Back in the Saddle Again: The Dial M Debrief

If you've read any of my last few posts you already know that directing Crimes of the Heart was an intensely emotional experience for me.  I always invest a lot of myself into productions, but the depth of the script as well as the fondess and pride I felt for the actors involved took me to a new level.  Afterwards, I needed a break from directing and decided to get back on stage, doing a few local productions back to back.  I left those with new perspectives both as an actor and director. 

After a few months' break I began the process of choosing Valley Theatre's fall play.  CotH was a female-driven drama, so I wanted to go in a different direction. After reading several scripts, I finally landed on Frederick Knott's Dial "M" for Murder (made famous by the Hitchcock-directed film of the same name).  Dial M required a simple set, had a relatively small cast and is in a genre that I've always loved.  (Thanks, Peter Falk, Angela Lansbury and Dick van Dyke!)  The male-heavy cast was daunting, but we took a gamble, and it paid off.  We held open auditions and had a great turnout.  On the downside, this meant that I had to pass on several very talented actors. 

Casting was difficult, but we hammered it out and landed with a group of actors that were mostly new faces.  Of the eight-member cast, I'd only worked with Ben Layman more than once.  This presented a new challenge.  Particularly on the heels of CotH, I was used to having a certain shorthand with actors.  I could say things like "You're coming across a little bleh.  I need you to be more WhizBang!" and they'd be like "I understand completely."  And they did.  This was back to basics, and it was fun... most of the time.

One of the unique challenges presented by Dial M was the fact that there is no mystery.  You watch the events unfold.  You know who the villian is.  You understand the motive and crime.  The suspense lies in the question: Will he get away with it?  In that way it's very much like the classic series TV Columbo.  The script essentialy turns the whodunit formula on its head.  This means that the actors under my direction had to convey a sense of urgency and suspense without the tools usually associated with this kind of story.  That's what hooked me.  While there is an element of casual fun directing easygoing shows (I'm looking at you, Father of the Bride), for me to really feel engaged as a director I need something to play with. 

Dial M  provided multiple opportunities for me to roll up my sleeves and tinker.  The scene with Swann (Dan Buckley) and Tony (Ben Layman), for example, had so much going on under the surface.  The guys really got into it, and we were able to map the changes and really emphasize the undertones of the scene.  The struggle between Swann and Margot (Sarah Badger) was intense.  Both actors really went for it, and the end result was uncomfortable, difficult to watch and completely perfect.  Then the noose-tightening third act with the underestimated Inspector Hubbard (Aaron Arber) laying the trap alongside Max (Clayton Danner) really pulled the audience in.  The brilliance of the show lies in the fact that you want Tony to get caught, but at the same time you secretly hope he manages to escape.

All in all, Dial M was a success, ending with a sold-out crowd.  For me personally, it was a satisfying experience.  I enjoyed working with the cast.  It is always rewarding to watch actors steadily sharpen their performance over a rehearsal period and, in the case of those I've worked with before, to see them come into Dial M as stronger actors than they were the last time we were together.  Ending a production is always bittersweet.  It's nice to see my house again, but I miss the challenge of putting a show together.  I suppose that's why I've already started reading scripts again.

Press Release: Dial M for Murder

Here's the press release for our 2012 production of Dial M for Murder.  It's always a challenge to make this interesting without giving too much away.

This November, The Valley Theatre of Houghton, New York, presents Frederick Knott’s Dial M for Murder.  Don’t miss this classic thriller made famous by Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense.  When aging tennis pro Tony Wendice (Ben Layman) saw the end of his career on the horizon he did the sensible thing.  He married a rich woman (Sarah Badger), an arrangement that has worked well for him for many years.  That is, however, until Tony finds a letter from the charming Max Halliday (Clayton Danner) in his wife's purse. Tony quickly realizes that once again he is at risk of losing his posh lifestyle, a prospect that is unacceptable to him.  Once again, he does the sensible thing.  With the help of an old college acquaintance (Dan Buckley), he arranges for Margot's untimely death. Unfortunately for Tony murder isn't as neat as marriage, and things go horribly wrong.  Now Tony has to think on his feet and stay one step ahead of Max, a nosy reporter (Hannah Mills Woolsey) and the police (Aaron Arber, Josiah Parlett & Joe Perrotti).  Here's hoping the old tennis pro still has the reflexes to play the game.

