R.E.M. Sleep

First of all, a shoutout to Carrie for getting through finals; and a special shoutout to Sherin who is somewhere in the final stages of her Master's (so thoroughly embedded in research and writing that I don't even know exactly what's left for her, but I know she's nearing the finish line, if not yet across it).

And so here's a testament to one of the presumed, if elusive, rewards of getting through grad school, which is also a nod to the screening/talk with Michael Stipe (about the very cool short 'films' curated by Stipe to accompany the songs on Collapse Into Now) Cory and I went to a couple weeks ago.

Even Yet Still More Post Modern Living

Ok, here's the next installment in our seemingly endless stream of Post Modern Living posts.

This is a scene that happens early in the piece, with Chester (me) and Mitch (Richard Sheinmel) in bed first thing in the morning, and Mitch's "Spirit Guide" Louie (Chris Orbach) holding up our pillows. Now, maybe you'll be asking questions about the metaphorical nature of a Spirit Guide or guardian angel supporting us: pillow feathers representing angel wings? protective spirits as a cushion against the shattering blows of (post) modern life? If those are the questions going through your head, give yourself a hand: you're in touch with the finer points of performance art. But if you're like a lot of the people out there (including no small number of my friends and family members, and virtually all of my dayjob co-workers) your first reaction is apt to be "whoa - you're in bed with another guy?" Yes, it's true: in this show, my character is gay. Which isn't that radical. At ALL. But even in 2010, it gets a reaction. I've played murderers, rapists, incestuous lovers, but the response I get to those is pretty muted compared to the reaction people have when they find out I'm kissing a dude. For better or worse, there is very little in the way of a Katy Perryesque titillation factor, and a whole lot in the way of an "is there tongue?" recoil factor.

In any case, there is more to this show than man-on-man action: there is also some damned good music and acting, and a really bitchin band. Cue the Stephen Mosher photo essay (Stephen took all the photos in this post during a dress rehearsal):

Here's Joy (Wendy Merritt) checking out Mitch's situation.

Here Chris is playing the cabbie who takes Mitch to the doctor. One of Chris' friends had a fun insight to his character: "You're Snoopy! One minute you're the WWI Flying Ace, one minute you're Joe Cool, and when you're not any of those guys, you're one enlightened beagle."

This is Meg (Catherine Porter) and Mitch helping Gerrie (Briana Davis) get her bearings after one too many Run Run Rudolphs.

Here's Dr. Zappi (Frank Blocker) giving Mitch a consult about some post-op stitches that are about to come out.

Here is Grace giving Joy a consult. Hmmm... "Grace" and "Joy" - nothing symbolically significant about those names, is there? Wait a minute: what does that say about "Chester"?

Well, I'm doing the best I can. Here I am in phone conversation with Mitch. Don't worry - he's not cheating on me; his shirt's off because he's still at the doctor's office.

This is definitely the money shot. Joy is demonstrating - well, hell: come to the show and see what she's demonstrating.

And here's the lot of us bringing it all back home in the finale.

See you at La MaMa.

Drinking 101

I had never heard of this Chris Onstad individual, but this comic is right on.

She Doesn't Care What You Eat

Gotta Love Natalie Dee.

Fun with Art and Music

Now this is good news, and I think you'll like it if you read it.

Totally fun to think of Charles Schulz finding the perfect piece of music for Schroeder to be playing, whistling, thinking about, and drawing it into the comic, line by line and dot by dot.

Vegetarians Beware

Those of you interested in graphic art and design, and uberhip toys, may be interested to know that Jeremyville is having a signing on Thursday Oct. 2, at Kidrobot New York (Soho store). Mr. Ville has been written up in a bunch of the art zines, and designed for all kinds of rad events and clients.

Here's Nightmare in Jeremyville, one of the things he'll be signing next week.

Happy Birthday Nelson Mandela

Yep, he's 90 today. 90! That's very exciting.

There's nothing I can really add to this man's story, which hopefully you all know well already. Truly and I think indisputably one of the Great People of our time, he personified integrity, self-sacrifice, devotion, persistence, effective activism and wisdom. Here's a report of the tributes from AFP.

I love how he describes himself as "a retired old man who no longer has power or influence." Nicely done.

So, my irreverent addition to the celebration will be a reblog to a very funny political cartoonist's site having nothing particularly to do with Mandela at all. Brian McFadden writes and draws Big Fat Whale, and finishes off with a pithy comment-on-the-commentary as well. Here's a link to the archives for your amusement and edification; the whole site is worth investigating. Meanwhile, here's today's entry:

OH - and I did call in sick for rehearsal last night. First time maybe ever (not counting when I was in school - I punked out a couple times back then). The Cal Ripkin Jr. impulse lost out to the 'take care of yourself - it will be better for you and for the show' impulse. Not sure what the hell that hygienist did to my jaw, but it's still a little sore. Much better than yesterday, though, so I'll be back in the game tonight.

Good Ol' You-Know-Who

Did anybody else see the Charles M. Schulz documentary on American Masters? It was pretty damned good - a thorough (well, for an hour-long tv show) look at the life, work, influences and background of the man who created Charlie Brown. It was intimate, without being totally invasive, and drew interesting parallels between the events in Schulz's life and his work.



Apparently, the new biography by David Michaelis goes considerably farther in this direction. I keep reading that it's 'controversial,' but I haven't been able to figure out too much about just what this controversy is supposed to be. That the guy who created one of the great portraits of American insecurity was, umm, a little insecure? That he drew from his personal relationships when creating characters and situations? That he took names from his art school colleagues? That he went to art school?

These things are controversial? Good Grief!