Saturday, December 6, 2014

It Seems That What Was Old Is New Again...





(An image circa 1995, of protests then regarding potential cuts in the arts at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.)

Yesterday Theatre UAF turned in its 'Special Program Review' paperwork to prevent the BA in theatre - the program in which I have my major - from being eliminated in a funding cut.

Theatre UAF provides more benefits than just 'entertainment', as its classwork helps students develop such skills as teamwork, self-confidence, and analytic thought.

Yes, in candor, this would personally affect me. But it is about much more than that. We appear to live in an era where education in the humanities, and in the arts in particular, seem to be constantly faced by questions of their 'utility'. Education - real, meaningful education - is about more than just training to enter the mass of consuming workers. It is about learning how to think and, perhaps more importantly, learning how you as a person thinks. How *your* mind works. What your 'process' is. That self-reflecting ability is one of the greatest gifts that my classwork with Theatre UAF has given me. And it is an ability that is at the core of the University of Alaska Fairbanks mission.

I believe that theatre coursework has well proven its value. That it is, and can be, “Naturally Inspiring.”And, as such, should remain a component of the academic life of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Please consider supporting the program, via letters to the editor at the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, and potentially through letters to the university Provost Dr. Susan Henrichs, and to UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers as well.


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                                              My school related fundraising site:
                                   Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

              A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise. 

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                                                     Semi-Random Shavings 


Friday, November 14, 2014

A Rambling Missive, For An Angsty Day






(Artist: Stephan Pastis)

A disclaimer: I do not drink spirits...At least, not that often. That said, the commentary of the character of Rat in this struck a nerve with me today. Because it has been a rather bad one, especially as regards my quest to further my education.

Here is the deal:

As many of you who have visited this blog before know, I returned to school to complete my Bachelors degree after a 27 year lapse (what I sometimes refer to as my 'extended sabbatical') in the fall of 2010. I chose to attend the University of Alaska Fairbanks for a variety of reasons, ranging from the intimate size of the department, to its reasonable cost, to being able to experience the storytelling and arts of the native Alaskan peoples and gain inspiration from them. I have been able to achieve a 3.3 cumulative GPA and, although I have had some scheduling setbacks due to finances, I now have ~11 credit hours left to qualify for my B.A. degree in theatre (design emphasis) with an art minor and am hoping to raise the funds to graduate in the Spring of, or at the very latest, the Fall of 2015.

And then today I find out via a letter from one of the professors in my department that the University is looking at cutting the B.A. in theatre as a major. Which, if they do, would mean that for all intents and purposes my roughly 31 years worth of effort towards the completion of my degree could end up for naught.


Granted, the B.A. in theatre is not the only program that the university is examining for possible change and/or deletion. Several other programs in the humanities are potentially on the chopping block as well. And I feel for those affected by cuts in other areas. After all, isn't a major aspect of what a university is about to give students the skills to think? To explore? To embrace the world in all its aspects?



Yeah. Apparently, those in authority find more use in degrees in mining and petroleum engineering. You know, the 'practical things'.


I have seen, over the last few days, a string of articles cross my various feeds regarding the utility of the arts and how it is a mistake for students to study them. And it has gnawed at me. Because I experienced so much of that mindset from a variety of individuals for so many years. Thankfully, I was able to rise beyond them. But what about the young people who, because of actions like those being considered by the powers that be at UAF, will not have access to opportunities to explore what inspires them? As followers/readers here might know, I want to teach. To open the world to others as it was opened to me by so many marvelous mentors in high school and college. And I dearly love the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Even without having done a campus visit, it took me little time at all to discover how much I seemed to 'fit' there. Which is one of the reasons why these projected actions hurt my soul as much as they do.

So now, I'm going to share a link to a petition, which is being directed to the Chancellor and the Provost. I hope that you will consider signing it, in support not just of the theatre department which has been something of a home to me, but also in support of the arts in general. And for those who might want to follow them.



https://www.change.org/p/brian-rogers-save-theatre-uaf-2?recruiter=179957591&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_facebook_responsive

Thanks for reading this ramble. More later....

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                                              My school related fundraising site:
                                   Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

              A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise. 

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                                                     Semi-Random Shavings 


Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Last Minute Sponsorship

So…this scholarship sweepstakes has a deadline of 11:59PM (2359hrs) EST tonight. So I am sharing this link in a last minute effort to gain ‘sponsors’, which will get me more chances at the sweepstakes. Admittedly, it’s a bit of a crapshoot and I know it, but I thought I’d give it a shot. Thus, the shared link.

Thanks.

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                                              My school related fundraising site:
                                   Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

              A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise. 

                                             My general, rather eclectic, Tumblr:
                                                     Semi-Random Shavings 

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Update - Circa 09/11/14

It has been awhile...so here is an update, as well as some semi-shameless self promotion:

As I mentioned last time, I was going to (and did) apply for a gig at the Mat-Su College branch of the University of Alaska system. I also had a submission in for a tuition waiver scholarship. I have sort of held off on any new postings (though I have had some ideas percolating) until I had any news regarding either submission...

Well.

The first notice I received was in regard to the Mat-Su gig. I was, as the UA system likes to put it, "screened out". Which means that I didn't even make the cut to get a phone interview.

[insert pensive exhalation of breath noises here]

Classes started last Thursday (09/04/14). The results of the committee decision regarding the tuition waiver scholarship didn't come through until this Tuesday (09/09/14). And I wasn't selected for that either. 

I've been scrambling for funding, since I still have (had?) hope that I can/could get back to classes this Fall. The deadline for enrollment and payment of fees is tomorrow (09/12/14). So while I am still scrambling...

