tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40157868416175989482023-11-16T10:14:52.841-07:00thes·pi·anan actor or actress; of or relating to drama and the theatreDavid J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-69145585125102862332013-04-29T00:12:00.000-06:002013-04-29T00:12:25.450-06:00Spring One-Acts at UNCHello, to all of you!<br />
<br />
I'm writing to you just off of a rather hellish week, one which I plan to describe in detail. But first, some enjoyable stuff!<br />
<br />
I'll be traveling with family to the UK early this summer. We've made plans to visit the West End, basically England's Broadway, and catch a performance of Wicked. No biggie, right?<br />
<br />
No, but, like, seriously, I'm immensely excited for that.<br />
<br />
I'm also nearly finished with school! Just one more week of classes and another of finals, and then I can take a break! (And by break, I mean working full-time and taking online classes. No rest for the wicked, eh?)<br />
<br />
Now, for the hell which I've dealt with for the past week.<br />
<br />
As you know from my earlier posts, I was given the task of being the Production Manager for the Spring One-Acts, something I was both looking forward to and scared of. For the past couple months, I've played a rather small role, simply communicating with the Stage Managers to make sure all was well on their end and gathering information such as floor plans and rehearsal reports. It wasn't until this past Monday that I took on a dominant role. Or... would have.<br />
<br />
You see, the instructor for the directing class that directs the One-Acts has what he calls a "Type A" personality, but what most would consider an "unparalleled control freak" personality. During the first night that I was supposed to be in charge, he sat in at the rehearsals, which wasn't that big of a deal to me. However, from the start of the day, he was asking me questions that I couldn't have the answers to, wanting things I never had, expecting all this stuff from me that couldn't be expected. He nearly flipped out when he realized I didn't have a master key for the building; I ended up running around campus to borrow one for the day.<br />
<br />
Come Tuesday, I had a master key for the building, but the teacher still barraged me with questions and expectations. However, it wasn't until Wednesday, our dress rehearsal, that I truly came to loathe him. <br />
<br />
Just as directors need to trust the Stage Managers to run the shows once it comes to performances, I needed him to hand the productions over to me and let me run them. And he wouldn't. He questioned everything, had to know that every exact detail was being performed to his liking. And he treated me, and the stage managers, and the light and sound board operators, as if we were children. He felt it necessary to show me how you can tell if a door is locked or unlocked (for those curious, the pull bar is pushed <em>in</em> when locked, and <em>out</em> when unlocked), just because the button to operate the lock is finicky.<br />
<br />
And I had to deal with this same controlling behavior for every, single, performance. Constantly running every aspect of the performances, reducing me to nothing more than a stagehand.<br />
<br />
I have gone months with absolutely no friendly human contact. I've dealt with heartbreak, agony, and loss. But that was the longest week of my life. If I never have to work with that man again, it will still be too soon.<br />
<br />
That being said, I am glad to have worked with so many wonderful stage managers. And it was an overall worthwhile experience, if only for the camaraderie it built between us.<br />
<br />
Hopefully, my next post won't be so depressing. We can always hope, right?<br />
<br />
Until next time!David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-24672053263072562062013-04-27T00:30:00.004-06:002013-04-27T00:30:39.148-06:00Moving to tumblr!Hey, all!<br />
<br />
I've decided to move this blog over to tumblr to reach a much broader audience. I'll still be posting here, but I'll be copying this blog's past postings over and adding my new ones. It'll be on tumblr, at <a href="http://abstract37.tumblr.com/">http://abstract37.tumblr.com/</a> .<br />
<br />
Have a good night! (Or day! As it turns out, many of my views come from across the pond. Who knew I'd be big in Germany? ;) until next time!)David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-33109174137549502352013-04-18T09:25:00.000-06:002013-04-18T09:25:05.680-06:00Fall AuditionsWell, this past week, I was made aware of auditions for the first two shows of the fall semester. They both looked very interesting; one the Shakespearean classic <em>As You Like It</em> set in the 1950s, the other a retelling of the parable of Solomon called <em>Caucasian Chalk Circle</em>. I haven't auditioned for a show since high school, so I was understandably nervous about the idea of trying out. However, after gathering the opinions of others and building my own, I went over to the sign-up sheet the day before auditions began, and put myself down on the list for Wednesday, at 9:39 p.m.<br />
