Battery of OA

[GreenLanternMD]

I Don't Want to Think Right Now

I keep reminding myself that I'm getting on a plane again tomorrow night. I have much to do between now and then.

There's a lot building up on my plate... a lot of stress ahead of me... a lot of planning that could easily be overlooked.

I'm having the tiniest of anxiety attacks right now. I don't normally have anxiety attacks, so I don't know if I'm really having one. There's no major physical malfunction... just a mild sensation of being overwhelmed which I am chosing to ignore. Perhaps this a growing sense of maturity demanding that I get my ass in gear.

I have a set to design. I have a production to plan. I have a cast to hold together.

I have classes to teach.

I have sub plans to prep.

I'm going to Austin tomorrow. (An usual wrinkle in the fabric)

I have a very confusing love life. (Another new twist)

I've been living a day at a time for a few weeks now, but it's crucial that I start doing some big-picture thinking right now. I have a massive amount of people on board for Up the Down Staircase, but if I fuck up in the leadership, that number could dwindle fast.

If I can keep thier attention into next week and have some strong plans ready, we're good to go.

:loopy:

 

[GreenLanternMD]

3 More Hours...

Just half a day left.

To Do...

1. Finish Last Three Classes
2. Organize Plans for Sub
3. Set-up DVD Player for Sub
4. Go home
5. Pack
6. Make sure DVD of Into the Woods has been delivered to my home
7. Load car
8. Leave home by 4:00 PM
9. Stop by here and drop off Into the Woods with DVD player
10. Get to the airport
11. Check in
12. Send "Good-bye Text" to...
13. Get on plane
14. Fly to Austin

Should be easy.

 

[GreenLanternMD]

Having a Great Time.... Blog Later

This is a note to remind myself to blog all about Austin after I'm home and not in the middle of doing things in Austin.

Topics to remember:

• Getting Here
• Coldtowne is Awesome (as Improvisors and Human Beings
• What I Missed
• Swimming in Algea for $3.00 (Barton Springs)
• Apollo 12 Show
• Bob and Craig
• JoKer & JeSSter
• NOT JoKer & JeSSter
• More Parties
• Getting Molested by Darin and Tommy
• Hangin with Jerry K.
  
• More...

I'll BBL...

 

[GreenLanternMD]

End of the "Tour"

Home at last.

I've been home for several hours already. I didn't jump onto the computer immediately because 1) I was really tired and 2) I'm too impatient to wait for the computer to boot up and finally 3) sleep was higher on my list of priorities than blogging and looking at MySpace and e-mail.

So here I am now, ready to fulfill as promised my update from Austin:

• Getting Here
  
  Okay, "Here" is now "There" since I've once again returned to Phoenix. My plane left an hour and a half late. This lead to Mike J. from Coldtowne circling the airport for about 45 minutes waiting for me to get there and get my shit together. Totally cool about it. Just like the rest of Coldtowne, he's awesome.
  
  Right from the plane, I'm escorted to the "After Party" at a local bar. I come to discover that even though I managed to leave Phoenix at the earliest possible time without missing too much work, I still managed to miss out on a full night of awesome shows. It's the delicate balancing act of balancing my life as a performing artist and my primary carreer as an educator. So long as I continue to do both, I will never be able to experience an entire festival from beginning to end other than PIF. I can take some comfort in knowing that the vast majority of festival performers are in the same position as me, so even though I sometimes miss some cool stuff, I do get to catch a lot of good stuff. The party is where I re-united with the rest of my Phoenix crew: The Remainders that had come down from Toronto and the Apollo 12 that had driven over from Phoenix. Unlike Toronto, where I was first to arrive and first to leave, in Austin, I was the last to arrive. I will likely do this festival again next year and consider skipping Toronto... and if I chose to do that, I can skip work on Thursday and Friday and attend more of what I missed; but, we'll jump off that bridge when we come to it.
  
