A lot people that I grew up with will remain fairly unaffected by the current recession. I tease people saying that I will be unaffected, as well - "I was poor before, I'm poor now. What's the difference?"
The difference is this.
Today, Sunday January 4th, marks the beginning of a slew of closes on Broadway. More shows closing in one month than ever before in Broadway History.
Yesterday, I saw two of Broadway's strongest shows: All My Sons, and a rapturous Gypsy, starring the truly incomparable Patti LuPone. Both houses were packed full. I had to stand for All My Sons. Both of them close within the month.
The Tony Award for Best Musical is currently represented by 7 different shows, still playing. 4 of them - Hairpsray, Avenue Q, Spamalot, and Spring Awakening - will all close.
The Tony Award winner for best play and the Pulitzer Prize winner in 2008, August:Osage County - the most exciting new American drama Broadway has seen in a decade - will close.
As well as 13, The 39 Steps, Boeing, Boeing (Tony Winner for best play revival 2008), Dividing the Estate, Grease, Young Frankenstein, and Equus.
Compound that with two christmas shows that were always due to close (White Christmas, and Slava's Snowshow) and you've just closed 16 shows! With not so many left. Think of how many actors will be unemployed tomorrow.
Dark days lie ahead, and I don't just mean the marquis.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
Happy New Year
So it's here, and for some reason I have a feeling that 2009 is going to be a great year.
Not for you.
For me.
For all I know, this could be the worst year ever for you. I'm sorry about that. But that's just how these things fall.
First of all, in about two weeks, we're going to finally have a new president. That's very exciting.
Second of all, in about three weeks, my musical DARLING will premiere as a reading as Pace University in Manhattan - where I currently am.
Beyond that I got nothing. Nothing, but a good feeling.
I love New York a lot. Everytime I walk out of my friends' upper-west side apartment, I get a little jolt of excitement. I'm in New f*cking York!
I haven't done much, yet. I've been swamped in re-writes ever since I got here. But I finished those last night and I think tonight I'll finally start seeing some Broadway shows.
Lots of things are closing on Broadway, which I know scares some. But I'm a writer. And now there are a ton of dark theatres that need really great shows to premiere. Hellloooooo!
I think I'll go see The 39 Steps tonight. That will be the beginning of me spending lots and lots of money that I don't have. Ah, well. Write offs!
Not for you.
For me.
For all I know, this could be the worst year ever for you. I'm sorry about that. But that's just how these things fall.
First of all, in about two weeks, we're going to finally have a new president. That's very exciting.
Second of all, in about three weeks, my musical DARLING will premiere as a reading as Pace University in Manhattan - where I currently am.
Beyond that I got nothing. Nothing, but a good feeling.
I love New York a lot. Everytime I walk out of my friends' upper-west side apartment, I get a little jolt of excitement. I'm in New f*cking York!
I haven't done much, yet. I've been swamped in re-writes ever since I got here. But I finished those last night and I think tonight I'll finally start seeing some Broadway shows.
Lots of things are closing on Broadway, which I know scares some. But I'm a writer. And now there are a ton of dark theatres that need really great shows to premiere. Hellloooooo!
I think I'll go see The 39 Steps tonight. That will be the beginning of me spending lots and lots of money that I don't have. Ah, well. Write offs!
Thursday, December 25, 2008
The Curious Case of Forest Gump...er...Benjamin Button
I love really good ideas. I love them the first time someone does them. It's always best the first time.
Benjamin Button is a really good idea. I think ultimately we can credit Mark Twain with that (who gave the idea to F. Scott Fitzgerald, who then passed it along to Eric Roth, who subsequently kept it to himself and wrote The Curious Case of Benjamin Button instead.)
A man who is born an old man and dies a baby. Lives life in reverse.
What kills me, after nearly 3 hours, is that the most important relationship in the entire damn film finally comes in to play about 2 hours in, and then lasts all of 30 minutes. Gee, I sure hope somebody gave Eric Roth a pair of scissors for Christmas. Snip, snip.
Benjamin Button is a man who gets better with age physically, emotionally, mentally ('cept for the end.) One thing that doesn't get better with age, however, is a good idea. A good idea lasts an exceptionally short amount of time, before it gives way to a better idea.
Forest Gump was a GOOD idea! It sucks the second time around. There's a scene in the movie that I swear to god was literally copied, word for word, from Forest and Jenn-ay! A mother from the South with a big heart and a few catchy sayings, a childhood love that he is somehow destined to be with (although, that point was lost on me), even a boat that survives many a storm! Oh, and did I mention it's all told with a narration from a person living in the present about to embark on a very important journey. The only new thing was the idea of living from old age to youth. And Hurricane Katrina (which made a nice, if meaningless, cameo.)
Brad Pitt is up for a Golden Globe for best performance by an actor, though you could hardly call it a performance. The role is written so inactively, that the make-up department's special effects do most of the heavy lifting for him.
Benjamin Button is a really good idea. I think ultimately we can credit Mark Twain with that (who gave the idea to F. Scott Fitzgerald, who then passed it along to Eric Roth, who subsequently kept it to himself and wrote The Curious Case of Benjamin Button instead.)
A man who is born an old man and dies a baby. Lives life in reverse.
What kills me, after nearly 3 hours, is that the most important relationship in the entire damn film finally comes in to play about 2 hours in, and then lasts all of 30 minutes. Gee, I sure hope somebody gave Eric Roth a pair of scissors for Christmas. Snip, snip.
