A slide show of pictures is available here!
All pictures by Brad Dahlgaard.
Hooray!!!
20 June 2008
18 June 2008
Jasper Johns
JASPER JOHNS:
3 Works by Skewed Visions founders Charles Campbell, Gulgun Kayim, and Sean Kelley-Pegg
They respond to GREY PAINTINGS, TARGET PAINTINGS, and FLAG PAINTINGS
This Wednesday Through Saturday 8PM at the Ritz Theater in Northeast.
More information here.
Ahhhhh!
05 June 2008
Bring May Flowers
Oh, man.
I am SICK.
Okay, alright, I'm a lot better than I was this morning. But this morning, when I couldn't breathe through my nose, when my snot was green, when I was coughing hard enough to almost vomit, and I was sitting on the couch using Kleenex not to blow my nose but to wipe up exhausted, spirit-crushed tears... Then I was SICK.
I'm spending the day futzing around on the internet, watching movies, drinking cup after cup of Twinings tea, and generally feeling sorry for myself. I'd just held on so long to the hope that the cold I'd been ignoring would just go the hell away, but today I had to give up hope and just give in to being a sick, crying little girl.
Anyhow, now that I'm feeling a little bit more upbeat (as much as can be expected), I figured it was HIGH TIME to BLOG.
Ready.
Set.
1. End of R&J
Thank God.
2. Vacation #2
CALI.
Orange.
Looks like the set from a movie about making movies. Reality twice removed.
The Doctor lives in a cute room in a cute house with beautiful, kind friends, most of whom make movies. I want to move in as soon as possible.
We ate grapefruit with lots of sugar and drank apricot beer and The Doctor read stories out loud and we wore dresses and played with friends and had the best frozen yogurt of my life. I saw LA and the Santa Monica pier and Erin Burns and the Chapman film school, where I ran into a guy I knew from college who's acting in movies now. I found sunglasses and bought shoes. I feel like The Doctor's friends will soon be my friends, too.
I went from being nearly sick with worry and various other forms of bad juju to breathing easy and being happy and seeing pretty visions of my future.
Thank you, OC, and thank you, Doctor.
3. FATAL and My Collegiate Romance with a Robot
Bedlam 10-Minute Play Festival
FATAL felt for awhile like it would not become... but it did, and at the Sunday performance we just busted that shit out and went CRAZY! What a stellar group of people. I continue to look forward to making it an evening-length shot to the face.
My Collegiate Romance... went from being a thing that LMac told me I should make, to a title, to a cast show, to a WRITTEN, cast show, to a piece that I really enjoyed, made what it was by a bunch of people I like and am really proud of. And other people enjoyed it, as well. Who could possibly ask for more than that? There will be pictures available soon, and I will be happy to share them here, there, and everywhere. Sunday, Eric was in the audience, and it was clear that every secret was open to him, and everything moment of catharsis for me was apparent to him in it, and hearing him laugh was like a gift just for me.
So, four performances, then strike, and a champagne toast, and a lot of beer on the rooftop patio, and me, happy as a clam.
4. This week
There is too much to say about the down-sides of this week.
But.
On the sunnier side.
There have been walks, and italian sodas, and movies, and grilled food, and painting, and stories, and a house full of friends, and all sorts of things that make me happy and break my heart at the same time. Which is how it should be, I think.
Okay. I'm going to listen to the rain and finish this movie and try to get all better.
Thanks for coming back.
I am SICK.
Okay, alright, I'm a lot better than I was this morning. But this morning, when I couldn't breathe through my nose, when my snot was green, when I was coughing hard enough to almost vomit, and I was sitting on the couch using Kleenex not to blow my nose but to wipe up exhausted, spirit-crushed tears... Then I was SICK.
I'm spending the day futzing around on the internet, watching movies, drinking cup after cup of Twinings tea, and generally feeling sorry for myself. I'd just held on so long to the hope that the cold I'd been ignoring would just go the hell away, but today I had to give up hope and just give in to being a sick, crying little girl.
