Corporate Broadway

There is a wonderful article about Transamerica & HOT FEET in the New York Times today. How Transamerica used HOT FEET as a way of branding their company. Although the show is closing, after what most producers would consider a complete flop, Transamerica considered the $8 Million lost an expense and not a investment, and make the venture a huge success. "$8 Million for a Broadway Show could be a better marketing expense than $2.5-5 Million for a 2min ad during the Super Bowl." This article is a fantastic insight to the future of Broadway and how corporate America will be the leading producer/investor in Theater.

Tavel Plans

Actually, yesterday my dad asked me when I was going to take a vacation. He wants to know if I would like to go to Scotland for a round of golf. He has been wanting to experience the rolling links on the island for a while now. Plus, my mom and my sister want me to go to Panama. Which I would like to do, because I have family down there. I'm thinking some time in June would be good.

I've played golf since I was 5 years old...my golf clubs are in Florida and I only play when I'm visiting. But I've played some of the nicest golf courses in the world, Pebble Beach in California, Punto de Dente in Dominican Republic, other courses in Mexico, Indonesia and Australia. So it would only be fitting to go to Scotland. Golfing in foreign countries are really a joy because you walk the course with a caddy who acts like your personal coach - helping you pick the club, guides you where to hit, and telling you stories about the course and country. I'm pretty sure I'll take him up on it. My roommate is actually on a trip with his day to Italy for 15 days and I'm a bit jealous.

Panama is interesting because my Grandmother lives in a very tiny humble house that doesn't even have hot water or air conditioning. I enjoy going to Panama because there really isn't anything to do but hang out, especially because my grandmother uses a walker. So there is never any of the vacation angst, of trying to find entertaining things to do. We simply flop around and maybe visit some of my mothers friends. My favorite time to go to Panama is during Christmas, because all my cousins are there, plus there are tons of festivities on the streets.

It would be nice to go back to europe. I went to London back in '95. I really enjoyed it...more so than Paris. For some reason I got Hay fever, for the first time while I was in France. My eyes where itching the whole time and I had to take my contacts off...but I didn't have my glasses with me. It was a terrible experience of being in the most beautiful part of the world and only being able to see it through my blurry eyes. My family went to the country side and we bumped into Mark from my school at this chateau hotel. He waved to me and I waved back not knowing who I was waving too. All I could see was a huge blurry head (even with contacts on, he always had a huge head). I finally got to London, where Hay fever wasn't affecting me, I purchased some overpriced glasses at Harrolds. They where Georgio Armani glasses. At first my dad wanted me to buy the cheapest glasses, which where thick aqua blue frames, but when he realized we had vision insurance then he allowed me to buy glasses that I'd actually use. (Sidenote:I now have an addiction to buying expensive glasses. Since London I've bought another pair of Armani, and two pairs of Oliver Peoples.) Because I actually got to see London, I think that is the reason I enjoyed it more than France.

Couch Potato Day

On Friday night, Rob and I went to a movie between work and the Lab - Ultraviolet...it was the worst movie in the world...so bad that it wasn't even funny..it was just a really boring, self-indulgent action/fantasy film. But it killed time at the expense of $10 bucks. Funny thing was that the movie was sold out - and everyone at the end of the film looked upset at the waste of time.

I forced myself to sleep in today. I got much needed rest - I felt exhausted all week. It all started with that 10pm-midnight rehearsal on Monday.

I had a late show Saturday night - then I stayed around for a improv mixer. The mixer is a show where people sign up and they put you in groups with people you don't normally play with. It was kinda fun. Lots of people stayed to play. it's sort of a fun way to improv because you don't have to be too serious - mostly because you're performing for are friends.

At the El Partido show, our suggestion was "Anatomically Correct." I did a scene where my wife and I were terrified of our dog and how fast it was growing - it was becoming a mutant dog for no apparent reason. I was upset that she wanted a dog in the first place. She retaliated and said that she did it because she wants kids...and she wanted to see if I could handle the responsibility of nurturing a living thing - then she finished off by saying..."which you obviously can't by the looks of it...you can't even love a dog." I argued back, "this thing is a freak of nature." We went back and forth. Later in the show, we are having marriage counseling with the dog in the room...now the dog is talking and the therapist is taking the side of my wife and dog. "Why am I paying you to take the side of my wife and Dog?" I argue with the therapist. It is reveled that the dog is sleeping with my wife and satisfying my wife in bed more than me. We start to argue, and another member of El Partido goes out into the audience and stands up and ask a question to us, now placing the scene in a "Jerry Springer" type talk show, asking "how can you let her and that dog treat you like that?" Then our final scene, it's reveled I have to have an operations but my wife can care less about helping me because I put the dog to sleep as a way to save our marriage - she was upset mostly that I killed the one "thing" that could satisfy her in bed.

Crazy huh?

There was also another really quick funny scene where I came out as a proud parent encouraging my kids to take their first steps. Three members of the group, all started walking towards me like young toddlers...they where racing each other - trying to be the first to get to me, when they finally get to me they start attacking me and I scream..."Margie...help! Help! The kids are out of control." Out steps "Margie," played by a guy member of the group, and he, shoots the kids with tranquilizer darts to tame them. I thank her (or him) and she then proceeds to shoot darts at the other members not even in the scene...they all fall down. He ends it by saying, "you can never be too safe."

Weird stuff happens at these shows.

Back to the being a "couch potato":

It's defiantly one of those lazy days....I woke up and watched TV for the first time in months...Real World, America's Next Top Model, the food network, and now Shakespeare in Love. Basically brain candy! I remember when I use to watch every episode of every program on TV...now who has time? I probably should just cancel my cable service...my television is never on.

2:30: Food network is incredible. Not that I cook any of it, but it influence my taste buds and make me want to try new foods. (Plus, if you watch the network while you're eating something bland...the flavor from TV influences the taste of the food you're eating, making it taste better...or at least I think so).

It's Sunday, and I still doing EKTM work....the production renting in the 45th Street Theater got to the space today at 1pm and none of the lights where turing on. The Stage Manager called me freaked out...I had to track down the guy in charge of the space (whose phone was off)...she didn't know what to do...finally, the guy got back to me - about 20 mins ago...and said he was a block away and would fix the problem. I guess this is the life of the theater...especially at EKTM...weekends don't exists.

3:45pm Now I'm watching The Princes Bride on TV...are they developing a musical of it? I thought I heard that.

6pm: I just finished watching a documentary on DMC in search for his biological mother, and I'm now on VH-1 Behind the Music: Kid Rock. I probably will be switching back and forth from this show and the E Channel: Oscars Coverage.

7:45pm: I'm pretty sure this is the last weekend I'm going to be able to do this. One part of me feels guilty and lazy for staying in all day, but the other part of my feels well rested and up-to-date with my pop culture. Okay, now I'm officially only watching Oscar coverage on ABC...and it's only about 9mins till Oscar time. The interviews are ridiculous - they ask them stupid questions - it's really funny.

President's Day

I took the day-off today to pay my respects to President's Day. My I spent the day in rehearsal with The Academy.

The rehearsal went pretty good - it's kinda tough right now because we are developing a new form. Everyone has an opinion, idea, thought about how it should be... "compromise" is the word of the day. The best part of the whole process is that our group is bonding - we spend 1/2 the time in rehearsal debating with each other and the other half of the time making each other laugh. You'd think we'd be sick of each other, but afterwards we all go out to eat - spending another 2 hours at a restaurant table deconstructing the rehearsal and telling funny antidotes about our personal lives. Then we do it all over again - 3-4 times a week.

Someone asked me the other night, "what do I want to do eventually? (long term)"

I pretty sure it's exactly what I'm doing with The Academy - on a bigger scale. Working with friends creatively to develop new works. One of my favorite things is to be confined to a room with creative friends (they must be friends), who are all on the same page willing and able to create something interesting.

Let's Get it Done

It's amazing that producing a show at Town Hall (1,500 seat venue) and putting together an improv show at a 70 seat theater takes up just as much energy. With Laughing Liberally moving latterly - simply because we are planning our next major steps - and The Academy charging at full force into rehearsals and previews - I'm getting exhausted. At the end of the day I'm hoping that it's all worth it. I shouldn't hope - I should know that it will be well worth it.

The last couple of weeks for The Academy have been demanding - we haven't gotten on our feet in a while because we have been dealing with production matters. In a weird way we have all bonded through the arguments and the late night meetings. I think it's great to know that at one second I can be absolutely pissed at the situation and the next day I am loving the fact that I have this wonderful opportunity. Ultimately, I'm very excited about the players in the group. They are all very talented and bring a tremendous amount of diversity, uniqueness and smartness to the table.

Our form is quite interesting but a mother of a form to conquer - especially with only four players - we lose Christian for 15 days as he ventures to Italy with his dad.

Matt Stillman and Megan Neuringer will be co-directing the show and implementing our form and help us, as Matt says, "sharpen the edge of the knife."

Laughing Liberally

I'm finally recovering from a month of hard work, producing Laughing Liberally at Town Hall. Town Hall in New York City is a 1,500 seat venue in the heart of Time Square and we where able to pack the house with approx. 1,300 people. It's amazing the power of press. I must give credit to our press agent - Keith Sherman and Associates - they got us mentioned everywhere; NPR, Joey Reynolds, Reuters, TimeOutNY, etc...Heck I was interviewed by a Spain radio station. And people really came out to see this show...we where all amazed.

In addition to the actual comedy show, there was a five person camera crew documenting the whole process - from interviews with the comics and producers back stage to roaming the theater documenting the hectic box office line right before showtime. We are hoping to distribute a DVD of the "Making of Laughing Liberally." Hopefully a promo cut will lure distributors and/or investors.

Over all, It was a fun show that included a fun night at SPANKY's (the BBQ joint next to Town Hall) afterwards.

Now that the show is over, the whole team is sitting down trying to figure out what is next for us...we have talked about Off-Broadway, Broadway, National Tour, Comedy Festival, Colleges and Performing Arts Centers. What it will be is yet to be determined.

ASSSCATS

I went to ASSSCATS yesterday for the first time in 5 months. It was fun to see some quick improvisation. I have to admit that watching a show like ASSSCATS helps me remember what "game" is. The show featured Peter Gwinn, Brian Huskey, Rob Hubel, Mirian Tobin, Horatio Sanz, Kevin Dorf and Rachel Hamilton (there where a couple other people I can't remember). The show wasn't the best but it was fun to stand in line with friends for a couple of hours. It reminded me of the time we use to stand in line for 5 hours to see the UCB four. Fun Times!!