Open Wardrobes

After finishing a rough draft of my children's chapter book The Mighty Carrot! back in February, I began the long process of rewriting. It took six months, but recently I finally finished the second draft! I'm sure there are still many more to go, but it felt great to reach that milestone. Being used to writing plays, I'm finding that the rewriting process on this book goes much more slowly than I'm used to. To celebrate I posted on Facebook that I was now looking for readers to give their opinions, especially those willing to read it to their children. The response was overwhelming! A dozen people at least (mostly with young kids) quickly volunteered. It was humbling, to tell you the truth, but also encouraging as I'm finally able to start the process of sharing this story with others. And already I have a few thoughts on how to improve it...


Even when the rewriting is done, another challenge awaits: publishing it. After many years in the playwrighting world, the book publishing world is strange and unfamiliar territory. In some ways it feels like starting over with a whole new vocabulary and set of rules to learn. But writing plays has taught me that what seems like an insurmountable goal (i.e. getting published) isn't so impossible after all if you chip at it a little each day. An old friend of mine, August McLaughlin, writes here about how she recently landed an agent for her book. Hearing of her success has inspired me to keep plugging. After all, as August points out "Not completing your book is the one sure way to not get agented or published." Here, here, my friend. And I'll be one of the first in line to buy a copy.

Ever since Walking Shadow's 2006 Fringe hit 1926 Pleasant I've been hoping that another such puzzle show would be in the works. So you can imagine my excitement when I heard about Saboteur, a new "theatrical game with puzzles" as it's described. The show opened July 9th and runs through August 3rd (the day before this year's Minnesota Fringe Festival opens). I caught the show last Monday night and together with my fellow 11 audience members had to unravel a series of puzzles and with them an espionage-themed mystery.

The City Pages and TC Daily Planet's Matthew Everett have both done a fine job of summarizing the experience without giving too much away. As the audience you arrive at the headquarters of Universal Hydro Solutions for a guided tour, although it soon becomes clear that we are there for an entirely different purpose. The audience travels from room to room (guided by coordinator Jennifer Probst) where everyone must work together to solve various puzzles in order to advance the plot.

Puzzle creator David Pisa is no novice when it comes to devising unique and creative challenges (the details of which I won't give away) and Saboteur certainly does not disappoint. Pisa knows how to keep the goal of a puzzle straightforward while still providing some challenge in arriving at the solution. And cooperation amongst the audience is key (in fact, one puzzle would be absolutely impossible to complete without it). As other reviews have noted, don't be afraid to jump in with an idea and try things out. The dynamics of each group will be a little different, but there's room for both those who jump in immediately and those who want to hang back a little more and observe. Though if I may say so, my group was particularly top-notch: we finished the show in a record 68 minutes.

One criticism I do have of Saboteur is that I didn't find the characters and storyline as engaging as 1926 Pleasant. Here the story felt more like it existed in order to provide a rationale for the puzzles rather than the puzzles pulling me deeper into the story as in Pleasant. To be fair, there isn't a lot of room in a production like this to advance the story with how much time must be devoted to the solving of the puzzles, but I was hoping for a little more. Aayush Chandan and Emma Gochberg as the cast give solid if not stand-out performances.

But that being said, Saboteur is fun ride throughout and I love the active challenge it provides. If you missed 1926 Pleasant, then be sure not to miss this one as well. Tickets are limited (only 15 per show) so get them now! 4 out of 5 stars for a unique theatrical experience.

At long last my fantasy novel Edelsha, and the Tale of the Third Ring is now available on the Amazon Kindle. The Kindle price is just $2.99 and even if you don't have a Kindle, there are Kindle apps for Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, etc. (You can also still buy a physical version or a PDF version on Lulu.com.)

The cover and description for Edelsha are below. So (insert shameless plug here) support your local independent author and buy a copy. It's a fun read, I promise.

