82 miles for the month.

9 miles today which makes 84 for the month, a few more than I pledged to Team Wonderbike. Kids are learning their music for Robber Bridegroom.

27 Miles and a Couple of Marmots

27 miles logged this week. Zucchini lasagna lasted all week. Managed to survive the first week of classes. Had auditions for Improv and the Robber Bridegroom. Bridegroom is cast, we'll get to Improv. Out on Eastwood saw a couple of marmot looking critters, need to investigate what they are. Yesterday I bought a headlamp for the bike so I can see and be seen coming home from rehearsals at night. The weather is quite cool today. I hope it lasts. First rehearsal of Bridegroom is tonight.

Sunday Morning-Omlettes and Frisbees and Squirrels, Oh my!

I made omlettes this morning and had some of Chris' yummy Zucchini cake for dessert. Why shouldn't breakfast come w/ dessert. I logged a total of 18 miles on the bike this week. Not much, I know, but when my office is only a mile and a half away not much is required. Yesterday was great, got up and biked to the farmer's market with Chris. Shopped for the weeks groceries in the afternoon, grilled a yummy steak, and made zucchini, spinach and artichoke lasagna. Played a great game of Frisbee golf with Martin in the early evening. Rowan stayed home to work on his claymation squirrel.

Wednesday night Thunderstorms Thursday Project Runway

Wasn't able to blog Wednesday night as the lightening was intense, and I didn't want to risk blowing up the computer. It was an excellent storm though. On Wednesday morning, I caught a break between showers, and rode in on the fresh after rain streets. Love the smells and the atmosphere of that! Had a morning on meetings, getting ready for the upcomming year. Thursday was about a division meeting in the morning, then spent the afternoon tearing out walls in the new black box space. It has turned cool here, but the humidity is still a bit intense, I was a sweaty mess by the end of the day. Had a beautiful evening ride home in the cool air, its was gorgeous! To cap of my day I watched Project Runway . . . finally! I'm excited to finally get to see this season that was locked up in litigation for so long, and also the new season of Top Chef is on Wednesday nights. The only bummer is that next wee we have auditions for Robber Bridegroom, and I'll have to watch them late at night.

Loose Seat

Starting out today, I had to tighten a couple of nuts on the rear rack, but then it worked fine lugging my cordless drill to campus. Couldn't get in to work on the new black box, because they haven't moved the weight equipment out yet. The influx of students in mid-August must have taken them by surprise. Coming home my seat started to pan from side to side again. Need to tighten it some more, but I'm trying to wait until September when I can get a bike wrench. The C-wrench is startind to round off the nuts. And everyone knows that there's nothing worse. I kept wondering if the loose seat is some sort of sign. Do I need to be more of a tight ass? Or do I need to loosen up and not worry so much? Tomorrow I will ride in without tightening my seat to see what that brings. I know if I wait long enough, the bike will provide the answer.
On another note, we have to do something about these idiots showing up a large public gatherings with loaded weapons. There is a vibe coming from these right wing fear mongers that is making me a little nervous about the future. Maybe they need to tighten a couple of nuts.

Turtle

Today on my ride in to the office, I saw a cute box turtle just East of the airport. I think its an important reminder of the tortoise and the hair. Don't in a hurry, slow and steady wins the race. Fortunately I avoided the storms that rolled through. Logged three miles. On another note I must remember to never underestimate the stupidity of the American people. Looks the the insurance companies and the powers that be are going to win once again. Maybe I'll bike to Canada.

Logging the miles on Big Bad Buddha Bike

So I rescued a cruiser from the weeds at my parent's, actually I rescued a cruiser and a 5 speed, but I've got the cruiser up and running, and have moved the rear rack from the five speed to the cruiser. I was having difficulty coming up with a name until the bike came to me in a dream and declared its name to be Big Bad Buddha Bike. I am using this a a new point of departure for this blog to log my miles for Team Wonderbike and any thoughts I may have along the way. Two weeks ago I logged about 9 miles on Chris' bike. Last week I logged 21 miles on the Big Bad Buddha Bike. Which gives me the total of 30 that I have pledged to Team Wonderbike. I figured my miles by mapping my route to my office on google maps. I figured that rather than drive to campus, I could bike, use less gas, save some gas, be nicer to the planet, and be nicer to my body and my mind. I only wish that Marshall were more bike and pedestrian friendly, but many communities have a long way to go on this front. Maybe if more people start biking and walking the needs will be addressed. If you are interested in becoming a member of Team Wonderbike go to the following website. http://www.newbelgium.com/team-wonderbike

Very Bad Blogger!