The show will be performed at the Houghton Fire Hall on Rt. 19 in Houghton, New York, on Friday, November 2, at 7pm and Saturday, November 3, at 2 and 7pm.  Tickets are just $5.00.  For more information or ticket reservations contact director Nic Gunning at TheValleyTheatre@gmail.com or find them online at www.facebook.com/valleytheatre.

Act like you belong.

     For as far back as I can remember, I've been active in the theatre.  I was always game to participate in the skits or holiday musicals in church and school.  I played Clifford the dog in my kindergarten graduation.  I was "Blunder" Watson in a horribly cheesy Christmas themed Sherlock Holmes spoof.  I was Tex the singing cowboy, Josiah the young Biblical king (twice, actually) and a talking donkey.  I liked doing it and found early on that I had a knack for it.  I continued on through high school getting involved in several local youth and community theatres, did shows throughout college and even worked professionally for several years.  I like theatre.  It's fun.  It's a good outlet.  It's worthwhile. 

    In recent years I've turned my attention to directing.  Directing calls on a lot of the same skills, but even so, it's a whole new ball game.  I thought for sure I would miss being on stage, that when it came time for the show I'd feel depressed sitting in the dark on the side lines while the cast takes center stage.  I was completely wrong.  I actually think I enjoy directing more than acting.  (I doubt I could ever choose definitively.)  I take more pride and satisfaction in the finished product, due in part to the fact that I'm extremely critical of my own acting.  When it's me, I rethink everything and nitpick for years.  With my actors on stage I can just sit back and enjoy.  (Though truth be told, I always find one or two things that I wish I'd had them do differently.)

   Back in my golden years of acting I'd do 2 or 3 plays a year.  I realized in the 9 years I've lived in New York I'd only done 4 total.  I didn't want my acting talents to grow stale or my lack of recent on-stage credits to have a negative impact on my directing so I decided it was time to get back in the saddle again.  I did two shows back-to-back and it was intersting because I found I wasn't able to just sit back and soak up the experience like I used to.  While I enjoyed the challenge of becoming an actor again, I couldn't quite shake the director mind set.  I realized that even though the various aspects of the production weren't my responsibilty, I still thought about them. I got in the way of my own enjoyment, a habit I hope I can shake.  In the end, the good with the bad, it was nice to be back on stage again.  It was exciting and worthwhile.  I learned things.  I gained new insights.  I remembered things I'd forgotten.

     I think the most valuable realization I've had in recent years is that the director sets the tone.  As an actor, that's a concept that I may have known but wouldn't been able to put into words.  As a director I may have thought that, but not truly understood the importance of it.  As both, I see that a truly good final product takes a collaboration of intentional and thorough directing combined with skillful and committed acting.  And when I say truly good, I mean intelligent and thought-provokingly good.  If the goal is to make people laugh or even just enjoy themselves that's something different.  You can do that with relatively little thought.  Banana peels come in all shapes and sizes.

   I've been in a lot of different type of productions and worked with a variety of lousy directors; kind-souled artists, ham-fisted tyrants, melodramatic hot messes and every other stereotype out there.  It takes the joy out of the whole process.  Luckily, along the way I've had a lot of good directors too; those that challenged me and  guided me, those that gave me the freedom to explore but knew when to pull the rope taut.  The director sets the tone and that's a responsibility that shouldn't be taken lightly.  Theatre can be a powerful tool; one that needs a steady hand to weild.  It has taught me much over the years.  My experiences, whether positive or negative, have been beneficial and I wouldn't change them even if I could.  I plan to continue to act and direct and I hope to continue to learn and grow as well.  I can't imagine stopping.

Mark was 29

This is just a little nugget of a story I was playing with.  I like it.  I might attempt to finish it someday.

Mark Noonan was not a young man.  Clocking in at just under thirty, the realization hit him that he was no longer young.  It hit him harder than he would have expected.  He never gave much thought to aging and certainly did nothing to cling to his wonder years.  He looked forward too, even embraced change, but something about turning 29 just wasn’t sitting right.  And it bothered him.  Was it vanity?  No.  If that were the case he’d be able to stick with his resolution to exercise more.  No, it wasn’t physical issues that gave him pause; though he did wonder if the corners of his hair line had always gone back that far.  It was something else.  Something he couldn’t define.  Most of the time he could wave these thoughts away, but on that day they were showing him a persistence he hadn’t yet seen.