• Coldtowne is Awesome (as Improvisors and Human Beings)
  
  One of the things I love about being an improvisor in this day and age is that most improvisors now are cool people. That doesn't happen in a lot of performing arts "communities." You always here about how actors are back-stabbing whores, how some musicians are narcacistic idiots, and how stand-up is full of assholes. The world of improv isn't perfect; but the world of improv is full of cool people from all over the country. I can't imagine a more stimmulating and supportive network of people anywhere.
  
  Coldtowne is awesome. They started in New Orleans a few years ago. When Katrina hit this time last year, they evacuated to Austin... just in time for OOB. From what I have heard, last year's festival was a testimate to improv's commitment to community. Austin's improv collective opened it's arms to Coldtowne and others from NOLA during the Katrina evacuation, and Coldtowne has called Austin home ever since. Now, Coldtowne is very much a part of Austin's improv world... So when Phoenix comes to visit, they're eager to makes us feel welcome.
  
  We had the honor and privilage of staying in their home during the run of the festival. Considering that most of us arrived Thursday and some will be there as late as Tuesday morning, that's saving us a butt-load in hotel fees. It's also nice to be able to hang-out and relax at all hours without fear or Police or Security. Did I mention doughnuts? They rock!
  (Okay, I think Todd Gordon actually picked up doughnuts at one point. He rocks, too.)
  
• What I Missed
  
  I guess I should look at the bullet points before I fill them in, because I already hit this a little. There were other things I missed between Toronto and Austin with The Remainders. Read about them here.
  
• Swimming in Algea for $3.00 (Barton Springs)
  
  Something I have vague memories of from childhood was going to various swim locations around Austin. I believe one of them was Barton Springs. I lived in Austin from 1976-1980. For those of you needed help with the math, that's ages 2-6 in my lifetime. A lot of little things about being there this weekend reminded me of what it fealt like to be 4.
  
  We spent part of Friday afternoon at this natural spring... which is basically a small, clear, natural body of water with a swimming pool deck and a diving board build around it. The water is always very cold, regardless of the time of year. The deck, on the other hand, blazing hot. I did very little in our hour there... spent probably 30 minutes just sitting in one spot, soaking up sun. I finally swam the width of the water so that I could join up with everyone else by the diving board. Apparantly, Tommy, Bill and Darin had been doing some "amazing" dives at Stacey's request. Stacey, however, had not ventured into the water because it was too cold for her liking.
  
• Apollo 12 Show
  
  This was a much anticipated event for all of us. Last year, the Apollo 12 "Out of Bounds" show reached legendary status (at least, that's what it seemed like whenever Bill, Darin, Tommy or Stacey would talk about it... even Coldtowne would mention it sometimes). Shane and I were part of it this year, so there was a lot of added excitement. We had to live up to last year, and deliver more.
  
  We gave the audience an Apollo 12 show. The kind of show we've been showing Phoenix for the past year, with a few exceptions:
  
  1. The house was sold out. That never happens in Phoenix...
  
  2. We had 40 minutes... which really isn't too differant from a Phoenix show... but knowing we had 40 instead of 25 makes a differance.
  
  I had a blast. Some of my moments were week, but I have such a strong team that I didn't have to suffer for long.
  
  There was a high school teacher in the audience who had seen last year's show and specifically brought his students to see US!!! Take that, Tom Hernandez! I wish I had a chance to talk to him. Maybe next year.
  
  Oh... and there was window on the set... so of course, Bill had to dive through it.
  
  Stacey wasn't happy with her work... mostly because she came in with a hang-over and a lot of personal baggage that has been haunting her all week. All things considered, I thought she did a great job. She, like the rest in the cast, is one of my life-lines.
  
  
• Bob and Craig
  
  Another big honor for us: Craig Cackowski and Bob Dasi came just to see US!!! Wow! AND they liked what they saw. Possibly the most flattering moment of my improv career.
  
  
• JoKer & JeSSter
  
  I love these guys more every time I see them. The personal favorit moment for me was their walking finger building jumper moment. My description doesn't do it justice. Let's just say I was very lucky to be in the front row for that show.
  
• NOT JoKer & JeSSter
  
  I was not as lucky being in the front row of the next show. I ended up on stage a few times and wish I weren't up there. That's all I'll say about this. I don't want hurt feelings or waisted blog space.
  