Great summer! Bad Blogger! Had fun doing three shows in Arrow rock, I would say that You Can't Take it With You was my favorite by far but then again I didn't have to pretend to sing and dance. But seriously, it was a great cast and director to work with, and a fun playground of a set to work on. Would have been perfect had I not pulled a muscle in my calf(totally non-theatre related injury)as we headed into the final week of rehearsals. Fortunately I was faithful to my rehab, and it was fine by the second week of the run. Go to the Lyceum site to see pictures of the production. http://www.lyceumtheatre.org/gallery.php?season=2009%20Season

Lyceum Rehearsals Day One

Started rehearsals for Hairspray today. Its great to be working with professionals again! Today was all about learning songs, which is always a challenge for me. I think I managed to keep up. Once again I refused Equity membership candidacy. Combination of my attitude towards unions, and not wanting to pay fees. Tomorrow some choreography, I believe Quinn said I am the flasher, which rocks because that was John Waters' cameo in the movie. I also enjoy that I am playing the Joel Vig authority figures roles. I think Joel Vig is a classy gentleman, and have enjoyed meeting him, and watching him work with Patricia Neal at the Great Plains Theatre Conference. I am going to miss the conference this year, but I am sure its for the best as I embark on a new theatrical journey at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre. Also tomorrow, Tim Case(my good friend and favorite designer) arrives. Speaking of designers, I start interviewing designers for our opening in the morning. Back to the Lyceum, I must ask if paddlefish thirve this far south.

Bad Blogger Bad

I've been bad about blogging. (Hmmm, I wonder how many blog posts start this way?) Classes are now over. I didn't comment here about the passing of Augusto Boal. I feel guilty about not doing more to make social change happen on the local level. My wife pointed this out recently, and I really need to get back on track with that. She has a great idea which needs to be pursued. We just got back from a great weekend with the boys and my parnets at Silver Dollar City. I will try to blog more frequently as I head into rehearsals at the Lyceum on Friday.

Creativity Crisis

Great talk on the importance of teaching how to learn rather than what to learn.

Pink Testimony

Watch this important testimony from Daniel Pink to the Texas Senate Hearing on Education earlier this month. How long will it take for us to realize that we are woefully behind on this issue, and that as we try to close the gap by pushing more math and science, and less arts, we are pushing our students in the wrong direction?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7CRLkzxETM

Not Exactly Rocket Science : Why music sounds right - the hidden tones in our own speech

Not Exactly Rocket Science : Why music sounds right - the hidden tones in our own speech

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RENT Crisis

Follow the link to hear about the problems facing those who dare to offer engaging dramatic material to modern high school students. Thanks Chris for sending this!
http://www.responsibilityproject.com/blog/post/rent-the-show-mustnt-go-on/
What criteria should be placed upon any material selected for high school students? Who decides?

A different way to look at creative genius

Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses -- and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. It's a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

Jenny Fellner Backstage at Pal Joey

Neglect

OK, i have been bad about keeping up as of late. We did have two great Improv shows in the past week. I find myself starving for a project that I can sink my teeth into. I may have to get desperate and actually start on the cell phone film project. There is also a temptation to lose myself in a game of Civilization. Oh the dilemna!

Irene Ryan Audition Marathon

Long day yesterday. We judged 156 Irene Ryan auditions from noon till midnight, then up till two narrowing them down to the top 32. Not a painful experience but I bit brain frying. Had a drink after with one of the other judges Thai who gave me some insights into the Canadian T.V. industry both English and French. Once again, you gotta loves those Canadians. Ran into my good old friend and former acting partner Whitney Buss before the auditions she has written a play that is here at the festival. Well, that's the news from San Marcos.

Update

It seems I've fallen behind. Here is a quick update. I've been getting my classes in order so I can fly down to Texas next week to judge Irene Ryan Scholarship Auditions for KCACTF Region VI. I'm also working on some audition material of my own, and am in the conceptualization phase of the cell phone movie I want to make. By conceptualization phase I mean, I have decided I am going to shoot a movie using only the video recorder on my cell phone.

One Million Masterpiece

Hop on over to the One Million Masterpiece site and join in!

Whatever happened to concepts?