The morning in question began like any other.  Seven minutes before 7:00 his phone lit up and whined a greeting.  He reached over to snooze the devise, taking care in his sleepy state not to accidentally dismiss the stalwart alarm thereby making him late.  Mark wasn’t too concerned about rolling into work a few minutes late, but it wouldn’t do for Mallory.  She wanted to be on-time, early if at all possible. (It wasn’t.)  He found her earnestness in this matter cute, if not a little out of character.  Alliteration aside, Mark and Mallory were an excellent couple.  Though their differences were legion, they struck a balance that worked wonderfully.  They put up with each others malfunctions and not only were they in love, but they liked each other too.  In Mark’s mind they had the kind of marriage and partnership that was to be emulated.  While Mallory’s parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles were all still happily married to their original spouse the only stable marriage in Mark’s family was his own.  He grew up knowing exactly what he didn’t want out of life and against the odds had thus far managed to avoid it.  He loved his wife.  If that was all he had, it would have been enough.  It was not all he had.  As his whining cell phone was quick to remind him, he also had a job that he was now 10 minutes closer to.  As if on cue, the playful combination of barks and scratches let him know that he also had a dog.  Archibald knew that the second time he heard the high pitched sound his living room banishment would soon be over and his two favorite people would soon scratch his head and let him out to bound in the new-fallen snow.  Mark was tempted to gingerly hit snooze one more time, but knew it would prove futile.  Arch was ready to play and Mallory was reluctantly stirring in preparation to move to her closet and hate all of her clothes.  It was a new day. 

Arch was in rare form.  Mark had barely opened the door and Arch was already on the bed making sure Mallory knew he was there. He bent down to stroke Troy, Arch’s brother from a feline mother.  As he surveyed the living room it became clear that while the Noonan’s slept Arch and a reluctant Troy had turned the pleasant room into some sort of Speak-easy.  The couch cushions were escew, dog food was scattered all over and the latest issue of TV Guide was now a festive confetti.  It must have been a hell of a night.  Mark’s first instinct was to be mad.  They knew the rules.  But, boys will be boys.  No harm no foul.  He knew Mallory would be less understanding.  As Troy cozied up on the windowsill, Mark quickly tidied the room and jumped in the shower reminding himself to sit the boys down and give them a stern talking to.  This kind of behavior would not be tolerated.

Arch knew he was in trouble.  He knew that the look-how-cute-I-am gambit would fail, but he also knew he had to try.  He was laying it on thick with Mallory. Putting his head on her stomach and looking up at her with his precious little eyes.  Licking her hands as she tried to scratch behind his ears.  Ultimately it would prove futile.  Mark would fall prey to his roguish charm.  Mallory saw right threw it.  He knew this and yet he pressed on.  It was now a numbers game.  Sooner or later the kitchen floor would dry and she’d never know that had grown impatient in the night.  He had to keep her in the bedroom for as long as possible.  Unfortunately for Arch, Mallory’s suspicions and punctuality gave her the strength to get out of the warm bed and tramp to the coffee maker.  Arch had to act fast.  He knew  his cuteness alone wasn’t enough to stop her, but if he could coax Troy into playing along…  His scheming was interrupted by her exasperated call.  “Achibald come!” Mallory beckoned.  He pretended he needed to do some scratching, but even he knew it was weak. “Archibald! I said come.”  Reluctantly he did so.   As he trotted into the Kitchen he could have sworn he caught a smirk of satisfaction on Troy’s feline lips, but he knew that was absurd.  Troy was just a cat.

As Mark turned off the shower he heard Arch being scolded, but he couldn’t make out specifics.  He was certain Arch would rat him out.  Mallory walked in to brush her teeth.  Mark expecting an accusation gave her a smile and casually dried himself.  She smiled back and loaded her tooth brush with paste, giving him a lecherous glance in the mirror.  He returned the look and gave her cute little butt a pinch as he passed, thinking he’d gotten away.  As he turned the turned the corner Malloy, betraying nothing, said “You forgot the kitchen.”  Check and mate.   Yes, it was a morning like any other, and Mark was 29.

