BBB's Cabaret 2004 Drawings by Danny Harper

Danny Harper, who is a very talented magician, artist and performer built this AWESOME web site. It features his drawings of the cast of 'Cabaret' from Broadway by the Bay's production last year. Check it out!
Danny's Drawings

"Dude" the Dog

I own a house in the Sierras. It's up in Gold Country. When I'm up there I like to take walks early in the morning. One of the pitfalls of this habit is that I often attract lost dogs that inevitable decide to follow me home. People up in these parts seem to let their hounds run free in the streets. This last weekend at the corner of Fir Drive and Hwy. 4, I encountered "Dude" the dog. "Dude", his collar indicating his name, is a young male, black and white Pit Bull. He likes to wait for cars to barely pass him before he chases their rear bumpers, each time nearly impaling himself. As he followed me home for about two miles, I watched him do this, each time I almost had heart failure. Finally we got home. I called his owner. His owner just told me to "put him back out on the street and eventually they would find each other." Realizing immediately that I was talking to one of the locals who believe in free range doggy maintenance, I called the SPCA. The SPCA told Mr. Local Yokel to get his dog or face a fine. After about forty five minutes the Local Yokel showed up to pick up the pooch. Yes, he drove a huge pick-up truck, yes he had many tattoos, and yes he had a mullet.

Grandma

The convalescent hospital is a strange place: crowded and quiet, except for the occasional yelp or whimper, vacant faces sitting in wheelchairs in the halls and in their rooms. Nothing to do but survive from one moment to the next probably thinking of the next meal or enema. I spent a few hours at one such hospital this week. My wonderful 94 year old grandmother, Santina Lotti, is there now waiting out the days before the inevitable. She believes in Christ, and heaven, and hell so maybe it's not so bad for her. She's been faithful to Jesus all her life, so I think that gets her a spot in paradise.

She was born Santina Giovana Archini in San Francisco California on November 1, 1910. Her parents were Angelo Archini and Elizabeta Olari, both from Berceto, Parma, Italy. My grandmother had five brothers and sisters that survived past infancy. I think three died during childbirth. That was common back then in the U.S.

I can't understand how we can put people in these places. It seems awful. The workers are saints and the one I visited was very clean, but if you're old and dieing, do you really want to spend your last days within arm's reach of a bunch of other old and dieing people? Maybe it's not as bad as I think. Maybe it's more of a spiritual experience for the residents than my forty three year old mind can comprehend. Maybe they have the sense that they're all in this thing together, waiting it out, together. They don't seem bothered by one another much.

Brigadoon

Ever wanted to see me in a kilt? Well, you will soon get the chance!! I'll be performing in Foothill Music Theatre's production of Brigadoon this summer. I'll be playing the role of Jeff Douglas. Jeff is the American buddy of Tommy Albright, the leading tenor in the show.

What is Brigadoon?

Brigadoon is a musical by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, first produced in 1947. It tells the story of a mysterious village in Scotland, which comes to life only once every hundred years. Two American tourists stumble upon the village by chance, as a wedding is about to be celebrated, and their arrival has serious implications for the village's inhabitants.

Songs from the show include Almost Like Being in Love, My Mother's Wedding Day and The Heather on the Hill.

The musical was filmed in 1954 with Gene Kelly, Van Johnson and Cyd Charisse in leading roles. Vincente Minnelli directed it.

The original Broadway production opened March 13th, 1947, and starred David Brooks as Tommy, Marion Bell as Fiona, Lee Sullivan as Charlie, and Pamela Britton as Meg. It ran for 581 performances and shared a Tony Award for Agnes DeMille's choreography. It also won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, and has had many well-received revivals over the years.

Synopsis

New Yorkers Tommy Albright and Jeff Douglas have traveled to the Scottish Highlands on a game-hunting vacation, only to get lost their first night out. While consulting a map and discussing Tommy's general ennui, they begin to hear music ("Brigadoon"); then they notice, in a valley nearby, a small village where the map says there should be nothing! Tommy and Jeff decide to visit it, if only to get directions back to their inn, and they walk off towards it...... read the rest here.

P.S. If you are in the market for a kilt, go here.

Metroactive Stage | 'Pear Slices'

Pear Slices got a great review in the Metro today!

"IN A NOVEL production called Pear Slices, Pear Avenue Theatre mounts eight 15-minute plays, moving quickly from one to another with an intermission in the middle. The eight mini-plot arcs create an enjoyable ride through contemporary bedrooms and kitchens, parties, barrooms and beaches-and a nebulous setting in "the stratosphere."........................"

Metroactive Stage | 'Pear Slices'

Great Review for Pear Slices 2005

Check it out. It's after the review of the San Jose Rep. show. The link requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. Here it is..

Talk Back Live!!!!