Anyhow, now that I'm feeling a little bit more upbeat (as much as can be expected), I figured it was HIGH TIME to BLOG.
Ready.
Set.
1. End of R&J
Thank God.
2. Vacation #2
CALI.
Orange.
Looks like the set from a movie about making movies. Reality twice removed.
The Doctor lives in a cute room in a cute house with beautiful, kind friends, most of whom make movies. I want to move in as soon as possible.
We ate grapefruit with lots of sugar and drank apricot beer and The Doctor read stories out loud and we wore dresses and played with friends and had the best frozen yogurt of my life. I saw LA and the Santa Monica pier and Erin Burns and the Chapman film school, where I ran into a guy I knew from college who's acting in movies now. I found sunglasses and bought shoes. I feel like The Doctor's friends will soon be my friends, too.
I went from being nearly sick with worry and various other forms of bad juju to breathing easy and being happy and seeing pretty visions of my future.
Thank you, OC, and thank you, Doctor.
3. FATAL and My Collegiate Romance with a Robot
Bedlam 10-Minute Play Festival
FATAL felt for awhile like it would not become... but it did, and at the Sunday performance we just busted that shit out and went CRAZY! What a stellar group of people. I continue to look forward to making it an evening-length shot to the face.
My Collegiate Romance... went from being a thing that LMac told me I should make, to a title, to a cast show, to a WRITTEN, cast show, to a piece that I really enjoyed, made what it was by a bunch of people I like and am really proud of. And other people enjoyed it, as well. Who could possibly ask for more than that? There will be pictures available soon, and I will be happy to share them here, there, and everywhere. Sunday, Eric was in the audience, and it was clear that every secret was open to him, and everything moment of catharsis for me was apparent to him in it, and hearing him laugh was like a gift just for me.
So, four performances, then strike, and a champagne toast, and a lot of beer on the rooftop patio, and me, happy as a clam.
4. This week
There is too much to say about the down-sides of this week.
But.
On the sunnier side.
There have been walks, and italian sodas, and movies, and grilled food, and painting, and stories, and a house full of friends, and all sorts of things that make me happy and break my heart at the same time. Which is how it should be, I think.
Okay. I'm going to listen to the rain and finish this movie and try to get all better.
Thanks for coming back.
01 May 2008
Gremlins
I just wrote a really long post about the failing technology of my workplace, but upon re-reading, find it TOTALLY BORING.
Long story short? In the last week and half, my computer crashed, and was not backed up in any way. My co-worker's computer froze in the middle of a database upload and she has to leave it alone until a technician comes in next week. The phone system went on the fritz, and it took me 2 days, 36 phone calls, an hour on the phone with the technical director reading DOS-like menus outloud, to fix the damn thing.
CAN SOMETHING JUST WORK RIGHT FOR ONE MINUTE?
We are home to gremlins that come out at night and have drunken parties, and our technology is paying the price.
Long story short? In the last week and half, my computer crashed, and was not backed up in any way. My co-worker's computer froze in the middle of a database upload and she has to leave it alone until a technician comes in next week. The phone system went on the fritz, and it took me 2 days, 36 phone calls, an hour on the phone with the technical director reading DOS-like menus outloud, to fix the damn thing.
CAN SOMETHING JUST WORK RIGHT FOR ONE MINUTE?
We are home to gremlins that come out at night and have drunken parties, and our technology is paying the price.
21 April 2008
Did somebody say Macbeth? Who was it?
Seriously?
A month and a half?
Sorry, I've been learning to throw stage punches from a hot Canadian. Sue me.
Romeo y Julietta opened this weekend, a charmed weekend so I'm told. Friday was the day of several planets aligning for several hours in just such a way that everyone on earth is inevitably going to drop whatever their holding, fall down, lose a limb, forget someone's birthdays, etc. Sunday was the full moon, the special kind that happened when Christ and Buddha... yeah, I don't know, I was only half paying attention to my mom on the phone about this one. Sounded pretty SWEET though - especially the part about llamas.