<br />
I think that, more than anything, the final deciding factor was to prove to myself that I could still perform. Even if I don't happen to get a part in either show (there were well over 150 people who auditioned), I know that I can still put myself out there, despite the length of time I've gone without a true performance.<br />
<br />
Callbacks are posted today, and the cast lists will be out by next week. Stay tuned!<br />
<br />
P.S. One Acts start this coming Monday. I'll do my best to keep you updated on that!David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-51945459458054218332013-04-05T16:55:00.000-06:002013-04-05T16:55:22.071-06:00One Month to Go!I've got a few minutes before work, so I thought I'd let all three of you know how the last few weeks have been.<br />
<br />
The One Acts are now in full swing - I've been organizing the shows alongside the Stage Management teacher, getting lists for the different sets and props. It's been crazy, working on it between my paid work and schoolwork, but it's been a great opportunity. The performances will be taking place here at the end of April.<br />
<br />
The rest of my classes are going pretty well. Costume Design's got me researching military outfits of the late 1700's, Stage Speech has me performing a monologue next week, and in IP, we just finished up the props for <em>Frog and Toad</em>.<br />
<br />
We're into the final month of school! Here's where it gets interesting.David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-17681433000400110502013-03-04T00:45:00.001-07:002013-03-04T00:45:50.517-07:00January and February in Review: Catch-up Complete
<br />
After a very nice Christmas break,
I headed on back to UNC for the second half of my sophomore year with a full
load in front of me. Aside from one LAC and another run of IP, I’m taking Stage
Speech, Costume Design, and Stage Management. And man, have I been having a
whole lot of fun.<br />
<br />
I’ve had a lot of firsts this
semester, namely in meeting some of the people integral to the theatre
department. My Stage Speech class is taught by Shelly Gaza, a specialist in
voice, speech, and acting. Up to this point, we’ve learned some wonderful voice
exercises, as well as proper breathing techniques. We’re currently working on
Shakespearean sonnets that we’ll soon be performing. I’ve been able to put my
new skills to practical use, as well – my last doctor’s appointment showed
great improvement in my breathing, and I can’t help but think that this class
has helped somewhat.<br />
<br />
Costume Design has been my first
true foray into the world of design. Run by Anne Toewe, the head of the
Theatre Design and Technology program at UNC, it’s given me a significant
challenge. Aside from learning some basic drawing techniques (which I certainly
needed), we’ve already read two scripts, the classic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Man who Came to Dinner</i> and the modern play <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Spinning Into Butter.</i> I was tasked with creating a very descriptive
French scene and research binder for the first; the second is the subject of
our current project, a costume collage. We also have to write analyses for each
mainstage show. It’s been a constant challenge for me, but I’ve loved every
minute of it. It’s my only class on Tuesdays and Thursdays; entirely worth the
long drive to Greeley.<br />
<br />
Now we come to Stage Management, headed
by J. David Blatt, a master scenic designer and general design aficionado. Each
class, we’ve focused on a different aspect of stage management: the essentials
of being a stage manager, coordinating with the different designers and shops,
running rehearsals, etc. However, our class is also in charge of running the
One-Act plays put on by UNC. We’re the stage managers. Now, due to the size of
our class, there was no way that we could all be stage managers; no one-act
play should ever require three SM’s. Instead, a few students were assistant stage
managers for the mainstage shows, and two were chosen as house managers, tasked
with running the lobby during performances. That left nine of us, eight of
which were paired up and are working as dual SM’s with the four one-acts. That
only left me. What’s a guy to do?<br />
<br />