Edelsha, and the Tale of the Third Ring
Swept suddenly into the fantastical world of Edelsha, Geoff enters a land plagued by civil war within and growing threats without. The hopes of the battered kingdom, and the young princess who rules it, all rest upon Geoff's fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. And so the quest for the third ring of Shalamanar thrusts the young hero unprepared into a world filled with dragons, goblins, and evils without name. With only the panther Sylran, the gryphon Wehrya, and the dryad Amyla to aid him, Geoff must battle against the sinister designs of a centuries-old enemy who desires all of Edelsha for his own. Stories within stories help weave together this tale of adventure, friendship, and sacrifice.

I'm reposting this link from Minnesota Playlist (a great site if you haven't checked it out) with a piece written by my friend and director Kevin T. Houle:

"Poorly Attended" by Kevin T. Houle

I've often had similar thoughts myself. As a writer it's hard for me to sit back and just enjoy a play when the script isn't top notch. I'm constantly pulled out of the play thinking about how the playwright chose to structure the piece, the awkwardness of that last line, and so on. Bad acting pulls me out as well, and so after reading Kevin's piece I'm glad I'm not a director! I've yet to be distracted by the doorknobs.

After nearly a year of receiving and reading submissions and slowly whittling them down to the final ten, Lakeshore Players' annual 10-Minute Play Festival opened last night to a sold-out crowd.

This won't be a review per se. As a member of this year's festival committee I can hardly claim to be objective, though I do think we picked one of the best slates of shows the festival has seen in recent years. I attended a runthrough last Sunday which went extremely well, but it was great to see the performance with all the final touches of costumes, lights and so on last night. So far the festival has sold out four of the six performances, with only limited seats left for the remaining two. Fellow playwright Claudia Haas is responsible for spearheading the 10-minute festival at Lakeshore seven years ago, and at last night's opening it was clear she took some well-deserved pride in how it has grown and taken root. She along with several other directors have participated in all seven festivals to-date, and I think it's a testament to the festival that directors, actors and writers are drawn back to it year after year. I've participated twice before as an actor, and while I wish I could h ave done so again this year, it was great fun to serve on the committee and then be able to enjoy the final result as an audience member.

For me the highlights of this year's festival are Mark Harvey Levine's brilliant comedy Misfortune (my wife would also have far too much fun if a fortune cookie predicted my imminent demise), and Allie Munson and George M. Calger are perfect in their roles. Patrick Gabridge's look at theater behind-the-scenes in Curse the Darkness is simply genius (I still can't get over the side plot of trying to light the matches). Both Mark and Patrick are fellow members of the Playwright Binge (as is Dale Griffiths Stamos with the drama Going Home, another excellent script), and I couldn't help but feel a tinge of pride to see Bingers make up a third of the festival. Some of my other favorite scripts include Rebecca Gorman's Worse Than Cold Feet, Rich Rubin's Food for Thought, D.W. Surine's The 8-Minute Murder Mystery, and the utterly charming and sweet Porch Revival by Mark Rigney.

So I wish the cast and crew the best of luck with the rest of the weekend's run. If you're local to MN and can manage to wrangle a ticket, I encourage you to do so. I hope to be a part of the committee again for 2012, which means in a few months we start all over again.

I realized recently that this spring marks the twentieth anniversary of the first time I stepped out on the stage as an actor. I was a freshman in high school and the play was a non-musical version of The Phantom of the Opera, published here by the Dramatic Publishing Company. I played Monsieur Mercier, the orchestra conductor. It wasn't a large part, but it had lines, and I was hooked. (Somewhere I have pictures, but this was long before the age of digital photography.)

Actors are a special breed (I think we suffer from a deficiency in whatever part of the brain tells us not to make a fool of ourselves). I've talked to a lot of non-actors who wouldn't touch the stage with a ten-foot pole, especially the part about getting up in from of people and having to remember all those lines. I don't know how to explain to someone who feels that way the thrill that comes from stepping out onto that stage with your fellow castmates and being the character, knowing that a million and one things could go wrong (and often do). How do you explain that that possibility is part of what makes it so exciting? We all have our passions in life, and whatever yours is, the best way I can explain what that feeling is like is that each time I do it I rediscover that passion that I first found on opening night of The Phantom of the Opera.