Anyway.
Saturday's show, in between the planets mis-aligning and that full moon, was so full of mishaps we probably should have just called it quits at intermission. Balthazar shattered a glass bottle with a pipe, then fell on his ass when he fought Tybalt; the Prince punched Juliet in the nose as Romeo accidentally ripped open Juliet's dress at the boobs; Capulet gashed his arm open on - what? someone's zipper? - and on and on. Blood blood and more blood.
May we ward off death and severe injury for the next 9 performances.
IN RELATED NEWS: I'm about to start rehearsals for the 10-minute play that had a name and a cast well before it ever had a script.
'Cause THAT'S HOW I ROLL.
A month and a half?
Sorry, I've been learning to throw stage punches from a hot Canadian. Sue me.
Romeo y Julietta opened this weekend, a charmed weekend so I'm told. Friday was the day of several planets aligning for several hours in just such a way that everyone on earth is inevitably going to drop whatever their holding, fall down, lose a limb, forget someone's birthdays, etc. Sunday was the full moon, the special kind that happened when Christ and Buddha... yeah, I don't know, I was only half paying attention to my mom on the phone about this one. Sounded pretty SWEET though - especially the part about llamas.
Anyway.
Saturday's show, in between the planets mis-aligning and that full moon, was so full of mishaps we probably should have just called it quits at intermission. Balthazar shattered a glass bottle with a pipe, then fell on his ass when he fought Tybalt; the Prince punched Juliet in the nose as Romeo accidentally ripped open Juliet's dress at the boobs; Capulet gashed his arm open on - what? someone's zipper? - and on and on. Blood blood and more blood.
May we ward off death and severe injury for the next 9 performances.
IN RELATED NEWS: I'm about to start rehearsals for the 10-minute play that had a name and a cast well before it ever had a script.
'Cause THAT'S HOW I ROLL.
04 March 2008
Winter Demons
Thinking again of inconvenient affections of eras past, of spring time, of big cities. Thinking of anywhere but here. Thinking of streets where all of the snow has been cleared away, of streets that smell like melting, burning, maybe even that sickly sweet smell of the underground. You know you'd better watch out when you'd rather smell subways than wear scarves and caps and sweaters one more day.
So.
I'm taking a vacation. A week from tomorrow I'm getting on a plane, with no money and high hopes. I'll have a whole week of paid vacation during which I will do absolutely anything I want in that dirty pretty city I used to call home. And this is better - every town is better when you're a visitor.
I will sleep on the couch of my old apartment.
I will visit my old haunts.
I will play a ghost in this particular scene.
I will try to regain my wits, since I seem to have lost them several months ago. Maybe I'll have an epiphany. At least I'll have some time to walk around. To do the things that I never had the energy for back then.
Do you think it's brainless to assume that making changes to your window's view will give a new perspective?
We'll see.
So.
I'm taking a vacation. A week from tomorrow I'm getting on a plane, with no money and high hopes. I'll have a whole week of paid vacation during which I will do absolutely anything I want in that dirty pretty city I used to call home. And this is better - every town is better when you're a visitor.
I will sleep on the couch of my old apartment.
I will visit my old haunts.
I will play a ghost in this particular scene.
I will try to regain my wits, since I seem to have lost them several months ago. Maybe I'll have an epiphany. At least I'll have some time to walk around. To do the things that I never had the energy for back then.
Do you think it's brainless to assume that making changes to your window's view will give a new perspective?
We'll see.
02 March 2008
Time Flies
Holy crap.
I'm 24.
When did that happen?
Anyway, it's been good so far, all day of it. Gonna be a good year. I can feel it my blood.
Thanks to all the beauties that traveled from the far reaches of the Cities to attend my birthday party. I hope everyone had as good a time as I did, but even if you didn't, thank you thank you thank you.
I'm 24.
When did that happen?
Anyway, it's been good so far, all day of it. Gonna be a good year. I can feel it my blood.
