The Most Difficult Director's Note Ever

I've been directing for longer than many of my Top Girls actresses have been alive (a fact that is somewhat distressing in and of itself), but I have never before encountered a play that raises more questions than it answers. And, truth be told, Caryl Churchill really doesn't seem interested in answering any of the questions she raises in Top Girls, leaving them instead, up to her audiences to decide.

Of course, art is subjective and should inspire conversation and debate. The human condition may well be constant, but its motives, inspirations and afflictions are myriad. And therein lies the conundrum of Top Girls. Caryl Churchill may well leave the questions up to the audience to decide, but a director and cast must answer at least some of them to create a cohesive and meaningful production.

Pressed by my producer to come up with a Director's Note for this production's program in time to go to press, I found myself (for once), at sea. Regular readers know that Uncle P is rarely one at a lack for words when it comes to expressing my opinions. But my opinions on this particular play are so diverse, it was nigh on impossible to come up with only one page's worth of discussion. In the end, I decided to focus on Churchill's attention on the need for social responsibility and how those that are 'Top Girls' need to be aware of, and nurture those who are not.

Art is one of the few things that connects humans to one another. For all our differences, be they religious; political; sexual or ideological, we all share the need to be productive members of the society in which we live. How we arrive at achieving that goal may vary, but it is ultimately our artistic expressions that connect us to one another.

Of course, all this may very well be idealistic bullshit, in which case I should stop directing and just become a mindless sheep... or not. 

Wow! This entire post now seems little more to me an exercise in semantic masturbation, than anything worth really saying. I wouldn't blame any of you if never read another word I wrote...

To make up for it, here's some gratutious violence:

While that was truly awful, I somehow feel so much better.

More, anon.

Prospero

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Allusions, Allegories and Downright Rip-Offs

What Are They Sitting On?

So, we finished blocking the first scene of Top Girls tonight. It's long and complicated and filled with tales of both triumph and woe.

And since Churchill is so specific about the seating arrangements in the scene, I couldn't help but take advantage of it and use an iconic image everyone knows towards the end of it. It's not the first time I've done such a thing. I put the Sistine Chapel into The Most Fabulous Story... and hope to find a place to use this image in the scene that follows the dinner in Act I. In fact, I may very well put an iconic image in every scene of the show...

Top Girls is a play so filled with social commentary, I'm sure it won't be difficult to find plenty of places to add such images. The trick, of course, is finding the right image for the right scene. And since one of Churchill's characters is right out of an iconic image, I can't imagine she'd be very upset by the idea.

I'm not afraid to admit that Top Girls is probably the hardest thing I've ever attempted as a director - it's loaded with layer-upon-layer of psychology; politics; feminism; mythology; symbolism and social commentary, all of which need to be explored in order to create a cohesive piece out of a play that asks a million and five questions without answering a single one of them. 

Still, I'm confident that my most excellent cast is up to the task. They certainly aren't afraid to take the journey (and the risks that go along with it) with me, and that's what every director hopes for when he or she casts a show. I just have to convince myself that I'm up to it, as well.

More, anon.

Prospero

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LOL Actors

Just a quickie... 

So, we've finally started some real blocking on Top Girls. It's the first scene of the play, a sort-of fantasy dinner celebrating Marlene's (the main character) promotion. She is joined by five historical/literary characters including Victorian traveler Isabella Byrd; Pope Joan; Buddhist nun Lady Nijo; Bruegel's Dull Gret and Patient Grizelda from the Canterbury Tales. They're talking (sometimes all at once) and drinking and carrying on throughout the scene.

We stopped for a moment to clarify something and someone asks, "So what are we doing when we aren't speaking?" 

"Eating," was my answer. So we pick up the scene again and three of my six actresses immediately break into "Nom-nom-nom-nom..." sending all of us into fits of laughter over the dumbest Internet meme, ever. It could only have been better if they'd actually sung the song:

And people ask me why I love the theatre...

More, anon.
Prospero

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In Praise of Yet Another Cast

That's the Playbill cover for the Manhattan Theatre Club's 2008 production of Caryl Churchill's 1982 play Top Girls, which I have just started to direct. The company is Shakespeare '70, for whom I directed The Skin of Our Teeth in the fall of 2008 and for whom I have acted in productions of An Enemy of the People; An Inspector Calls and A View from the Bridge.

