American Original Sin and other narcissistic pursuits

I'm an idealist or, at least, an optimist. And by that definition, I would also define myself as a realist, as a person who thinks about the best of things like that would also have to believe that these things are REALLY possible.

So I'm an optimist/realist.

Over a week ago, a 7.0 Magnitude earth quake hit Haiti. 13 massive aftershocks later (that same day) all the major cell phone carriers worked with mGIVE.com to set up texting donations to the American Red Cross and other relief organizations who are pouring their efforts into the capital of Port-au-Prince.

Texting.

Hand Devices.

Blech.

Americans...

These are the first words to seethe through the conscience of the world. Of even ourselves. But no other country had been able to set this up. This same devices used for twittering and chatting "():-)" and Facebooking which is the subject of mockery for half of our peers allowed everyone the opportunity to give just a little.

And so there we are with phone in hand. Not the source of our American Guilt, but a symbol to be sure. A symbol for the caricature of fingers on the touch screen, stomachs over the belt, and eyes towards free TV. And as a population, by the end of 4 days, we the people had donated over $21 Million to Haiti. In as little as $10 increments. It is much higher now. That's texting.

The first reports I heard after the earth quake were of Firemen in California chartering a plane to help with the relief.

Take a look at a map. Find the United States of America. Look towards the left. And then trace it to Haiti (juuuust a jump to the right...).

We are an altruistic people. We can be, at least. And we are being. To take a government bid of $100 Million dollars and say "We'll see you're $100 M and sponsor over 20% of that of our own money". And then say that after a catastrophic recession.

We dug deep.

We also dug wide.

And we, as a people, showed that we're not the sniveling grotesques so easily broad stroked by the cartoonists of the world.

I'm very proud of us.

Text HAITI to 90999 to have 10 added to your phone bill for a month and given straight to the Red Cross efforts in Haiti. There are other organizations that have set up similar numbers.

And that devil worshipping mega-giant corporation I sometimes pour coffee at, Starbucks, has a button on everyone of their screens. Go to the barista and say "I'd like to donate to Haiti" and they hit that button and you give him whatever amount you want. It's a no-holds barred, to not bass go, no tax, go directly to haiti siphon. But don't forget to tip.

America is a good place working to be a better place.

Love for Haiti.

Or as us lazy Americans would TXT: <3 4 H8I >

This reminds me, at a distance, of the show I was just cast in, which I also came to gloat about. I just finished a stiff competition for the role of Hans in Spring Awakening at Promethean Theatre Ensemble. A bit amazed, this is the second audition I've been on in Chicago, second callback, and each time I've walked in I've been beautifully intimidated by the depth of competition. The callbacks included sides that they had sent us to prepare. The part I was reading for includes the famous monologue about masturbation. About the resistance of masturbation. Of impure thoughts. The children in this play are raised with a sort of Catholic Guilt. The notion that we are born damned and our life is a futile attempt to find grace. To struggle towards it offers no happiness. To not struggle towards it makes you the worst of mankind.

I see that American and Catholic guilt as close cousins. Maybe it's because we're so stuck on being this One Nation Under God.

Anyways, the side was incredible. Perform the 2 page monologue. Analyzing the translation of the 1891 German text was fun. Too fun. I needed this part because I did some great homework. It almost made me shudder to think of not being cast, I suddenly got Hans so well.

To struggle towards grace offers no happiness. To struggle against it is damnation. So Hans asks, "Why struggle?" He decides to do what he wants. Maybe we'll be happy in the future. Maybe we'll be sad. But right now, this is NICE.

Interesting...

Glass City Stills, photography, and performing

I almost don't know how to start this. I feel speechless because I keep thinking the same thing...

I totally love this city. I love this situation I live in.

Epic Proportions had it's first read through with Project 891 Theatre. Looking at how funny it was with us sitting on the floor during our first read-through, I think we're going to have a laugh out loud, feel good comedy all over our hands. I'll have photos of that coming soon, I hope.

Glass City Stills is escalating nicely, more head shots have been posted. I think we're hoping to take full advantage of this second blow of warm weather this week and do a few more outdoor shots. Like these:

After that, I wrapped up still photography for a Chicago based rapper called "Napalm" which John Klein shot. Some of those ended up pretty exciting:

Lastly, the freelance life continues to boom with Kiana at my side. Her's as much as mine. Her first rehearsal as Assistant director was last night, with a callback for a new play tonight, and professional consultations and class offerings. I'm more and more assured that I'm in the right city, professional, and general place in my life.

