Super Trouper is the greatest song ever written about a stage light. The lyrics bring a shiver of pleasure to even the most jaded stagehand…
I know and like many people who are union stagehands, and certainly I risk offending them by expressing some of these observations and opinions. But this is the bottom line: for as friendly and cooperative as many stagehands are, at the end of the day it’s difficult to look at the service provided and square it with the bill.
Some of the best moments in my theater career have happened at high school productions. In fact, a disproportionate number of those were courtesy of teenagers. I love the “aha” surprises, when a performer finds a spark and burns up the stage, bringing the audience to its feet. Now, imagine a show composed of nothing but those moments, and you’ll have an idea of what I worked on Saturday night…
Duel is a fantastic good time. It’s about a truck that terrorizes a hapless car on a two-lane road in the desert. That’s it – you might wonder how the writer and director fill an entire movie; don’t worry.
On Friday, Ireland voted to allow same-sex marriage. 62 percent in favor, with over 60 percent of eligible voters casting ballots. That’s huge, especially when you consider Ireland’s reputation for religious observance. (Maybe that’s what tipped the scales? Worth thinking about, America. As one woman said, “We’re pro-family, so of course we voted in favor of same-sex marriage.”) I shed a few tears of joy, despite my own attitude toward marriage.
The Girl on the Train is selling like gangbusters, and has been optioned as a movie. It reads like a movie treatment already, without any joy of language. And it may yet become a good movie – I’d like to see three creative actresses develop these characters beyond what Hawkins could.
I read the contract. Among other things, it says the theater will own all of my work product once the show is done. Lighting plot, cue sheet, notes, whatever. And if they decide to change the date or the location, I’m still on the hook. And I need to let them know my location at all times prior to the show. And come to meetings whenever and wherever they are called. And if they cancel the show for any reason, I’m out of luck. And contractually, I can’t tell anyone about any of it. Seriously.
You should check out Jen Kirkman’s new standup special on Netflix – 78 minutes that will have you laughing and saying “Yes, damn it, yes!” … Kirkman frames the program with staged bits that highlight themes she’ll explore during her act – I won’t spoil anything, except to say they’re concise, precisely observed bits that would fit in perfectly on Amy Schumer, or Louis C.K.
I’m not a zombie aficionado – I don’t watch The Walking Dead, and I can’t make it through any of George Romero’s movies. I squirm at the classic horror stories – Frankenstein, Dracula, etc. But damn if I didn’t love The Girl With All the Gifts, damn if it didn’t bring tears to my eyes, damn if it’s not a beautifully written novel about what it means to be human.
If you’re thinking about seeing Pitch Perfect 2, consider going with a teenaged girl. As my daughter said later, “It was awesome. The movie was absolute fluff but there was a lot of singing and I knew most of the songs.”
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