 [insert additional pensive exhalation of breath noises here]

That aside, I do think that my essay submission for the scholarship is worth sharing since I have had some folks ask why I want my degree/want to continue my classroom education. With that in mind, and as an admitted example of self promotion, here is the text of the aforementioned essay - the subject, because the scholarship was for 'returning/non-traditional students' was "What was your inspiration to return to school?":

-------------------------------------------------Essay begins------------------------------------------------
       My return to school has followed a convoluted path, with a spectrum of factors effecting my decision making process. These can be sorted into professional, personal, and philosophical motivators. There was, however, one group of experiences encompassing all three realms and which was key to my making the final decision to return to the collegiate experience.
       After my graduation from high school I attended a local community college (College of Lake County – Grayslake, IL) and graduated from there with an Associate of Arts degree in Communications. I then transferred to a four year university program at the University of Illinois: Urbana-Champaign, seeking a BFA in Theatre with a design emphasis. Because of certain developments in my life outside of academia I left school prior to my graduation from that degree program.
       Initially I was able to find some work locally, first as a freelance designer, and later as a non-academic staff member at a community college in the Urbana-Champaign area. While able to perform my duties at a reasonable level I still lacked certain skill sets which could best be developed through classwork and related production projects in an academic setting. As time progressed I continued to be able to obtain work. However there still remained skills that, due to the nature of the theatrical industry, were virtually impossible to learn 'on the job'. Because of this I found myself constrained to employment at a very specific level, with minimal opportunities for advancement or development as an artist.
       In the personal realm, I found myself feeling a lack of satisfaction. In part this was due to my having not reached the goal of receiving my Bachelors degree. I looked at family members who had made themselves promises over the years. People like my mother, who had promised herself that someday she would visit the town in Norway where her grandparents were born. A promise of someday which turned, over the years, into a never, and grew into a “I wish I had...”. Such experiences further fired my resolve to return to academia.
       Philosophically, I have always loved learning. It is one of my core beliefs that education can be a primary curative for the ills of the world. Beyond that I have a deep belief in the idea of the 'Renaissance person', one who is versed in a broad range of knowledge and skills. The very sort of educational basis that is found in the curriculum of a liberal arts education.
       These aspects found a final synergy while I was employed by a small theatre as a combination of tour manager, designer, technician, and actor for their educational touring program. In that program we (myself and three actors) would travel to various elementary and middle schools, performing short productions. I found it amazingly satisfying to help introduce young people to theatre. To know that, if even in some small way, my visit to a town of 400 people might inspire a child there to reach beyond expectations. This job also involved working with students in the theatres educational program. It thrilled me to see them take risks and to grow as people, and as artists. One day, while working with some students, one of them commented that I would “make a good teacher.” In something of an epiphany, I realized that being an educator was part of who I wanted to be.
       In answer to that epiphany I began classes at UAF in 2010 and am now just two semesters away from my degree. With your assistance I will be able to complete my goal. 
 ----------------------------------------------------Essay ends------------------------------------------------

 And that is really the key at this point: I have 11 credit hours remaining of my required classes. If I want to get started on an MFA program I need to be able to submit applications by the start of the Spring 2015 semester. Because theatre design MFA programs (generally) only accept applicants to start in the Fall semester. If I don't graduate in May 2015, I won't be entering an MFA program till the Fall of 2016...

So I remain hopeful (some angst notwithstanding) of being a member of the class of 2015. And I am thankful to all of you who have given me your support, in whatever form.

That's about the size of this update. As I mentioned above, I have some other essay/article ideas floating through my synapses and will be sharing at least one or two of them soon. Till then...

As always, assorted links below.




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                                              My school related fundraising site:
                                   Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

              A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise. 

                                             My general, rather eclectic, Tumblr:
                                                     Semi-Random Shavings 


Tuesday, July 29, 2014

A Touch Confused - A Short Blog Entry (A 'Blog-ette' Perhaps?)

I find myself a bit confused today. And so, here is a little update/vent style thing to 1) help me work through things and 2) just let things out.

We are a couple of days into the build segment of Alone Together, the final show here this Summer. And it's been an interesting process. Any and all of those concerns (and there are some) aside, I find myself still dealing with school funding issues and all the related angst that they provide.

One small bright spot/point of interest today was when one of the other members of the Summer stock staff mentioned that he had seen an ad on Offstagejobs.com for a gig in AK. I looked it up and it's for a technicians gig at Mat-Su College in Palmer. It could be a fairly cool starting spot, and would get me back up to 'the far North' which I miss quite a bit. Of course, there are drawbacks, including 1) the fact that it would still/yet again/additionally delay my return to my BA quest 2) it's in Southeast AK as opposed to the interior, where I have all my networking and 3) it's linked to UAA instead of UAF....

Sigh.

All of that aside, I will be submitting an application. Because I need work so that I can keep saving and moving towards my Bachelors degree and then on towards the Masters. I'll put in my paperwork sometime early tomorrow. And then, continue to seek funds for the Fall semester at UAF...yep.

Still confused though.

Shrug.

More later.

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                                              My school related fundraising site:
                                   Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

              A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise. 

                                             My general, rather eclectic, Tumblr:
                                                     Semi-Random Shavings 





Monday, July 21, 2014

Time And Technology Changes

I strikes me, as I sit here waiting for a large format printer to produce various faux newspapers for the Tibbits Summer Theatre (2014) production of Guys And Dolls just how much has changed over the passage of years that I have been involved with theatrical properties.

It doesn't seem that long ago that I was mocking up newspapers by cutting and pasting (or perhaps more accurately, cutting and Spray 77-ing) various things printed on a regular sized printer and/or dummied up via a Xerox machine.