Top Girls sort of fell into my lap, as it were. After two potential female directors turned it down (for various reasons), the producer (my dear friend, Q) brought it to me. I'd heard of the play, but had never seen nor read it. But I adore Churchill's earlier play Cloud Nine, so I was intrigued.

Upon first reading it, I must admit to being a bit intimidated by the subject matter (more on that, later), it's non-linear structure and Churchill's carefully constructed (and often complicated) over-lapping dialog. But during a second read, I found myself visualizing the piece on stage and realized I had nothing to be afraid of, especially if I had the right cast.

Q and I immediately started thinking about actresses we thought would not only be appropriate for the piece, but who could also handle the complexities of the characters and the writing. Emails and invitations were sent; entreaties were made and one audition was held. Finally, I had a cast consisting of not only actresses I knew and had worked with previously; actresses I knew, but had not worked with before and actresses with whom I'd had no experience what-so-ever.

So, we just had our first read-through and I must say, I have to be the luckiest director on the East Coast. The women in this show are amazing! Not only do they all "get' the show, but each of them brings her own unique perspective to the characters (each play at least two) that neither Q nor I had had envisioned upon reading it on our own.

Nothing excites an artist more than a challenge. And nothing excites a director more than a cast that is up to that challenge. Top Girls may well be the most challenging play I have ever directed, but the 8 uber-talented women in this production will go a very long way in making my job as a director a delightful challenge, to say the least. I know I often gush about the casts of the shows I direct (and rightfully so), but I really think this one is particularly exceptional. And while I have directed shows with all-male casts (get your minds out of that gutter, right now!), this is the first time I have directed an all-female cast. I've already told them I feel a bit like an onion in a petunia patch, but I'm pretty sure we have ourselves quite a show on our hands.

Top Girls runs September 23rd through October 2nd at the Don Evans Studio Theatre on the campus of The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ. I'll be posting more info as it becomes available and will most certainly be posting more about the rehearsal process as we move forward. I just hope it will be as exciting to read about, as it is to be a part of.

More, anon.
Prospero

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I'm Tho Thore!

That's Riccardo Fachetti's Frazetta-esque painting of the Norse deity Thor defeating the Ice Giants with his hammer. It is from him that we get the word "Thursday" and also the Marvel comic of the same name. Tho why am I tho thore?

For about three hours today, the trailer for the new movie starring Aussie Chris Hemsworth (glimpsed briefly as James T. Kirk's doomed daddy in last year's Star Trek) was up for viewing all over the web. Directed by Kenneth Branagh (yes, Hamlet*; Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and the underrated, noirish reincarnation thriller Dead Again), Thor also stars Natalie Portman; Anthony Hopkins; Idris Elba; Stellan Skarsgard; Rene Russo; Clark Gregg and Colm Feore in yet another superhero origins tale, all leading up to Marvel's gigantic, multi-hero epic The Avengers** in 2012. It has been removed from every single site I searched. "Removed at request of copyright holder," was the most common message. And it sucks, because I really wanted to share it with you.

Interestingly, the trailer starts with what I've just noticed is a sort of Marvel meme: our hero (or more often, villain) is seen escaping from being strapped down to a hospital-type table and taking on several doctors, nurses, orderlies and/or assorted paramilitary type behemoths. It then moves on to Asgard, where King of the gods Odin (Hopkins) is seen exiling Thor to Earth for treason. And Branagh's vision of Asgaard certainly appeared spectacular, with soaring golden towers and lots of sparkling Nordic armor. Thor must prove himself a hero on Earth before he can regain his father's favor (and throne).

The Mighty Thor was not a major character in my super-hero canon; I was more of a DC Justice League kind of boy. I knew Thor existed, but he wasn't one of my favorites. My best memory of the character is his pseudo-appearance in the '80's comedy Adventures in Babysitting.

The now-removed Thor trailer was pretty danged awesome. I hope you had a chance to see it. I'll post it as soon as it's available again. Just the sight of Hemsworth's exposed pelvis was enough to make me want to see it -- I know... TMI, Uncle P.

I'm seeing Dinner for Schmucks tomorrow with D. You can expect my review. Personally, I think it looks friggin' hilarious. Plus, it has Paul...

And since I can't seem to get enough Paul lately, here's a silly little thing he did with the also underrated (and gorgeous) Famke Janssen:

Damn, that man is boy-next-door gorgeous and hilariously talented! I hate him! I want him.!I hate him! I want to be him... (no, not really - just me; as famous, gorgeous and talented as he is, with him on my arm -- Hey! A boy can dream, can't he?).