Well, with a recommendation from
Anne (see: head of Design and Technology), J. David gave me the position of Production
Manager. I’m in charge of making sure the entire show runs smoothly. That means
keeping track of props, scene changes, interludes between the shows,
coordinating between all the SM’s, everything. This is the first real job I’ve
had in theatre. <br />
<br />
And as terrified as I am, I’m loving it.<br />
<br />
<br />
(I think I'm finally caught up! Thanks to anyone who's stayed around to read - I promise to try and post regular updates now. Until next time!)David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-46222356908516705662013-02-16T12:58:00.000-07:002013-02-16T12:58:07.147-07:00Fall 2012: A Semester in ReviewWow. Have I been gone long enough?<br />
<br />
To say life's been crazy would be an understatement.<br />
<br />
I finalized transferring to the University of Northern Colorado over the summer. This past fall, along with a few general-education classes, I had the chance to take Theatre Management, Introduction to Technology, and Individual Performance in Theatre.<br />
<br />
In Theatre Management, I learned the basics of running a theatre, both in the logistical and legal sense. We took on two different projects over the semester; for the first one, four of my classmates and I were put in charge of the publicity for one of UNC's mainstage productions, <em>Parade</em>. For the second project, we were again split up in groups, this time to create a fake theatre company from the ground up. We had to create a season lineup, secure a location and funding, and build a list of workers. Both projects were very difficult and took a lot of work, but they were great experience.<br />
<br />
Intro. to Tech. gave me a good overview of all the design areas in theatre. Our group started off in the carpentry shop, where we spent our first three weeks learning all of the tools (there are much more than you probably realize). At the end of the three weeks, we built a simple doorstop using certain tools around the shop. After our test, we moved on to the lighting portion of the class. We learned some of the lighting basics, like hanging and focusing lights. We put together a simple light plot, then got to hang the lights for said light plot as part of our final. Another test, and we were off to the properties shop, where we made fish and experimented with plaster. The final area was costumes, where we learned some basic sewing techniques, stressed some of the costumes for an upcoming show, and sewed our own little designs on a piece of felt. It was all a very fun, informative overview.<br />
<br />
Now, Individual Performance (IP) basically gives students a chance to participate in the season's shows for credit. Students can work in the shops, be a part of run crew, help out in the lobby, or any combination. I chose to work exclusively in the properties shop. I got to transport 200-lb. columns across town for <em>The Waiting Room</em>, tied several hundred knots to simulate willow-tree leaves for <em>Parade</em>, and built crossbows for <em>Queen Lear</em>. It was a lot of hard work, and some occasional pain (I cut myself up pretty bad at least twice), but I had a blast. By the end of it, I had a wealth of experience under my belt, and a greater hunger for the art.<br />
<br />
When classes ended within the first few weeks of December, I already had next semester's classes planned out.<br />
<br />
<strong>To be continued</strong>... soon!David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-86580014603755283982012-04-22T21:41:00.001-06:002012-04-24T16:00:59.120-06:00Props and TransferringWell, I'm back!<br />
<br />
I realize it's been months since I last posted. I've gone past some pretty major holidays, but honestly, there hasn't been anything theatre-related to share. But no longer!<br />
<br />
As you know from my past few posts, I am currently at the University of South Dakota, studying Theatre. We recently just finished something that I believe needs to be shared: our performance of <em>Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street</em>!<br />
<br />
Those songs are gonna be in my head for weeks.<br />
<br />
At first, I'd hoped to audition for Sweeney Todd, and after seeing it, I wish I had. However, at the time of tryouts, life was just too busy for me. So, tryouts came and went, and it looked like I had no chance to participace in the show. And I most likely wouldn't have, if not for one of my mandatory theatre classes, Practicum. Each theatre student, regardless of their specialization, is required to spend four semesters assisting backstage for shows, either through work or helping run a show. After finding an undiscovered passion in props (back during God of Carnage), I decided to spend my hours working in the prop department. Two months ago, I went in to talk to Professor Tim Case, the Scenic and Properties Designer for USD.<br />