Have the collective shrinking of our attention spans and our the push to leave no child behind caused us to lose our ability to conceptualize? Have artists replaced concept with gimmick and shock value? Have bold artistic statements been replaced by sophomoric references to bodily functions? Must we bastardize complexity and boil it down to base appeals to our carnal desires just to engage an audience? We live in an age with a tremendous potential for enlightenment, yet we seem to be plummeting toward the dung heap of banality. Hopefully the change in leadership will signal a positive change for our cultural landscape. Then again, I do enjoy Ubu Roi.

I'm back from KCACTF and Playing catchup at School

I had a great week at KCACTF. On Monday we had our first rehearsal for Atlas of Mud, which won the national science award last year. On Tuesday, we met the playwright, and she realized we had the wrong version of the script. After a 1/2 hour delay for photocopying and three-hole punching, we were back on track. Had some good prospects stop by our table at the college fair. I also had the chance to chat w/ friends and collegues I hadn't seen in a while. On Wednesday we rehearsed in the morning and afternoon in the Lied Center, and we performed at 3:00. great space, great play, great playwright, and great group of actors and director to work with. On Thursday my workshop was packed(thanks in part to Serena and her friends). Thursday night was spent exploring what Lawrence had to offer with my good friends Tim and Scott. Friday I had a luncheon, saw The Rabbit Hole, and proceeded back to Marshall. i saw some other shows, readings, and workshops during the week, but left them out of my brief chronology. On firday night the boys decorated a cake for grandma Myrna. On Saturday we hopped up to Iowa. I saw Slumdog Millionaire in Des Moines. If you haven't seen it get off your ass and go! On Sunday we had a suprise brunch for my mom in Ottumwa. This week has been about getting caught up from being gone for a week. I've been invited to go down to the Region 6 festival to do some workshops, but I don't think I can work it into my schedule. I'm still mulling it over though. I forgot that before we went to Iowa Saturday, Martin's Shark Car raced in the Pinewood Derby. Also, this week Rowan made a Chinese Dragon for the Chinese New Year celebration at school.

Art or craft

So this morning I made Martin some scrambled eggs, and I used the ketchup to turn them into a lion. He told me he loved the art I created with ketchup and eggs, and I returned the compliment telling him that I loved the art he was creating with pencil and paper(he was learning to draw super diaper baby and some other characters out of captain underpants). Martin then informed me that what he was doing wasn't art since he was learning to draw from a book. This brings up the art or craft argument. Is one creative just because they are technically skilled in their particular artform? What role does creativity play. If all one does is repeat what has been done before, are they truly an artist, or simply a craftsperson? And, why SIMPLY a craftsperson? Is being an artist inherently better than being a craftsperson?

Cold

It was cold today, but not as cold as I had expected. Cold, but sunny and calm. It was actually inspirational. I thought spilling green tea in the car was a sign that it was going to be a horrific day, but all in all, not too shabby. We finished Martin's pinewood derby Shark Car, although we may still add a bit of weight. I believe I here that the wind has arrived. It sounds brutal!

Ready to go!

So, I'm back from St. Louis, and I'm ready to actually start classes tomorrow. Saw some good auditions and tech interviews this weekend, and had a good workshop session. Tomorrow its on to Theatre History and Playwriting. I'm not sure that I have a rant tonight. I found out that my KCACTF workshop will be on Thursday evening next week, so with rehearsals and performances, and workshops, I will be there all week. And I was just going to pop over for a day!

The New Semester

Ok, so we are nearing the end of Christmas break and heading into a new semester. I love the excitement and the potential of heading into a new semester. It's kind of like the smell of napalm in the morning. Hmm? What I hate is the crossing of Is and the dotting of Ts (wait a minute, reverse that) that comes with putting the final touches on a new syllabus. I guess its all part of the wonderful bureaucracy that seems to make people feel as if they are living in a logical ordered world, but which I feel stifles all impulses to do good and makes me want to run into a cave and scream until I'm buried in an avalanche of hot fudge sauce and cashews. Anyway, classes start up again on Thursday, but I'll be in St. Louis doing workshops, then I'll have a week of classes before heading to Lawrence for KCACTF and a staged reading at the Lied Center, and perhaps more workshops. I'm not sure where this was heading when I started, but it has become a laundry list of my schedule for next couple of weeks. Sorry you had to read this. I'd delete it, but I'm really not that sorry, and it may have value as some sort of therapy. Bottom line is this, the new year is here, I'm back in Missouri, and I've got toget some shit done before I can get some shit done. Did I accomplish everything I wanted to over break? No. Did I waste time? Not really. If I had it to do over again, would I change anything? Yes. I would have gone to a movie. Again, sorry for putting you through this.