  
• More Parties
  
  Every night at OOB ended with at least one party at someone's house. Really not much to say other than I appreciate those that openned their homes this weekend. Thanks!
  
  
• Getting Molested by Darin and Tommy
  
  So, three of the four nights I spent at Coldtowne Manor, I slept on the sofa in the front room (with the help of my "improv" sleeping back), and Tommy, Michelle, and Darin slept on the adjacent futon. A lot of drinking had happened. Those three seem to enjoy embarrassing me, so Michelle offered "$10 American" to each of them if they would pounce on my and "rape" me. Children-children-children.
  
  
• Hangin with Jerry K.
  
  One of my friends from college lives in Austin. I had some extra time on Saturday, so we hung out for awhile and did some catching up. It's nice to be reminded every now and then that friends I made more than a decade ago can still be my friends now.
  
  (To Be Continued...)

 

[GreenLanternMD]

End of "Tour" Part 2

This wouldn't fit in the first post:

[*]More...

Most of the shows I saw at the festival (with maybe one glaring exception) were pretty good. The late-night jams were fun in that I got to see friends play... beyond that, they can turn into endurance tests.

Sunday featured the "Mini Golf" that makes OOB famous among improv festivals. We were all assigned teams with people from other troupes. I got to play with Jason from "Hoover's (I can't remember the rest)" Kacey from "Girls-Girls-Girls" and Bob Dasi. Nice. :up: We didn't win, but we had some interesting trick shots... a few involved things going in between Kacey's legs... The funniest thing about the whole thing was that Jason and Kacey didn't know who Bob Dasi was, and their first encounter with him is on a mini golf course. I can only imagine their thrill after seeing Daseriski later that night... (Hey! I played golf with that guy. He's awesome!)

The final night of shows was terrific, but I think there were a number of people in the audience who had no idea what they were watching. Two of them were sitting next to me... a couple of women dressed like trashy hookers making asses of themselves... I think they were some kind of "local talent" who had to be "on all the time." Actual things I heard these bitches say DURING the show:

"Oh, that was a cute 'bit.' I'm sure they practiced that and saved it up."

"(Gasp!) They took the first suggestion?"

"It's called a shill, Honey. It's all planned."

I was a little pissed when they showed up at the after party. Oh well...

The shows that went on in the final night were all very differant. I won't go into specifics, but I would have paid the full admission price JUST for Daseriski, just because they are THAT good.
[/LIST]

I'm home now... a little bummed that I'll miss The Remainders show tonight. It's an unofficial add-on to the festival. I've missed shows before, and I'll get over missing this one. I know I'm better off coming home to rest before going back to reality tomorrow. I think these past two weekends have spoiled me... a part of me wishes I could live like a "rock star" all the time.

If only we could "sell out" a show in Phoenix.

 

[GreenLanternMD]

Denial

This is an adendum to my earlier posts about Austin.

I've been in denial about something for about a year now.

A lot of people ask me how I am able to do everything that I do... teach... be in two improv troupes... do festivals... puppets... The answer? I'm single, childless and not in a serious relationship.

Do I want those conditions to remain unchanged forever? No. In fact, my "nights off" sometimes feel a little lonely.

Eventually, something will be sacrificed... and I think I know what that sometime is.

Elastic Theater.

Ever since Apollo 12's first appearance at OOB (the one I missed), Stacey has been talking about moving her family out to Austin. And Tommy is willing to go along with them. The first time she mentioned this to me last fall, she asked if I had any interest in moving out there. It didn't take long for me to say no. I like Austin. I used to live there. But I'm pretty comfortable in Phoenix and have no designs on moving away. If I were married and my spouce wanted or needed to move elsewhere, I would like to think that I would be ready to go with her without hesitation. But I'm not married to Elastic Theater. I love Stacey and Tommy dearly, but not enough to follow them around the country.

I know I've mentioned this before, but not in dept.

Stacey's heart has been in Austin since last year. It didn't take long for her to convince her family that Austin is where they belong. There is very little keeping them in Phoenix, and Austin will welcome them eagerly. Early on, she would use the words "We're thinking of moving to Austin" or "We're probably moving to Austin." I think the maybes and probablys are fading away and that the decision is becoming more definite.