Mark and Mallory lived in a small town.  Not small as in “We only have one movie theatre, can you believe it?” but rather small meaning “Let’s take a day-trip to Wal-Mart.”  One of the perks of small town living was that their house was in walking distance of their jobs.  In this morning, like any other, they drove.  Though she avoided it in most other situations, Mallory was behind the wheel for the morning commute.  This allowed her to drop Mark off at the library then park nice and close to her office building.  Mallory worked as the registrar of a small college, the same college where she and Mark had attended.  They had been college sweethearts and were married during her senior year, much to the panic of her parents.  To say that Mallory enjoyed her job, might be overstating things just a bit.  She was good at her job.  She enjoyed aspects of her job.  But as a whole, there were about a million other things she’d rather do.  As usually Mallory was the first of her office mates to arrive.  She traced the familiar pattern of opening the office, then sat at her desk, turned on her computer and began her day.  A day that would include stretches of busyness, followed by endless patches of boredom, intermixed with worrying about the Noonan budget and scattered trips to the coffee shop to load up.  While Mallory’s job had its share of stress, she was able to leave that on her desk when 5:00 hit… a skill Mark had yet to master.

And that's a wrap.

After six weeks of rehearsals and two well-received performances Crimes of the Heart has wrapped production.  As with the close of all shows, I'm left feeling bitter/sweet. CotH was great to work on (which you'll know if you've already read my last gushy post).  Even so, putting a show together is a burden even in the best of times.  So while I miss the people and the sense of satisfaction theatre gives me, it's nice to have some free nights.  My DVR isn't going to clear itself off.  Still, the end of this play had more significance than I realized.  As Hilary and I were walking home after the set strike she said something along the lines of "It's sad because this is the end of an era." It was the end of an era.  I was just so consumed with bringing the show together that I never had the chance to think of that.  She was absolutely right... 

I started directing for the college back in the fall of 2009.  For my first show I wanted something small and simple.  I wasn't sure what kind of turnout I'd get for auditions, though I knew I'd be low on men.  George Batson's House on the Cliff was exactly what I was looking for.  The script was fun and surprising, there was just one setting and only six characters (2 guys, 4 girls).  After an extra audition and a fateful 11th-hour cast change (Thanks Michael) I ended up with Eric, Rachel, Carly, Michael, Alice and Amy P. plus Hilary and Kara in the tech booth (a tradition that would continue through all of my college plays and even some of my Valley Theatre shows).  I've certainly done better shows in my life, but nothing will ever be able to kick House on the Cliff out of my heart.  I loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat.  The final cast was great. The show was cool and original.  It was a success.  I loved that set.

For spring of 2010 I took on Rachel as a student director and eventually settled on Jake's Women.  HotC was retro and classic, so I wanted something modern and unique for my spring endeavor.  I've always been a fan of Neil Simon, so when we stumbled on this lesser-known gem, I was hooked.  Jake's women was trippy and unlike anything I've ever done.  The cast was made up of 7 women and one guy.  The Jake character is the driving force of the show.  He never leaves the stage (except for a quick potty break).  A role like that requires a very strong actor.  It was a gamble.  I'm just going to go ahead and say it:  Eric shocked me.  It never crossed my mind that he could pull out a performance like that.  But he did, and the show was great.  In fact I was convinced I could never top it, and I was okay with that, because it was that good.  Carly and and Amy P. came along for the ride as Jake's therapist and sister, respectively, plus a new gaggle of talented actresses.  The DVD of this show is good (again, thanks Michael), but I would love to see this live one more time. 

