Live from the RenFest
Below are the 10 most recent journal entries recorded in the "cuke" journal:[<< Previous 10 entries]
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01:43 am
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Paul Sills: 1927 - 2008
I learned last week of Paul Sills' death. I didn't know him, and while I did take a two-day intensive with him in Portland almost ten years ago, I guess I can't really call myself a student of his, though his teachings have been an influence on my life and work. What struck me about him in person was not his blunt directness (which is legendary), but more that in person, it was clear to me that it came from such a love and passion for the work.
I have two vivid, specific memories of the workshop I took with him. First, was a criticism of my performance in a scene. As an improviser I've always favored slow play, wait for the right move to be needed, etc. I tend not to initiate as much as I should. He called me to task for waiting something out when he could see I knew what needed to happen. I think I made an excuse that I was in the process of doing that (whatever the action was that needed taking). And in his Paul Sills way, he blurted out, "well DO IT then, we don't want to be watching ICEBERGS move!!!"
The other one I remember involved a guy, probably 18 or 19, an aspiring actor. He had a rough scene and Sills asked him what he was doing, and the guy said, "I was... acting." And Sills barked disgustedly, "don't act... acting is a craft that requires years of training!" I took his point to be, focus on your impulse, on what's there in the scene with you, because that's all you have, you can't act your way out of it. The guy didn't come back after lunch.
In other improv news, congrats to General Fools, Taz Van Rassel, Amy Matysio, and Jayden Pfeifer on their 2008 Canadian Comedy Award nominations. I hope to share the stage with you guys again someday soon.
(cross posted from briankameoka.com)
Tags: improvisation
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12:31 am
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Going on record
Ok, so, this wasn't as memorable a game as this one that ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=91.6) lightingguy got to experience first hand, but I have now gone on record (albeit in the modest Vacaville Reporter) that "I hate the A's"
( Excerpt and link after the cut )
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07:44 pm
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Pictures of the trestle fire
 ( More after the cut )
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12:39 pm
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Me? Personality quiz?
I don't do these usually, but 1) it's Heroes, 2) I saw it from 4hour_ramona, who wouldn't steer me wrong...
( See which hero I am )
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12:18 am
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baseball is coming, baseball is coming
- Pitchers and catchers have reported (not so fast, Mike Piazza...)
- Sports Illustrated has done it's first baseball cover (Cubs' Pinella & Soriano)
- The daily paper now has 2 baseball stories (one on the front, one inside), sometimes three (if there's a roundup article)
- The trivia muscle in my brain is undergoing it's own spring training, leading to exercises such as this one:
Nicknames, seen in person: The Big Unit, The Sheriff, The Mad Hungarian, El Duque, Big Papi, Daimajin, The Hawaiian Punchout
Nicknames, not seen in person: Nancy, Charlie Hustle, The Splendid Splinter, Shoeless Joe
Nicknames, can't remember their real name: Dominican Dandy
I think it's gonna be a good season. I had a good offseason - with fantasy football distracting me from the dark times. But maybe that's a bad sign - you know, the inverse of "bad dress rehearsal/good opening night." New for me this year: fantasy baseball, rooting for the Cubs, getting a package plan w/the Rivercats. And hopefully another new park added to my list.
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11:41 pm
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a photo-worthy weekend
Seattle, windstorm aftermath:
( Photos behind the cut )
Portland, Brody sendoff:
( Photos and Brody stuff behind the cut )
Current Location: Back in Sac
Current Mood: a bit wistful
Tags: brodytheater
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01:51 am
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Brody Theater news
If you're on the friends list of lindykerry or thatbrodyguy, you've seen this news already, but the Brody Theater is getting kicked out of their space, as the Portland real estate market finally caught up with that little out of the way corner at 27th and Vaughn. The property owners are selling the building.
( More... )
But at least the press coverage of it looks to be good - The Oregonian's listings mention it ("catch it while you can") and they posted to their blog the same day the news broke, as did the Willy Week ("eviction marks the disappearance of one of only two spaces in town dedicated to improv").
Catch the Brody at their original home in the next three weeks if you can, because the next scheduled show is in Amsterdam. I may try to make it up for the final weekend, if only to nab a Teal 2000 for a keepsake.
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10:42 pm
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end to a busy but good couple of weeks.
It's been a hectic last couple of weeks, but my crazy schedule and workload has settled a bit. The theatre's shows are both selling well, which means my work on them is basically finished and I'll dive into the thick of it with the next shows.
Saw the Billy Joel/Twyla Tharp show Movin' Out this week. Some folks call it a "dansical" (ridiculous word). It took me a while to figure out why I didn't like it... it just didn't come together for me. I liked the Billy Joel songs, and the performances were great, but somehow it all felt like number after number of those Oscar-nominated song performances (you know, the ones you fast forward over).
Here's a quote that makes me smile, and reminds me that I work in a fun and funny business:
"Poop costumes need to be inflated, and the new flies put on." [from today's show report]
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01:06 pm
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another hat I wear - inhouse photographer
Amidst all I do as the marketing guy for the B Street Theatre, one of the duties that's fairly new to me is taking photos. Recently I've taken a ( few that I particularly like. )
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02:50 am
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my summer in baseball photos
( Here's my summer so far in baseball photos...after the cut )
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