Tommy has been less vocal on this specific subject, but he has expressed his intent in other ways. In the past year, he's expressed a number of times his feelings of artistic frustration. He's also mentioned that he is eager to be places other than Phoenix, whether it's Tucson or Austin, or wherever.

They drove out to Austin a few days before OOB this year to look at houses.

It's real to me now. After being in Austin for almost four days and seeing how content they were there, I believe it now. The other 2/3 of Elastic Theater will likely relocate to Austin, TX... without me.

Truthfully, I don't know what's in the hearts and minds of others and I know anything could happen.

But I need to deal with the possibility that I have to make a sacrifice now.

No one is moving yet, but I don't know when "yet" is going to end. Could be sooner than I'm prepared for.

If/when they move, Elastic Theater goes with them. Am I still a puppeteer after that?

...

I don't know...

...

I think that's what scares me the most. This is something I take artistic pride in, and yet my art in this arena may be defined by two other people. That's not entirely a bad thing. It means that we work well as a team. But the team can survive without me... and I don't know if I can perform without the team.

Do I create a new Post-Elastic entity and continue to do slams? Do I attempt to build my own puppet stage? Do I recruit new peformers to play with me? Or do I go solo?

Or, do I take the path of least resistance and walk away from it entirely?

I can't answer these questions now and I don't think I will be able to until I am compelled to do so.

I'm not angry. I'm a little sad and a little scared. I've never been good with endings.

I can't go with them. It may be their path, but I don't believe it to be mine... not now, anyway.

For a long time, I've believed that I have had a sybiotic relationship with Phoenix; that we needed each other to survive and grow. Yes, it's pretty fucking arrongent... but, it keeps me here. That, and I'm quite comfortable with my lifestyle. I don't think I can achieve this level of contentment if I move away. I've trapped myself in a cacoon of habit and routine.

So, will the puppeteer in me die... or, will he be free to grow-up a little?

 

[GreenLanternMD]

Bored at Work

My first class doesn't start for almost an hour. I've been in the office for two hours already. I have most of what I need to do done already.

I should be working on my set design...

I hate the boredom of laziness.

 

[GreenLanternMD]

Break's Over

After two weeks of back-and-forth travel and improv overload, I essentially took an improv break... for four days.

Tonight, Mark Jordon of Galapagos is organizing the first workshop for the Phoenix Neutrino Project. At a time when I've been telling people that I can't take on any new projects... I'm taking on a new project. But, this is the sort of thing I can make an exception for... Neutrino has the flexibility for improvisors to come and go as needed. This will not require the level of weekly commitment that is needed for Apollo 12 or The Remainders. It may even require less of me than Elastic Theater. My regular improv workouts with my other troupes will be sufficiant practice for the improv required for Neutrino (I imagine) with some minor differances that will be covered tonight. I wouldn't expect there to be a need for weekly practices, considering we're doing one workshop tonight and a show next Saturday.

Big plans this weekend... a little too personal for me to discuss here right now... but they involve me cleaning my condo and cooking.

 

[GreenLanternMD]

Can't Go Anywhere With Bill and Jose

So tonight we had our first practice for Neutrino Project. The guy who's running it is, like me, a high school theater teacher. So, the practice was in and around the auditorium of the high school he works at which is in Gilbert.

So far so good.

We didn't know that this school would have a game tonight. No big deal because the game is out on the football field and we're in the auditorium. The paths won't cross.

So we're practicing shooting short two-minute scenes around the building (all improvised)... we do this for a couple hours... some interior, some exterior...

Around 9:15, we decide to do one more set of scenes. Jose gets the urge to have us run over to the Administration building because it has some interesting architecture and signage, so we can get some good shots.

Let me mention at this point out that we, at no time, were doing anything bad, wrong, roudy, or illegal. We were just improvising a scene outside with a video camera.

Well, the fact that we ran from the auditorium to the admin. building and were looking at a map of the campus... for some reason... freaked out security.