And finally, I have had confirmation that I will be directing for Shakespeare '70 again this fall, though with a rather different kind of play for me. It's Caryl Churchill's Top Girls, a play ostensibly about women making their way in a man's world. "But Uncle P, what would you know about that? " Well, I think I can relate, as a gay man who has had to make his was in a straight world, I certainly understand the feeling of being treated as a 2nd class citizen and the things I've done and sacrificed in order to not only survive, but also to thrive in an overwhelmingly hostile environment.

Of course, as with any good piece, it's about so much more than that. Churchill is probably best known for her 1982 Obie-winning play Cloud Nine. It is the first time Your's Truly will be directing an all-female cast, and the first time in 5 years that I'll be directing a play without D in it. It's a complex and fascinating piece and with the right cast, has the potential to be phenomenal. I haven't felt this challenged by a piece since the last time I directed for them, but Q is once-again my producer/right-hand and I think together we'll make something extraordinary. We always seem to. One of the five billion and four reasons I love her so much.

Well, enough stream-of-conscientiousness for tonight. I had a rough one last night (a long story for another post, someday -- maybe) and I'm very tired. I really wish I could have shared that trailer with you. Maybe this will make up for it:

More, anon.
Prospero

*Featuring some truly odd casting and the great Jack Lemmon's most deer-in-the-headlights film performance.

**The cast of Joss "Buffy/Firefly/Dollhouse" Whedon's film was introduced at last week's ComiCon in San Diego, to what was reported to be rabidly positive fanperson response. I'm also breathlessly awaiting for Ryan's Green Lantern, but that's just me...

TTFN
Uncle P

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The Numbers Are In

So, unofficial word came down from our producer today about the JTMF's fund-raising efforts this year...

I think I'll keep you in suspense for the moment and talk instead about the many joys associated with working on a JTMF production.

As a director, I have been privileged to work with some the area's most talented and dedicated actors, designers and technicians year after year. I was in our first two productions. I played Sterling in Jeffrey and Arnold in Torch Song Trilogy (the former was exhilarating while the latter was exhausting).

The next year, in an effort to attract a wider audience, we went with a perennial favorite: Neil Simon's The Odd Couple (not an actual pic from our show). I was asked to direct and in an effort to make the show more relevant to our core audience, I updated some of the dialog and cast a woman in the role of Speed. It actually worked quite well, though did nothing to increase our audience.

The next year we did two One Acts: Paul Rudnick's Mr. Charles, Currently of Palm Beach and Nicky Silver's The Altruists. Taking a cue from Rudnick's piece, we called the evening "What Causes Homosexuality?" Again we saw some low audience numbers, but it introduced us to some very talented folks, including an exceptionally talented young man who would go on to become one of my best friends and an ardent supporter of our cause. Of course, I'm talking about my Dear D (not an actual picture of him, either -- in case you haven't figured that out by now). Gorgeous, talented and just an all-around terrific human being, D is the kind of person one hopes all of one's friends are like and he has been in every production I've directed since, including The Skin of Our Teeth for another company.

Anyway, the following year was our 5th Anniversary, and we celebrated with a gorgeous production of Charles Busch's Psycho Beach Party. It was our second most successful year and Opening Night featured a Red Carpet Gala, hosted by "Joan Rivers" and attended by "Peggy Lee" and "Diana Ross," among other JTMF "Celebrities." After that came Joe Orton's hilarious sex farce What the Butler Saw, followed by a rather magical production of Paul Rudnick's The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told. Which leads us right up to this year's production of Del Shores' Sordid Lives.

As with most JTMF shows, Sordid Lives created a microcosmic family, of which I am proud to be a member. My astonishingly good cast (which included both K and D) jumped into the show with full abandon, trusting me and having the time of their lives playing these outrageous (but very real) characters. Thanks to expanded media coverage (provided with the help of another dear friend) and some terrific performances by an amazing cast, Sordid Lives proved to the JTMF's 3rd highest grossing show and we managed to raise nearly $7000.00 over the course of just three performances.

Not only was Sordid Lives a financial success, but so many people told us it was one of the best shows we've ever done, I can't help but think of it as an artistic success, as well. In addition, a cast member (who shall remain nameless until he decides it's appropriate) came out to yours truly on the second night of the run, citing the supportive and safe atmosphere of the company as one of his reasons for doing so. I can only consider this a double mitzvah for the production.