Not that that is a bad thing. Such skills are worth knowing, both for historical context and for the design potentials that they inspire. Because knowing old techniques can help a designer stretch themselves. At least, I believe so. After all, if I had not known about the 'old school' technology of continental parallels, my design for a set of touring shows could have been much more difficult. That said, having image manipulation programs like Photoshop (and I don't mean the CS versions, but even old school ones like I use - Photoshop 6) and/or GIMP, etc makes portions of the creative process much more streamlined. Leaving more time to devote to the actual 'product'.

So...Old school. New school. Combined, they make a 'win/win'.

More later.


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                                              My school related fundraising site:
                                   Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

              A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise. 

                                             My general, rather eclectic, Tumblr:
                                                     Semi-Random Shavings 





Sunday, July 20, 2014

On Milestones And Deadlines

On an early-ish Sunday morning here at the theatre, following a late-ish Saturday night of strike and properties painting, I find myself considering deadlines. Or perhaps the term milestones might be better.

Last week I had a phone interview for a gig in New Jersey which, were I to get it, would run from just after the completion of the gig here in Michigan until early December. It would be a cool gig and it is with a producing organization that I have experience with. I'd be about an hours train ride from NYC, which is always a plus, and the primary shop hours (excluding load-ins, strikes, etc) are Monday through Friday, with weekends off. And it would (excluding costs of living such as housing, since they do not include company housing in their contracts) allow me to continue saving money to get back to UAF and finish the 11 credit hours I still need to get my BA.

But...

It would also put me yet another semester behind where I had planned to be by now. Another set of milestones missed. Frustrating. And at times depressing as well.

To get back to UAF and complete that part of my educational plan, I need to be able to meet some deadlines. Such as:

**Paying off my outstanding balance owed to the university (~$1,000), which will allow me to register for the Fall semester. -- This one should not be an issue because that is one of the major things that my Summer gig is about.

**Transport up to Fairbanks....Still searching for the cheapest flight(s) I can get. Hopeful that Kayak.com and.or Frontier Airlines will be of help there.

 **$6,200 by Sept 5, 2014 - $2,100 to pay for tuition, $350 to pay fees, $500 for books/materials, $750 for meal plan, and $2,500 for housing (Fall semester)

**$550 by November 28, 2014 - for 'Winter Break Room Supplement' (ie: cost of staying in my housing during the break between semesters)

**$6,200 by Jan 16, 2015 - $2,100 to pay for tuition, $350 to pay fees, $500 for books/materials, $750 for meal plan, and $2,500 for housing (Spring semester)

11 hours. It seems like such a short time/small number.

It has been said that faith is hard. And I will agree with that. But I do have faith. Not always in myself - but then, what artist honestly does? Rather it is faith in a dream. A dream which I see flickers of almost every day as I interact with theatricians just starting out in their artistic adventures. And I can't help but want to keep going. To succeed. So...yeah.

Thanks everyone. For reading this. For your faith. For your support, in whatever form it has taken or may take in the future. While I am often loquacious, there are some things I find I just cannot properly express, and my gratitude is one of them.

Thanks. More later.


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                                              My school related fundraising site:
                                   Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

              A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise. 

                                             My general, rather eclectic, Tumblr:
                                                     Semi-Random Shavings 







Thursday, July 17, 2014

Visual Cues, The 'Uncanny Valley', And Artistic Perfectionism (A Ramble On Things Artistically Philosophical And Such)

Disclaimer: I had intended for this next entry to be a reflection on my feelings involving A Chorus Line and my nostalgia and insights regarding that subject. But this morning something else came across my mind and I find myself having it take precedence...

I spent a fair part of yesterday working with newsprint and fabricating pseudo-bundles of newspapers for use in Guys And Dolls, which is the next show on the schedule here at the Summer stock where I am working. I applied newspapers to dance/rehearsal cubes that are enhanced by some cut up foam from 'pool noodles', to give the bundles some visual variation and roundness, using wallpaper paste to adhere the foam. Then when it dried I applied some lines between the curves, so that it would (hopefully) provide the appearance of stacked papers. While they are still in process (the units need a seal coat, to have binding twine attached, etc) I looked at them last night and thought "Man...those lines could be straighter...". That was, I think, my perfectionism talking.

This morning I came in and didn't pay much attention to them at first, since I wanted to get things organized for the days projects, etc. I looked up from the list(s) I was working on and the units just happened to catch my eye. And they really didn't look bad at all. They looked, even in their partly completed state, like a couple of piles of newspapers. I found myself reflecting on the fact that in honesty had the lines been 'straighter' the illusion might not have worked as well. Which got me thinking about why...

[Granted, I currently have no research to support this hypothesis....]

Audience members have, in general, been out 'in the world' for all of their lives. And so they have developed all sorts of mental standards regarding the visual cues which confront them on a daily basis. And when things break from those standards, the audience's attention/focus is disrupted. In the world of robotics and/or computer animation this sort of thing is referred to as 'the uncanny valley'- that is (to quote from Wikipedia):

       "... The uncanny valley is a hypothesis in the field of human aesthetics which holds that when human features look and move almost, but not exactly, like natural human beings, it causes a response of revulsion among some human observers. ..."
            [Full article found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley ]

So when an artist/designer finds themselves working to make a piece 'perfect' they may, inadvertently, be taking their audience out of 'the world of the performance'.

We talked a bit about this sort of thing during both my Directing For The Theatre class and my Collaborative Process class at UAF, so I am really not breaking any new ground here. But as one who faces certain perfectionistic impulses having this potential insight may well aid me in dealing with the related inertia/delays that often come with perfectionism. And since I know that there are others out there who can also face such things, I thought it might be worth sharing.

