Good tech, what a good little tech!

I am so fucking relieved that my tech rehearsal at Intermedia Arts went as well as it did. We finished our set-up, cue-to-cue, run trough and clean up in about 2 hours and 20 minutes I think. The techs were happy to leave early (not sure if they had yet another rehearsal to endure or not). Everyone was pretty competent in dealing with the new territory. The laptop worked wonders and exceeded my expectations. The Oatwheel, yes the Oatwheel, looked not as bad as I thought, and didn't shed uncontrollably. We gained confidence with the use of "duct tape" and didn't disastrous snags. Two more rehearsals to work the kinks out and we'll be fine.

Just so you know. Yes, you.

You Tube video

Fringe-fer-All

I just got back from Fringe-for-All #2. "Among the Oats" went dead last, which was weird but welcome. Mark and I prepped well enough, but we went over in time, and were thusly clapped off the stage. He took some liberty in the beginning of our scene to play, which was fine, as the audience got a kick out of what was happening, I think. I kept wondering "What's taking him so long?" I was worried that he couldn't get the tape ripped off for his accessory. I thought the scene went well though.

I just hope people don't think I was an asshole or something as I kind of yelled my last line over the clapping as I walked off the stage. Really, I was having fun with the fact that we went over, and decided to play that up. Oh well. See the play for the play, not for the producing asshole.

I saw some good previews tonight, and some not so good. Par for the course, of course. I had fun. It was different and weird t be a part of the Fringe like that. I need to make an effort to see some of it (more of it) in the weeks to come.

We don't know who invented the wheel, but...

...we know who's trying to invent the "Oatwheel"!

Um, me.

Trying is the keyword.

I spent 6 hours today with my friend Joe trying to get these damn oats to stick to the hardboard I bought. Great idea in concept, but the 3M adhesive just worked marginally well. Not well enough, though, for the effect I want.

So I brought the boards home in my now sticky oat-filled car. I'll try to apply some contact cement later this week to really make those damn oats stick. What a mess.

Joe was a real trooper. The pizza I bought in exchange for the use of his garage surely wasn't enough. Live and learn, I guess.

Oh, Mr. Sagan, do go on...

A scientific colleague tells me about a recent trip to the New Guinea highlands where she visited a stone age culture hardly contacted by Western civilization. They were ignorant of wristwatches, soft drinks, and frozen food. But they knew about Apollo 11. They knew that humans had walked on the Moon. They knew the names of Armstrong and Aldrin and Collins. They wanted to know who was visiting the Moon these days.

- from Pale Blue Dot, Chapter 16, Scaling Heaven

Storm a-comin'

Oooooo! Scary storms affecting practically all of Minnesota. The Dakota County sirens are blaring and the sky is black. The trees they are a-swayin'.

We've had good rehearsals this week. Last night was good, despite the giant turn-of-the-20th-Century cast from Rosetown Playhouse performing out on the Como Pavillion patio. Some kid kept knocking on the door to our conference room while we were rehearsing. Little bastard. I went out twice to yell "whoever was knocking on our door better knock it off RIGHT NOW!!!". I am an old man. The only thing missing was a flaming bag of shit.

Despite that, we're really coming along. We concentrated our rehearsal on "Death", looking at the props I had so far and viewing the slideshow on my laptop. Everyone was pleased as well with the postcards that arrived yesterday. They are on their way to the appropriate folks.

Just have my audition for Frank Theatre on Sunday. I hope to tackle some more prop issues and solve/explore the matter of the use of "duct" (gaff) tape in our show. It'll be a good, fun effect when all is said and done.

God bless Amerika

I don't know the source of that title. But it's the 4th and I thought I'd say something at least somewhat patriotic, if not ironical.

Does it not say something that the president was heckled today during a speech? I don't know what was said, or even how appropriate it was to interrupt a speech, but it certainly is a testament as to how angry people are.

No show work today. I've been recovering from a cold and I want to treat it like a holiday. Besides, I have my face buried in a computer daily- time to experience the sunlight. I did get a return email from Jon Ferguson today. He expressed a willingness to look in on a rehearsal of "Oats". It's heartening that someone like Jon at least has the interest to help out and give feedback. I feel that artists like Jon really do enhance the theatre scene here in the Twin Cities, offering a real genuine approach to stagework- something very different than the regular fare of the past 10 years. Glad to know and learn from him.

"Oatiness"

I just got sick yesterday. That "summer" cold that comes out of nowhere and makes you feel like it's midwinter. Ick. I think I'm starting to shake it.

That said, I forgot that I linked my google blog to our Fringe page. No more self-serving rants for me; gotta be professional.

Rehearsals are going well. We are getting offbook this week, and I'm actually pretty impressed with the memorization of the cast so far (myself included). Of course there are fumbles and called lines, but having had a two week hiatus hasn't really shaken us.

So, it's almost three in the morning, and I had the monkey-mind going. I couldn't get the "too-do list" out of my head. Props that need assembling, oat wheel that needs building, a laptop operator that needs hiring/volunteering ( I may have to part with my Artist Pass; know anyone?), etc. Really, it'll all come together with tenacity.

No, "Among the Oats" isn't Shakespeare, and it may not make the critics' pick, but I really needed to do it. It's bothered me artistically for years that I never gave it the chance it deserved back in 2002. Now we have a new venue, a new approach, new episodes. When it's done, I can lay it to rest and move on to other things, knowing that I gave it a pretty good shot and fulfilled it as best I could.