That brings us to fall of 2010.  I wanted to work on a classic cops-&-robbers type.  HotC had mystery elements, but it's a thriller at heart.  I wanted something a little more straight-forward.  Somehow I stumbled on Dragnet, a forgotten stage adaptation of Jack Webb's classic radio & TV show.  Dragnet was an old-school favorite of mine from Nick-at-Night.  Its quirky pacing and setup really puts it in its own genre.  This involved a cast of 10 (5 & 5).  Unlike the previous shows this had the action divided between the Hamlin residence and the Police Station.  Rather than having big scene changes I made the decision to stage it like a TV set with the Hamlin residence using most of the space and setting aside a portion to be the police station.  It worked very well.  Once again this boasted a great cast with some familiar faces including Michael as Joe Friday, Eric as Frank Smith and Carly as Nora Hamlin.  Dragnet also introduced me to Ben and Amy C.  Despite a hoarse voice due to illness Michael was a pitch-perfect Friday.  This was his last production as a student and he went out with a bang.  The show was cool, off-beat and exactly what I wanted.

After the larger cast of Dragnet I wanted to go back to a small cast show for spring '11.  Instead, I went bigger.  Father of the Bride had a cast of 15! I had been in a professional production of Father of the Bride ten years earlier, playing the role of Ben Banks.  For the first time I was directing a show that I had once been in.  It made for an interesting experience.  The production I was in cut out most of the supporting cast, for this production every role was cast.  It was both daunting and challenging.  The cast included Eric and Rachel together again as the father & mother of the bride.  Amy and a few of the Dragnet cast returned, but this was primarily made up of all new people, including Tricia and Chris as the happy couple.  Both had been around Houghton for years and finally decided to try out for FotB.  Tricia was a fun and wacky Kay, maybe not the obvious choice but definitely the right one.  Her energy made the character more believable and likable than a traditional straight-laced Kay.  Eric & Rachel handled the chaos of the large cast like pros and deftly managed the curve balls and responsibility I threw their way.  Though we didn't know it at the time, this would be their last run in a Houghton College production.

My next production was Cinderella with Valley Theatre in September of 2011.  Though not a college production nor part of this narrative, I mention it because Ben, Eric and Michael stepped in to make up for my lack of guys. Having them on board was a big help to me.  They were steady, reliable and made good use of the minor roles they were given.  Little did they know they would be returning to Valley Theatre in a handful of months.

Fall of 2011 saw what may go down as the best production of my career, The Glass Menagerie.  Like Jake's Women before, if this is my peak then so be it.  It was an amazing experience and an even better production.  I was hesitant to do GM. It isn't the type of show I'd normally consider, and I was concerned that the audience turnout would take a hit.  But, I liked the script and it was more in line with what the college was looking for in terms of notoriety. It is a show of 4 characters; an intense show, where each character has to give a gut-wrenching performance.  The cast was set with Carly and Ben as mother & son with two new-comers (Amber and Dan) as the daughter and her gentleman-caller.  Rehearsing with that small of a cast was a wonderful experience.  It was a true collaboration.  I couldn't be more proud of the cast.  I absolutely loved the atypical set design.  The show managed to be fresh, modern and emotionally raw.  Though the turnout was predictably low the people who were there had an unforgettable experience.  Despite the aftermath, I would change nothing about this show.  It was great.  Though I didn't know until after, this would be my final production directing for Houghton College.  Had I known, I probably would have gone for a bigger show to give more people a chance to participate.  The abrupt cancellation of college productions was jarring... and personally upsetting, but in the end I look back with fondness and pride on those three years.  I could do worse than having The Glass Menagerie as a swan song.  At least we went out with a bang.  But, I couldn't let it end there.  With the Spring of 2012 quickly approaching, I felt an obligation to, both those students who had grown to depend on the play, as well as the community who had made it a tradition to attend.  Thus, Valley Theatre's production of Crimes of the Heart was born.

While I couldn't go out and do a giant show with every student I've ever worked with, Crimes of the Heart gave me a chance to have a proper goodbye with those students I'd worked with the most... Eric, Rachel, Carly, Amy & Ben (plus Michael and Kara as crew).  Having those who founded Valley Theatre with me along for the ride made it that much better (Amanda in the cast, plus Mike and Hilary as crew).  Our final performance of Crimes of the Heart was a sell-out success and made for a great epilogue to this story.  What started back in 2009 with House on the Cliff at Houghton College was brought to a proper close in Valley Theatre's 2012 production of Crimes of the Heart.  And while I know we'll still see each other and most likely work together again we are now taking our first steps into a new era.

In all honesty, I wouldn't change a thing.