It is also always good to recall something that one of my art teachers pointed out: generally, your work isn't viewed at 8 inches away, but rather 36 inches (or more). Which in the theatre is something that I have taken to calling 'the 12 foot rule' - most front row seats will be, at minimum, 12 feet or more away from any scenic piece at any given time. So if you add all sorts of uber-detailing, it will potentially vanish and become a single massed image. We used a similar rule back at Waukegan West High as regarding make-up applications and, especially for those of us who played many old man roles and thus needed lots of wrinkles, bold lining always sold the effect better than more realistic work. I had somewhat forgotten that. But it makes so much sense in so many other applications as well.

So I will now be making a more concerted effort to remind myself to follow the classic suggestion found in a line from the musical The Fantasticks - paraphrasing, Henry (the old actor) says to El Gallo "Oh please...don't judge this too harshly. You need to see it under light."

A fine truth, that all of us perfectionistically prone individuals might do well to remember.

More later.



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Tuesday, July 15, 2014

A Little Update...About A Little Update...

It may seem a bit recursive, but I just wanted to share that I have posted an update to my educational fundraising website Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum . If you click on the name/link it should take you to that most recent update.

Still hoping to make things happen and get back to UAF for the upcoming academic year, so that I can complete the 11 hours that remain towards my undergraduate degree by the Spring of 2015.

Thanks.

(A more artistically reflective entry, about how it feels/felt to work on a production of the show whose script was the first one I ever saw in NYC, is in the works...and, with fortune, should be coming soon.)


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                                              My school related fundraising site:
                                   Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

              A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise. 

                                             My general, rather eclectic, Tumblr:
                                                     Semi-Random Shavings 

Friday, July 4, 2014

By Way Of Extrapolation, My First Real Lesson In Production Research - And Tangentially About U.S History.



(Disclaimer: I am writing this well away from any source - if such even exists - of my personal historical files. So any errors in dates should be attributed to that lack....)


Long ago...or seemingly so...during the Summer of celebrations surrounding the 200th anniversary of the birth of the United States of America, I stumbled upon an opportunity to perform in a pair of rep shows at the Zion Park District.

We performed on platforming set up along one side in the city ice rink. I recall how before performances, due to a lack of central air conditioning in the venue, they turned on the cooling coils beneath the bare cement floor. Without added water it did a fair job of cooling the space and became only slightly slippery due to condensation.

The shows being presented were Oklahoma and 1776

I don't recall if my character for Oklahoma had a name (I doubt it, it was basically a chorus/ensemble  part). But for 1776 I had a name: Judge James Wilson. Now it must be said that, circa 1976, there was no internet with Google and such to conduct production and/or character research on. It was all about going to the library. Yes, that building with all the books. And perhaps finding something of value in one of the encyclopedias there.

Well I admit, with learning lines, and lyrics, and choreography, and being a teenager I did basically zero research. Not proud of the fact, but true. No matter, the show went well and the costume which was fabricated for me by a family friend - this was, after all, a park district production, so any costumes had to be provided by the performers - went into my budding theatrical wardrobe.

Time passed. Though not so much. I was still young and living with my parents and we went on a family vacation, which included a stop in Philadelphia. And while we had visited Independence Hall on other family trips there, this time we took part in one of the guided presentations. And when it was nearing its end, the guide asked if there were questions. Being flush with my knowledge of Judge Wilson from my performance, I asked (as I recall) about him and where he would have sat, etc. The guide asked if I was a descendant. I replied no, I had played the role in a production of 1776. Well, apparently the guide had no use for that production, as they apparently presented it across from Independence Hall every Summer and the banging of the sliding vote tally board annoyed him. But not so much as the historical inaccuracy, including the authors portrayal of Judge Wilson who was, it seems, absolutely nothing like the character in the musical. He (the guide) then suggested that if I wanted to know more about the real James Wilson, that I should go down the street to the sites archives, since some of the Judges papers might be stored there. While a bit embarrassed, I was also enthralled by such a suggestion. So I asked my folks if we had time to stop there. My dad, being the person he was, was dubious that they would even let me in. But since I convinced him that all that they could do would be say no he let me go and check. When I got there there was only about an hour or so left in the day before they closed but the archivist/librarian, after hearing my explanation, said sure and let me check in the card catalog(s) to see if there holdings related to Judge Wilson being stored there. My dad, still a bit befuddled by the process, left me there and he and mom went off, with us planning to meet outside at closing time. The card catalog held one entry: the daily diary of Judge Wilson. So I requested it and, sure as the sunrise carved on the back of Benjamin Franklin's chair down the street, the archivist brought it out to me. A small (vest pocket sized) hard-covered book, bound in worn brown (almost Cordovan) leather. On opening it, I was surprised, as I had never heard the term 'diary' used to describe a persons schedule book/account ledger before. I had expected it to hold entries with recollections and such. Instead were notations about the times of meetings, and lists for the grocer, and other seemingly mundane things.

And it was a wonder. It made this person, who I had previously only known as a creature out of a musical theatre piece, so very real to me.

On a later vacation with my parents we visited New York City and that included a visit to the Statue of Liberty. It had been renovated as part of the bicentenary celebrations and there was a new (to us anyway) museum in the base which talked about how immigrants to the U.S. had impacted our culture. And included, representing Scotland, was James Wilson. Once again I was transfixed, listening to a recording of a voice actor speak as the Judge and tell how it was the standard of the time to memorize legal statutes and how, once he was here in America, he (and others) used this memorized knowledge to form the groundwork of the U.S. legal system. Once again, a person who was so very different than how I had portrayed him.