Thanks to all the beauties that traveled from the far reaches of the Cities to attend my birthday party. I hope everyone had as good a time as I did, but even if you didn't, thank you thank you thank you.
04 February 2008
21 January 2008
20 January 2008
Whoa.
So.
There's a gentleman.
There are Russian dancers.
And there's Skewed Visions.
(I have infiltrated to fortress.)
This . . . is my poor excuse for not writing. I've been planning a "2007: Year In Review," and I'd sure as hell better post it before the end of January or I'm officially a jerk.
Small-world coincidence of this evening: while at a potluck for the Russians, I met a Russian filmmaker who lives/works in New York. She looked really familiar, so I asked her to tell me about what she does in NY, to see if I could figure out a connection. Cool stuff, but no connection, until I told her what I was doing in NY last year. She said, "Oh, yeah. I went to Foreman's show last year." Which means I inevitably gave her her tickets. She was waiting for her boyfriend at the theatre, and he was late, so I likely saw her twice in the lobby when she turned back his ticket so he could pick it up himself, which explains why I remembered her face. (Also, she may have been one of the girls that the Eduardo was momentarily infatuated with - she is awfully pretty.)
Anyway, we talked about performance, she passed along some info on the new biennial performance festival in NY, and gave me her card so I can call her next time I'm in NY.
Sweet.
There's a gentleman.
There are Russian dancers.
And there's Skewed Visions.
(I have infiltrated to fortress.)
This . . . is my poor excuse for not writing. I've been planning a "2007: Year In Review," and I'd sure as hell better post it before the end of January or I'm officially a jerk.
Small-world coincidence of this evening: while at a potluck for the Russians, I met a Russian filmmaker who lives/works in New York. She looked really familiar, so I asked her to tell me about what she does in NY, to see if I could figure out a connection. Cool stuff, but no connection, until I told her what I was doing in NY last year. She said, "Oh, yeah. I went to Foreman's show last year." Which means I inevitably gave her her tickets. She was waiting for her boyfriend at the theatre, and he was late, so I likely saw her twice in the lobby when she turned back his ticket so he could pick it up himself, which explains why I remembered her face. (Also, she may have been one of the girls that the Eduardo was momentarily infatuated with - she is awfully pretty.)
Anyway, we talked about performance, she passed along some info on the new biennial performance festival in NY, and gave me her card so I can call her next time I'm in NY.
Sweet.
11 December 2007
Death by Hard Candy
Every time the Marketing Director chews a piece of candy, a little piece of me dies.
There are only so many times that I can run to the bathroom to avoid the sound.
Seriously, I would chew off my own limbs if it would make the torture stop.
There are only so many times that I can run to the bathroom to avoid the sound.
Seriously, I would chew off my own limbs if it would make the torture stop.
07 December 2007
BBB and OHT
1. I'm tooling around on the interweb today, looking up venue information for US theatres. I opened the page for St. Ann's, and the picture at the beginning of the flash animation is a big group of people all standing out on the street outside of the warehouse, and right smack in the middle of the picture are Jason and Jessica from Banana Bag and Bodice. They've definitely gotten drunk in my living room.
2. That made me wonder what BBB is up to, and their website tells me that The Rising Fallen have a return engagement at PS 122 in January. If I can catch The Rising Fallen and Deep Trance Behavior in Potatoland in the same trip, I will be one happy lady.
3. I watched some live video feed of Deep Trance Behavior today. It's looking pretty sweet, with two video screens on the same wall, for a double vision effect. Lots of ladies in dresses. Fulya in elbow length gloves. After awhile there was a weird error where the video footage played with a free jazz show as the sound, instead of the sounds of rehearsal. Creepy.
Uh-oh. Missing New York. Better visit soon or I might to run away to Brooklyn before it's time.
2. That made me wonder what BBB is up to, and their website tells me that The Rising Fallen have a return engagement at PS 122 in January. If I can catch The Rising Fallen and Deep Trance Behavior in Potatoland in the same trip, I will be one happy lady.