Okay -- I promise to stop writing about this show, except to say that it is still not too late to take part by making a donation at our website, or volunteering for our first ever Winter Fundraiser, featuring a staged Radio Play version of It's a Wonderful Life this coming December. I won't be directing this one. Instead, I'll be heading up the live Foley crew, creating live sound effects the old-fashioned way.

Finally, before I'm off to the Land of Nod, I have to give a shout out to the terrific tech support staff at HP; and in particular to Nicole and Phil E., both of whom were instrumental in ridding my PC of the virus which caused me so many problems over the past week. You guys rock!

I promise a return to my usual nonsense tomorrow.

More, anon.
Prospero

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In Praise of My Cast

I love the smarmy look on D's face in this picture. I also love that everyone seems to be having such a good time while gathered around a casket. It certainly says "black comedy," doesn't it?

This picture was taken in April at the funeral home next door to our producer's house. The lighting was terrible, so it didn't get used as an official publicity photo for the show, but it has a certain skewed quality about it that I really like. From left to right that's K; Alice W.; D; Glen C. and Nicole P*, all of whom I have worked with before (this is D's 6th show with me and Thespis only knows how many shows K and I have done since we met in 1989).

These 5 people were the first I invited to play with us this year and each of them said "Yes," immediately. That left six roles left to fill. Heather M. and Tracy H. also immediately said "Yes," when I asked, Jenn had worked with us on The Odd Couple and said she wanted to do so again, so she was in and Snoop Doug (the whitest gay Jew -- and a dear friend who will totally agree with this statement -- in all of NJ) was the only ever choice for Brother Boy. That left two roles open at auditions, both most ably filled by Rob S. and Matt D.

I have worked with some talented folks in my day. You may remember how I gushed about last year's JTMF cast. Well, I am gushing again. This cast has brought their "A" games from the beginnning, and they continue to play, grow, explore and invent with every rehearsal. We have load-in and costume parade on Sunday, and then just 4 more rehearsals before we go up. Yikes! Still, if they are having half as much fun as I am, then that should translate to a whole lot of fun for audiences.

The worst part about a JTMF show is its brief run. I always feel that the show is just getting where it should be, and then it's over. Of course, that's part of the beauty of live theatre; each performance happens only once, and can never be exactly replicated again. Try that with your Blu-Ray edition of Avatar.

Tickets for the 8th Annual James Tolin Memorial Fund AIDS Benefit featuring Del Shores' Sordid Lives are still available at www.kelseyatmccc.org, by phone at 609-570-3333 or at the Kelsy Box Office, one hour before curtain. For more info, please visit www.jtmf.org.

More, eventually...
Prospero

*You can find out all of our real names at the JTMF site and blog, but I like the semi-anonymity afforded here.

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Overdue Thanks from a Proud Theatre Geek

27 years ago, I made my Shakespearean debut as the villain Claudius in Hamlet. I was crapping my pants scared. First Shakespeare and I'm in Hamlet? Playing 20 years older than I was (as I did in almost every show I ever did for a very long time) and cast opposite a woman who was actually 20+ years older than I., as one of the most famous villains of all time? This was no Bye Bye Birdie, my friends. This was Theatre.

I remember it being a rather intense production, The principles were cast from a Spring acting class taught by a wonderfully eccentric and often brilliant professor, who was directing the following fall. Each of us met with Sir (a name Q and I will always remember fondly) once a week over the summer to work on technique, diction and vocal production, with occasional character work thrown in. It was that summer that Sir helped me truly figure out what my voice was capable of, and how best to use it on stage. He also taught me the intricacies of playing a villain ("You must believe that your actions are not only for your own good, but the common good") and the value of advance planning as a director (though my personal directing style was much more influenced by another wonderful teacher who I promise to talk about soon).

If you haven't figured it out by now, that's Uncle P on the right, entreating Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to take Hamlet back to England with them. I know the young man in the middle was a British exchange student named Pip (he was with me when I got my ear pierced), though I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the brunet or who played whom. That was 27 effing years ago... I remember those faux-fur costumes were hot as hell and I went out and spent $120 on boots at some trendy store (which my father threw-out when I moved to California, briefly). I remember the massive revolving set and the performances of several cast members; Rich M. as Horatio; Terry D. as Laertes; Steve O. as Hamlet; Lillian B. as Gertrude; Rich W. as The Player and the Gravedigger... I remember the actress who played Ophelia (Betty... something...) took her mad-scene costume outside and rolled around on the ground, getting a massive grass and mud stain on her ass, which we could not look at without bursting into hysterical laughter... I remember good times and laughter to combat all the sturm und drung that is Hamlet; a very intense experience for such a young actor and in the end, a production that was actually quite good for college theatre. It was also the first time I actually understood Shakespeare without having to fight to get it (another gift bestowed by Sir). I recently reconnected with Steve O. via Facebook. Steve shared pictures from the production, which I never knew existed. And there I am...