So, as we're shooting, security comes up in their golf cart and askes us what we're doing.

Bill stays in character and says he's just trying to remember where he parked (that's what the scene was about, Jose was still shooting, so I backed him up).

She had us get in the golf cart to, what we thought, help us find Bill's car.

Her supervisor told her via radio to escort us to the Gilbert Police officers her were parked behind the stadium (for event security).

As Jose continued to shoot, Bill kept up the story about looking for his car. I said nothing and hoped to whatever god was listening that I wouldn't be hand cuffed and finger printed that night.

:cop:

Between shots, we told them what we were doing and that we were with Mark (who was waiting for us to come back to the auditorium with the camera and tape).

They looked at our ID's, confirmed our story, but told us to go home.

We did... after we went back to the auditorium to finish our shoot and look at our footage.

This is the third time that I know of that Bill has been almost arrested in the past month. Can't take that boy anywhere.

 

[GreenLanternMD]

I'm Getting Older

My life is pretty full. Full in that the hours I have available for living are limited. I have time available for work, for improv, for sleep... Some down-time to keep my sanity... When I begin to add other elements, it's a shock to the system. No matter how much I may desire the addition or alteration in my life or lifestyle, the challenge of time management and allotment of energy becomes overwhelming. As my years advance, I begin to wonder if I can keep up with the pace that I have created for myself. What will my priorities be 10 years from now? 5 years from now? 1 year from now? Next month?

Challenges are narcotics. Accomplishment is the ultimate high. Ennui is the ultimate depression.

Hell Yes I can keep this going!

If I can take five minutes to whine and blog about it all, then I can summon up the energy to do everything I want to do.

I'm a Rock Star!

Okay, that was a little too far... but, I've done it before and I can do it again.
And the new "X-Factor" I'm adding... will only make everything better.

 

[GreenLanternMD]

Noble Gestures

After a flurry of e-mails on the subject, it was decided around 5PM yesterday that we off Apollo 12 would graciously yield our performance slot to New Kevin, who came up from Tucson to do what was supposedly their "Last Show Ever" (whether this is their actual retirement or if this is more like the Rolling Stones' "Farewell Tours" remains to be seen).

I was a little disappointed because I was looking forward to playing that night. What would have been differant about this show? I would have someone in the audience... someone who isn't normally there... someone who am I eager to have in one of my audiences.

So, I elected to stay home... and invited my "audience" to stay home with me. I made the right choice.

 

[GreenLanternMD]

Balls

Phoenix Neutrino Project starts TONIGHT!!!

Last week's practice almost resulted in Bill, Jose, and myself being arrested by Gilbert Police.

Last night's practice included a scene with me in my underwear.
(And it was my idea too... Nobody talking me into it... It was me saying, "I'm taking my pants off.")

What will happen tonight?

Who knows?

 

[GreenLanternMD]

We Were Almost Arrested Last Week

Here's the Link

 

[GreenLanternMD]

Less Than 100%

My artistic and professional focus is beginning to slip because I can't keep my personal shit in check.

:mope:

Time to start re-directing my energy.

 

[GreenLanternMD]

Grrrrr!!!!

I have a lot of anger and frustration this week... and I'm taking it out on my English students. Sad part is, they fucking deserve it.

 

[GreenLanternMD]

Good to Have a Brother in Your Corner

My brother turned 37 a few days ago. The day came and went without a word from me, and I fealt guilty. Guiltier still that I missed my nephew's birthday and just haven't allowed myself any time for my family in recent months.

I thought about the crap I seem to be wading through right now and realized I really needed to reconnect.

I called up my brother and offered to take him out for a beer after he got off of work (he manages a T-Mobile store in North Glendale). We had our beer, we hung out, we talked... I ranted... a lot...

I ranted about work. I realized two things. 1. I'm really experiencing a lot of stress there and 2. I've been coping with it by engaging in destructive apathy. Now that I'm aware of it, I can control it... right?

I ranted about my love life. I told him all about Jeanette (that's her name, by the way... have I mentioned that before?)... How things were going in a way that was making me happier than anything and suddenly it stopped. How she doesn't want to get serious with anyone and that my feelings scare her a little... How I'm still crazy about her but will go on being her friend... How I feel like I shouldn't be in a relationship right now anyway... everything.