3. I watched some live video feed of Deep Trance Behavior today. It's looking pretty sweet, with two video screens on the same wall, for a double vision effect. Lots of ladies in dresses. Fulya in elbow length gloves. After awhile there was a weird error where the video footage played with a free jazz show as the sound, instead of the sounds of rehearsal. Creepy.
Uh-oh. Missing New York. Better visit soon or I might to run away to Brooklyn before it's time.
06 December 2007
White Christmas
It snowed eight inches on Saturday.
It snowed another four on Tuesday.
It's snowing right now, and it doesn't show signs of stopping.
I knew this was the Minnesota way, but I've never actually seen it happen. This is more snow that I've seen at once since I was 8.
Who's buying me snow boots for Christmas?
It snowed another four on Tuesday.
It's snowing right now, and it doesn't show signs of stopping.
I knew this was the Minnesota way, but I've never actually seen it happen. This is more snow that I've seen at once since I was 8.
Who's buying me snow boots for Christmas?
22 November 2007
Glutony
Cheese and crackers
Curried Sweet Potato Soup
Vegan Sourdough Dressing
Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing
Cranberry Relish
Green Bean, Fennel, and Onion Relish
Applesauce
Peas and Pearl Onions
Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Potatoes with Cheese and Sour Cream
Homemade Rolls
Lentil Loaf
Turkey
White and Red Wine
Red Tea
Coffee
Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie with Sherry/Contreau Whipped Cream
Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
I took a walk in between dinner and dessert and got a side cramp, and I feel a little like my eyes are going to pop out.
I am thankful for my roommates, and I am thankful that my roommates know how to cook.
Curried Sweet Potato Soup
Vegan Sourdough Dressing
Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing
Cranberry Relish
Green Bean, Fennel, and Onion Relish
Applesauce
Peas and Pearl Onions
Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Potatoes with Cheese and Sour Cream
Homemade Rolls
Lentil Loaf
Turkey
White and Red Wine
Red Tea
Coffee
Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie with Sherry/Contreau Whipped Cream
Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
I took a walk in between dinner and dessert and got a side cramp, and I feel a little like my eyes are going to pop out.
I am thankful for my roommates, and I am thankful that my roommates know how to cook.
18 November 2007
A Christmas. . .
I'm in a musical.
What?
This is my first foray into musical theatre since. . .when?
Oh, yeah. Guys and Dolls, 2000. Does anyone actually remember me singing in that show? Yeah, that's because I didn't.
Needless to say, not usually my cup of tea, but you know, I'm hitting those notes better than I ever would have guessed. And rehearsals have been making me laugh a lot, which is certainly something I've been in dire need of.
The music is adorable, the show is charming, and we're a cute, weird, ragtag band of actors. If you live in the Twin Cities, I think that you're pretty much morally obligated to come and see it.
If not, I'll be taking requests when I hit the road for my holiday travels.
What?
This is my first foray into musical theatre since. . .when?
Oh, yeah. Guys and Dolls, 2000. Does anyone actually remember me singing in that show? Yeah, that's because I didn't.
Needless to say, not usually my cup of tea, but you know, I'm hitting those notes better than I ever would have guessed. And rehearsals have been making me laugh a lot, which is certainly something I've been in dire need of.
The music is adorable, the show is charming, and we're a cute, weird, ragtag band of actors. If you live in the Twin Cities, I think that you're pretty much morally obligated to come and see it.
If not, I'll be taking requests when I hit the road for my holiday travels.
10 November 2007
07 November 2007
Shame
I just posted a comment on one of my new favorite blogs, and as I was pressing the 'submit' button, realized that not only did I split an infinitive in an atrocious manner, I also changed tense mid-sentence. There's nothing I can do to take it back, my cheeks are burning, and I know, I just know, that the smart kids at Iceland Spar will never love me now.
We are a special breed, we who suffer guilt and shame and general physical discomfort for grammatical mistakes we make on the Internet.
It's been a weird day.
We are a special breed, we who suffer guilt and shame and general physical discomfort for grammatical mistakes we make on the Internet.