Benjamin Button is a man who gets better with age physically, emotionally, mentally ('cept for the end.) One thing that doesn't get better with age, however, is a good idea. A good idea lasts an exceptionally short amount of time, before it gives way to a better idea.
Forest Gump was a GOOD idea! It sucks the second time around. There's a scene in the movie that I swear to god was literally copied, word for word, from Forest and Jenn-ay! A mother from the South with a big heart and a few catchy sayings, a childhood love that he is somehow destined to be with (although, that point was lost on me), even a boat that survives many a storm! Oh, and did I mention it's all told with a narration from a person living in the present about to embark on a very important journey. The only new thing was the idea of living from old age to youth. And Hurricane Katrina (which made a nice, if meaningless, cameo.)
Brad Pitt is up for a Golden Globe for best performance by an actor, though you could hardly call it a performance. The role is written so inactively, that the make-up department's special effects do most of the heavy lifting for him.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Hope
I wish I could say Milk is the best film of the year.
But it isn't. Sean Penn's portrayal of Harvey Milk is nothing short of brilliant and inspiring. The script, however, is devastatingly lacking. Penn is surrounded by a very talented supporting cast that has absolutely nothing to do, and the relationships of those characters to Harvey are sadly non-existent.
But.
But.
But.
Go see this film. Just for Sean Penn and Harvey Milk. Go see this film.
But it isn't. Sean Penn's portrayal of Harvey Milk is nothing short of brilliant and inspiring. The script, however, is devastatingly lacking. Penn is surrounded by a very talented supporting cast that has absolutely nothing to do, and the relationships of those characters to Harvey are sadly non-existent.
But.
But.
But.
Go see this film. Just for Sean Penn and Harvey Milk. Go see this film.
'Tis the Season
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is upon us, indeed.
Deck the Halls, and Fa la la la la.
No, not christmakahwanza.
I'm talking Oscar Season.
And it begins with the announcement last thursday of this year's Golden Globes Nominees.
I'm already behind in my watching.
Some comments:
Meryl Streep with two nods, one for Doubt and the other for Mamma Mia! Now, if that isn't range, I don't know what is.
And how about 3 broadway shows on screen: Doubt, Mamma Mia!, and Frost/Nixon. All of them basically transplanted, not even adapted. Hmm.
The biggest surprise of the list: James Franco for (Milk, you ask? no...) Pineapple Express. I admit, I didn't see it. But the billboard with the beat up guys carrying sawed-off shot guns in a hazy mist of marijuana smoke touting "From the Guys who brought you Knocked Up" didn't really say Golden Globe to me.
I think The Curious Case of Benjamin Button gets the most nominated award, if my count is correct (note: I didn't actually count.) I'm excited to see it. But I honestly don't think anyone can beat Sean Penn in the best actor category. His turn as Harvey Milk is honest-to-god magic.
And what I wouldn't give to see Heath Ledger win for Dark Knight. God rest ya, Heath.
Deck the Halls, and Fa la la la la.
No, not christmakahwanza.
I'm talking Oscar Season.
And it begins with the announcement last thursday of this year's Golden Globes Nominees.
I'm already behind in my watching.
Some comments:
Meryl Streep with two nods, one for Doubt and the other for Mamma Mia! Now, if that isn't range, I don't know what is.
And how about 3 broadway shows on screen: Doubt, Mamma Mia!, and Frost/Nixon. All of them basically transplanted, not even adapted. Hmm.
The biggest surprise of the list: James Franco for (Milk, you ask? no...) Pineapple Express. I admit, I didn't see it. But the billboard with the beat up guys carrying sawed-off shot guns in a hazy mist of marijuana smoke touting "From the Guys who brought you Knocked Up" didn't really say Golden Globe to me.
I think The Curious Case of Benjamin Button gets the most nominated award, if my count is correct (note: I didn't actually count.) I'm excited to see it. But I honestly don't think anyone can beat Sean Penn in the best actor category. His turn as Harvey Milk is honest-to-god magic.
And what I wouldn't give to see Heath Ledger win for Dark Knight. God rest ya, Heath.
It Never Rains in Southern California...
But baby when it does, it pours.
A page out of the actor/composer's diary.
Up for a great guest-star on BONES. Did really well at the audition and the callback, down to two people, and then lost it because they had to match mother and son characters and the other guy was a better match.
Then went in for a great part on GREEK, but of course that was silly because I leave town tomorrow and what did I expect would happen? Of course they want to have me read for director and producers...on friday.
Sigh.
Story of many people's lives, I suppose.
But on this rainy, cold, Los Angeles day, before I head home to snowy, wintery Wisconsin, I can't help but feel a little blue.
A page out of the actor/composer's diary.
Up for a great guest-star on BONES. Did really well at the audition and the callback, down to two people, and then lost it because they had to match mother and son characters and the other guy was a better match.
Then went in for a great part on GREEK, but of course that was silly because I leave town tomorrow and what did I expect would happen? Of course they want to have me read for director and producers...on friday.
Sigh.
Story of many people's lives, I suppose.
But on this rainy, cold, Los Angeles day, before I head home to snowy, wintery Wisconsin, I can't help but feel a little blue.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
And when you can no longer speak...you sing.
I don't get it - don't straight people LOVE Jack Black??
Honestly, what does it take!?
Anyway, here's a No on Prop 8 video that speaks to the actor/composer in me.
Are you ready for it?
"Prop 8 - the Musical"
Honestly, what does it take!?
Anyway, here's a No on Prop 8 video that speaks to the actor/composer in me.
Are you ready for it?
"Prop 8 - the Musical"
See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die
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