Oh, and my cat, Tempest, likes directing too:

Art in Chicago

The tag that I think most sums up my love affair with Chicago is this:

"It's everything I love about the midwest but with an edge."

Things are explored and pushed to their limits. At the same time, people are still nice. There's a magic hospitality that is native to those who live here. That I didn't need to whip out my Iphone to get home from Wicker park because the driver and another passenger were happy to direct me. We ended up having conversations about where we're from. They loved Ohio. That's just cool. That kindness in the vastness of the city is constant and that it refreshing.

The Tribune just released an article listing the best theatre of the decade.

This excerpt really excites me, that I live and am working in this place:

"the play meant a great deal more in practical terms. It re-introduced the new generation now headlining the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, a group synonymous with made-in-Chicago theater, to the international audience. It refocused attention on what most distinguishes Chicago theater from other cities, which is the fearless quality of its actors. It paved the way for a new Chicago theater renaissance. Once again, Chicago credits became a badge of honor for a theater artist. A whole city of creatives suddenly had a useful set of coattails."

And the link is here:

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/the_theater_loop/2009/12/looking-back-on-the-decade-august-osage-county-was-fearless-chicago-theater-taking-on-the-world.html

I can't believe how lucky I am. My life, my friends, is a boundless privilege.

Glass City Still

Not shifting gears here entirely (though it would be nice if I updated more frequently. Maybe that'll be one of my new years resolutions!)

Out of a thirst to be a part of the process more than one who a season allows, a thirst to work together,and a thirst to be around actor, creating beauty, and nurturing talent, John Klein (www.windycitycamera.com) and I have formed a branch of Glass City Films called Glass City Stills (www.glasscitystills.com). Doing print work, head shots, modeling, events, but keeping it artistic. Keeping it inspired. Already have worked lined up in the next month. Loving it.

Here's a sample of what we've done so far. More coming!

Separation Anxiety

Hey all (few),

Life is swimming at a crazy rate. I'm living in Chicago and shooting Separation Anxiety. I'd love to decompress about it but I'm worried there isn't enough time. I'm constantly worried that the minutes are slipping through my fingers at a rate too fast to vom onto the keyboard.

This crew is fanatic and this cast is outrageous. This team of filmmakers is departmentalized and focused, which is a godsend considering the breakneck speed. Day five is done and we've completed over 28 pages of script.

That's insane for all the know.

More later. Life calls. Rehearsal, behind the scenes interviews, and film-photos later tonight. Going to try and see a show between all of that.

There's a lot going on and a lot of good in all of it...

There’s good in just about everything

Been sick for a week. Enough to feel like I’ve been knocked out of commission though, when I look back on it, I see that I have maintained everything and then some. Only gave up one of the six shifts I was schedule to work in the last five days, had a great shoot on a film set in Athens, got my new banking set up for my move to Chicago, got some bills paid, got the shopping done.

I’m dutifully proud of myself.

In this weekend, I’ve been to an intense rehearsal for Winter’s Tale, where I was able to execute some incredible techniques taught to me during our Classical Workshop. Onto Sunday, where I was on an incredibly professional film shoot for a short called “Caught” I was allowed to take photos which you can see here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2576732&id=12400542&l=edcd8489db

And monday I altered my body for the first time for a show. On the company budget I was spray tanned at 9am. This was for my role of “Angel” in I’ll Take Romance. “Alter”, I guess, would be a relative statement. I’ve been working out two hours a day for a month for this role. Something about a major playwright giving the character description “Impossibly Gorgeous” really makes you want to achieve the impossible. Then, of course, there’s the stage direction “If good dancing means you’re good at sex then Angel must be amazing at sex.” I’ll work on that one later...

This film I shot on Sunday. Now THAT’S something worth talking about...

“Caught” is a brave work created by Monte Patterson, an MFA in filmmaking at Ohio University. It’s based off a book called “Tearoom” about the historic police investigation of the surveillance, arrests, and prosecution of 16 men who took part in acts of sodomy in a public restroom in 1962. The homosexual acts were taped on super-eight films, sensationalized in the papers (even being described as bestial) and each one spent at least a year in jail. College professors, married men, students, and clergymen.