We had our "talk-back" today. I succeeded in not talking! I wore my Mr. Farty Pants Socks and it still didn't draw enough attention for any questions to be posed of Mr. Director of 4 Plays. Perhaps my genius was overwhelming to the crowd. Or, perhaps my socks scared them away. They are somewhat disturbing. Gray with lime green Mr. Farty Pants guys looking as though they are having severe olfactory crises. I think that next time I'll dress less eccentric - a more approachable arteeeeeest.

Talk Back

Today we will have the audience talk-back after Pear Slices 2005. I am looking forward to it as I always find the question interesting. Sometimes you get very basic sort of amusing questions like, "how do you learn all those lines"?, and sometimes you get questions that are more complex and interesting. All of them are good. Lets see what happens.

Opening Weekend at The Pear

Well we did it. No one fell down, no one got hurt. Pear Slices 2005 is selling well even though it's Easter weekend. The show is really quite good. The audience on opening night seemed to be fully enjoying themselves. I am really happy with the finished product and for having the chance to work with Jane and all the actors and technical people. Ron's set is fantastic as his sets always are and the lighting is great thanks to Jossie and her husband.

Friday is the Day for The Pear

Come and see Pear Slices II at, fittingly, The Pear.
It's going to be a very fun show. I promise.

The Pear Avenue Theatre Presents
Pear Slices 2005

Written by Bill D'Agostino (Class of '94), Elyce Melmon (Happy Birthday), Paul Braverman (Pete's Place),Ross Peter Nelson (The Myth of Fingerprints), Sharmon Hilfinger (Best Laid Plans), Neva Marie (A Day at the Beach), Becky Schenone (Eclipse) & Margy Kahn (Packrat Gene)

Directed by Jane Geesman & Ray Renati

Performed by Liz Barbour, Katie Chaidez, Kevin Kennedy,
Meredith Hagedorn*, Fred Sharkey & John Sousa

Opening March 25, performances through April 10, 2005. (calendar)

Building on the success of 2004's Pear Slices, this potpourri of of short plays showcases
brand-new works by members of the Pear Playwrights Guild, performed by a talented acting ensemble.

*Member, Actor's Equity Association

Tech Week Haiku

Light and sound changing again
With commands from all sides
Making something from nothing
Precision timing
You do that with a Boom Box?

Bus Barn presents "Picasso at the Lapin Agile"

Go see this!!! It's going to be GREAT!!!!
Bus Barn presents "Picasso at the Lapin Agile"

Sight Gags!

So, I am directing four short plays at The Pear Avenue Theatre and one of them requires squirting bullet holes in the actor's chest/stomach area. I've come up with a way to do it (I think). It involves one of these and some of this . But I just now realized that if we use colored liquid it will stain the heck out of his entire costume each night! Also, I am worried that the actor who happens to run around a lot on stage will slip in the aforementioned liquid and break his neck. Maybe I should write to the smartest dude on the planet, Dr. Bill Wattenburg, about this problem. I am sure he will have a solution.

The Smartest Dude on the Planet: Dr. Bill

Come See James Monroe Iglehart in TAPESTRY: THE MUSIC OF CAROLE KING

AMTSJ - On Our Stage - TAPESTRY: THE MUSIC OF CAROLE KING

Keite Davis in Hedwig!!!

Keite Davis

Ruth E. Mullins & Sean O'Connor in 42nd Street

Sweeney Todd Cast members Ruth E. Mullins & Sean O'Connor in "42nd Street"

Sunnyvale Community Players

Sweeney Todd at Foothill

It's all over. What a great experience it was to be a part of this show. Sondheim is a genius that's for sure. What a great cast we had! The sound, the acting, the lighting the orchestra, everything was just magnificent. I will miss the music and the strangeness of the story and all the fun we had doing this amazing show.

Two shows - one day- I am bushed. Who every thought of that idea? I always get confused in the second performance. I have this constant feeling like I'm missing an entrance. It quite strange - just old age I guess.

Foothill Music Theatre's "Sweeney Todd" Review by Elisa Camahort

Foothill Music Theatre's "Sweeney Todd"

Pear Slices 2005

I am directing four short plays at The Pear Avenue Theatre. At the Pear we have a playwright's group that submits short plays to be performed as a regular part of the season. The night will consist of eight plays in total ranging in length from ten minutes to eighteen minutes. All the plays are directed by me and on other director and will be performed by 6 actors.

The Pear Avenue Theatre Presents Pear Slices 2005 Written by Bill D'Agostino, Elyce Melmon, Paul Braverman, Ross Peter Nelson, Sharmon Hilfinger, Neva Marie, Becky Schenone & Margy Kahn Directed by Jane Geesman & Ray Renati Performed by Liz Barbour, Katie Chaidez, Kevin Kennedy, Meredith Hagedorn*, Fred Sharkey & John Sousa Opening March 25, performances through April 10, 2005. (calendar) Building on the success of 2004's Pear Slices, this potpourri of of short plays showcases brand-new works by members of the Pear Playwrights Guild, performed by a talented acting ensemble. *Member, Actor's Equity Association