Press Release: Crimes of the Heart

This March The Valley Theatre presents Beth Henley’s Pulitzer Prize winning dramedy Crimes of the Heart directed by Nic Gunning.

Lenny MaGrath’s (Rachel Stowe) life consists of taking care of her ailing Granddaddy and being henpecked by her pushy cousin Chick (Amanda Cox).  As her 30^th birthday goes largely unnoticed Lenny worries that her spiral into spinsterhood is inevitable.  When Granddaddy takes a turn for the worse Lenny calls her sisters home to say their goodbyes only to discover that her unreliable middle sister Meg (Carly Trask) is nowhere to be found and her youngest sister Babe (Amy Coon) is behind bars for attempted murder!  Luckily for the MaGrath sisters Barnette Lloyd (Ben Layman) is fresh out of law school and eager to take on Babe’s hopeless case.  Meanwhile, Meg’s return after a long absence brings tension among the sisters and potential disaster for her happily married high school sweetheart Doc Porter (Eric Mikols).  As the sisters struggle to deal with their troubled past and complicated present they grow to realize that they need each other now more than ever.

The show will run at the Houghton Fire Hall Thursday March 9 and Friday March 10 at 7pm.  All tickets are just $5 and will be available at the door or by reservation.  With questions or tickets requests please contact TheValleyTheatre@gmail.com or find us online at www.facebook.com/ValleyTheatre.

Show Time!

Well, it's show time. Crimes of the Heart is go for launch! Our final dress rehearsal is tonight and the shows run Friday and Saturday at 7:00pm. This is exactly the kind of show I like to work on. It has it's light moments and plenty of good humor, but it also has real emotional depth. It provides a lot for me as a director to explore and work with. Another point in it's favor is the cast size, just 6 people.
Lenny (Rachel Stowe), as the oldest sister, has the weight of the world on her shoulders. With a deadbeat dad and the death of both her mother & grandmother, she basically became the den mother to her younger sisters and was forced to sacrifice her dreams and desires. She slowly let herself become a spinster. Meg (Carly Trask), the middle sis, was probably the smartest. She got out of there and did her own thing. She's smart, but her destructive selfish streak didn't do her any favors. Then there's little Babe (Amy Coon). As the youngest, she was caught in the struggle between her older sisters which made her take on the role of peace keeper and ultimately, people pleaser. All three of take the baggage of their absent father and memories of their mother's odd suicide with them through life.

While the focus is primarily on the MaGrath sisters, the three supporting characters play pivotal roles. First we have Chick Boyle (Amanda Cox), cousin to the MaGrath sisters. Chick is caddy and bitter and serves as a reminder of what Lenny could turn into. Their relationship is good on the surface, but she harbors a deep resentment for all 3 sisters... Meg in particular. Then there's Barnette Lloyd (Ben Layman), Babe's eager young defense attorney. When Babe finally snaps and attempts to solve her unhappiness with a gun, Barnette is there to save her. His unrequited crush on Babe only makes him more determined to keep her out of prison. In Barnette, Babe sees the kind of man that could have made her happy if she hadn't been so preoccupied with making others happy. Finally we have Doc Porter (Eric Mikols). Doc and Meg were high school sweethearts whose romance ended when Meg abruptly left town without explanation. In the wake of a terrible hurricane and Meg's subsequent departure Doc is left with nothing but a limp and a broken heart. In the years since, Doc has married and tried to move on, something that a mature person would accept. Meg is not mature.

There isn't a bad role in the show. There isn't a bad actor either. Rachel, Carly & Amy as the MaGraths demonstrate a sisterly bond that can't be faked. They make even the extremes of these characters believable. Rachel pulls out Lenny's pitiful side to heartbreaking levels, all the while exuding a quiet strength underneath. Carly plays Meg as selfish and a little cruel but somehow manages to show that this is a character who is also caring and kind. Amy plays Babe with a childlike innocence making her raw, deeply-unhappy sides that much more powerful. Amanda makes good use of Chick's unlikability in a way that makes you love to hate her. Ben's green and eager portrayal of Barnette makes you really root for this lovestruck little lawyer. Eric plays Doc's conflicting emotion with subtlety and believability. You see the happy family man and you see the teenager who never got over his first love.
We've reached a point where the only way to make improvements is to put it in front of an audience. The kind of laughs and tear-jerking moments Crimes of the Heart has will really take the audience for a ride. The energy and urgency a live audience brings always takes the performance up a notch. I think crowds will really respond to this. It isn't at all what you'd expect.