Today, the gray hair and the goatee are real, though the perm (thank God) is a thing of the distant past. What isn't gone are those feelings of accomplishment and the lessons learned (not to mention the friendships made) over the course of one production.

The casual theatre-goer knows only what he or she sees on stage, at the performance he or she attends. Like most movie audiences, they see only the finished product (in as much as live theatre can ever be considered 'finished'). What they don't see are the months and months of planning and preparation; casting and rehearsing; prop gathering; costuming; set-building; lighting design; etc., etc. that go into that finished product. They also don't know the kind of camaraderie and even sense of family that happens among small groups of people with an intense, albeit (by definition) temporary, common experience. It's why real theatre people do theatre.

Yes, we get artistic satisfaction. We get applause and kind words from strangers (especially if we're any good). We still get to play make-believe long after every other profession in the world (Pro Wrestling nonewithstanding). If we are very, very lucky we make lots of money, become famous and win ultimately meaningless awards. Because if we love doing theatre, we love it for all the same reasons Trekkers love "Star Trek" and X-Philes love "The X-Files." It boils down to a sense of belonging, I think. Its time spent being yourself among like-minded folks, all the while creating something completely artificial to present to a group of judgmental strangers in order to seek approval. We get each other, us Theatre Folk do. Just as any other bunch of geeks get one another.

So, from a still very proud Theatre Geek, this post is dedicated to Dr. Harold Hogstrom. Teacher; adviser; director; inspiration. My TSC contemporaries will either agree wholeheartedly or call me mad (though I doubt the latter). None of them will argue that Sir had a profound effect on all of us, in one way or another.

Thank you, Sir (with love)...

Yeah, I went there. And yeah, I know I'm totally ripping off "Glee," but I don't care. The older I get, the more I realize how influential Sir would become, long after I was no longer his student. And thank you, Steve, for sharing those amazing pictures.

More ramblings, anon.
Prospero

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Redirected

I'm currently working full time, directing a play and trying to maintain 3 blogs. Yes, just further proof that Uncle P is off his ancient rocker (no, not Keith Richards).

That's the late, great Rue McClanahan as Madame Morrible in Wicked. I wish I could have seen her play that part - she was certainly perfect for it.

I'm tired, but if you want to read me quoting people about Rue (actually, they're from two of her "Sordid Lives" co-stars and quite lovely), then you can do so either by clicking here or on the James Tolin Memorial Fund Blog link to your left.

I am coming close to being Director Zombie, with more and focus on the show, than anything else (thank goodness the day job is slow this time of year).

The show isn't quite soup yet (nor should it be), but all the ingredients are prepared to dumped in the pot... Yum!

More, anon.
Prospero

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3 Weeks from Tonight

Sordid Lives opens exactly 3 weeks from tonight, on June 25th, and I am starting to get anxious, as I always do this time of year. There is still so much work to be done: Six billion and four props to be found; sound cues to be found and recorded; lighting to be designed; running crew to be assembled; furniture to be found and/or made; costumes to be approved; costumes to be found... not to mention rehearsals, themselves. It seems every time one thing gets crossed off the list, 3 more get added.

And that's hardly to say that every one of those items will be done by just me. Our amazing Producer and Stage Managers work their asses off, even if they think I don't appreciate them. I do. And I love them, too - and they know that, or we all wouldn't still be doing this after 7 years. And don't get me wrong. I am NOT bitching. My readers who've spent much of their lives in the theatre (and I know there are several of you), know exactly what I mean.

Tom Stoppard, in his screenplay for Shakespeare in Love; makes one of the most amazingly astute (and hilarious) jokes about live theatre. When pressed by his backers for proof that their investment will pay off, Globe Theatre owner Phillip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush) assures them that it just happens. "No one knows. It's a mystery." How true...