It's been a weird day.
02 November 2007
Ace of Cakes
They just made Scrabble edible.
Board, letters, score cards, timer (a regulation Scrabble game is 25 minutes - whoa), and Scrabble dictionary. All edible.
Those guys are my heroes.
Board, letters, score cards, timer (a regulation Scrabble game is 25 minutes - whoa), and Scrabble dictionary. All edible.
Those guys are my heroes.
01 November 2007
Barrage
Okay, I've gotta make up for some lost time. Okay, 'some' may be an
understatement.
I've come back into the blog-fold for a few reasons: 1. I finally
read Kevin's travelblog, and it nearly had me in tears. Inspiring.
2. MegaClar asked me if I'd given up my blog, and she said she kind
of missed it. I like to make her happy, and since I can't manage to
pick up the phone and call her with any regularity, I thought I would
do this for her. 3. Joseph commented on my blog out of the blue,
without me having posted anything, and I thought, 'okay, now I have a
number 3 in my list of top 3 reasons to start blogging again.'
Plus: I really need a hobby.
Things I Think You Should Know About, If You Do Not Already
The healing power of The New Pornographers.
I've been really grumpy for about a month. All the time. I feel
sorry for everyone who's around me. For the most part, I think I keep
it to myself, but I know that at least my roommates know, because I
can't keep myself from banging around really loudly in the morning to
vent my frustration at life. Well, I'm kind of clumsy anyway,
especially in the morning, so maybe it doesn't seem any different than
regular morning-me. However, I know that I'm clomping on purpose.
Yesterday, when I was walking home, feeling a little like I was doing
the Charlie Brown walk, I put on The New Pornographers' Mass Romantic,
which I had forgotten has some sort of magical quality – I used to
listen to it over and over when I was in New York, I couldn't stop
myself, it just made the world seem to make so much more sense. My
mom was talking to me a few nights ago about learning to live in the
moment – a great idea in theory, but so hard to do – she said
something like "Am I okay right now? Yes, I am." A fruity
affirmation in writing, but if you know my mother, you can imagine her
voice, and it sounds pretty reasonable when you hear it from her. But
I digress. I put on Mass Romantic, decided that Halloween is fine day
to look like a crazy person walking down the street, and started
walk-dancing my way down Central Avenue. When I got home, I bought
their 2003 album Electric Version on iTunes (because I didn't want to
wait another day for my life to be so much better – sorry, Local Music
Store), put on my headphones, and cleaned my room (gasp). While I was
listening, I realized I must have heard the album before, though I
don't know where, because I knew some of the refrains before they
happened. It felt like fate.
I cannot tell you how much better I feel today. Thank you, New Pornographers.
Minnesota Public Radio Membership Drive
If you agree to let them thank you on the air, and fill in that bit in
the online form on why you've contributed (or, I assume, tell your
operator when you call), they will, in fact, read it on the air. I
got this message on callboard from someone I only vaguely know: 'you
didn't happen to just donate to NPR during their membership/fund drive
did you?
If you did, I TOTALLY heard them mention your name AND tell us why you donated.'
Be careful what you write on the internet. It may end up broadcast on
regional radio. (I'm totally putting that on my This American Life
application. Watch me.)
***Update: Nathan Keepers and Dominique Serrand also heard me mentioned on NPR. I'M FAMOUS.
Deep Trance Behavior In Potatoland
Richard Foreman's newest work at the Ontological. I'm pretty stoked
(did I just type that word? Who am I today?); I just have to decide
when I can feasibly arrange a trip to the Big Apple, what with my
vacation time not technically kicking in until March. I kind of want
to go to opening weekend. . .we'll see.
The big news (news to me, anyway): two of my fellow interns are in the
show this year! I'm totally delighted, and a little bit jealous
(apparently my stand-in work for the Aviator last year didn't capture
Richard's soul to quite the extent I might have hoped.) Caitlin and
Fulya both seem to have an appropriate presence for Richard's stage,
not to mention they know exactly what to expect in rehearsals. GO
INTERNS! Way to get paid a little to be there. That's what I'm
talkin' about.