Music Review: Ringo 2012

Well, I do like it more than Paul's Kisses on the Bottom. However, it is a bit of a mixed bag. I think the most obvious problem is the length. It's way too short. 9 songs, and only lasts about a half hour. Of those 9 songs, two are covers from past albums. "Step Lightly" is a forgotten track from the album Ringo. I usually skipped it on that LP. Needless to say I'm not thrilled with it's inclusion. It's basically the same song, just sped up. The second cover is "Wings" off of Ringo the 4th. I'll forgive that one because no one has ever listened to that disco train wreck of an album. It's actually a pretty good track, but again very similar to the original version. Ringo's cover of Buddy Holly's Think it Over is great. Unfortunately I already had that exact track from a Buddy Holly tribute album that came out a year ago. So really we are talking about 6 new tracks. Let's move on them them. The first is "Anthem." Spoiler alert: it's an anthem. I figured that out by the frequently repeated phrase "This is an anthem." If you have to tell them what it is then you have a problem. It's not one of my favorites, but it's solid. Next we have "Samba." Hold on to your hats, it's a samba. It's a bit of a call back to the track "Pasadobles" from his superior Liverpool 8 from 2007. It's a decent song, but doesn't really grab me. Moving on to "Rock Island Line." This a cover of an old blues song and is one of my favorite tracks. It's got a great feel and Ringo's vocals are energetic and really effective. That takes us in to "Wonderful." I find myself singing this one so I guess it's catchy. It's a little on the cutesy side though. The second to last track is "In Liverpool." My first reaction to seeing that was, "please Ringo, tell us more about Liverpool. You haven't done that to death." But once I listened to the track it quickly became my favorite of the album. It's got a great feeling and is fun to sing along to. (Hopefully this completes his trilogy of Liverpool songs.) Finally we have "Slow Down." The song I always forget. It's average at best.
So all in all, I'd say this is a good album. I'd put it above Y Not but below Liverpool 8. For my money the top tracks are "Rock Island Line," "In Liverpool" and "Think it Over." If you aren't a Ringo fan, this probably won't convert you. If you're like me and have an appreciation for Ringo's laid back, casual approach then I think this will make a good addition to your music library.

Community Swing

It's so great to see the community come together like they did this past weekend. I've been working with the Houghton Community Association for right about a year now and things are really coming together. We've held several successful events including a Picnic in Leonard Park, a Movie Night, a Musical Trick-or-Treat Booth and most recently a community Swing Dance Night. All have been well attended and I think we've gotten a good cross-section of ages and personalities. The swing dance was particularly fun. It was active, it was different, it was just what we needed. Sarah Keeler, owner and director of the Houghton Movement & Arts Center (now Genesee Dance Theatre) is great to work with and a real asset to this town. She was a huge help with the Swing Dance Night and is doing a wonderful job expanding the HMAC into a place for people of all ages. She is so community-minded. I love it. With the HMAC, HCA and The Valley Theatre I feel like things are actually changing for the better here in Houghton. There are things to do and the community is embracing what's happening. I see real potential for the future. Looking ahead, the HCA is working hard to get Leonard Park renovated so that it actually looks and feels like a town park, rather than someone's lawn. One of my personal goals is to get a community building in town where we have gatherings and theatre and things like that. I'm cautiously optimistic.

