2006-10-30 - 8:11 p.m.
Hoo-boy, it's been awhile. Usual excuses apply, along with the one where I was in this really amazing, spectacular, sensational, and all kinds of other adjectives that are normally only applied to Spider-Man show and i didnt' wanna run the risk of screwing it up by boasting about it...
til now. Sip on this, bitches....
http://www.gmtoday.com/timeout/reviews/topstory453.asp
that's right...copy and paste the text. I'm not gonna make it a link. why? i'm an actor and a compuper illiteratureiat. I know nothing beyond the bounds of my own ego. For those who can't make it work, lemme quote the relevant part.
"Granted, some of these characters are pretty far out there, but nonetheless, the human tapestry is well worth our observations and analyses. Despite the length of the piece, it never gets dull. Since the cast is so large, not everyone can be mentioned, but there are several who deserve notice for their outstanding portrayals: Joe Fransee for his creation of a very complex Satan, Carol Hirschi for her "vampy" St. Monica, Ken Dillon for his moving monologue as Butch Honeywell (it may have been the most affecting moment in the whole play), Cesar Gamino as the tough revolutionary Simon the Zealot, Jennifer LaPorte-McCanles as the fiery defense attorney, Cynthia Paplaczyk for her inimitable portrayal of the cantankerous Mother Teresa and Joshua Parkes for his rendering of a dignified, quietly radiant, sympathetic, very appealing Jesus."
Most affecting moment int he whole play? By that she means I made people cry every night. My insecurities from last entry? Unfounded. I found my inner Butch Honeywell.
THe show went great. The entire cast was insanely talented and professional, the director was a manic maniac, but a great guy and probably the 2nd best director i've ever had, the drama stayed onstage where it belongs...now why can't all the shows be like that?
To any of the cast of Judas who might read this- thank you. Let's do it again soon. I love you guys. Especially you, Al!
No...not like that- he's Big Straight Al. DOn't worry, MOm.
Speaking of which, Mom and Grandma came out to see the show, which was awesome. That review is going up on the old Wall of Shameless Self-Promotion (thanks barb. everyone should have one of these) along with another review that unfortunately isn't available online, so i'll summarize...
I was profiled in Queer Life (the weekly gay newspaper in MKE) as one of the hot young up and coming talents to watch out for on the milwaukee theatre scene.
So...i'm a big hit int he gay community for some reason (Em, if you make even one smart-ass comment, i'll tie you to a tree and tickle you till you pee again, krav or no) I think i'll post that one too.
Now why can't they all be like that? My current show is a massive bag of ass. And that's not just by comparison to the best show ever. THis show sucks period. It's the same director as the fairy tale one from earlier in the year (yeah, the gay one who ignores me for hot guys and who i vowed never to work with again unless he's paying me. Now he's paying me, and i'm starting to think that the vow should have just ended with "never work with again")
it's called Not Now Darling. It's a british sex farce from the 70s. hilarious script about guys working in a fur shop who are cheating on their wives. Seriously, this thing could so easily have been a one hour episode of Are You Being Served, and the writing is at that level. So what's teh problem?
Oh yeah, it's Ray (the director) who in his genius has cast HIMSELF in the lead role (because he played it before? Yeah..30 years ago!) as a result, he's even less of a director than he normally is...he's got an AD watching and acting as his eyes, but neithe rof them actually exerts control of the rehearsal. the result? directing by committee.
a committee of actors. all having big-ass round table discussions about how to do everything. which might not be so bad if the actors had any fucking clue what they were talking about, but with a couple exceptions, they're not even very talented or intelligent, and thus this whole thing is a massive cluster fuck. The following conversation actually happened last time at rehearsal, as word for word as i can remember.
(On the subject of an exchange between my character and Ray's in which i'm threatening to beat him up)
Not the director #1- I think that scene between ken and ray looks to real. it's scary.
Not the director #2- Yeah, ken's a big guy. maybe we should change that.
Not the director #3- totally. let's do something less brutal looking.
Ray, THE DIRECTOR- I dunno...i thought it was fun. I thought it would be good to have ken push me against the wall.
Not the director #1- but it looks so real when he does it (Yeah, you dumb box...cause i know how to do stage violence. Ray and i practiced it to be safe and, get this REAL LOOKING because the whole point of all acting is to make it...i dunno...seem REAL! SInce you're not in the scene in the first place i suggest you shut your pie hole, dishrag)
Not the director #3- yeah, we should change it.
Ray, THE DIRECTOR- Ken, what do you think?
Ken- I think you're the DIRECTOR, ray. it's your decision.
douchebags. All of them. for jebus' sake, people, show a little professionalism. please.
don't bother coming to this show on my account. unless you like train wrecks. then it could be fun. we open on the 8th. maybe by then i can find something positive to say about the show.
speaking of something positive...i'm sorry, fans, but rk milholland isn't funny anymore. Much like many writers, his once "edgy" material has mellowed and is now a sad parody of itself. without the actual humor part. gone from cool and hilarious to lame in the blink of an eye. trust me, i know.
Halloween was this weekend. Made it up in time on saturday and a fun time was had by all. My impromptu Goth Daddy Ken costume made no sense and looked absolutely moronic, but it amused me, especially after a few drinks. I was proud of how i macguyvered it up over the course of the evening. relatively drama free, and i saw soem folks i didn't expect to see and actually bonded with people i never expected to bond with.
Paul- i'm sorry about sunday. I'm not int he habit of leaving messages because cell phones have call logs so you can tell if someone called you. i'll try to remember to at least say "call me" from now. Meanwhile, if you know that people might be trying to get ahold of you, simply silence your phone instead of turning it all the way off. that way you'll know if people are calling. Deal?
and don't worry...all you missed was me rolling over everyone's ass anyway, heh heh.
the sad thing is even if i explain the context of the whole thing, that last quotation doesn't sound any less gay.
ok, i think that's enough for everyone to chew over...
oh, and brook bought a house. we move on the 18th. it'll be me, paul, and brook making a five bedroom place in west allis into some kind of shrine to a state of retarded adolescence. details on that will follow later, i'm sure.
Song for today? i think so...
Ken
Well I hope that I don't fall in love with you
'Cause falling in love just makes me blue,
Well the music plays and you display
your heart for me to see,
I had a beer and now I hear you
calling out for me
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you.
Well the room is crowded, people everywhere
And I wonder, should I offer you a chair?
Well if you sit down with this old clown,
take that frown and break it,
Before the evening's gone away,
I think that we could make it,
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you.
Well the night does funny things inside a man
These old tom-cat feelings you don't understand,
Well I turn around to look at you,
you light a cigarette,
I wish I had the guts to bum one,
but we've never met,
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you.
I can see that you are lonesome just like me,
and it being late, you'd like some some company,
Well I turn around to look at you,
and you look back at me,
The guy you're with has up and split,
the chair next to you's free,
And I hope that you don't fall in love with me.
Now it's closing time, the music's fading out
Last call for drinks, I'll have another stout.
Well I turn around to look at you,
you're nowhere to be found,
I search the place for your lost face,
guess I'll have another round
And I think that I just fell in love with you.
�
