Life On the Wicked Stage: Act 2

The Easter Bunny Doesn't Like Steve Jobs and His iPad

I posted this awhile back on GBM, but as we get closer to Easter and we see that iPads are now shipping, it is time for this little video to appear here on the Wicked Stage. The Easter Bunny is none too happy with Mr. Steve Jobs and his decision to put iPads in the hands of customers on the Saturday before Easter.

Harvey Opens Tonight after Successful Previews

Well, we had two preview performances of Harvey at Wayside Theatre yesterday and I think we're all feeling pretty good about where we are. We got the laughs we expected, a few that we didn't, and learned quite a bit about Mary Chase's classic comedy. Both audiences were leaving the house with big smiles on their faces and lots of great comments. So far, only one person claims to have really seen the rabbit.

Today we'll have a rehearsal to continue to tighten things down and also rework a few moments based on what we learned from the two audiences. It's a tricky dance at this point, as the work really is about making sure the story telling and the comedy combine in advantageous ways. It should be a fun day and a fun opening night.

This opening marks the last opening in Season 48, a season that has seen more than its share of challenges from a poor economy to ridiculous snowfall. Through all of that we've managed to create some great work on our stage, with some truly remarkable performances, but some great actors. Tonight will continue that and as we bring one season to a close and point towards the next we're looking forward to more of the same in terms of challenges and creating good work. Of course, we'd love the challenges to ease up some.

Sunday Morning Reading

Some Sunday morning reading to share.

Frank Rich on the violence and rage following the health care reform passage. I don't want to agree with him, but fear I increasingly do.

The iPad is due to hit customers hands in 6 days (mine included) and the articles written about what it will and won't do are churning out faster than keyboards (virtual or otherwise) can type. This one says that the iPad 2010 is the equivalent of the CDRom in 1994 as far as content publishers go. Just shows how much we don't really know and won't for some time.

The US is going to make $8 billion from bailing out Citi when it sells its stake in the bank. Who'd a thunk that?

Mike Arrington says that a new startup should herald the day when we finally get over our youthful (or otherwise) indiscretions. This app supposedly lets people review people. Yeeesh.

A man in Utah buys a used blackberry and finds that it has a pretty amazing list of contacts from the sports and entertainment world.

Russia decides to eliminate two time zones. I love it when we can just change time.

Stupid crime stories. Bank robbers call ahead to have the bank ready the cash for them. Yeah, these guys are good.

Harvey Starts Performances

We're about to start performances for Harvey at Wayside Theatre in
about 45 minutes. Even the rabbit is nervous.

Posted via email from Warner's Posterous

Comedy with Rabbits Is Hard

Today we go in front of audiences for the first time with our production of Harvey at Wayside Theatre. It's going to be an anxious day. The play is a comedy. A classic comedy, actually, one that turns on character and circumstance. It needs excellent actors to work, and we've got that part covered, but it also needs an audience to discover the little ins and outs of what makes this comedy so memorable and resilient.

At last night's final dress we had a few staff and supporters in, and we got the laughs in the expected places, and to my ear, none in the wrong ones, but that may change will real folks in the seats who paid real money. Nothing makes me squirm more than trying out a comedy in front of audiences. I'll sit in the back of the house and while the show is unfolding watch the backs of audiences heads, and listen to their reactions. We'll make a few adjustments between the matinee and the evening, and then tomorrow after we have two previews under our belt, we'll hold a rehearsal and tighten up things even more.

This comedy is about an invisible rabbit, yes and the detail we have for that aspect of it is done well. But the comedy that comes out of character is what I'm most anxious to see played today because that is what really makes the engine of the play hum and purr, or is that hop?

Well, we will know in a few hours.

Can We Get More Stupid When It Comes To Health Care?

I'm an angry human being today. Most of it has nothing to do with the ongoing circus that is health care reform and what we used to call politics in this country. We stopped calling them that awhile ago, and did the final erasure of that word during this fracas. Instead of politics we're now dealing with professional stupidity on a grand scale.