Just felt better to talk about it with him. I could have had this conversation with any of my friends, but I needed to do this with Matt. I fealt like I owed it to him.

I feel better about everything. I may need to take him out for a beer more often.

 

[GreenLanternMD]

Bad Timing

CrYT just called me. I didn't answer. Really don't have a lot of time to take calls from them (but I do have time to blog :jump: ). I guess I'm still pissed about the way Stacey was treated by upper management at the camp. I know I'm only getting the call so that I can be asked to take on another project. Is it unprofessional of me to just ignore him until he goes away? I really don't want to have a conversation that results in someone getting upset. I'd rather just be too busy to deal with it.

 

[GreenLanternMD]

Not Fooling Anyone

I often profess a lack of narcascism and voice my distain for those who put themselves in the proverbial (or litteral) spot light.

I'm calling bullshit on myself.

What do Mel Gibson and Kevin Costner have in common? Oscar winners... yes... actors... yes... anti-semites... maybe... have directed self, for better or worse... yes.

Raging egomanics? I think so.

I have the burden of acting in a play I'm directing. I have to learn lines. I haven't learned lines in years. Even when we do a puppet show, Tommy and Stacey have the script taped or pinned up in front of us... and even though I claim to have it cold, I look... either that or I say whatever the fuck I want... But as I teach my students about performing published work, I preach that they must learn the lines as the author wrote them because all of the bugs have been worked out in early productions... sigh... easier said than done.

I gave myself A LOT of lines... I thought it was a small part... and I'm not sure there was anyone else I felt confident giving the part to...

It's exciting, but it's stressing me a little...

If someone else were directing, it wouldn't be a big deal. I don't mind acting if that's the only thing I'm worried about... But I'm directing the show, which means I'm in charge of everything. It's hard to be the omnicient third eye when you're on stage.

I've directed myself before. In my first short film, I did all of the puppetry. That was easy compared to this. I didn't have to talk... and I had a DP looking through the camera.

It'll be fine. Today was the first day that I really felt like I was directing. I haven't felt connected to the play until today. Now I have a sense that I'm really starting to get artistic with it.

Apollo 12 show tomorrow... Haven't done much since Austin... this should be interesting...

 

[GreenLanternMD]

Update

Wednesday: I saw Catorce's last show EVER!!! This consisted of an audio recording or Ryan Avery's random rants and observations from his Morman Mission in Portland, OR. The CD served as their "Armando." The break up of that group is a little sad but understandable. Apparantly, something very new and differant will be replacing them in a couple of weeks... an all female troupe.

The Apollo 12 show consisted of Bill, Travis and Myself. This is the first time Travis has played with us in several months. I thought he kept up pretty well. At the last minute, we added the gimmic of giving the audience our cell phone numbers and challenging them to call or text us during the show and give additional suggestions. I think Bill got one call... Bill also called Jose to verify which gender of our species can get a vasectomy.

 

[GreenLanternMD]

Endor is a F'ed Up Planet

Actually, it's a moon.

That was an actual sugestion from Bill during our Remainders practice last night.

I left around 9:15 last night instead of 9:30 or 10. Work and various other projects, along with issues of a personal nature, have left me more exhausted than in the past. The pace I used to keep up seems to be a little much for me these days... and a full 3 hours twice a week... I don't know, I may get to a point where I can go full speed again. I'm getting old.

All depending on what we do tonight, I will try to stay for Apollo 12 through the duration. Our practices have been shorter of late, mostly due to low attendance and very low maintainance workshop plans. We shall see what happens tonight.

My birthday is next week... Thursday the 12th to be specific. As I noted on MySpace, it seems to be a popular weekend for people to leave town (FUCKING DENVER!!! )... Well, I'm going to start celebrating at Wednesday Night's show and continue "partying" until Saturday. (I put "partying" in quotes because I'm not sure what exactly I'll be doing... this was not to indicate drug use...)

Okay, enough slacking. I got shit to do...