Music Review: Kisses on the Bottm (Paul McCartney Presents Tony Bennett's Dullest Album to Date)

As much as I love Paul McCartney (and that's a whole lot), I have been disappointed with his last several albums. 2008 saw the awkward and unMcCartneyish Electric Arguments, 2009 brought the redundant Good Evening New York City, 2011 was his classical ballet Ocean's Kingdom and just recently we got 2012's Kisses on the Bottom. Each of these albums had their good moments, but the fact remains we haven't had a real Paul McCartney album since 2007's brilliant Memory Almost Full.
Kisses on the Bottom was a letdown because after the long wait I was really excited about a new studio album. I knew it was, for the most part, a collection of standards, but I assumed they'd have a McCartney twist. They did not. It really felt like all of the slow tracks from a Tony Bennett album. Paul does a great job in this style, but the decision to keep the songs at a slow repetitive tempo is a little surprising. Even the songs that are traditionally quick were done slow and silky. It's good background music, but not a great album. His two originals were the standouts for me. "My Valentine" has a clever melody and fits in well the rest of the album. "Only our Hearts" is probably my favorite. It's interesting and has a great Stevie Wonder harmonica solo. I also enjoyed "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive," the only realy up-tempo track on. Still, I wouldn't rate this album very highly.

Hopefully Ringo 2012 will be more in line with what I'm looking for.

Update:  I've actually softened on this a little bet.  Yes, it's all slow and yes, I'd change things, but it's pleasant background music and the whole thing has grown on me.  10/24/13.

For more on Paul McCartney tune in to this special episode of my podcast!

My Debut as a Playwright

So I've recently started teaching a beginning acting class for the Houghton Movement & Arts Center (http://www.houghtonarts.com/instructors.html). It has been a really interesting experience so far. The students range from roughly 11-14 years old. For the first couple of classes, we discussed theatre and general as well as some of the goals for the class. I've also had them running scenes from shows I've directed. We spent a lot of time on George Batson's House on the Cliff, a show that's near & dear to my heart. We've also used portions from my most recent show Cinderella. It's been a lot of fun so far.
When the class wraps in May there will be a Spring Showcase including dances from some of the classes and a short play starring my class. Find a script for that proved difficult/impossible. I wanted something fresh and age appropriate for the students in my class, but it seemed like everything I found was either really dated or really cornball. I finally decided to sit down and see if I could come up with an original piece. I've wanted to write for a long time, but have never really put any serious thought or effort into it. (Fun fact, my main reason for starting this Blog 5 years ago was to get me in the habit of writing.) Anyway, I was talking about it with one of my student workers (who happens to be a talented actress that I've also directed) and I just typed a quirky little sentence using her name as the main character. It was just a joke. It wasn't a serious attempt to write, but something about that sentence clicked for me. So I wrote a line of dialogue, then another and another and another. An hour and half later I had a funny little 4-character comedy that will work perfectly for my class.
While this may seem like a very minor accomplishment, it actually means something to me. It means that even on a very small scale, I've written something that I'm proud of... something that will be performed on a stage. Obviously this isn't going to win me a Pulitzer, but for better or worse, it's a start. It's exciting.

Gearing up for my next show

     I'm getting ready to start production on my next play, Crimes of the Heart.  This is an interesting one because this would have been a paid gig with the college.  Now that the decision has been made not to continue with college sponsored plays, this has become pro-bono work with the Valley Theatre. While it's disappointing to have lost the job with the college, I do enjoy the freedom that comes with VT.  I'm still working out the kinks with the cast and schedule, but am really looking forward to getting started.
     Beth Henley's Crimes of the Heart is a Pulitzer prize winning black comedy.  It's the kind of show I can really sink my teeth in to as a director.  It has a lot of comedic elements, but also some very serious drama.  Pulling off a show like this takes special care.  With the wide range of emotions this show has it can easily become manic and uneven.  Finding the right balance is difficult but when done right offers a real experience for the audience.  The characters in Crimes of the Heart are all very flawed.  It deals with romance, abuse, family issues and personality conflicts.  Heavy stuff.  While I have nothing against doing lighter fare (Father of the Bride & Cinderella to name a few recent shows in this category), I find shows like this much more satisfying. 
More to come.

Book Review: 11/22/63

*****
11/22/63
By Stephen King
    

I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish and that earns it 5 stars in my book.  There were times when I couldn't put it down and it's a real testament to the quality of writing when I say I never felt the weight of it's 800+ pages.  At it's core this was a strong character driven story.  Yes there was time travel, yes he was working to save JFK, but mostly it was the story of Jake/George.  In the afterword, King gives a special thanks to my favorite author Jack Finney.  It's very clear from the get-go that this book was fashioned in the Finney style. For me, that just made it that much better.  I loved this.

For more on Stephen King tune into this special episode of my podcast.