While I don't think that I realized it then...or admittedly even until much later...I attribute those as my first steps into the world of dramaturgy.

And the rest, if you will excuse the pun, is history.

More later.


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                                              My school related fundraising site:
                                   Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

              A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise. 

                                             My general, rather eclectic, Tumblr:
                                                     Semi-Random Shavings 









Saturday, June 28, 2014

Summer Schtuff, And Other Things - An Update

Well....it's been a while. Though, when looked at in relation to other posting lapses, not as long as some. So there's that.

Disclaimers and such aside, this entry is basically an update of what has been happening in the last couple of weeks.

First, we have opened the first theatre for young audiences show (here they are performed under the banner of 'Popcorn Theatre'), a production of Treasure Island. It seems to have gone over well. I am, in fact, writing this as the final performance is underway, since I need to be here as the curtain rings down so that I can work on the strike.

Second, we also have opened the first mainstage show, a musical revue comprised of music by Burt Bacharach and Hal David entitled The Look Of Love. It was interesting to work on as it was, at least in parts, a 'new work' and as such the properties process was an organic one, with things being added and subtracted as the rehearsals progressed. And should I go to University of Iowa to seek my MFA such experiences may come in handy there, since that program lists the development of new works as one of its emphasis.

Next up will be A Chorus Line, which will be followed by Guys And Dolls, and finally Alone Together. And in the Popcorn Theatre there will be Beauty And The Beast, and then Jack And The Beanstalk.

Beyond Summer stock issues, I am still on the hunt for funding for the 2014-2015 academic year, be it scholarship(s), sponsorship(s), loan(s), or gift(s). The pay I'll accrue from this Summer will be a start, but even so I'll still be very short on funds. So I've been dealing with that angst and anxiety.

Sigh. So any assistance is greatly appreciated. I have been attempting to figure out some way of providing 'rewards' to anyone who helps provide funding...Thinking about what sort of sketches or artwork I might provide. Still uncertain about that sort of thing. If you have suggestions, please let me know.

And I am still *very* excited about some projects I have in mind for this coming school year...The big issue (besides actually being able to pay for school) is that I am afraid I have too many ideas/projects to accomplish in the time/space allotted. One of the projects will almost certainly be scheduled for the Spring, since I *may* attempt to do a thesis project on it. The other three? Well...in candor only two of them are currently in as close to a pre-production state as I would like. All of these would take place in the UAF Green Room which IMNSVHO is a promising, but currently underutilized, venue. Beyond those? Well, Antigone still beckons me with its siren call. Even if it wouldn't be the Jean Anouilh version which I like so much. I'd love to do that as a 'fuller production' in the Lab Theatre, perhaps under the auspices of the SDA and Winter Shorts. We shall have to see.

Photo call for Treasure Island is underway. So strike is in the offing. As such, I'll close for now. More later...

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                                              My school related fundraising site:
                                   Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

              A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise. 

                                             My general, rather eclectic, Tumblr:
                                                     Semi-Random Shavings 

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Quick, Like A Circus Monkey!

This entry will be short-ish, rather than one of my more standard rambles. The reason is that I am awaiting the beginning of a production meeting here at the Summer stock where I am working.

That disclaimer aside.....

I'm eager to do some more work on one of the projects that I have in mind for the upcoming academic year. I am reticent to share too many details as of yet, though I have let some things out via other sources (such as Facebook, etc). Part of the reason for my reticence is I 1) want things to be 'just so' and sort of impress folks when I finally share and 2) I find myself (perhaps unreasonably) concerned about having credit for project ideas taken out from under me. It has happened once or twice on previous occasions and as they say, once bitten and all. Anyway...

As I mentioned, I find myself very eager about this project. At least as eager, I think, as I was when I was in process with The Veldt. And that was kind of a big thing for me. This project holds excitement for me in part because I see it as one production amongst a potential new series that would take place in a venue that is currently unused/underused and yet holds so very much potential.

Meeting time. More later.


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                                              My school related fundraising site:
                                   Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

              A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise. 

                                             My general, rather eclectic, Tumblr:
                                                     Semi-Random Shavings 

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Something Of A Ramble: Regarding Prep For Summer Departure, Budget Planning, And Likely Another Thing Or Two.

It's currently about 29 hours (+/- a bit) until I climb aboard a Greyhound bus to start off for my 2014 Summer stock gig in Michigan. As I mentioned previously I'll be at the Tibbits Summer Theatre as the mainstage properties master. And, as almost always happens, I find myself in a bit of a 'dither' about the packing of my gig bag(s).

Not so much about my tools, as they are a pretty standard collection based on a compilation of some of the published I.A.T.S.E. lists for required tools at a call. I started with the list I received in a tech direction class circa 1982-ish. Since then I've adjusted and reorganized things a time or three, in part based on personal experiences as to what I've needed, and in part based on research as to what lists from various other designers/technicians use and travel with. So that packing is, in the main, complete. The other components of my traveling ensemble are, however, another matter.

My wardrobe selection will need to be drawn from any 'fat clothes' that I can rustle up, as I have gained several inches over the last few months. Which is frustrating because 1) I want to get back to a healthier weight and 2) most of the 'fat clothes' which I do have are in storage in Alaska, since the clothes I wore when I moved up there were larger sizes but then I trimmed down somewhat and so put those clothes away. And the items I packed for my Summer stock gig a year ago were all in my 'skinnier clothing' spectrum. [An aside: Wow. It has been a year since I was last in Fairbanks. Sigh. No wonder I get angsty about some things...Anyway, enough of that digression for now.] Fortunately, my brother had some jeans that will work so I am not working completely from scratch.