So here's to 20 years in which I've been everything from a mad scientist to a monk to a woodcutter to a giant mosquito (yes, really). Through it all I've experienced long nights of rehearsals, broken props, and audiences of six people, as well as lifelong friendships and the thrill of a standing ovation. Here's to another 20 years, and hopefully many, many more beyond that. And to everyone who I've ever shared a stage with, not to mention all those who have directed me, stage managed me, costumed me, and so on, thank you.

On Friday evening I went to see Walking Shadow Theatre's final production of the season, after the quake adapted by Frank Galati from the novel of the same name by Haruki Murakami. Set in 1995 Japan after the Kobe earthquake, this adaptation interweaves two of the stories from Murakami's novel: that of the writer Junpei and his relationship with Sayoko and her daughter Sala, and of Mr. Katagiri who must help Frog save Tokyo from Worm.

The stories are simple, elegant, and beautiful, and in the hands of this superb cast they shine. Eric Sharp is perfect as the introspective writer who, though he has loved Sayoko (Katie Bradley) since college, cannot quite bring himself to admit it, despite the clear need she and Sala (Natalie Tran) have for him in their lives. Kurt Kwan's transformation from the arrogant almost-jerk Takatsuki (Sayoko's ex-husband) to the completely ordinary Mr. Katagiri is so complete that I didn't realize they were the same person until the curtain call. And Brant Miller brought just the right inhuman element to the touchingly sincere Mr. Frog ("Just call me Frog"). The minimalist set and cellist Cory P. Grossman's playing both add the right atmospheric touches to this slightly surreal tale of love, courage and imagination (and I don't how set designer Steve Kath made the table slide in and out of the floor like that, but I want one).

There's really not much more to say other than this show is exactly what theater is supposed to be: an excellent script, strong acting (and directing, thanks to company member Amy Rummenie), and technical elements that bring you into the world without distracting from it. (And I agree with Rummenie: sit on house left if you enjoy watching the musician.) As a writer, I was reminded here that sometimes the simplest stories are the most beautiful.

after the quake is playing at the People's Center Theater in Minneapolis through May 21st. This is one of Walking Shadow's best so my suggestion is don't miss it. 5 out of 5 stars for a perfect production.

All right, all right, I know it's almost the end of April, and I know that I haven't blogged since the start of the year. My excuse? A now one-year-old named Jasper who's adorable and hilarious, and who wouldn't choose this over blogging?

But extreme cuteness or no, I decided it's time for at least an update on what's happening in the wide world of playwrighting (or at least my immediate corner of it). I started off the year by revising Why Penguins Can't Fly, and Other Tales of Antarctica and then sending it off to a few contests. Sadly those so far have been misses, though I did have some nice comments from one of them. Next step: Start sending it to children's theaters. My 2011 submissions have already started to bear fruit, as I had my first ever piece done in New York City! And my 10-minute play Circus of Fate was done as part of F.A.C.T.'s Words and Wine reading series in March. They describe themselves as an Off-Off-Broadway company, which is only two Offs from the famous lights themselves.

I've also decided to spend some time this year doing some non-playwrighting writing and have been working on a children's book called The Mighty Carrot! about a rabbit who finds a red handkerchief, puts it on, and decides to become a superhero. It's an expansion of a short story I wrote years ago and I decided it was time to take it and finally do something with it. I completed a rough draft earlier this year and am now working on draft two while also trying to better educate myself about this part of the publishing world. After so many years writing plays it's strange to jump into a whole new genre. While I'm not a new writer, I am (relatively) new to writing books and especially to how that particular business works. But one thing at a time. Until I have a final, polished book to send out I have time to worry about the ins and outs of book publishers.

Meanwhile, I've also been typing up the rough draft of my new mystery play (title still TBD, perhaps Murder's a Habit?) featuring my crime-fighting nun Sister Agatha Steele. This was one of my five rough drafts of 2010, along with Penguins, and I'd like to at least get it on the computer (only having handwritten drafts of a piece always makes me nervous).