<br />
When I first started working, we were still working on a show at the tail end of its production, <em>Coyote on a Fence</em>. I helped to paint a majority of the set, and Tim taught me some cool tricks. It was performed just a few weeks later, and it was very well-done.<br />
<br />
Soon after, we started working on <em>Sweeney Todd</em>, and I was still painting sets for the most part. But eventually, I got my first job in props, and probably my biggest job, as well. Tim gave me the job of building Mrs. Lovett's harmonium. The entire build process is on my <a href="http://props37.blogspot.com/?zx=b7596a46ad4d7474">other blog</a>. The finished piece is heavily detailed--Mrs. Lovett got it very cheaply after the chapel burned down.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV5pAyHevIByXXKyr9BWMeIhbp2SajCfDaoWYlTQFx9XTBZNnWqgt1v9hSkvCl3Lbum54N4g16F6c7KdCE6WlKkjHHWux0K9ijOEle3LamUd3B2QEcAdPYTuvnLhCU4kaBiIsGZLhtwfk/s1600/100_0403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV5pAyHevIByXXKyr9BWMeIhbp2SajCfDaoWYlTQFx9XTBZNnWqgt1v9hSkvCl3Lbum54N4g16F6c7KdCE6WlKkjHHWux0K9ijOEle3LamUd3B2QEcAdPYTuvnLhCU4kaBiIsGZLhtwfk/s400/100_0403.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Aside from the harmonium, I was able to work on a number of smaller pieces. I worked on Pirelli's sign, as well as his "miracle elixir."<br />
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I also helped to sew (and blood-proof) Sweeney's barber cloths:<br />
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One of the cooler props I helped with were birdcages. I glued in fake birds and stands, and they looked pretty awesome!<br />
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And the white birdie in the top cage?<br />
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He's such a cutie, huh?<br />
<br />
He gets his neck snapped. I made that possible!<br />
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By the end of it, we had a very full prop closet:<br />
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I was also able to work on some furniture, like these benches:<br />
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Tim taught me some amazing skills! Check out the texturing on these:<br />
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Anyway, the time finally came for the show, and while I don't have any shots of the production in action (no cameras allowed, unfortunately), I was able to get one of the full set:<br />
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Needless to say, the show was amazing. The cast did an amazing job and everything looked amazing. Due to my work behind the scenes, I was listed as the Assistant Properties Supervisor, second only to Tim himself.<br />
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Now, to reference the second part of my title, I have some news. After much consideration, I have decided to transfer to the University of Northern Colorado, and will be going there this fall. This decision was made in February, before I truly got involved in the Teatre program here at USD, and found out that they're performing <em>Rent</em> next April. Although I will miss the people here, I still stand by my decision. The next play I help out with will be in Colorado.<br />
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Until next you hear from me: be safe, do what you love, and love what you do.David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0414 E. Clark St, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA42.788692789543362 -96.92321062088012742.787236289543358 -96.925678120880121 42.790149289543365 -96.920743120880132tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-236623035503035382011-10-25T11:54:00.001-06:002011-10-25T11:54:49.058-06:00HiatusWhen I started this blog, I had planned to write something every day. However, there just isn't enough going on in my life for that to be a successful dream. So, I'm gonna take a break for now. I'll only write if something significant comes up. The last thing I wanna be is one of those crazy bloggers who writes entire paragraphs about how A is sooo much cooler than B but neither of them come close to C and don't get me started on D etc etc etc. Anyway, until I return, goodbye, and may life treat you well.David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-5489367785592356022011-09-18T12:05:00.001-06:002011-09-18T12:05:50.030-06:00Scene ShopThis past friday, I had a few extra hours in my evening and made my way down to the Fine Arts building on campus. The scene shop is open on weekdays from 1 to 5, and they always have people in there working on a show.<br />