Shooting the scathing truth of this story first was like jumping into a cold lake to get to the other side. There was no warm up period and no wading. I was reassured in working with the professionalism of filmmakers, the knowledge that the majority of them were MFA filmmakers at a very respected film school, and that during the harder scenes, a advisor/professor was there to see to it that everything was handled with a gentle hand. I’m anxious to see footage or stills from the project, but reassured that my best interest, along with the interest of the other actors, as well as the interest of the story were at heart.

Now, into more memorization for Winter’s Tale, more work towards I’ll Take Romance, working and taking photo’s for Kiana’s absolutely riveting production of Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story. Those pics to follow soon!

my long unexplained absence

Dear Tempest,

I’m writing to you today to apologize for everything my absence has done to you. To you, the ferocious lion at the top of my page, constantly protecting me from intruders while I lie down in the background. I’ve been selfish. I’ve been absorbed in my own career and you’ve been ever vigilant. I want to thank you for this. And I have returned with renewed passion.

I wish I could tell you I brought home the one victory you would have really wanted of me. To be cast in The Tempest by William Shakespeare. I’m sorry. I didn’t get the part. I found myself fumbling over the text when I would have rather had a monologue prepared. The classical language was elusive that day between two mid-day shows of Sarah Plain and Tall. I’ll stop making excuses. I’ll just leave that at “I’m sorry.”

However, I do have somethings to report!

Toward the end of every show I approach this panic that comes over me about finding another gig and making it something that rewards/challenges me. Something to say “I’m moving a long in my path, forward.” When you’ve been knee-deep in a show for two-three months the challenge to the professional is to wrap that up whilst finding more work. That makes you an effective freelance.

Sarah Plain and Tall ran for 15 performances with a solid closing to very enthusiastic families. The kids were a thousand times better and more comfortable onstage than when I started acting when I was 16. I shudder to think of the genious that goes on in their families. I then went to audition, during the second weekend of the show, for The Tempest as Ferdinand but the selections were hard to read. Oh, right...sorry...we’re not talking about that...

I redoubled my efforts. It became paramount to me to find some classical work. An MFA and a Doctoral student as OSU had announced a workshop production of Winter’s Tale that would be done as an educational outreach with Upper Arlington High School. Although I was booked for the latter part of May, I found out that the other directors has similar conflicts and that this was going to be a labour of love either way. As long as I didn’t feel alone, I was very happy to be a part of this if they’d have me.

And I did much better this time. And I get to really saturate myself in classical text in the role of Leontes, playing opposite Julie Anne McMillan as Hermione. Julie Anne is one of those actresses I admire immensely. The first time we crossed paths I played her son in Out Town and then her treacherous servant in Mary Stuart.

Just alongside all of those auditions I got a call from Paul Lockwood of Evolution Theatre. They’re doing a world premiere production of I’ll Take Romance by Edwin Sanchez, whose works have been premiered on broadway and by the Atlantic Theatre (Mamet and Macy). I’m excited not only to originate a role for someone so major, but also to hear that the playwright might be coming to opening night. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I still live in Columbus because it’s a deceptively ambitious theatre community. I was cast and now I am in a physical work-out regiment to look like a Go-Go boy by May 11th. Bring on all the jokes you can muster, I’ve already made them.

So...I’ve successfully eluded the question “What’s next?” which nips the back of my neck as other shows come to an end. And now I’ve managed to put it off for more than a few months. My final performance in Columbus will be Davis in Red Light Winter: one of my favorite plays and one of those deeply disturbing parts under the powerful direction of Jimmy Bohr with, once again, Evolution Theatre. My excitement for my final summer in Columbus has outgrown itself as I prepare to move to Chicago. And Adam Rapp will be coming to that performance as well, all fingers crossed.

Between those shows in the theatre, I’ve been busy with auditions. I have one this evening in Athens Ohio. So I’m off again, with a promise to update much, much, sooner this time.

Sorry, Tempest, for the long entry. There’s been a lot happening. But I’ll keep you in the loop from not on. Thanks for cuddling with me this morning.