I've traveled with drafting paper and related supplies before. I'll probably be packing some of that again this trip, less for the needs of the Summer gig than for the needs of some various projects that continue to ramble around within my synapses. Beyond those items I do find myself working through my packing options for any additional art supplies, since I have some supplies here (though most still remain in storage in Alaska) and as I do not want to have to make any more purchases during the gig than I absolutely have to. So, beyond some sketchbooks and related items I am debating the various merits of 'not having something and needing it versus having something but not using it'. Herrmn.

I'm hoping to spend as little as possible out of my pay this Summer. Yes, that sentiment is often expressed and, unfortunately, doesn't always meet with success. But I think that my current plan is a solid one, to wit:

         **Based on current calculations, after taxes I should be clearing ~$212/week.

         **The theatre does provide for direct deposit, which will (I hope) prevent the classic 'I have cash in my pocket' syndrome that can often scuttle a budgeting plan.

         **Using those numbers, I intend to only use a maximum of $12/week for food, etc, leaving the  rest to be applied towards school (both past due and saving for the Fall). Granted, that will only give me ~$1,800 towards those items. However it is at least a step in the correct direction.

         **I've been fortunate enough to be able to 'raid' the pantry here at my brothers. So that, plus a  few dollars spent at the local Dollar General, has let me gather together some peanut butter, rice, lemonade mix and dried cranberries to form a starter pantry. And since I often lived on less during  my most recent academic year at UAF (2012-2013) I feel absolutely blessed.

I'm still working on finding funding/scholarships/sponsorships/etc to allow me to return to UAF in the Fall so I can complete my Bachelors degree program there. Just 11 hours of core courses required. Sigh. I've been digging through any items I have to sell, but the first item I listed on Ebay (a commemorative coin from before the opening of EPCOT) has not yet sold even after being re-listed 6 times. Sigh yet again. If any of you reading this have any leads on finding funding/scholarships/sponsorships/etc please let me know...

Well....reflecting on this I must say it has turned into a bit of a ramble. So, even though I suspect that I could ramble on about other topics I need to return to my preparations. More entries, in regard to other schtuff, to come.

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                                              My school related fundraising site:
                                   Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

              A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise. 

                                             My general, rather eclectic, Tumblr:
                                                     Semi-Random Shavings 

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Interpretational Dynamics




[NOTE: Because I am something of an academic, I attempt to properly attribute any media I might post. That said, this image set has shown up in various sources on my feed for some while. I do not know who originally created the set. Any credit for the image set belongs to them…]

Normally when I see this photo set show up across my feed(s) there is some sort of ‘snarky response’ included. And that sort of response may well have been the intent of the editors/writers of the reality show in question because, after all, conflict helps sell such programming.

However, as one who aspires to various creative fields I think that the set is worth sharing not for any ‘snark’ but rather as an important lesson on one of the proper ways to respond during a critique. Because critiques are about getting better, and about looking at your work through another, potentially neutral, set of eyes.

Don’t get ‘defensive’.

Don’t attempt to ‘bargain’.

Listen.

Take notes.

Even if you still disagree, that is not the point. Say ‘thank you’, consider what was said, and after that then decide how to apply it to your work.

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                                              My school related fundraising site:
                                   Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

                                             My general, rather eclectic, Tumblr:
                                                     Semi-Random Shavings 



              A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Summertime. And The Livin' Is...

Well. Not too many people who have experienced Summer stock gigs would refer to them as 'easy'. But having a gig is a living. Or at least some badly needed income. So, with that said...

I've held off with this announcement for a bit, because I wanted to be certain to have the contract and related paperwork signed and mailed back. Now that that has been accomplished, I am happy to (officially) announce that I have a gig with a Summer stock company for their 2014 season.

I'll be working as the properties master for the Summer mainstage shows at the Tibbits Summer Theatre, in Coldwater MI. A nine week contract, beginning in June. The season as it stands currently will be: The Look of Love, A Chorus Line, Guys and Dolls, and Alone Together. There will be a properties intern, but their focus will be on producing for the children's theatre shows. So it is, basically, a one person shop. As such I suspect that the workload will be similar to some of what I did previously at TLTOTS (The Little Theatre on the Square). Given the composition of the season, I do not currently have any significant worries.

As I said, I'm happy to have the gig. And I also must say that I am admittedly a bit surprised in how my gig searching turned out. Why? Because of the following:

** There were, basically, three theatres that all contacted me around the same time regarding gigs for the Summer. That is three responses out of ~18 resumes. Plus one response which I believe I may have mentioned in an earlier post, which I really only got the call back on due to an error (since corrected) in my resume (short version of the recap: I had not adjusted my 'expected graduation date' to reflect various changes to my timetable...and the schedule they had would not jibe with my schooling. Shrug.). Not all of the resume submissions were for properties (some were for carpentry gigs, some for scenic design, etc). Basic calculations imply that I had, for this gig search, a ~1 in 6 positive response rate, with a ~1 in 9 job offer rate. So very roughly a 10% positive result. Having had similar searches in the past which never even resulted in getting a single phone call back, I'll take that as a win.

** Of those three responses mentioned, the phone interview from one seemed less an interview and more a "here's how things work with us...would you like it?" sort of conversation. And the other two were pretty 'soft' interviews as well, IMNSVHO.

** And the idea of having more than one venue offer me a gig....As I said: surprising.

I've been told I shouldn't really be surprised. And I do know that, to be somewhat immodest, I do have some skills and talents. I just suffer from the occasional spasm of self-doubt, which many in the creative fields can be prone to.

On practical matters I think that having added the URL for my Tumblr based portfolio (which can be found here):

            A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise. 

to my resume(s) and cover letter(s) may have aided in garnering the interviews. I am hoping that I can get some additional items to post onto it from this upcoming gig. And, if the time allows, perhaps some items from additional outside projects (ie: general drawings, woodworking, etc) as well.

