Let’s Create A Hashtag…

Dear Gentle Reader,

When Madonna released her first single for the Rebel Heart album, she made a claim. At her Grammy performance, she said she wanted to start a revolution of love. I was super stoked to hear that. The only problem was that when I got the album, there wasn’t enough of that “love revolution” theme on it.

I use twitter, instagram, and the good ol’ Facebook in different ways because, well, they are different mediums. I try my darnedest to post different things on each. I have a hard time sharing the same thing because (as I have mentioned on several occasions) I don’t like repetition. I don’t know why it bothers me so much, but it does.

But I like idea of a revolution of love. 2017 is going to be a challenge. It is a government transition and there will be shake ups and melt downs. So, I want to set us all on a positive road by dropping a bomb on you. LOL! Well, I am calling it a love bomb.

The word bomb is a horrible name, but I want this to work just like a bomb.

When I think of bombs, I imagine the thing landing and as it bursts, it sends out a wave of destruction. The idea of this particular bomb is to share something I love about you via a social media timeline. Hopefully, you will feel like joining me and post something on someone else’s timeline using the tag. Basically, the feeling is like the shrapnel, the effect, and I hope it makes you want to send a bomb of your own.

It’s a little silly I’ll admit, but why not do it? We could use a little heartfelt silly in the world. The only bad part about it is that for a true hashtag, one must only use words. I think is important to use the icon ❤️ though. Not just because I worry someone may confuse this with the actual spelled out tag of “love bomb” They are essentially the same, but I love the idea of the image of the heart because of the point at the bottom of it. Like it is going to dig in and the rounded ends are getting ready to explode and spread the feeling.

So my dear reader, expect to see a lot of #❤️bomb and #BEDLaM from me in the coming weeks. BEDLaM will show as a tag so if you wanna see all the #❤️bombs I am doing, you can find it with the BEDLaM tag.

To you Gentle Reader, I love you because you choose to share a little bit of your time with me. I thank you from the deepest parts of my ❤️ #❤️bomb #BEDLaM

The End…Already?

logo123 — Found this online. I liked the aggressive and worn out nature of the font. Has the same feeling that I believe 2017 may take.

Dear Gentle Reader,

I swear that the last time I checked my calendar, it was merely October and I was stressing about getting a different car! I think I may have had some sort of mental memory/time blockage.

itsaliens-jpg-crop-original-original — Love this fella. I admit that I enjoy watching almost ANY alien show. Don’t judge! LOL!

Kidding. Seriously, though, where does time go? How much have I wasted in that stupid pursuit of trying to build my bank accounts to pay off this car faster? I have worked nearly every single day on strictly that issue and now I feel worn out and a bit ragged.

I can’t recall if I have ever mentioned before, my friends, for my secret (well, not so much now) enjoyment of audiobooks about the subject of creativity and the brain. Something about them just makes me feel as though the reader is speaking directly to me. I only listen in the car, so I am usually alone. But so many points get brought up that feel like a tiny arrow is zinging me right through the eye and into my brain or shattering my rib to get to my heart.

At the center of all the books is essentially the belief that if you are a creative soul and all you do with your ideas is to write them down, then believe that you will work on them later or whenever you get around to it, those ideas can drift away. Or maybe the magic in that idea is gone forever and you just chug away at it like you were digging a ditch. Not very much enjoyment in that, is there? I can attest to this, because in the last 6 years of this silly little site, I have written down 53 ideas that I thought I would get to “when I could/had time.” I have seen some of these ideas become pretty fun things done by someone else. Some I have yet to find anywhere and I hope that I do them in the coming year before I lose them.

Now, when I wasn’t onstage or working on a show this past year, the realities of life were heavy. 2016 was filled with Heroes that were taken too soon, friends/family that passed away, or friends suffering from death in their family, politics, finances, politics, my wanting to “know” more, politics. I think that trying to run from these moments in time is what led to my realization that I have “lost” months or so just trying to keep my head above something that made me feel like I would drown. Maybe that’s why I chased down so many shows this year to avoid life’s ugly or at least not as fun truths.

With this knowledge, I say, nay, I shout “BRING ON 2017, for I shall bring on BEDLaM!”

Until then, dear Reader, look back on your year. What did you learn about yourself? What challenge did you defeat? Congratulations are in order. Cheers!

Oh, and What is BEDLaM, you ask, my friends. I’ll tell you tomorrow.

So… What You’re Saying Is…

2016-chevy-malibu

Oh Gentle Reader,

I have had a pet peeve about this slogan that I see popping up on commercials more and more for at least six months now. It’s interesting that I am not the only one as a Google search autocompleted when I was less than halfway through typing. Those other people were offended by something else. Here’s one of my faves.