Now, mystery comes from the Greek mysterion, meaning "religious truth via divine revelation, mystical presence of God..." (via) It wasn't until 1908 that the word fell into popular use for a "detective story". But there it is, once again. Theatre as religion. The ancient Greeks took that quite literally, and their plays were tributes to their gods; regaling their mythologies to the masses so that they might better understand themselves and the world around them. From these early comedies and tragedies, sprung Theatre (in all its forms) as we have come to know it today. And while "Theatre" has come to mean many things to many people, it still remains a rite of worship of sorts, for me. I never feel so alive as I do when the curtain goes up. And to do so as part of such an amazing cause, makes it so much more meaningful.

You all know by now, that I am hardly a "religious' man. In fact, I'm not afraid to say that I think just about all of it is pure hooey. Most holy texts support the moral values of good living; provide a code of ethics by which most sane people agree to abide and provide a sense of comfort in regards to the relative brevity of our own existences. I try to remain an existentialist and a humanist. My maternal family's German pragmatism offers no other sensible solution, I think. Still, I do believe in feeding my soul. Now that's not to say I think there is a "soul" that gets judged after you die (or reincarnates; moves on; haunts the place where you died; gets a pair of wings and a cloud; burns in a lake of fire or moves a level closer to rejoining the Collective Conscience). I'm talking here about the kind of thing which brings one joy; gives one a sense of purpose and makes a positive difference in the lives of others. A JTMF show does all that and more., and I am never prouder to be a member of the Theatre Community than I am at the end of each June.

If you want to make a difference and are in the Northeast, please come to the JTMF 8th Annual AIDS Benefit featuring Del Shores' Southern-Fried "Black Comedy About White Trash, "Sordid Lives. Performances on June 25th and 26th include our themed reception - this year featuring a Texas Barbecue - and a Silent Auction of goods and services from local and national donors and merchants. Tickets are $25. Bidding opens at 7:00 PM; Curtain at 8:00. The performance on Sunday, June 27th is offered at a reduced ticket price, but does not include the Reception or Silent Auction. All ticket sales go to the Open Arms Foundation of Hillsborough, NJ and the James Tolin Memorial Scholarship for Performing Arts students at Mercer County Community College, where James was a Theatre Major.

Tickets are available online via the JTMF website; the Kelsey Theatre website; by phone at 609-570-3333 or at the Kelsey Box Office one hour before curtain.

If you want to help but can't attend, you can make a safe online donation via PayPal here.

I really do hope to see you there. It would be very cool to meet some of you.

More soon,
Brian

P.S. - Uncle P will be seeing Splice tomorrow night (don't worry, I have a ZZone post all ready to go), so watch for my review on Sunday. And hopefully, sometime early next week I'll be posting our podcast, radio interview and YouTube video here; on the JTMF Blog; on my Facebook wall and on the JTMF Facebook page.

More, anon.
Prospero

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Another Night for Me

It's only Tuesday and it's already been that kind of week (you know what I'm talking about).

Rehearsals for Sordid Lives continue to be amazing (tonight's was particularly hilarious). The show opens in exactly one month - June 25th. My outrageously talented cast keep coming up with brilliant bits on their own, while instantly taking to my suggestions and improving upon them by making them uniquely theirs.

We will be shooting some rehearsal footage for the YouTube video this Thursday and recording our podcast. I'll hopefully be able to share those with you sometime next week.

Tonight, with nothing particularly interesting to say, I am off to work on my latest screenplay. I am stuck on Act II (Act I and Act III are rolling along, but finding the right way to transition between them has proven problematic, at best). Anyway - have a good Wednesday, everyone.

More, anon.
Prospero

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Don't Stop Making Sense

I don't have HBO, mostly because I think it's outrageous to charge for movies I've already seen at least twice before they even reach the cable channel. And while I may not be able to see their original series in first run (and they honestly haven't had a great one since "Six Feet Under"), I know that I'll be able to see them eventually on DVD. Such is the case with Allen Ball's "True Blood."

Now, you may not find a bigger fan of the vampire genre than your Uncle P, but given the recent flood of "sparkling" vampires (oh, how I hate Stephanie Meyers), I have become rather disenchanted. But from what I have read and heard about "True Blood," I would probably enjoy it.

I'll probably rent the DVDs, eventually. I must admit that I am intrigued by both the concept and the apparently endless parade of naked male flesh on display, especially the beautiful Alexander Skarsgard, pictured to the right.

Skarsgard (son of Exorcist: The Beginning star, Stellan Skarsgard) recently gave an interview to People magazine, regarding his role on the show:

"Not only is Skarsgard spontaneous, he's also comfortable in his own skin – a good thing, considering the amount of nudity on True Blood. The actor says he doesn't mind removing his clothes, despite being teased about it occasionally by his five brothers and one sister. 'I'm not a prude at all,' he says. 'I shot a very, very graphic scene two days ago with a man. I am from Sweden, and it's different there. If it makes sense, I'll just do it. And to me, so far, it's made sense every single time I've got naked or made out on the show.'"

