it may, you don't turn the ghostlight off-

NOEL

Why’s it called the ghostlight?

MILTON

All theatres are haunted- full of shadows and ghosts and things that go bump in the night-

RAY

I got something that goes bump in the night.

Noel and several others shush Ray.

MILTON

There are rules in the theatre. And you don’t break them. 

RAY

Rules?

MILTON

Never turn off the ghostlight. Never whistle backstage. 

MILTON (CONT’D)

(growing excited) This is sacred ground...can’t you feel it?

RAY

No.

MILTON

You’re clearly not a thespian.

RAY

Clearly.

MILTON

Every theatre has a ghostlight, to keep the spirits out.

Trina takes a step towards Milton, fascinated.

TRINA  

What do they want?

EMMY, a cute freshmen who likes Milton and is jealous that Trina is paying attention to him, steps forward.

EMMY

Yeah, what do they want, Milton?

MILTON

Oh, uh...some think it's the ghosts of actors, not ready for their final exit- a theatre to a ghost is like fire to a moth- it draws them in.

Trina looks Milton in the eyes and smiles. Milton blushes, not sure what to do. 

RAY

Oh no!

Ray turns off the ghost light, plunging the theatre into DARKNESS.  Milton SCREAMS. Everyone LAUGHS.  

STILL SHE HAUNTS ME, PHANTOMWISE

Phantomwise. What a cool word. Thanks, Lewis Carroll. Or is it Mr. Dodgson? Whomever you are, your brain was superb. And I am haunted by many things, phantomwise. You can tell, if you read most of my stuff. I have all these people and places and songs and memories running rampant in my head, like some mad tribe of loonies- and whenever I am writing, they leap out of my head, escaped convicts wrongfully imprisoned in my mind. I don't know if that's true for everyone, but it's certainly true for me. If you come to the reading tonight of my latest play, APRIL'S FOOL, at the Fine Arts Center in Colorado Springs, you'll see what I mean. It's at 7:30, and tickets are only $5. So what's you're excuse? The only person I am giving a hall pass to for missing tonight is my good friend Timothy McCracken, and that is because he is appearing in the Curious Theatre's God of Carnage- which by all accounts rocks, and you should all go see. (just don't see it tonight- come see my reading tonight)

So, since the play has so many phantoms, I thought I'd tell you about the one time I ever saw a ghost. Well, two ghosts, really. It was long ago and far away in the land called New York City. I was living on the upper east side, in this apartment that was given the name Castle Von Doom by the great Vinnie Penna. Lots of crazy things happened there- parties, people, moments in time that are part of the make up of a lot of people. It was this split level apartment with one true bedroom, and its own backyard, which is beyond rare in NYC. At one time or another, over twenty artists have lived there. When I met the ghosts, I was splitting the downstairs area with my brother Jerry. One night, Jerry was snoring loud enough to raise the dead- which seems to not be a figure of speech but what actually happened. I was laying in bed, yelling at him to please stop snoring. It was somewhere near 3 am. All of a sudden, I felt very calm, and sort of other-worldly. I can't really describe exactly what it was like- a sort of quiet feeling, as if I was watching what was happening to me from far away. There was a spiral stairway in the apartment, and something was moving on it. I turned, and saw a young girl, maybe 8 or 9 years old, and a little boy, maybe 5 or 6, coming down the stairs. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs, the girl in front and the boy peeking out from behind her. We looked at each other for what seemed like a very long time, and then the girl spoke. "Don't be afraid", she said. "We just want you to know we are here. And there are many of us." She seemed very at peace. The boy did not. He looked kind of crazy- the crazy that happens to people who have had very bad things happen to them. I got the sense they were brother and sister. But I don't know. Then the girl said "We want to show you". And I was- well, given a vision. It was weird. I was still sitting in my bed, but they were showing me this huge room, full of people frozen in these strange positions. When I say the room was huge, I mean somewhere between a ball room and Grand Central Station. I can still see, clearly, this one lady frozen in emotion- either laughing or crying. Ever notice how similar the two are? Then, just as quickly, the vision was gone, and I was again sitting in my bed, and the two children were standing at the bottom of the stairs. Then they walked up the stairs, and sort of vanished as they climbed. And then I freaked out. I woke my brother up, who somehow slept through the entire thing.

I did not sleep that night.

So maybe I'm crazy. But that happened.

Come see the reading tonight and ask me about it. Again, it's at 7:30, at the Fine Arts Center in Colorado Springs.

THE SPARROWS ARE FALLING All OVER THE PLACE

"I’ve been the Queen of Broken Hearts long enough!" - April

So Saturday, APRIL'S FOOL had it's first public reading ever, at the Fine Arts Center of Colorado Springs as part of the Rough Writers new play festival. It was fantastic. The cast- Nick Henderson, Jessica Parnello, Crystal Carter, Matthew Wessler, and Michelle Sharpe- were brilliant, the director - Crystal Carter- outstanding, and the overall experience very positive. They all kicked it in the ass. Seriously. These are some of the best Colorado has to offer. If you are anywhere near- and I mean like two hundred miles- the FAC in Colorado Springs and don't come to the reading this Friday, you might be what is technically known as a moron.


"We’re killing the pinball machine. Do you think it’ll fit out the window?" - Ahab


 I always feel like throwing up when I hear a new work of mine done for the first time. I don't get nerves when I act, or when I watch a show I directed. But when it's something I've written- all bets are off. But if it goes well, that feeling is quickly replaced with euphoria, triumph, and egotism.