That's the news. 

I'll be back again with another more reflective post, the subject of which has been percolating in my synapses for a couple of weeks now, soon. 

As always, some other aspects of my web presence can be found at the links below (and, in the case of this post, above)...

                                             My school related fundraising site:
                                   Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

                                             My general, rather eclectic, Tumblr:
                                                     Semi-Random Shavings 


Till later.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Training Nostalgia And Rambling (Chapter The First)


I have, over the past few days, found myself recalling some episodes from the directing segment of my high school theatrical training. Perhaps it is due to reading some of the works of Archibald MacLeish.

During one of the classes, we did some directing projects. And for one of them I directed a scene (the opening scene, to be specific) from the play J.B.. For various reasons I cast two females in the roles of Mr. Zuss and Nickles who, within the world of the play, evoke the personas of God and Satan, respectively. At the same time we (Waukegan West High School) were producing a musical, which happened to be Godspell. And a part of that set, used to hold up the chain link fence, was a unit of portable scaffolding - the sort used on construction sites, etc. As one of the performers cast in Godspell I had been rehearsing on the unit, since it was part of the choreography for my song ('We Beseech Thee'). And as the original textural notes in J.B. call for the show to occur (at least in part) within a circus tent I thought that the bare steel, etc served to echo some of what is seen when you look at circus rigging. So since the scenes where to be presented in the schools auditorium I took the opportunity to stage my scene using that unit.

Admittedly, had you asked me at the time I would probably not have been able to put into words anything close to what strikes me now. As a 15 year old I had no idea what my 'artistic philosophy' was. Candidly, I can't clearly recollect if I even knew what that term meant. But now given the lens of reflection I can see some small fragments of my current, albeit still fluid, 'artistic philosophy'. Simplicity. Silence. Space. In the heady high school days that followed I would read the theories of Konstantin Stanislavski, and the plays of Edward Albee (admittedly becoming a bit obsessed by latters texts). And then one day I heard a phrase that I would, in one way or another, carry as a part of how and why I do what I do. It was a quote from Faulkner, via the mouth of Harlan Ellison. I would later learn that Ellison had paraphrased the quote, based primarily (from what I can discern) on Faulkner's speech at the Nobel Prize Banquet. I have always simply referred to it as 'Faulkner's Dictum', which is:

                The only thing worth the sweat and damn of writing about is
                               the human heart in conflict with itself.

That brings me back to the works of Archibald MacLeish. As I said earlier, I have been reading some of his works over the past few days. And listening to a production of one of his self described 'verse for radio' scripts entitled The Fall of the City.

(Here is a link to an MP3 of the initial broadcast : Columbia Workshop Production of 'The Fall of the City' - 1938 )

The hearing, and the reading, have inspired me to develop yet another project for my next academic year. And the seeming synchronicity that occurs along the path of my training that now finds me once again inspired by MacLeish somewhat tickles my nostalgic soul. Almost as much as, in retrospect, I am pleased by the memory of a putative God and Satan arguing on a set intended for a musical about Jesus.

More to come...later.



Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

 A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise.  

 Semi-Random Shavings

Saturday, May 3, 2014

"Ohh, It's A Saturday Night And I..."

As the subject line implies: A Spring Saturday evening. And here I am with all sorts of schtuff (yes, that *is* how that particular word is spelled) rambling about within my synapses. And since it needs to leak out now and again.....well. Here we are.

[WARNING: Potential 'stream of consciousness' text segments and/or venting to follow]:

First things first: As I mentioned in a prior entry I have, happily, been hired for Summer stock gig. Which will help at least to some degree with the budget for the Fall. And in candor I also have to say that it was/is a bit of an ego boost to have realized that I didn't even really interview for the gig. That apparently my resume, online portfolio, and references spoke for me. As one who, like many artists (or those who are aspiring to be such), has faced various bouts with self doubt and angst I can freely admit that such a situation feels quite good.

I won't go into any further specifics until I get the signed copies of my contract (which arrived late yesterday) mailed back to the producing venue. However, I will say that it is a type of position that I have filled previously and it will almost certainly involve some carpentry, potentially involve some upholstering, and definitely involve some fabrication of 'paper goods'.

One of my hopes is that, even with the demands of the season, I might be able to get some 'project work' done as well. Such things as some carving, sketching, etc. The idea is to achieve some skill building, some potential portfolio items (both theatrical and artistic), and some preparation for some independent production projects I have ideas about.

As for those ideas? Well, I admit that I find myself a bit hesitant to share much about them. In part because "Macy's doesn't tell Gimbles." Yes, I have been bitten in the glutes previously by letting what I am thinking out. Which is part of why this blog is, at times, a challenge to write....But enough of that particular kvetching. What I will say about one of the project ideas I have been working on is that it involves: Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Shakespeare. And the UAF Green Room.

Beyond projects of my own fabrication, there is also a potential lighting design opportunity that has been mentioned to me and that I am hoping to take advantage of. And while I understand that, since I wasn't there this last academic year, I may be out of consideration for any design slots on the Fall mainstage show, one never knows.

I continue to plan as though I know I am going back to UAF in the Fall. Admittedly, at this moment, that is partially an act of 'positive visualization'. I'm still underfunded, even with the potential income/savings that I can add up from the Summer stock gig. I can't let that stop me. I didn't let other situations, such as never having been to AK before...or having to resort to various methods of 'non standard housing' for a full academic year (and then some)...or being twice the age of most of my classmates...stop me. And so I have to keep 'walking the walk'. And questing for sponsorships and/or scholarships.