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Currently, the theatre department is focused on God of Carnage. A brief synopsis: two pairs of parents, one of whose child has hurt the other at a public park, meet to discuss the matter in a civilized manner. However, as the evening goes on, the parents become increasingly childish, resulting in the evening devolving into chaos. It sounds like a rather funny play that I'm excited to see! That, however, is not the topic of this post.<br />
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I went into the scene shop, and immediately met two theatre kids (whose names escape me - I'm terrible with names) who were working on two tribal masks that would eventually hang on the walls in the play. The graduate, a male who had the same major as I do, had me take a jigsaw to some foam and carve out teeth for the masks. After I did that, he worked on fine tuning the teeth while I helped the younger girl, who I'd guess is a sophomore or junior, secure one of the masks with glue and a nailgun. The details on the two masks were very ornate, yet ingenious in their simplicity. At about 4:50, we needed to start cleaning up, so everyone (and I mean <u>every</u>one, not just the few people who wanted to) immediately got to work, sweeping up and cleaning up the shop. We were done in less than ten minutes, despite how spacious and dirty the shop was!<br />
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At the end, everyone went over to a board to sign out. I didn't know I needed to sign in, so I went over and asked someone. They asked me if I was in the scene shop for credit for a class or I was paid. I told them I'd come simply to volunteer my help. They were ecstatic! I guess they don't have people coming in "to volunteer" all that often, which puts me in a very small but enjoyed minority. If I do this a lot more (which I plan to), it'll give me great experience along with showing the people who work in the scene shop that I'm dedicated and care about theatre. Heck, maybe in the future, I can work there for pay!David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0Warren M. Lee Center for the Fine Arts, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA42.788661295511879 -96.92310333251953142.787932795511878 -96.924337332519528 42.78938979551188 -96.921869332519535tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-54713065255397665802011-09-05T11:51:00.001-06:002011-09-05T11:51:54.486-06:00USD!Well, I just finished my first week at the University of South Dakota, and I'm loving it here! Sure, I've got a ton of homework, but it's been good so far, especially my theatre class! And, I have some sweet news, suckish news, a silver lining, and sweeter news:<br />
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<strong>Sweet</strong>: My college is putting on <a href="http://www.avenueq.com/">Avenue Q</a> in December! I LOVE that show! If you've never heard of it, please do yourself a favor and click the link. It is a very funny show.<br />
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<strong>Suckish</strong>: Because of the intensity of the show's practices (and I can understand this), the auditions were held before I moved into town. So, unfortunately, I can't be in the show.<br />
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<strong>Silver Lining</strong>: I'll still be able to see the show, which I've always wanted to do. And I can do backstage work for it, too!<br />
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<strong>Sweeter</strong>: I'm not keeping Theatre as my minor... I'm changing it to my major! And I'm planning on getting into prop design, as well as acting, and I'm psyched to do so.<br />
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Hope all's going well for you guys. I'll catch you in the future!<br />
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P.S. I've been having epiphanies for Breathe. Check back soon for info!David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0Vermillion, SD 57069, USA42.7794417 -96.929210442.7561327 -96.968692400000009 42.8027507 -96.8897284tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-56011313027889843412011-09-05T11:15:00.000-06:002011-09-05T11:15:31.247-06:00College BoundAs the summer slowly winds down, and I must once again enter my schooling career, I plan to make my way to the University of South Dakota :) what my major will be, I don't know, but I do know I will be minoring in THEATRE :D I'm already signed up for Intro to Theatre, and I'm super excited!