Wow! How many actors do you know who are comfortable enough in their own skins to make a statement like that? I know of one - my Dear D. In four of the six shows in which he has acted for me, D has played gay characters. He's taken abuse for it from both friends and co-workers, but has never wavered in his dedication to the roles. He's made out with two of his best friends on stage for me (The Altruists; Psycho Beach Party and The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told) and even been naked for me (Most Fabulous) on stage. Much like Mr. Skarsgard, he knows that homosexuality is not abnormal, but just another facet of the human the Human Condition. His talents as an actor are nearly as extraordinary as his trust in me as a director and if I had my way, he'd be in every show I ever directed, for the rest of my life.

While we briefly appeared together in A View from the Bridge, we haven't had the opportunity to actually perform together on stage in a substantial way. I certainly hope we get the chance to do so, someday. He's an exceptionally talented and beautiful person, and while he's much younger than me, I still consider him among my best friends.

So what does all this rambling mean? Simply that I am happy to note that there are plenty of people out there who know that "gay" does NOT equal "evil" and that art is not only reflective of real life, but that it can also change people's minds about what is right and wrong. Honestly, I'm tired and coming off of a three-day sinus headache, so what do I know?

Watch for more Sordid Lives updates here, on the JTMF website and the JTMF blog. As for me, I'm tired!

Anyway, here's a sneak peak at the upcoming season of "True Blood:"

More, anon.
Prospero

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Shakespeare's Black Comedy

I have been invited to propose up to 3 plays to direct for my Alma Mater's ACT (All College Theatre) company. I chose a modern work (Paul Rudnick's Valhalla), a mid-century thriller (Maxwell Anderson's Bad Seed) and what most scholars agree is probably Shakespeare's first play, Titus Andronicus.

Titus Andronicus details the story of a Roman General (the titular Titus) who is returning from war with the Goths, to find Rome in the midst of political turmoil as two brothers vie for the throne. After losing 15 of his 18 sons in battle, Titus has captured the Goth Queen Tamora; her Moorish adviser Aaron and her three sons, whom he presents to the new Emperor, Saturninus. As punishment for his own sons' deaths at the hands of the Goths, Titus has Tamora's oldest son killed. But Saturninus immediately becomes smitten with Tamora and marries her, pardoning the Queen and her two remaining sons. Tamora and Aaron quickly plot their own revenge against Titus, killing two of his three remaining sons. Meanwhile Tamora has become pregnant by Aaron. Aaron, a truly Machiavellian villain, plots with her to kill two of Titus's sons in what is meant to look like a hunting accident (thy fall into a tiger pit). She then sends her remaining sons to rape Titus' daughter, Lavinia. To make sure Lavinia can't ID the perps. they cut out her tongue and cut off her hands so she cannot say or write who defiled her. But the plucky Lavinia picks up a stick in her stumps and writes Tamora's sons' names in the dirt. Titus then captures Tamora's sons and kills them; cuts them up and bakes them in a pie which he then force-feeds to Tamora and Saturninus. In true Shakespearean tragedy style, everybody dies at the end.

While the events in Titus Andronicus are most like inspired by the works of the Roman poets Ovid and Seneca, the plot is so outrageous and gory, most Shakespearean companies avoid it like the plague. Personally, I think it's perfect fodder for a black comedy and have proposed it as such for TCNJ's ACT.

Happily, I'm not the only director to think so. Julie Taymor's delirious 1999 adaptation, starring Anthony Hopkins; Jessica Lange; Alan Cumming; Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Angus MacFadyen is a hilarious mix of periods, styles and over-the-top gore, resulting in one of the best Shakespearean films ever made. I cannot wait for her upcoming adaptation of The Tempest, starring Dame Helen Mirran as Prospera (Hmmmm... might I have a special interest in this film?). Anyway, here's the trailer for her version of Titus:

Of course, Bad Seed has also been adapted twice. Once as theatrical film starring most of the Broadway cast and again as an updated TV movie. Either way, it remains a creepy thriller about a child who may well be a serial killer.

The last play I proposed was Paul Rudnick's Valhalla, which details the similarities between a young gay man in 1940's Texas and mad King Ludwig of Bavaria. It's both touching and comedic in a way which I cannot imagine would translate to film.