My plans for my Fall classes are pretty basic. After all, I should only need 11 more credit hours of core courses to achieve my degree. Two 4 hour lab science courses. And one 3 hour mathematics course. For Fall the plan is to get the math and one of the sciences out of the way (at the moment my choice is an Intro to Astronomy course). To those I want to add at least one studio art course. I *really* need some studio time. I have been feeling a bit twitchy without it. To that end I am intending to enroll in Beginning Printmaking. Partly because the professor who has been my art department mentor (as opposed to my theatrical one(s)) once said that printmaking is a good skill set to learn, as it can almost be "like printing money". That is to say, you can pull multiple prints and sell them at a variety of venues much more easily than you might with sculpture, etc. And partly because I have some scenographic ideas that I am curious about. I did some 'block printing' for a costume design class project and I'd like to expand that skill set. So...printmaking class. And if I can't get into that class, I'd go for my third class in Native Arts Studio (ie: Advanced Native Arts). That level of class is basically an agreed on set of independent projects, and I have had some ideas germinating regarding that possibility as well. Then in the Spring I will finish the last required lab science course and fill in with some more studio courses.

I've also given some thought to the idea of doing a Thesis Project course in the theatre department. It isn't required but I've been considering the possibility for some while now. As far as I am aware, there has never yet been a technical student who did a thesis project. Directing students? Yep. Acting students? Certainly. But no tech/design folks. Besides the fact that it would be kind of cool to be the first to do it it would, I think, also help me prepare for my MFA work. Because, after all, that *is* the next step I want to take. So skill building towards that end would be a positive thing. And the project I hinted at above might be a good choice for a thesis....maybe. We shall have to see.

Enough rambling for now. I'll almost certainly be back before the weekend is out with another post (sneak preview: it deals with pathways, training, focus, and a few things Disney). Till later.



Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

 A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise.  

 Semi-Random Shavings


Friday, May 2, 2014

Adventures In Prop-istry...

Not to place any freight conveyances prior to equine species, but all things staying as they are I should be receiving an emailed contract sometime this evening in regard to a Summer gig.

I will admit that it doesn't start as soon as I might like. Nor is the producing venue close to
the metropolitan locale where I had hoped to find work. And it is not a true 'design position'. However, with those things being said it is still work. And I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised when I was basically offered the gig during my first phone call with the venues rep earlier this week. He even acted as though he wasn't really calling me for an interview, but rather for a job offer. Which means that my resume, online portfolio, and references appear to have spoken for me.

Which kind of floors me, truth be told.

As I mentioned above, I should be getting the packet via email before the next dawn. Once I have it and have things signed and/or sealed I'll very likely post more details. Until then, just felt like sharing a positive, if you know what I mean.

More later.

Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum

A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise. 

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Time In Its Passage - Something Of A Memoir/Ramble

It is interesting how my mind can be inspired to reflect down certain historic paths by seemingly unrelated things. And an excellent example showed up a couple of days ago.

On one of the various feeds which now seem to help define my life, there was a posting regarding 'The Fall of Saigon', which occurred at the end of April 1975. And suddenly, virtually unbidden,  came a rush of memories regarding a milestone of my life from that general time.

Spring, 1975. Earlier in that school year (my freshman year at Waukegan West High School) I had auditioned for a school musical ( You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown ), in part due to some input from one of my teachers, Mr Contois. He had taken me, the budding class clown, to the side and suggested I look into what I later learned were called 'individual events' (ie: speech competitions, etc). And so I joined with my sister and auditioned. I got called back, but not cast. And while I cannot really recall precisely why, I went ahead and volunteered for some work calls. My first few hours on a crew were spent with a nail puller on a Saturday morning. Then I began working on the electrics crew for You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown which resulted in my being a board operator for at least one of the performances. And this was in a smaller venue at my high school, which had an older (for that day) light control system that involved the classic 'switchboard style patch bay' and a series of large, truncheon shaped handles to control the dimmers. To link the dimmers you twisted the handles into a specific position, which ganged them together. Then you ran the master up or down...

The image below shows a similar, but larger, system at another venue (not one that I have worked):





My freshman year was the last year that both of the cities high schools (Waukegan East and my campus, Waukegan West) would be producing a combined Spring musical. That year it was The Wizard of Oz. I auditioned and ended up being cast in the role of The Wizard. And that role, with its rehearsal process and age makeup and all such things are amongst the memories triggered by the anniversary of the fall of Saigon. In part because of one instance where four of us (the performers who played the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, Dorothy, and I - we hung out together mainly because one of the actors lived near me and so gave me rides to the East campus rehearsals and from there home, etc) were outside of the rehearsal space and, hearing what I believe was a test of a tornado siren, the Tin Woodsman commented 'Oh no! It's Ho Chi Minh!'

And that incident, over the years, has mingled with memories of running out of hair coloring spray, so the adult tech director came up with the idea of putting 'clown white' greasepaint in my hair to accomplish the required age effect for one performance. And of needing to shampoo my hair upwards of six times, including at least one washing using my sisters 'Bonnie Bell 10 o' 6' astringent as part of the process of getting it out. And that same tech director synching his gesticulating shadow onto the cyc to match my amplified voice and serve as a 'special effect' for the Wizards audience chamber scenes.

As I will sometimes say when I am feeling contemplative: Herrmn.

It seems a more than a bit strange to realize that, with an occasional gap or three, I have been involved with the theatre in one manner or another for ~39 years. And thankfully I am, and hope to continue, learning and exploring every day.



Help Me Continue My Educational Momentum
 
A portfolio of my various work and projects, both theatrical and otherwise.

More ramblings to follow.