Open Wardrobes

This morning at 6 AM I left Saint Paul and drove to Bismarck, North Dakota for the premiere of The Princess and the Moon. I arrived in Bismarck in the afternoon and, walking around the town center, came across this as I passed the theater.

I don't know that it gets much better than that (unless of course they added my name up there as well. In lights). Several hours later I went to the theater to meet with the cast and crew and spent awhile signing programs and chatting with everyone before the performance.

It was a fun show. The kids clearly had a good time with it and it was exciting to finally see this play up on its feet, after almost four years since I first sat down to start to write it. There are some things in the script that I want to fix for the future, but I appreciate Shade Tree Players taking on a new play and all those who poured their energies into this production. In talking with the kids, some were old pros having spent years with Shade Tree, while others were stepping onto the stage in front of an audience for the very first time tonight. It was humbling to have written the script that gave them that opportunity. I wish them luck for the rest of their shows this weekend and I now enjoying having seen another play take flight.

My second show on Saturday, sticking around the U of MN's Rarig Center was The Tenth Muse, written and performed by out-of-towner Elisa Korenne. I met Elisa recently at one of the library showcases and enjoyed the show she performed there, so I wanted to be sure and catch the full show.

The focus of the show is songs about oddballs in US history, from a lightbulb eater to cheerleading nuns. I loved the songs, nicely written and well-performed, and the people they were based on were definitely interesting. Elisa has a very nice stage presence and is clearly in her element when singing and playing. The framework of the tenth muse didn't work for me as much, as I would have preferred more background on the historical characters. (A more cabaret-type format would probably work better.) The people ARE very interesting and the song format only provides so much room to talk about them. Still, all in all I very much enjoyed the performance. With the sing-a-long element this is a great show for families. 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

With Collide-a-Scope all wrapped up now (had the last show on Sunday night, very responsive crowd) I have a bit of a pause. I say a bit, as I do still have to do my full-time day job and am also taking an evening class (Intermediate Chinese). But artistically speaking I'm in a bit of a lull. I'm keeping an eye on audition notices, feeling the itch to get back on stage, and also trying to wrap my brain around what I hope will be my next writing project. I've been wanting for awhile to create a one-man show combining physics and theater. An unusual combination, perhaps, but then I studied physics for many years before taking a job at a non-profit. I also used to work on the side for Mad Science of Minnesota, a group which does educational science presentations for schools, birthday, parties, etc. I don't know what shape yet my show will take, but I think the time has finally come to wrestle with the idea and see what comes out.

Last night we finished week 1 of the Collide-a-Scope festival, which included the first two performances of The Cubicle. Thursday's audience was a little thin, about 25 people, but a good show. Last night was even better though, about 50 people and a very responsive crowd. Jeremiah and Corey were particularly into the show which made for a very strong and engaging performance. Still two shows left this Friday and Sunday nights. If you've never seen it, now's your chance!

I mentioned recently that I was part of Collide-a-Scope, a new theater festival in Minneapolis. It officially kicked off yesterday with an evening that featured short samples of the different shows and artists in the festival (not unlike the Fringe Festival's "Fringe-For-All"s). I was there in my role as tech guy for The Cubicle, but I also ended up filling in for an actor in The Supercillious Ways of Walter Wading who wasn't able to be there. It's a very cute show (aimed primarily at kids) and it was fun to hop on stage, if only briefly. My last show was Teddy and Alice with Rosetown Players in July, and it being now September I'm starting to get the itch once again to go out and audition for something. The downside of that always is that when I have to rehearse, there's less time to write!

Over the next couple of weeks I will be a part of Collide-a-Scope, a new theater festival taking place in Minneapolis. I will be running tech for one of the shows at the festival, The Cubicle. This show started back at the Minnesota Fringe Festival in 2005 and was one of the hits of the Fringe, and two guys that created and perform in it, Jeremiah Gamble and Corey Mills, have continued to perform it periodically since. I ran tech for the original production as well as most of the subsequent productions. It's a fantastic show, very clever, funny, and at times even poignant. It chronicles a week in the life of Bob and Jim, two cubicle-dwelling workers at the Gigasoft Software Company. One of the most brilliant aspects of the show is the set: two cubicles on wheels that become not only the characters' workspaces, but their cars, their morning showers, and anything else needed. It's a fantastic piece, one which I am proud to be a part of (albeit behind the cubicle wall, so the speak). Jeremiah and Corey are wonderful performers, and good guys and great friends to boot. I certainly recommend the show, as well as the rest of the festival (taking place the second half of September).