"I am so stupid! Things are just starting to go my way, I finally get a break- and I go and kill my boyfriend!" - Moira

Now I take what I learned from hearing it out loud in front of people, make whatever re-writes I deem necessary, and we do it again this Friday at 7:30. What did I learn? First off, it seems like most people can relate to feeling unhinged in time, confused about their lives, and not quite sure what has happened to them. Go figure. On top of that, there are some tweaks to dialogue that should make it flow smoother- although, for whatever reason, dialogue seems to be one of my strongest suits as a writer. And the last scene needs something- a little more redemption or madness or I am not sure what, but there is a line or scene or event that hasn't happened yet that has to happen. I can feel it. A lot of times, when I write a play, there is some scene that comes late that ties everything together, sends it to the next level, connects the dots. In Muse of Fire, it's the scene where Dion and Mick drive to the ocean. In Last Call, it's a game of hide and seek that David and Jack play in a grave yard. Somewhere in the ether is that scene for April's Fool, waiting to say hello, to drop to the ground like a provident sparrow. I might find it today, or a month from now, but it's on it's way. Trust me.

"I gotta tell you- the coveralls, the whole hot bad girl at work thing? Daddy like." - Jaypes

I like this play. A lot. It's weird and funny and fantastical. It's got gods and dreams and murder by pinball. And a little bit of love, just for good measure.

Also on it's way, the next production of ROSE RED, at SOFA in Boulder. If you are a young performer and want to have one of the best June's of your life, be in this show.  It will kick you in the ass, and make you a super genius. Auditions are May 13 and May 20. Go here for more info:
http://www.offbroadwayfinearts.org/summer-stage-2013/

And this July, BURNING THE OLD MAN gets it's West Coast premiere at 2X4 BASH at the Western Stage in Salinas, CA. I did a lot of theatre there when I was starting out, including a three part, nine hour long version East of Eden that changed my life. It's a great theatre company, and to have one of my plays done there is very exciting to me. Come out and see it- if you do, I'll take you to the beach and buy you a soda.

"A foodie versed in Norse mythology, dressed as a clown, killed by a pinball machine, asking me out for drinks. Strange." - Norn

By the way- all the plays mentioned in this are available now, or soon will be, on INDIE THEATER NOW. So do us both a favor and buy a play for less than two bucks.

APRIL'S ENTANGLED FOOLS

I keep changing the title of my latest play. I find this fitting, since reality keeps shifting in the play itself. It began life as "Don't Get Too Comfy, Pal", morphed into "Mathurine", and is currently titled "April's Fool"- but I am considering going with "Entanglement". We shall see.

Whatever the title, it is going to be part of the Rough Writers new play fest down at the Fine Arts Center in Colorado Springs. I am very excited. There is nothing like hearing your play out loud to figure out what works, what needs tweaking, and what needs to go. The festival runs April 18-28, and will consist of readings of several new works- all inspired in one way or another by art works that will be on display at the FAC.  I actually used two art works- a charcoal sketch and a porcelain axe. I am so excited to be part of this festival, for many reasons. First and foremost- I like having my stuff read out loud in front of people. It's my drug of choice. Second, I love the work they do at FAC, and know they will kick it in the ass. Third, my instincts- those voices that whisper to me from some distant star- tell me this is going to be a pivotal experience in my life. Groovy.

The play keeps evolving- tightening up and expanding at the same time. It has taken on a life of it's own. It walks the night. I keep trusting my instincts and leaping, hoping the net will appear. So far, so good.

Here is a little taste, from Act One. At an April Fool's costume party, Ahab has just found out that Moira, the girl he loves/obsesses over, is getting married to Jay- whom Ahab alternately calls Jaypes and/or Dickhead.  A mysterious woman named Norn enters. They are both dressed as jesters.
 

AHAB

Nice outfit. Who’re you supposed to be?

NORN

Mathurine.

AHAB

Who the hell is Mathurine?

NORN

Real life jestress to three kings of France.

AHAB

Jestress?

NORN

Lady jester.

AHAB

I see.

NORN

She was a hero. Saved a kings life once. And you?

AHAB

Oh. I’m Hop-Frog. Another jester. Not from real life, though. From Poe.
You know, Edgar Allen Poe?

NORN

I do.

AHAB

Hop Frog was a fool. And in love with the beautiful Trippetta. Sadly, Hop Frog worked for this king who was a total dickhead. The king had been especially cruel to the beautiful Tripetta. Among other things, he threw a glass of wine in her face and then smacked her. Pow! Right in the kisser. So Hop-Frog decided to teach him a lesson. The king threw a costume party. Hop-Frog suggested King Dickhead and several of his fellow dickheads dress up like orangutans, and have Hop-Frog lead them around in chains like he was their keeper or something. And King Dickhead thought that was a great idea! So the night of the party, the King and his buddies put on their orangutan costumes, and then Hop-Frog tied them up.

NORN

Why did they let him tie them up?

AHAB

Because they’re stupid. Haven’t you ever noticed how the rich and powerful are, for the most part, morons?

NORN

I find stupidity does not confine itself to the ruling class.

AHAB

Yeah. Well, anyway, there they were, dressed up like monkeys-

NORN

Orangutans.

AHAB

Orangutans. And then, in front of all the party guests, Hop-Frog lit King Dickhead and his asshole buddies on fire. Burned them to a crisp. And Hop-Frog and Tripetta lived happily ever after. The end.

NORN

That’s a sad story.

AHAB

Just goes to show, you should never wear a costume that you have to explain.

It's a weird little tale, and keeps getting weirder. I have no idea what will happen next. At the moment, I think I'm going to end it with a mad tea party. But what do I know?