Career miscellaney

I'm off to Kentucky on Thursday for the Humana Festival to see the play I am 1/6 responsible for. Not only that, I get to see seven other world premieres, attend numerous social functions, and enjoy the state beverage.

Catastrophic Theatre of Houston also opens their production of Hunter Gatherers this weekend. Woot!

And This is lame.

good plays

In the last few weeks I've seen Sarah Ruhl's In the Next Room, Steve Yockey's Skin, Matt Pelfrey's Pure Shock Value, Octavio Solis' Lydia, and a reading of Julie Jarcho's American Treasure. And I missed a whole bunch more. All this to say, theatergoing has been very satisfying recently here in the Bay Area.

How have I missed this

Dale Radio has been on the air for over a month and how have I missed it.

It's amazing and it's educational.

Monday Mix o Things

• Killing My Lobster's second play, Pure Shock Value, was a blast this weekend. Matt Pelfrey's show was bullet train of funny, cleverity, blood, great writing acting and directing, and even some pure shock. And if you haven't seen it, you missed it here but it'll get done somewhere else.
• Speaking of Killing My Lobster, and former Lobsters, did anyone notice former Lobster Becky Stark singing on the latest Decemberists album? Wooo!
• Speaking of awesome plays, Sarah Ruhl's In the Next Room that just preemed (Variety speak, sorry) at Berkeley Rep is going to Broadway. Yay for the right thing happening! I loved loved loved that show. I saw it two months ago and the it still puts a smile on my face. Appropriate for a show involving vibrators.
• Speaking of other awesome plays, Brink!, the show at the Humana Festival that five amazing writers plus myself wrote opened last weekend on the College Weekend. Word on the street was that it was a frikkin rock show. I can hardly wait to see it. I'll be there in early April for Special Visitors Weekend, the closest thing the Theatre Community gets to Spring Break.
• I have decided not to have an Oracle character in the new play. I think the fortune cookie mention close to the top is enough.
• I went to a fundraising brunch for the Playwright's Foundation yesterday which was quite nice ( and reminded me once again how fast asparagus affects your pee.) The highlight was meeting lots of people and then getting to hear a wonderful little talk by Octavio Solis. On being a playwright Octavio said (i may be paraphrasing ) "This is what I do. I don't know why." I kind of think that says it all, and I found that strangely empowering.
  

Oh shit, I gotta go buy stocks.

HG in TX!

Yes, the Lone Star is getting their very first taste of Hunter Gatherers! Houston's Catastrophic Theatre is unleashing this play to kick off their second season. And, in fact, it's the Central Time premiere of the show! Go Catastrohpic. If you are in the Houston area, do check it out. Or if you are planning a Caribbean cruise via Galveston, take an extra day before you get on/off the ship.

More about the production or Read an article about Catastrohpic Theatre

In related meat/Hunter Gatherers news, thanks to original HG Richard Jon for pointing out this site which features pictures like this one.



That would be a meatloaf, mashed potatoes and ketchup made to look like a cake.

Brink! A sneak peek

I have had the great thrill to be a writer for the Humana Festival's Anthology show,Brink!, starring their amazing apprentice company of 21 actors. Last fall, the theatre brought us down (that's Lydia Diamond, Kristoffer Diaz, Greg Kotis, Deborah Stein, Deborah Zoe Laufer and myself) where me met the actors and staff, workshopped ideas around our given theme: Rites Of Passage. And then we all went away for a five months and each wrote some awesome stuff, if I don't say so myself. It was an amazing opportunity to write a scene that has 21 people in it. And not just any 21 people, it was written for these 21 people. Take that, recession.

So, how does one begin a show about rites of passage?
(i stole these from fearless director Sean Daniels' Facebook)

Well this is the floor of the show



Very, O'Keefian, right?

And here it is in action. The miracle of life. An apprentice born from the, um, flower.



Followed by the miracle of dance



They're calling it the Floor-gina.

More about Brink and Listen to two songs by Greg Kotis written for the show

So

I can hardly wait for this Twitter thing to blow over.

At Valencia and Liberty, things come full circle

I've been a shitty blogger recently.

I need topics. Topics!! I'm thinking a series of profiles of theatres I've had the fortune of visiting...

Well one thing on my mind recently is the American notion of "Greatness," something that is part of the subject of this new thing I'm working on. There's this semi-interesting article I found on the subject matter which I'm not sure I entirely agree with. I wondered if its basic summation that anyone can be great if they work hard and keep at it, is something that ties into the American mythology of "the dream." It made we wonder 1) What are the common conceptions we have as a culture in how we define someone as being "great"? 2) What does it mean to have that as a life goal? What the hell is that? What is greatness? As a word, even, what is it about. And is it different from Success which was a topic that came up at a dinner last week? And was also a subject of this seminar.

Yeah, so thinking about that. I don't need answers.

Gotta poop and go see show now.

Nachtrieb. Blogger BAKINACTIONBITCHES!

Will Oksana find love through the Agency?

It's not often a spam can ache. Ache with a sad love and some funny broken english and then conclude with one of the strangest photos ever.

I just received this and I am pasting it verbatim. Actresses looking for an audition piece, here you go:
(I have deleted her gmail address, but if you want a go, let me know)

"Hello. My name is Oksana. I understand that you don't know me, and I don't know you, but in the future all can change probably. I ask that you have given me some minutes on perusals of my letter. I hope that it will not make difficulty to you. Agency Acquaintances in Cheboksary gave me your e-mail address. To me explained that you very good person and you very much approach to me. I have come to Agency to find the future husband from other country. Why from another country? Because I have been very much disappointed with Men from my country and now I search my life in abroad. I has tired to be lonely and to carry spend all days equally. I want to love and to be happy! I asked myself a question why I can not it. And I come in this agency with such the request that they have helped me to find the person for that I will happy. Yes certainly I have paid some money that has found the person for me. But what is it the money in comparison with love? Nothing. It is simply emptiness. Love is the most important feeling in a life, without which our lives grey and empty. I shall not speak how many I have paid. I hope that you will understand me. I very much hope that you will be interested in me and we can continue our dialogue after that letters. And I very much hope that I shall leave in yours opinion good Impression about me. I want to tell some words about me. As I already spoke my name is Oksana. I'm 28 years. I live in Cheboksary. You can look my external qualities in my photo which I have attached in the letter. I live with my mum together and I work as doctor. I have gone studies on this profession, in order to help people. I look like on my father because he gave your life to rescue the little girl, and he has rescued her only he lost. I shall tell you about it later. I love my professional though In Russia it is not as well appreciated as in other foreign countries. I love an active way of life but time not suffices. In my life I dream to find the person with which I can to lead all life and I shall be happy. I dream about big and cheerful, friendly family. I don't search ideal man. The main thing that in him there were high qualities as skill to love, to respect, to appreciate relations, to love children and is skilful to love and make the happy partner. For me the age does not matter because the love has not limit. I very much hope that you will write to me and will tell about yourself. I am already lonely very long time. I had earlier shot relations but it was failed. I very much hope that you become my unique person in my life. So let's not lose time. I ask you that you have answered my letter and then we can learn each other better. I hope that I have liked to you. If serious relations aren't interesting to you or I am not pleasant to you, say me it please. Is it well?


I shall wait from you the letter with the big impatience!
Bye bye!
Tired from loneliness Oksana."

and her picture:





I'm impressed how well the picture conveys both sexiness and a love of the outdoors, or cooking, or fish at the very least.


I shall wait from you the letter with the big impatience!