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<br />That's all I have to share today. Hopefully as I get into the swing of things in college, I can work more on some of my musical and play ideas. Take care!David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-38718159896202346402011-05-07T07:29:00.004-06:002011-05-07T08:03:03.067-06:00Warm ReturnHello, all!<br /><br />As I'm sure you all (AKA the one person who probably reads this) know, it's been a year since my last post. My apologies; there's just been so much going on. Here's a nice, concise review for you:<br /><br />- We performed <em>Arsenic and Old Lace</em>, directed by my friend Rachel Plantz, in which I played the drunk surgeon Dr. Herman Einstein.<br />- We also performed <em>Father of the Bride</em>, and I was lucky enough to secure the title character!<br />- You remember my close friend Crystal, from my last post? We went to Prom together. and I asked her out less than a week later. Just a week and a half ago, we celebrated our one-year anniversary :) I love that girl.<br />- School let out, and I wasted a good portion of my summer (Which is a very important thing to do!)<br />- School got back in, and I got some very challenging courses added for my Senior year. I can't complain much, though, since I signed up for them!<br />-Our new tech director, Mr. Kaiser, put on the show <em>I Never Saw Another Butterfly</em> as part of his Masters thesis from UNC. It was an amazing performance.<br />- We performed <em>The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee</em>, and I was the "Comfort Counselor" Mitch Mahoney, as well as Logainne's gay father Dan Schwartz and Olive Ostrovsky's father.<em></em><br />- We went to the Thespian Conference in Denver, which was very enjoyable. We saw a performance of <em>Spelling Bee </em>there, and it was different enough that we could compare the things we liked that they'd changed and what we didn't.<br />- In the Spring, we performed <em>The Sting</em> (yes, like the film). After doing a small-cast play, our director Mrs. Estrada went back to a big one. And I mean huge. I was the Co-Assistant Directer as well as FBI Special Agent Polk. I got to fire a gun! Granted, it was fake, but it was LOUD.<br />- My girlfriend Crystal and her best friend Lindsay student-directed the play <em>The Education of Angels</em>. Considering the small amount of time we had to get it all together, along with zero budget, we did an amazing job! I played Dave, an obsessive-compulsive guy who's about to get married and gets some help from above.<br />- In theatre class, Crystal, Lindsay, Jillian (our main costume lady), and I vented our own personal problems about Estrada after we finished a pointless project she had us do (FYI, we don't like her teaching "style" all that much). Some of the comments: she's deceptively hateful, she doesn't really teach us anything about acting, she gets in over her head, she's a self-centered hypocrite, she's never on top of things... the list is infinite. I personally hope that Kaiser replaces her in theatre. His play, <em>Butterfly</em>, also had a short time frame to be put on, and it was phenomenal. He's a great teacher, who knows what the heck he's doing.<br /><br />Anyhow, that's the review. School's about over, we're just about two weeks from graduation. I'll miss some things from this school; other things, not so much. I'm gonna be going to the University of South Dakota in the fall, and possibly major in theatre :) maybe minor, though, so I can earn a Bachelor's degree that will allow me to get a real job haha. They also have something called the "Student Theatre Cooperative" which is theatre run by students. I definitely planned to get involved in that!<br /><br />Until next time!David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-58625625042165478272010-01-18T07:26:00.002-07:002010-01-18T07:56:53.215-07:00No, not the Unicorn..This is it. My brainchild. My big break. This… is Charlie.<br /><br />To set the stage for you, Charlie is the name of my school auditorium's poltergeist. Although he doesn't really exist, his 'presence' is made known by a set of lights that occasionally flicker in the back of the auditorium. They cannot be controlled, and nobody knows why they flicker – probably faulty wiring. Anyway, somebody down the line made up the story that it's a ghost named Charlie that makes the lights flicker. Many people simply ignore it, while some of us playfully interact with 'Charlie'. I, on the other hand, have decided to bring him to life through a play!<br /><br />Here’s the story so far: Windsor High School has been haunted by Charlie, an old student who unintentionally hung himself in the auditorium, for 50 years. A new kid moves into the town of Windsor. He tries out and gets the lead role for the school's play. He doesn't believe in Charlie, and likes to make fun of those that do. After a while, two seniors get fed up with the new kid and dare him to stay the night in the auditorium – on Halloween, of all nights. The kid, not wanting to look like a wimp, accepts the challenge… but the next morning, he is gone. Police are searching, the seniors are paranoid, the director might have to shut down the production… but the day before the play, the kid shows up again, laughing. He explains it was all a joke, that Charlie didn't do anything, and that he ISN'T REAL. As everyone leaves the auditorium, they suspect that maybe the kid was right, and Charlie was just in their imaginations.