Monday, June 18, 2007

Almost Forgot...

Oh yeah, and if you've been toying around with the idea of coming up to New York City for a rousing weekend of fun, now's your chance. Roommate is gone for the next 8 weeks and the second-hand air conditioning unit has been installed in the front room. That means you could have a cool room with a couple of world-class air mattresses all to yourself!

I've already got Candie (remember? From Eventual Practical Financial Services?) and her husband penciled in to stay here for the last weekend in July. Why haven't you made a reservation?

Southwest is flying to New York these days! Grab a cheap flight and come on up for a weekend!

Kingly

First dress rehearsal is tomorrow night with opening night on Thursday. Last night we were supposed to do a full run-through--25 actors crammed into a tiny dance studio on the second floor of some leaning building in the West Village. But we couldn't.

Because, for the third time since hitting the "home stretch", the actor playing Kingly was out sick.

Yeah. How do you rehearse Kingly the 2 without a Kingly the 2? Well...you...can't.

So we just ran through a couple of scenes instead. Then I went home and played video games.

Today I'm off from Nofriendoland. I'm going to inquire about a part-time proofreading job for some...something place.

Oh yeah. That guy who's the actor/assistant director/note-giver said something yesterday that made me laugh.

While our director was giving notes, he leaned over to the girl playing Miss Queenly. Remember, this actress' interpretation of "weepy" means stamping her feet and yelling at everybody--almost exactly how you'd imagine someone playing the Queen of Hearts.

(Example:

Advisorly the Guy: Dispair not madam.

Miss Queenly: I WILL DISPAIR! WHO SHALL HINDER ME?!)

The guy says to Miss Queenly,

"It is SO cool that you have access to that 'dark place'. Most actors don't. But the way you're able to tap in to that really dark part of you is SO POWERFUL. It's freakin' AMAZING. Most actors can't do that."

HA!

Yep. That still makes me laugh.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Giving

It hurts my heart a little bit that Everycity Shakespeare is in its opening weekend and that, for the first time in four years, I'm not a part of the festivities.

It hurts my heart a little bit MORE that I'm doing Kingly the 2. Now, there's nothing terribly WRONG with Kingly the 2 in and of itself. But let's face it, you know you're not in a good acting situation when one of the ACTORS in the show is also the ASSISTANT DIRECTOR and, surprise! the primary note-giver.

So I finish delivering some lovely Shakespearean poetry in the way that only I can and I get,

"Try to enjoy the words less. Speed it up and don't worry about hitting the consonants. It's a technique thing."

I beg your pardon?

Today I completely reinvented my character so's to give 'em what they want while NOT sacrificing Shakespeare's poetry. Call it...disguising my technique.

I gave as good as I got. And if they don't like what I gave 'em today...well...

"Tough tittie," said the kitty.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Kingly

Somebody please remind me to write an update on how Kingly the 2 is going.

Forget it. I'll write it now.

I should be heading there this very minute. It takes about a half hour it walk down there--if I want to get there a little early so's I can be seen as the responsible type.

But I'm not interested in the 30 minute warm up.

A 30 minute warm up?

Seriously. A 30 minute warm up.

THIRTY MINUTE WARM UP.

WARM UP.

Not WORKOUT.

WARM UP.

Whaa?

I've got much more to say about the state of Kingly the 2 which goes into its first preview next week. But for now, I need to begin my 30 minute walk downtown.

So I can warm up.

Daily 'Date

UPdate, that is.

My computer has gotten over its 2 hiccups. Thank goodness. It was wreaking havoc on my computer gaming time.

"Tonight You Belong To Me"--the easy version, not the ridiculously crazy-good one little-known banjo/ukulele maestro Steve Martin plays--has been successfully learned. Now it's time for some friends of mine to make good on their promise to learn a) the trumpet section and b) the boys line. I'm looking at YOU, A-Dub.

But also, I've managed to learn "I Can't Give You Anything But Love (Baby)". You know, the song Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant sing to the leopard. I feel like if I can learn maybe five more songs, I can take my show on the road...or subway station.

I'm up early today. The Nofriendoland Store needs help: they're getting in about a zillion pallets of Gii systems and they called me yesterday because apparently they need a ukulele player with a BFA to help them unload it.

I'm so much more qualified than this...

And also...I still need to rant about Mad Moms. But I don't have time for that this morning. Gotta jrink my java and get to work.

But before I go....

This morning as I was throwing my lunch together, I glanced up at the Quick Oats container on the top of the fridge. From the angle I was looking at the box (and also how freakin' sleepy I am), it looked like it read:

"Mix hot water, salt, and cats in bowl."

Monday, June 11, 2007

2Go here

2

While I wait f2or my 2computer 22 get over these 2hiccups, go here.22

2

Something's going wrong with my computer. It's suddenly typing the number 2 all by itself. I won't press anything and, ZOTT!!, a 2 will appear. Let's wait and see if it happens again.



Okay. I'm waiting.





I'm not crazy. It was doing it like crazy a minute ago.




I'm SERIOUS! It would suddenly pu2

THERE!

It just did it! Did you see it?!2

It did it again! I didn't type that! What's going on here?! Do I have a virus?

This is so strange. It's like...my computer has 2 hiccups! 2

2ACK!2

What the CRAP?! They're getting worse! How do I make 'em stop?

Friday, June 08, 2007

Ukulele Friday

Make no mistake, folks, I'm still learning the ukulele. So don't dub me "Ukulele Fork" just yet. Stumming is going pretty well but it still sounds a bit...twangy. Like, "Oh. This guy's still learning."

And I only know one song: I Can't Give You Anything But Love (Baby), although my teacher is going to be out of town the next few weeks so he's going to give me Tonight You Belong to Me to learn over the next few weeks. A-Dub, start learning the trumpet.

The biggest problem comes from "ukulele thumb"--the instrument is so small that you have to really squeeze the neck down in order to play barre chords with your index finger...and your thumb starts to kinda hurt after a while.

So while you're waiting for me to plunk out pleasing tunes, do your unused smile a massive favor and check these ladies out! Your tapping feet will thank you!

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

A Birthday Party

Today the Nofriendoland store is being rented out for two hours to host a birthday party.

The celebrant? The young son of the famous Nelly--co-host of the popular "Gegis and Nelly" morning show.

Nelly's assistant has been coming into the store every day to make sure everything will be in order, that the 1500 balloons will be released at the right time, and that the keys to the city will be given to the tyke.

Can you imagine? Being so rich you could rent out a store at 10 Rock and have your assistant plan the whole thing?

No doubt film crews will the there as will a number of stars of the morning talk show world. Maybe even Rosie!

And where will I be?

I'll be interviewing for an office job.

Yep, I'm not on the schedule today. That's okay, really. I'm a teensy bit jealous at not being able to babysit a lot of screaming rich children while their bored mothers booze it up in the Cokémon corner. But aside from that, I'm not too torn up about it, especially since there's an 80% chance of Apocalypse in the forecast today.

Not a good day to be out.