The Deception
Holy crap, is this show beautiful. I wish that everyone could see it.
I wish that everyone in Minneapolis WOULD see it. Come on, people,
you don't have much time left.
Strange Love
I would pay money to watch Charles Campbell point and scratch his
head. In fact, I think that I have (Elliott's piece in Capture!Rama),
and I would gladly do it again. Strange Love, though, was so much
more than that. The first part – The Device – was a stark labyrinth
of surveillance and old, broken things that seemed to have secret
lives as instruments of torture – I wished that I hadn't been warned
not to take too long in the labyrinth, because then I took note of
everything quickly, and once I was through, I felt like I couldn't go
back. I also had a strong reaction to going through it with other
people. For some reason I felt like I wouldn't get the desired effect
if I experienced with other people, so I spent too much time worrying
if I was alone. Which was, in itself, part of my experience, so I
can't knock it.
The eventual (solo) performance was like nothing I've ever seen,
really. I've never seen someone playing a variety of characters, not
specifically for comic effect, or within a narrative (see: Spalding Gray) or to some undesired comic effect (see:
High School Dramatic Interpretation). His changes between characters
were subtle yet clear, always surprising but never inappropriately
jarring, and always in some kind of communication with what was
happening on the video screen behind him. One of the best uses of
video in theatre I've seen. And the few times that he entered into
the theatrical conversation as himself, specifically after the planned but unrehearsed interruption of a different guest artist each night (in my case a hula dancer playing a ukulele), were especially surprising and delightful.
Skewed Visions is trying to put together a grant for a residency, and if they work that out, I'm going to be the first in line.
The Dark Side of the Brothers Grimm
Don't let the name fool you - it was awesome.
Puppies In the Workplace
As long as they aren't a certain small dog that likes to bite girls that aren't their own, unprovoked, cute puppies in the workplace is a day maker. I'm waiting for Rico and Zach to have a playdate in the office. I plan to do no work that day, but play with puppies.
I can't believe I like dogs now. I blame Chuck from Dooce.com.
Whew. I think I'm done. Next time: A Gift from Planet BX63, and Why I'll Never Look At Ladybugs the Same Way.
understatement.
I've come back into the blog-fold for a few reasons: 1. I finally
read Kevin's travelblog, and it nearly had me in tears. Inspiring.
2. MegaClar asked me if I'd given up my blog, and she said she kind
of missed it. I like to make her happy, and since I can't manage to
pick up the phone and call her with any regularity, I thought I would
do this for her. 3. Joseph commented on my blog out of the blue,
without me having posted anything, and I thought, 'okay, now I have a
number 3 in my list of top 3 reasons to start blogging again.'
Plus: I really need a hobby.
Things I Think You Should Know About, If You Do Not Already
The healing power of The New Pornographers.
I've been really grumpy for about a month. All the time. I feel
sorry for everyone who's around me. For the most part, I think I keep
it to myself, but I know that at least my roommates know, because I
can't keep myself from banging around really loudly in the morning to
vent my frustration at life. Well, I'm kind of clumsy anyway,
especially in the morning, so maybe it doesn't seem any different than
regular morning-me. However, I know that I'm clomping on purpose.
Yesterday, when I was walking home, feeling a little like I was doing
the Charlie Brown walk, I put on The New Pornographers' Mass Romantic,
which I had forgotten has some sort of magical quality – I used to
listen to it over and over when I was in New York, I couldn't stop
myself, it just made the world seem to make so much more sense. My
mom was talking to me a few nights ago about learning to live in the
moment – a great idea in theory, but so hard to do – she said
something like "Am I okay right now? Yes, I am." A fruity
affirmation in writing, but if you know my mother, you can imagine her
voice, and it sounds pretty reasonable when you hear it from her. But
I digress. I put on Mass Romantic, decided that Halloween is fine day
to look like a crazy person walking down the street, and started
walk-dancing my way down Central Avenue. When I got home, I bought
their 2003 album Electric Version on iTunes (because I didn't want to
wait another day for my life to be so much better – sorry, Local Music
Store), put on my headphones, and cleaned my room (gasp). While I was
listening, I realized I must have heard the album before, though I
don't know where, because I knew some of the refrains before they
happened. It felt like fate.