On the non-writing front, as part of Lakeshore's 10-minute play festival committee I help narrow over 200 entries down to the final 10 to be performed in June. I may be baised, but I think we've picked one of the best slates of plays the festival has seen for several years. My favorites include some by fellow Bingers Mark Harvey Levine and Patrick Gabridge. Sadly I couldn't audition for the festival this year (too bad, so many fun plays!), but it was for a good reason: Lakeshore is remounting Hansel and Gretel (which I was in several years ago) as a touring show and I've agreed to reprise my role. We've had a reading so far and really get underway with rehearsals on Monday. I also have seen a few shows here and there (Yellow Tree Theatre's Our Town, for instance) as time permits.

So that in a nutshell is 2011 so far. I'm hoping to keep chipping away at the mystery play on the side while working on my children's book, but I think that will be my focus for much of the year. More to come, and hopefully sooner rather than later this time!

The last week of December, with Christmas behind us and the New Year still ahead, is always for me a reflective time. I'm always conscious of what was and was not accomplished during the past year (and somehow it usually feels like I could have done more) which gets me thinking about what I want to accomplish in the year ahead.

At the start of 2010 I set myself the goal of completing drafts of five plays, at least three of which had to be brand-new drafts for which I had not yet written a word (the other two could either be new or completing a draft that had been started). The idea was to spend as much of the year as I could writing without worrying about how good something was. The results? I wrote and revised The Captain's Treasure, my commedia play, completed the rough draft of a novel adaptation, wrote a rough draft for the tentatively-titled My Wife, the Dictator, wrote the rough draft for a new mystery play, and wrote a rough draft for my play about the folk tales of Antarctica (which as of today I'm about two-thirds of the way through revising). In addition I participated in NaNoWriMo again and succeeded in writing a little more than 50,000 words in 30 days. A lot of what I wrote this year I don't know that I like, but at least I was writing. And I've learned that even if a piece is abandoned because it really isn't going anywhere, no word written is ever wasted. It's all practice and if nothing else makes you a better writer the next time you put pen to paper.

It is immensely gratifying to look back on the year and to see how much writing I did. Not to mention to see all the submissions that I've been doing along the way pay off. 2010 was the year where my 10-minute plays finally began to see some productions, plus after a heavy round of submissions for The Princess and the Moon it had not one but two productions this year as well. All in all I saw productions around the US, as well as around in world in places like Suriname and the Philippines.

All this makes me excited for what 2011 will bring and what next steps can be taken. After doing NaNoWriMo two years in a row, I find myself wanting to spend more time working on a novel this year so that may soon be on the horizon once the Antarctica play is complete.

And of course 2010 also saw the arrival of my son Jasper who continues to delight and amaze Kelly and I every day. Definitely the year's biggest accomplishment.

I've neglected to write over the last month about getting back into the audition circuit. With the new little guy, acting has of course had to take a back seat, but this fall I decided to starting inching my way back in. Earlier this fall I auditioned for Hamlet at Theatre in the Round, my first time trying out for them. I didn't make it but I enjoyed getting out and auditioning for someplace I haven't before. And with over 100 actors vying for parts I wasn't terribly surprised at not being cast. The audition went fine, but I could tell at the time I hadn't done anything to make myself stand out from the reams of equally competent actors.

A week or two after that I decided to audition for the holiday show at Lakeshore Players, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (a very loose adaptation of the Twain novel). Having done the holiday show in previous years I know it makes for a fun yet slightly more low-key commitment than other shows, a good thing for me right now (this show will probably run only 40-45 minutes, so it's shorter even than usual for this slot). Later that week I found that I had been cast in the role of Merlin, who in this version works with Morgan Le Fey to bring down Camelot. Apparently Dr. Volt did wonders for my credentials as an over-the-top, evil villain.

We've actually had two weeks of rehearsal so far (yes, that's how negligent I've been in keeping up with the blog) and it's going well so far. A few of the kids I know from The Hanging of the Greens two years ago are in the show as well, which is directed by Jan Arford (Pinella the witch in Greens). So the show is making for a fun diversion in what "laughingly passes as my spare time" (as my grad school adviser Jim Kakalios liked to say), which has been even more laughingly short as I endeavor to continue that great November tradition: NaNoWriMo!