Taking a brief break from preparing for a board meeting and then a rehearsal of Harvey, I noticed in my email that someone sent me this link. Oh, my goodness. Someone is outraged that Mr. Stupak got a deal before agreeing to lend his vote to the winning side in the health care wars. Of course this follow a weekend of debate where I heard the Republicans tossing around the word "bribe" quite a bit. I'm sure it will get tossed around more.

Give me a f***ing break, people. How do you think what we no longer can call politics has worked since the dawn of time? Those in power swap whatever they can for a vote and always have and they always will. Anyone who even pretends to be outraged at this kind of behavior is either hopelessly naive, or... well, let's just say it, stupid. Yes, I know a few folks get into the game out of some sense of serving. But, unfortunately the human condition is such they quickly have to play the game the way it has always been played in order to do any serving at all.

Look, the bottom line is that we wouldn't need governments, churches, lawyers, etc... if humans weren't so damn greedy and so damn selfish and so damn stupid about how they go after what their greed and selfishness desires.

Politicians are professional liars and dissemblers. They have to be in order to do their jobs. I've got no complaints there. If I did I would be blowing against the wind. My rant here is that they are stupid enough to think we're stupid enough to fall for their baloney.

Wait! I Thought Harvey was about a Rabbit?

Made a visit to the costume shop today and this is what greeted me as they prep for dress rehearsals. Yes, Harvey is still about a rabbit bit some of the ladies are wearing some wacky furs.

Sent from my iPhone

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Sunday Morning Reading

Some Sunday morning reading to share.

A New York Times Op-Ed on the National Broadband Plan. It’s worth a read. Here’s hoping something comes from this but in today’s political climate, I doubt it.

Chinese researches have published a paper on how to take down the US electrical grid. Yeah, we like our trading partners.

The Health Care debate turns ugly with epithets being tossed at Congressmen from protesters. You got to love democracy. Too bad we don’t have one.

China accuses Google of having a political agenda. China should know as they have one too.

James Kendrick says Tablet makers need to focus on more than the form factor. He’s right.

Apparently a scholar says there might be something to that supposed lost play of William Shakespeare called The Double Falsehood.

Glad I didn’t have time to join the March Madness pool this year. Upsets have busted bracket all over and I’m sure I’d be out of the running already.

The Political Question the Democrats are Too Stupid To Ask Over The Health Care Debate

Forget what's in the bill. I'm not sure anyone knows what's in it or not in it. But in this fracas that has turned both parties ineffective and played to the worst that is in each of us, focus on the politics for just a second. The Republicans keep warning the Democrats that they'll lose seats and their majority in November if they pass this bill. Of course that's just a tactic to try and scare off a few Dems in tough districts. When you start talking that way, it means you see a loss coming.

But the Democrats haven't asked the question they should when all of this goes round and round. It's a simple question really. If this bill is so bad (armageddon-like according to some who wouldn't know hyperbole if it bit them in the ass) and it is going to destroy the Democratic majority, why don't the Republicans just zip it up and let it happen? I mean that's the goal, yes? Destroy the other party. It's March and we won't see any signature on any bill until April at the earliest. That closes the gap between today and November. While there are supposedly some things that will go into affect on signing, there's quite a bit that won't effect change until later, leaving plenty of time for new Republican majority in Congress to change what they don't like or to hear them tell it, is so destructive. Oh, but that would mean actually taking action as opposed to playing games.

Don't get me wrong here. I'm no fan of the clowns who are running the show on the Democratic side, or for that matter what I can read of the legislation they've got before them. I've never seen such a fiasco as we're witnessing now. But then, the other thing that this so-called debate has proven, and proven well, is that those we have elected on both sides of the aisle in Congress are a feckless bunch of yahoos who couldn't care less about what happens to you and I.

Judging the Middletown Chili Cookoff

I'm getting ready to be a judge for the Middletown Chili Cookoff. Should be fun.

Sent from my iPhone

Posted via email from Warner's Posterous