Yes, I understand it is merely a marketing campaign and I don’t fault them for using a clever tactic that is similar to “reality tv.” The thing about them is that there have been some actual aspiring actors in these spots. No, they may not be SAG (Screen Actors Guild) members, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t actors. 🎭

But I am not here to debate the subject of whether or not a person has to have a membership to SAG or AEA (Actors’ Equity Association) to be an actor. Or even whether these commercials are trickery. 🙀

I just want to point out that this phrase seems to belittle the work that actors do. I can’t speak for movies, but in the realm of theatre, actors can move the audience into a different way of considering something that was once as simple as black and white. The actor can bring to light an emotion that the viewer didn’t know they felt about a subject or person. The actor can take you away from reality, even if it is for just a brief moment in the span of your evening.

Actors put in so much time, energy, passion, compassion, and open armed love to the characters that they build, that at least for me maybe others too, it also leads to being wholly vulnerable to deep subconscious emotions that were waiting to be released.

So by not being able to hide behind a wall of self preservation or a label we see ourselves through when we look in the mirror, we, as actors, can see who we REALLY are. This is why this slogan rubs me the wrong way.

Now, it turns out that life has thrown me some 🍋lemons, dear reader, and I am preparing to make a lemon chiffon cake out of it. It’s like having only the lemons and an egg with all the other ingredients still at the store. I know, I know. It’s supposed to be lemonade. BUT I am never one to go with “supposed to be’s.”

What I find kind of funny about this situation is that it all ties back to cars! 😄 Well, my little beat up Toyota Rav4 is nearing the need to replace the engine. It’s 20 years old and has tons of miles on it. This now begs the question, do I get a new(er) car or replace the engine? A part of me really wants the new car, but I adore the size of the car now and the later models all have larger bodies, so that is what’s keeping me from diving in.

BUT the real question is, when I begin to talk to the salespeople, should I be an actor or a real person?

Gentle reader, I think we all know the answer to that! 😜

Waking Up Now That September Ends

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This month has felt a bit like a dream.

I got to work on a great show with a wonderful group of bipeds. We had some crazy hot weather in California and I hate the sun, so we all know how I feel about that. I actually was able to begin building my savings account again, even with extra bills to pay! ☜ That’s a big one.

🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭

I had so much fun working on Assassins for Los Altos Stage Company! The show got such great reviews. I had no idea what the show was about and I wasn’t planning on auditioning. Then I got a call from Lee Ann Payne saying, “hey I am directing a show. You should come and audition.” Of course, that wasn’t how she said it, but it was very casual. Then, a coworker explained the whole show to me. It was at that point that I thought “hell yeah! I have to do that show.” So I do owe them both credit for prompting me to audition. As often as I could, I watched all the scenes when I was off stage during the rehearsal process, seeing how the director and actors built up their characters and told their stories. I loved hearing the crazy things that are only said in theatre like “you’re giving the ‘fuck’ too much.” Once the show opened, I loved to listen to the scenes (especially the Fromme and Moore scenes) and chuckled at every joke that was found throughout the show. For those of you who haven’t seen or heard of Sondheim’s Assassins you can do a Youtube search, but here’s a description from MTI:

A multiple Tony Award-winning theatrical tour-de-force, Assassinscombines Sondheim’s signature blend of intelligently stunning lyrics and beautiful music with a panoramic story of our nation’s culture of celebrity and the violent means some will use to obtain it, embodied by America’s four successful and five would-be presidential assassins. Bold, original, disturbing and alarmingly funny, Assassins is perhaps the most controversial musical ever written.

Assassins lays bare the lives of nine individuals who assassinated or tried to assassinate the President of the United States, in a one-act historical “revusical” that explores the dark side of the American experience. From John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald, writers, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman, bend the rules of time and space, taking us on a nightmarish roller coaster ride in which assassins and would-be assassins from different historical periods meet, interact and inspire each other to harrowing acts in the name of the American Dream.

Assassins requires skilled singers who are also versatile actors. This is an ideal choice for mature audiences and will challenge your designers as they try to recreate famous moments and people in America’s history.

So you see, it is something that many people don’t want to be “entertained” with, especially in light of Donald Trump’s statements about 2nd Amendment-ers “taking care” of Hillary Clinton. So some people didn’t really like the material of the show, but they did appreciate the performances though it seems like the audience is “rooting” 👏 for Lee Harvey Oswald, John Wilkes Booth, and the others during show, particularly at the end of each either completing their jobs or being executed themselves. The all performances were so good, from the top down the entire cast was so solid! Some were mesmerizing like Ken Boswell as Charles Guiteau, Philomena Block as Sarah Jane Moore, Alea Selburn as Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, and Todd Wright as Sam Byke. It was a great show to be a part of and I am grateful for the chance to play with this group of actors, even if the unexpected heat did put a damper on the run. But this is one to remember, thanks to the timeliness of it as well as its own greatness

. ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️

MY STARS!!! It is September! Why are we having this 90+ degree weather when global warming isn’t real!? (I totally believe in global warming. That was just a joke.) Yes, yes, I know that summer ended on the 21st, and can potentially stay warm through October. I know this academically, but I don’t wanna! LOL. I want it to stay like it was when I was a kid. Summer was only June thru August! I have made mention many times that I don’t enjoy being in the heat, so this felt like a slow painful Wicked Witch of the West type murder. 💀 What a world! What a world. Mercifully, the costumes weren’t too heavy, and considering one of my castmates had a suit that was made out of material that felt like the heaviest grade of wool cloth a person can find, I shouldn’t really complain. The important thing is we survived! And my beard and moustache stayed on when I needed it to! That is the real miracle here. Even if I did look a little like Mario. Special thanks to the Assassins cast for always singing the Super Mario music when I passed by… 😜😉

$$$$$

You know, here in the Bay Area, it takes a lot of solid, steady, well paying work in order to pay the rent/mortgage if you are an actor. Out of all the actors I know (and that is a TON of them) I believe all of us have survival jobs. Some of us like those jobs. Some of us don’t. Personally, I tend to vacillate between the two. Currently, I am grateful to have them as I know some people aren’t so fortunate. Now this month has been rife with extra bills to pay. Some expected, some not so much. For example, I decided I wanted to work out my brain with an anthropology class. Since I love to people watch, I figured this would be a good fit. I wasn’t expecting to cough up almost $400 bucks for it and that’s without the books. But it worked out. Then, stupid me got a parking ticket. $50. 💩! Then a smog and my car registration, which I was planning for. But then, to have to fix the exhaust pipe on the car on top of all that? Oh, I thought I was doomed. 😱 DOOMED, I tell you. Somehow, looking at my statements, everything did work out really well, and for the first time in a long time my savings account has funds flowing back into it. 👀 I never thought I would see that day again.

That has been my September in a oven roasted nut shell. Did you have a good month? Or was it like Green Day’s September, where you just want to hide out until it is over? Just like with the survival job, I went back and forth on this, too. I hated the weather. Loved the show. Hated the extra bills. Loved that I have done a bit of growing up. Hate that I just said that. Love that I am learning new things. Hate that I don’t write as much. BUT Love that you, dear reader, take the time to give this the once over. Thank you!

Tell me about your month! Did you learn something new about yourself? Did you do anything fun relating to theatre? I am all ears… er… eyes, I guess it would be.

Until next time!

💖

What Would Prince Do… Have Done?

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As the world knows, the incredible artist known as Prince died on April 21. Like everyone else, I was a fan. It was a very sad day when this news was released.

During the past weekend’s performances of Boy From Oz in San Francisco, there was a sadness that came over me as the cast stood in the wings waiting for the final number of the show “I Go To Rio.”

For those of you unfamiliar with the show, BFO is essentially the life of Peter Allen. Mostly known for writing the songs “The Best That You Can Do” (AKA Theme Song from the movie, Arthur, which starred Dudley Moore and Liza Minelli) and “I Honestly Love You” sung by Olivia Newton John. He is also known for being the first husband of Liza Minelli, who has had the tragic luck of picking gay men to marry.

The show covers not only his meeting of Liza, but first, her mother, the amazing Judy Garland. It progresses through his parting ways with Liza and falling in love with Greg Connell, who, like Allen died from AIDS.

But back to the show…

The song just before the finale is “Once Before I Go” in which Peter sings a beautiful good bye to the audience. The song was actually written for Allen’s friend, Ann Margaret, when her husband had passed away, but I am sure that once Greg died the song became even more personal. As our Peter, played by the incredible Dan Seda, was performing the hell out of this song, it made me think of some of the other musicians that have passed away. Not only that they had passed, but that they had a chance to in a sense “finish” their work. I know that isn’t the right word for it, but they did get the opportunity to say goodbye in a way.

David Bowie released one final album, Blackstar. This work feels very much like a goodbye, in my opinion. Sure, there are some upbeat tunes on this record, like “Tis A Pity She Was A Whore,” but that one has me wondering if he was talking about a person or cancer or even life. There is a John Ford story of the same name that is of incestuous siblings that ends in one’s death. It may be that he is singing about it. Personally, I think it is just a coincidence.
Freddie Mercury recorded one last song called “Mother Love.” It was released on the Made in Heaven album after his passing. In it, he sings bits about what may be himself: “My body’s aching, but I can’t sleep/My dreams are all the company I keep/ Got such a feeling as the sun goes down/I’m coming home to my sweet/Mother love.” Even in his final video, (These Are The Days of Our Lives) it is easy to see that he wasn’t well.
Howard Ashman, of Disney fame and the Little Shop Of Horrors musical, was able to give the world incredible songs for not only a beauty called Belle but a scrappy diamond in the rough named Aladdin. Both films were released posthumously and the world accepted these bright and shining gifts from the talented lyricist.

But what about the people that left us unexpectedly?

What would they have created if they knew their lives would be taking that big final curtain call soon? People like Micheal Jackson, who was in the midst of planning his comeback concert. I love MJ, but would it have worked? Did he have some new tricks up his sleeve? Or how about Aaliyah and Notorious B.I.G? What would be the last thing they want the fans or family to know?

I seriously would love to know…

What would the Artist known as Prince have done