Open Wardrobes

As someone with this unique combination, I am always interested to find others who find ways to synthesize science and the arts in their own lives. Below is a link a friend (also a physicist and playwright) forwarded to me with wonderful thoughts by astronomer and actor/director Virginia Corless:

http://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201002/backpage.cfm

So today I came across (thanks to a Facebook friend) a link to an article by Tim Gihring in Minnesota Monthly which mentions a proposal to ultimately eliminate the Minnesota State Arts Board. Gihring puts this in the context of discussing some of the actions our current governor has taken on arts-related matters, but I think it brings up a broader question which has been nagging at me for some time. And this latest article has led me to finally put my thoughts in writing. What I am about to say will undoubtedly be considered highly controversial, especially among the Twin Cities arts community. But at the risk of offending the broader arts community of which I am a part, here it goes:

WHETHER OR NOT THE GOVERNMENT DOES OR DOES NOT FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE ARTS IS ULTIMATELY NOT THAT IMPORTANT

Now before my fellow artists all rush for their pitchforks, let me be clear: I am NOT saying that I think the government shouldn't support the arts or that such support is a bad thing. If such money is distributed wisely it can be a boon for artists and arts organizations, especially smaller ones, and may indeed make the difference in some cases between an organization staying open or closing its doors. But all of us in the arts know that if nothing else state arts funding is a fickle, fickle beast. Arts are usually one of the first thing to be cut in difficult times and we ignore this historical lesson at our peril. There will always be politicians who increase arts funding, and those who will cut it. This is the reality in which the arts live, and while it is often a frustrating one I think in the end it is a matter of secondary importance.

What I am trying to say is that we all too often emphasize government support of the arts over what is truly important: the support the arts and artists have in their communities. Gihring makes a great point in his article that the arts are a major factor in what draws people to Minnesota and that to lose our vibrant, thriving arts scene would be a major loss. I agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly, but I would argue that what has created such an amazing place for the arts is not (primarily) the degree to which the state government has provided the arts funding. Just looking at the Twin Cities, here is a community that contains countless theaters, including one of the largest Fringe festivals in North America, not one but two world-class orchestras, several major art museums, dance companies, a major opera house, small publishers, a thriving local music scene, and arguably the best public radio station in the country. And we got where we are not because of state funding (for we all know that it has often been in spite of such funding), but because of the broad support of the arts this community enjoys.

Simply put, Minnesotans love the arts and that is why they thrive. No arts organization, large or small, can support itself without creating a base of support in the community in which it lives. Very few arts organizations, in fact, can support themselves on ticket sales alone (at The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra where I work on staff only about a fifth of all revenue comes from ticket sales), which is why any ticket you purchase is likely to soon be followed by a letter asking for your further support. If we want the arts to continue to grow in Minnesota then we need to first be asking ourselves how to win over the people who don't yet support us (i.e. the people who think that money should be taken away from the arts so that we can build a new Vikings stadium), how to teach them the importance of the arts, and how to grow and mentor a new generation of both artists and audience members. The Minnesota Fringe Festival is a great example of how artists can create beautiful work on a shoestring budget, and when they do people come. I would argue that arts funding itself should be focused primarily on organizations that are seeking to build this very support (for example, the Center for Hmong Arts and Talent (CHAT) has as part of its mission to create community support for the arts within the Hmong community where it has not traditionally existed).

In the end neither the current governor nor any other politician has the power to either create or (more importantly) destroy the arts community we have all built. So yes, by all means let us rightfully resist the elimination of the Minnesota State Arts Board and continue to ask our elected officials to support the arts (and parks and libraries, while we're at it), but let's remember that whether arts funding is at a high or low, odds are it's a temporary state that may easily do a 180 in the next election cycle. The arts community that we have built goes deeper than that. If we want it to thrive, then that lies entirely within our control, even if state funding shrinks to nothing. We are the ones who buy tickets, volunteer, give donations, and most importantly create the art itself. The government may play a supporting role, but the responsibility for the arts is ours, and as a playwright, actor, and lover of the arts, may I say I know that we are up to the challenge.