Honestly, I don't care which of the three the ACT board picks, as long as they pick one. The current crop of young actors at TCNJ have proven (through several recent productions I have seen there) that they are not only talented, but fearless, and I would be both honored and privileged to direct them.

More, anon.
Prospero

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I'm Excited

So, it's been a long, cold winter without a show for your Uncle P, though to be honest, that's mostly by choice. The older I get (no cracks from the Peanut Gallery, please - Oh, that's a give-away), the more I'm inclined to work on writing than performing. Still, the prospect of directing another show for the JTMF has me feeling young again.

As you probably know, this year's show is Del Shores' Sordid Lives, a black comedy about a white trash family from Southern Texas, gathering and preparing for the funeral of their matriarch Peggy, who died when she hit her head on a motel room sink, after tripping over the wooden legs of the Vietnam vet with whom she'd been having an affair.

A JTMF show is unlike any other I've ever done in more than 30 years of live theatre experience. Artists gather to not only honor the memory of a fallen comrade, but to raise money for both AIDS support groups and Arts Education charities. We only do three performances, two of which feature a gala reception and silent auction. All ticket sales go to the Open Arms Foundation and the James Tolin Memorial Scholarship at Mercer County Community College. A JTMF show is like working with family and egos are set aside for our common goal. I have been privileged to direct 5 of the 7 shows we've done, while appearing in the first two. This is our 8th year, and we are thrilled to still be doing what we do.

Auditions for the show are this coming Saturday, and while I admit that some roles have already been cast with actors I know will give the kinds of performances I am looking for, I am always excited to meet and cast people who have something new to bring to our considerable (and ever-growing) talent pool.

Tickets to this year's event are already available at the Kelsey Theater website. If you are unable to attend, but would like to make a secure donation via PayPal, you can do so at the JTMF website, www.jtmf.org.

If you are on the West Coast or in Canada, you can also help by visiting our sister organization, JTMF West in Edmonton, Alberta. The JTMF West will be holding their first fund raising event next weekend, April 17th at the Catalyst Theatre in Edmonton.

More, anon.
Prospero

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Why Facebook Is Awesome

Back in the mid-90's, your Uncle P found himself in a playing Mushnik (for the 2nd time) in a production of Little Shop of Horrors for Princeton University's "Princeton Summer Theatre," a program which allowed students the opportunity to run a repertory-style theatre company for a summer. They were desperate; I had done it before; I was cast with what was barely an audition.

It was during this production that I met a young man playing the voice of Audrey II, who would go on to cast me in the role which would eventually inspire the name of this blog. This tall, gangly, funny and talented fellow had an unusual vision for The Tempest. He set it in an abandoned subway, transforming the shipwreck to a train wreck and turning Ariel into the spirit of a Broadway hoofer and Caliban into an NYC homeless person. It was the first of many guest performances I have been privileged to have on many NJ college and university campuses, and one of my favorite roles of all time. The PST Board then asked me to direct the following summer, which led to my first time directing Shakespeare. My consequent production of A Midsummer Night's Dream not only proved to me that I actually could direct, but went on to break PST Box Office records, resulting in SRO sales and a long list of hopeful standbys. It also made me the first (and as far as I know, the only) person outside the campus community to direct a production at Princeton, a distinction I will always hold near and dear to my heart. It also allowed me, the following year, to direct the aforementioned production of Much Ado About Nothing, during which Q and Dale fell in love.

Over the years, I lost touch with that young man, though I thought of him (and several other young folks from that era) often. When I first created my Facebook account, I searched for many of those talented folks, to no avail. They had scattered to the winds (as college graduates are wont to do).

A few days ago, through a random connection I had just made with one of my favorite Midsummer cast members (Yes, Suzanne, I'm talking about you), the young man in question (now married with child) made a "Friend" request. You can't imagine how happy it made me to reconnect with someone who not only "gets" me, but for whom I have always had a genuine affection. Dallas from Fort Worth is the original "Dear D" (no offense to the Dear D we all know and love, who will always and forever be that to me) and you have no idea how happy I am to reconnect with him.

People may bitch and whine about Facebook and it's ever-changing policies and layout, but I will always be happy that it's there to help me reconnect with people I have known and loved over the years. And Dallas, if you are reading this, thanks for finding me. I'm so glad you did. Dead Rats, forever! (And yes, that's a private joke.)

More, anon.
Prospero

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