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I haven’t posted in a while so I thought I better get on the stick, as painful as that sounds, and do something about it. 

I have been busy, nevertheless, as hopefully my list of activities will indicate.  I felt that just blowing out a list of activities will suffice and then I can enhance the description of each as necessary.

June

Attended the Dramatist Guild conference, Playwrights in Mind, at George Mason in Fairfax, Virginia.

Applied for, and was accepted to, the Devised Theatre class at CPT.

Applied for, and was accepted to, Springboard at CPT.

• Andrew Jackson ate my homework: a racial farce

July

Met with Peter Roth every Wednesday to discuss our proposed new theater and the notion of bringing live TV to theater… ha ha ha.  No, seriously.  Have been developing the story bible almost continuously this summer.

Attended the first meeting of the newly-born Bessemer Project: consisting of theatre artists, Rachel Baird, Michael Parsons, Peter Roth, Jaclyn Villano, Michael Geither, Michael Oatman, Michael Williams, Jarod Witkowski, Dan Riordan, Claire Robinson May, and myself.

August

Got a bite from Athena Theatre with a request for the full script for Lord of the Burgeoning Lumber (sent the synopsis two years ago!)

Applied for the Creative Workforce Grant through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture (hope the trend from June continues!)

Applied for an Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist grant (hope the trend from June continues!)

September

Might be working with Jared Bendis on a written piece to supplement his work at Ingenuity.

I think that about covers it for now…

At Peter Roth’s invitation and encouragement I drove over to Pittsburgh last Saturday night to attend Midnight Radio 3: Cowboys & Aliens at Bricolage.

Using my trusty GPS I landed nearly infront of the place on Liberty Avenue, parked, and promptly went into a proximate bar and had an Arrogant Bastard.

At quarter to 9 the lobby at Bricolage was packed. I was handed a small form to fill out where I had to choose whether I would be on Team Alien or Team Cowboy: I went the cowboy route for obvious reasons. Bricolage threatened attendees with an audience participation segment that would result from a drawing of the form midway through the show. The lobby is a storefront, and in the two storefront windows landscapes where setup (desert and space) wherein you could don some costume pieces and take photographs. Complementary munchies were provided of the cowboy and alien type: nachos and salsa and jello shots. Beer, etc., was available with a contribution. There was a mingling, party atmosphere penetrated occasionally by the huckstering of a man selling swag.

At around 9 the house was opened and the lobby streamed in. We sat up and toward the back left and then looked upon the stage. Perhaps “beheld” is a better word, as the stage held a wonderous toyland. At stage right there was a selection of microphone booms and arms and microphones and radio sound effect set pieces: a car door framed by wood; a small door with frame; boots in a box of gravel; a large piece of sheet metal to wave, rattle, or strike, etc. Upstage center were mikes at left and right while down center were three mikes facing left, right, and up with music stands. At left was another mike and further up the tech booth. On the upstage wall there was a projection which currently showed the Midnight Radio log. Up center was a good old-fashioned “On Air” indicator, currently off. And up left was an “Applause” sign, dark.

After the announcements, the stage space dimmed and the performers walked to their respective stations. A flamboyant and stylish mike check was undertaken all about the stage, with mikes emerging from odd locations and demos of shoes walking on gravel, strange voices, odd effects, etc. Then the show began.

There were commercials, announcements, Peter’s piece (Hank & Buster v. Orson Welles), Fake News –think Fox News and Glenn Beck with very little need for exaggeration at all, really. Plus an actual radio program (The Mimic) from the 50’s. Great musical interludes were provided by Slim Cessna and his son. Midway through the two raffle winners were brought out for the team alien/team cowboy segment (like the gameshow Password) The characterization of the actors was fantastic as they switched from role to role and did voice impressions as well as hustled around to create the various sound effects. It was, at once, theater and most definitely radio, too. Apparently, at some point, the episodes will be available on iTunes.

Midnight Radio in Pittsburgh is definitely worth going to see and worth the 2+ hour drive over.

Another blog about the event.