Well, I've taken a bit of a hiatus over the past month ever since the 24-hour play festival. But since then I've polished up Circus of Fate, plus finished up another new 10-minute piece (written for a project on the Playwrights Binge list) which gave me a total of 3 new 10-minute plays (including the revised NUTS!) to start sending out. Over the past month or so I've been submitting to a number of contests and theaters, including Lakeshore's 10-minute festival which I hope to finally make it in this year. And coming up this weekend is the start of NaNoWriMo (National Write a Novel in a Month month), so I expect to be less idle than I have been!


This weekend Kelly and I also attended the Start the Music! program at the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, along with my sister and her two little girls. I've been wanting for years to take our nieces to this and so I was excited to finally be able to do so. Start the Music! is aimed at the 3-6 age range (my nieces are 5 1/2 and 3 1/2, perfect). It starts with a variety of hands-on activities focused around a family of instruments (this weekend was the brass family) and a story (The Tortoise and the Hare). The girls made little tortoise and hare puppets, tried out a trumpet, and decorated their own horn. Following that was a 30-minute concert featuring a brass quintet (the SPCO's trumpet players Gary and Lynn, and horn player Paul, plus additional musicians on tuba and trombone) that was centered around the story of "The Tortoise and the Hare" with musical accompaniment. The musicians also played a variety of short pieces while they explained their instruments and how they worked. It was a delightful program and the girls had a great time (all the kids seemed to enjoy blowing their horns).


All of the SPCO's family-oriented programs are now free thanks to Target, but you have to sign up for a random drawing to receive tickets since the demand is so high (the next one is in January). However, a little known secret is that people who receive tickets sometimes call back to say they can't use them, and those tickets are then given away on a first-come, first-served basis. So if you're interested in this sort of program, keep an eye on the SPCO's website to register for the drawing and don't be shy about calling even if you don't receive tickets, you never know!

My friend, Chris Bowlsby, is a visual genius. Need proof? Here is the front side of the postcard he's designing for Schrödinger's Cat Must Die!

Chris also does kick-butt wedding photography which you can learn more about on his website for Bowlsby Photo. I should, of course, also credit my genius wife Kelly for taking the great photo.

It's hard to believe, but June has come, which means Fringe is just around the corner! The script is nearing completion (there is one moment towards the end that I'm still working through), at least as complete as I expect it to be in order to start rehearsals, I've started searching for props, and Kevin (my director) and I are scheduled to meet for our first rehearsal on June 10th. Just 2 months to go!

This week is also the week of the 10-minute play festival at Lakeshore. I have tech rehearsals tonight and Wednesday, then 6 shows Thursday through Sunday, in what will be my final distraction before I must turn my attention 1005 to Fringe.

I've been on vacation for a couple of weeks and the blog has as a result suffered in my absence. A bit of an update on a couple things:


Anything Goes: I was not cast, but as I only auditioned for the one role (and was on vacation for the first week and a half of rehearsals) I can't say I was all that surprised. I look forward to seeing the show.


Lakeshore 10-minute play festival: I had word several days ago that the 10 plays were selected... and my The Last Anniversary was not one of them. Shoot. It would have been fun to have something of mine done on Lakeshore's stage, but there's always next year.


Fringe: More details to come, but things are definitely looking up.

Since finishing draft 2 of the one-man show I've taken a short break from working on the writing of that and have instead focused on some other aspects. The set requirements are a little tricky (not so much because they're complex but because they have to be able to fit in my small car) so I decided to take some time and work on those. The major set piece is a blackboard which doubles as an "offstage" area that I can duck behind and change costumes. I've spent the last week or so working on that, having turned my basement into a mini-scene shop. Because it has to fit into a car it comes apart into a couple of pieces and then folds up, and I was very relieved when I was able to successfully fit it into my car. It's nice when the picture you have in your head works, more or less, when you turn it into reality. The chalkboard still needs a few finishing touches, but that's one tech item down and several to go...


The trunk is going to be a little more tricky. I have to fit inside it, and it has to fit inside my car... which now will have a folded-up chalkboard inside it already. I was having difficulty finding trunks that would fit the bill even not taking into account the chalkboard, so I've come to the conclusion that the trunk too will need to be built, and in such a way that it can be disassembled for simpler transport. Hmm.... Perhaps I should write the next draft of the play first; the set building makes for a nice change of pace in-between drafts.