I cannot tell you how much better I feel today. Thank you, New Pornographers.
Minnesota Public Radio Membership Drive
If you agree to let them thank you on the air, and fill in that bit in
the online form on why you've contributed (or, I assume, tell your
operator when you call), they will, in fact, read it on the air. I
got this message on callboard from someone I only vaguely know: 'you
didn't happen to just donate to NPR during their membership/fund drive
did you?
If you did, I TOTALLY heard them mention your name AND tell us why you donated.'
Be careful what you write on the internet. It may end up broadcast on
regional radio. (I'm totally putting that on my This American Life
application. Watch me.)
***Update: Nathan Keepers and Dominique Serrand also heard me mentioned on NPR. I'M FAMOUS.
Deep Trance Behavior In Potatoland
Richard Foreman's newest work at the Ontological. I'm pretty stoked
(did I just type that word? Who am I today?); I just have to decide
when I can feasibly arrange a trip to the Big Apple, what with my
vacation time not technically kicking in until March. I kind of want
to go to opening weekend. . .we'll see.
The big news (news to me, anyway): two of my fellow interns are in the
show this year! I'm totally delighted, and a little bit jealous
(apparently my stand-in work for the Aviator last year didn't capture
Richard's soul to quite the extent I might have hoped.) Caitlin and
Fulya both seem to have an appropriate presence for Richard's stage,
not to mention they know exactly what to expect in rehearsals. GO
INTERNS! Way to get paid a little to be there. That's what I'm
talkin' about.
The Deception
Holy crap, is this show beautiful. I wish that everyone could see it.
I wish that everyone in Minneapolis WOULD see it. Come on, people,
you don't have much time left.
Strange Love
I would pay money to watch Charles Campbell point and scratch his
head. In fact, I think that I have (Elliott's piece in Capture!Rama),
and I would gladly do it again. Strange Love, though, was so much
more than that. The first part – The Device – was a stark labyrinth
of surveillance and old, broken things that seemed to have secret
lives as instruments of torture – I wished that I hadn't been warned
not to take too long in the labyrinth, because then I took note of
everything quickly, and once I was through, I felt like I couldn't go
back. I also had a strong reaction to going through it with other
people. For some reason I felt like I wouldn't get the desired effect
if I experienced with other people, so I spent too much time worrying
if I was alone. Which was, in itself, part of my experience, so I
can't knock it.
The eventual (solo) performance was like nothing I've ever seen,
really. I've never seen someone playing a variety of characters, not
specifically for comic effect, or within a narrative (see: Spalding Gray) or to some undesired comic effect (see:
High School Dramatic Interpretation). His changes between characters
were subtle yet clear, always surprising but never inappropriately
jarring, and always in some kind of communication with what was
happening on the video screen behind him. One of the best uses of
video in theatre I've seen. And the few times that he entered into
the theatrical conversation as himself, specifically after the planned but unrehearsed interruption of a different guest artist each night (in my case a hula dancer playing a ukulele), were especially surprising and delightful.
Skewed Visions is trying to put together a grant for a residency, and if they work that out, I'm going to be the first in line.
The Dark Side of the Brothers Grimm
Don't let the name fool you - it was awesome.
Puppies In the Workplace
As long as they aren't a certain small dog that likes to bite girls that aren't their own, unprovoked, cute puppies in the workplace is a day maker. I'm waiting for Rico and Zach to have a playdate in the office. I plan to do no work that day, but play with puppies.
I can't believe I like dogs now. I blame Chuck from Dooce.com.
Whew. I think I'm done. Next time: A Gift from Planet BX63, and Why I'll Never Look At Ladybugs the Same Way.
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