<br /><br />However, once everyone is gone and the only person left is the new kid… Charlie shows up. And teaches him a lesson.<br /><br /><br />Now, I can’t take all the credit for this. One of my very best friends, Crystal, gave me the idea in the first place, as well as some fantastic specifics. I just put in some filler. <br /><br />At the current moment, this is what I’m focusing on. I plan to spend at least a little bit of time each day on 'Charlie' so that I don't end up losing interest and giving up on such a wonderful prospect. Crystal and I are planning to spend some time today getting a LOT of work done on it. Any ideas we come up with – I’ll post right here for your waiting eyes.David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-50625937322141482372010-01-14T18:32:00.004-07:002010-01-14T18:55:15.883-07:00Take a BreathAnother one of my ideas, which came to me just a little while ago, is a musical about Cystic Fibrosis. For those of you who don't know, Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects your respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems. I was born with CF, and it's been a handicap of mine. Anyway, recently I was listening to my iPod, and a couple different songs came on that got me thinking about it. My thoughts got to roaming, and I wondered aloud, "Why not make a musical about CF?"<br /><br />So that's what I'm doing. The basic story is a boy's transformation to a man, while dealing with problems like school, relationships, and most importantly, his Cystic Fibrosis. When he dies at a young age, his family and friends realize that they should live their lives as he did, loving every minute - because you never know when your time will be up.<br /><br />At the moment, I am taking a hiatus from working on "Breathe". I am trying to focus on my most prominent piece right now, but I will most definitely finish "Breathe".David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-83826654538394911772010-01-13T19:27:00.003-07:002010-01-13T21:07:08.738-07:00WWIIssical InspirationSo, one of my major ideas has been a revamp of <em>Seussical</em>!, the Dr. Seuss musical. We performed it at my school just this past fall, and during practice one day, inspiration struck. They were singing the song "Here on Who", which talks about the Whos' lives. It goes:<br /><br />WE'RE WHOS HERE<br />WE ARE WHOS HERE<br />STRUGGLING TO STAY ALIVE<br />EACH GUST <br />PROPELS OUR DUST<br />OH, HOW THE HECK DO WHOS SURVIVE?<br /><br />So, I was listening to the cast as they were practicing. They weren't exactly "fantastic", so they had to go over the song quite a bit. As I heard the song over and over and OVER and <strong><em>OVER</em></strong>, my mind started mixing up the song and (somehow) my head changed the word Whos.<br /><br />To Jews.<br /><br />Don't ask me how, or why, but it just did. As this entered my mind, I had two thoughts: "Why would I think 'Jews'?" and more importantly, "How could I change the song to fit that?"<br /><br />And then, it came to me. The Jews are struggling to stay alive... because of the NAZIS!! It's so simple! How could nobody have never thought of that before?!<br /><br />So, with this in mind, I rewrote the ENTIRE song "Here on Who", as well as "Alone in the Universe" (into "Alone in my Racist Thoughts") and "It's Possible", a song about imagination (into "He's Possible, about who might be Jewish). My friends have caught me singing them, and think they're hilarious.<br /><br />At the moment, I'm taking a short break from "WWIIssical". While I definitely want to develop it fully, I'm trying to focus on other plays right now. ;)David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015786841617598948.post-35999270838804642172010-01-11T19:38:00.005-07:002010-01-17T21:40:38.811-07:00Obligatory IntroHello to whoever may be reading this. My name is David. At the time of this post, I am a junior in high school with a lot of options for my future. Besides playing video games and acting onstage, one of my favorite hobbies is writing. Now, I'm not talking about the English-class, topic-chosen-for-you writing; I'm referring to the stories in our own heads, created by years of childhood imagination. I used to make up tear-jerking songs on my way home from <em>first grade</em>. My friend Patrick, his sister, and I created an entire story one afternoon on his <strong>swing set</strong>. I thought up entire movie scripts, complete with special effects, plot twists, and sequel potential, all <em><strong>before I graduated middle school</strong></em>.<br /><br />I'm unsure what I want to do as a career: act in movies or on the stage, design video games, or maybe even teach. But one thing that has always been a desire of mine has been to write plays for a living. Though it may not become my profession, I could always write on the side. Over the past few years, I've processed many of my ideas, and I plan on working on them extensively. I plan to share my ideas with you as I progress in age and ability. Although many might pass over this, hopefully a lucky few will stick around long enough to humor a simple playwright.David J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00239705771311127113noreply@blogger.com0