And the other day the official list for the MN Fringe Festival lottery came out: 317 shows vying for about 150 slots. Keep your fingers crossed for lucky number 10.


11 days until the Fringe lottery. 175 days until Fringe.

I've taken a bit of a pause from the blog as I enjoyed a well-deserved break from work for the holidays (the SPCO's version of a Christmas bonus). But this morning I return to work and so I think it is time to return to the blog as well. Christmas for us had its ups and downs this year. We had a death in the family on Christmas Eve which was tough, but the rest of the family all got together on Christmas and we had a very nice time, exactly what I think we all needed. I tried to stick to my promise of not trying to do too much while on break and taking time to rest, and I think I mostly succeeded. Besides all the family gatherings Kelly and I went to see a couple of movies (Valkyrie and The Tale of Despereaux), read some books, and hung out at the Tea Source. I did start in on the second draft of the one-man show (I'd like to have that complete by mid-February when the Fringe lottery takes place), edited vacation video from last spring (yes, it takes me awhile to get around to these things sometimes), studied a little Chinese, and also worked on some home improvement project projects. But most importantly Kelly and I did get time to rest, which is what we most needed.


Now a new year is ahead with fresh challenges and adventures. I don't usually do New Year's resolutions, per se, but I do have goals for the upcoming year. Artistically I hope to 1) finish and perform the one-man show, 2) start another play, and 3) start a new novel. I will continue also to try and get The Princess and the Moon out there. Outside of theater and writing I also want to finish off part of our basement (part of my work over break was to demolish our old basement bathroom) and will be finishing up the Chinese courses at Inver Hills.


Beyond that... who knows? It is a new year and I hope it will have some unexpected surprises in store.

The show is over, Chinese is finished for the semester, and just a few working days left until Christmas break (yes, I actually get a Christmas break!). Last night the Christmas tree went up (it has lights but no ornaments as of yet) and Kelly and I made gingerbread mooses (meese?) for the holiday party at work. OK, OK, so Kelly made them and I just chipped in on the decorations (thanks to me some of the mooses have eyebrows). At any rate, the iPod is playing Christmas tunes, the presents are (mostly) bought and waiting to be wrapped, and we will spend much of next week journeying from family gathering to family gathering (all here in the Cities which makes it easy). And there will be time to rest.


For me Christmas has real meaning beyond the decorations and gifts, and even the time with family and friends. It is a time of Joy, of Peace, of Love, a time to celebrate the birth of our Savior. With great family and friends the Love and Joy have certainly not been lacking, but the Peace... It has been a busy year, between work, taking some classes, doing 3 shows (more than I've done in one year for awhile), putting the finishing touches on one play, revising another, and starting a new one from scratch. Oh yes, and prepping the novel for Lulu, not to mention all the projects around the house and just generally living life.


Don't get me wrong, it's been a great year and Kelly and I have had wonderful times (for the younger set, here's a tip: marry someone who is your best friend and makes you laugh, you'll never be bored again). But at times the year has been lacking in Peace. It's my own fault, really, I'm one of those people who must always be doing something. But sometimes the more you try and do, the less you actually get done. We all need time to rest and recharge, which often means saying "No" to something you'd really like to do, remembering you just can't do it all.


So while I have things I'd like to get done over the next two weeks I will try and remember that not all of it needs to be done, at least right now. Instead, time with family and friends, curling up with a good book, and remembering a peaceful night 2000 years ago which heralded the birth of the Prince of Peace, these are the sorts of things that are truly important right now. The rest can wait.

Well, with Greens, Thanksgiving, Chinese class, and, oh yeah, work, I've been a little remiss about keeping up with the blog. I am pleased to report, however, that as of Wednesday Kelly passed the 50,000 word mark for NaNoWriMo and as such is an official NaNoWriMo winner!!! See the official count right here. She still has a little ways to go to finish the draft, but should hit that milestone soon as well, as she doesn't expect the draft to be more than 60,000 words. What can I say, I'm impressed!


We have a break for Greens for Thanksgiving, but kick it up into high gear tomorrow with our first tech rehearsal and sprint on towards opening night next Thursday. The whole process has gone fast, and as excited as I am to start performing for an audience, I will be sad to have the show over with.