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May 31, 2006

NERVE JUNE 8

Please come to see nerve the first week if you can june 8-11. Did I mention a free beer with every ticket?

www.smarttix.com

May 30, 2006

Fwd: If you were in the street on fire, I'd put you out with gasoline

I got this email today from a company selling viagra etc. I find it completely insane. Look at the subject of the email. Sounds like a death threat, doesn't it? there's a play in here somewhere, I swear.

Fwd: If you were in the street on fire, I'd put you out with gasoline

ruinerHullo!

upadukadel[dot]com

---- only just married, could not decline the gift. His mother, whohad her own separate property, had allowed Alexey every yeartwenty thousand in addition to the twenty-five thousand he hadreserved, and Alexey had spent it all. Of late his mother,incensed with him on account of his love affair and his leavingMoscow, had given up sending him the money. And in consequenceof this, Vronsky, who had been in the habit of living on thescale of forty-five thousand a year, having only received twentythousand that year, found himself now in difficulties. To getout of these difficulties, he could not apply to his mother formoney. Her last letter, which he had received the day before,had particularly exasperated him by the hints in it that she wasquite ready to help him to succeed in the world and in the army,but not to lead a life which was a scandal to all good society.His mother's attempt to buy him stung him to the quick and madehim feel colder than ever to her. But he could not draw backfrom the generous word when it was once uttered, even though hefelt now, vaguely foreseeing certain eventualities in hisintrigue with Madame Karenina, that this generous word had beenspoken thoughtlessly, and that even though he were not married hemight need all the hundred thousand of income. But it wasimpossible to draw back. He had only to recall his brother'swife, to remember how that sweet, delightful Varya sought, atevery convenient opportunity, to remind him that she rememberedhis generosity and appreciated it, to grasp the impossibility oftaking back his gift. It was as impossible as beating a woman,stealing, or lying. One thing only could and ought to be done,and Vronsky determined upon it without an instant's hesitation:

May 24, 2006

Don't miss this wed 5/31at Clubbed Thumb

http://www.clubbedthumb.org/upcoming/take5.php

Take 5 Wednesday, May 31

We ring in the festival on Wednesday, May 31st at 8pm with TAKE 5, featuring 16 five-minute playlets based on the last half-decade. These past five years have included more change than most, but in the shadow of all the Time Magazine-sized events are equally interesting stories, from the papers as well as from our own lives. People lose all their hair, paper fortunes are lost, waves of diet programs sweep the nation, seemingly ubiquitous celebrities disappear from view, extreme weather cycles shift. Come to the Ohio by 8pm on the 31st for this special (and we mean that in a slightly mysterious way) presentation, and help us usher in our 11th festival of new work.

Featuring the works of David Adjmi, Scott Adkins, Deron Bos, Andy Bragen, Kirsten Greenidge, Jason Grote, Kristin Kosmas, Julie Marie Myatt, Kristen Palmer, Molly Rice, Sonya Sobieski, Adam Szymkowicz, Alison Tatlock, Chris Wells, Gary Winter, and Anna Ziegler.

Direction by Scott Adkins, Sarah Benson, Sam Buggeln, Mallory Catlett, Shana Gold, Maria Goyanes, Josh Hecht, Kristin Kosmas, Brooke O'Harra, Katie Pearl, Mike Shapiro, Sarah Sunde, Chris Wells, and Paul Willis.

From F Britchcraft

"And that's why I love theatre. You can tell people what to do and make them love you."

May 23, 2006

from playbill

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/99843.html

Susan O'Connor Stars in Nerve World Premiere in NYC, June 8 By Ernio Hernandez 22 May 2006

Downtown favorite Susan Louise O'Connor stars in the world premiere of Adam Szymkowicz's Nerve to be presented June 8-July 1 at New York City's 14th Street Y.

Packawallop Productions teams with Hypothetical Theatre Company to present the new play which begins previews June 8 and opens June 12 at the 14th Street Y. Scott Ebersold directs the work which will run through July 1.

Susan Louise O'Connor appears with Travis York in the work billed as "dark romantic comedy about falling into a relationship on the first date," according to a release. "Elliot has never had an online date before... at least one that showed up. Susan has had plenty but would prefer not to discuss them. When they meet in a bar one night, all their neuroses come out. So do a puppet, some modern dance and surprising twist or two."

O'Connor has trod the boards of downtown Manhattan for a number of years, appearing in Daniel MacIvor's Never Swim Alone, See Bob Run and Marion Bridge, Julia Jordan's St. Scarlet, Brad Fraser's Snake in Fridge and Alejandro Morales' The Silent Concerto (which is slated to return in July with O'Connor and director Ebersold).

The design team for Nerve includes Nicholas Vaughn (set), Jessica Watters (costumes), Josh Bradford (lighting) and Brian Hallas (sound). Choreography is by Wendy Seyb and Caitlin Baird is stage manager.

For tickets to Nerve at the 14th Street Y, 344 East 14 St. (between First and Second Ave.), call (212) 868-4444. For more information, visit www.packawallop.org.

May 22, 2006

Just went to the pulitzer prizes where of course no one won for drama. I ate the free fish, got a little tipsy and then headed back here to my desk to work.

I think it's good to remember that all our heroes and super duper prize winners are just humans who sit in a room and eat their fish and drink their wine and then the award ceremony is over and they go home.

Perhaps they have their small role in changing the world (or not) but then they go home to their husbands or their cats.

Please note in the posting below the award I won this weekend. I am also only human.

May 21, 2006

Last night at Lorraine (I'm gonna make some coffee) and Jason's (Jason Grote) I was presented by Dan (Venal Scene) with the Emerging Brooklyn Playwright Award. It was a 25 cent award. There was no trophy but the quarter itself is quite nice and it will be displayed quite proudly on my mantle. PS The links don't work on this computer but if you're willing to do a little work, you can find the individulas mentioned above in no particular order on the blogroll.

May 19, 2006

overheard on the street

-They're trying to get kids off Myspace.

-Really?

-Yeah. There have actually been murders.

May 18, 2006

buy tickets to Nerve

https://www.smarttix.com/Show.aspx?ShowCode=NER1

Nerve opens June 8

click to enlarge

A pad to scratch on (intermittenly, internetedly) or What is your relation to your blog?

I am in rehearsal, I am rewriting, I am casting. I am pulled in too many directions right now.

I am falling down getting up and falling down again.

I am waking when I can at 5:30 to write a play that's hard to get through. keeps getting stuck.

the dishes are piling up. the cat is yowling from lack of attention.

and they want me to do more work at work. meanwhile everyone is calling about casting about rehearsal and I never get to see K.

Breathe. Breathing.

May 17, 2006

From an email from Larry Kunofsky:

Stanley Kunitz died. He was 100 years old. I heard him read once and if I live to be 100 I still won't forget that night.

If the following is not my favorite poem of all time, at the very least, I can't love another poem more than this one:

Touch Me Summer is late, my heart. Words plucked out of the air some forty years ago when I was wild with love and torn almost in two scatter like leaves this night of whistling wind and rain. It is my heart that's late, it is my song that's flown. Outdoors all afternoon under a gunmetal sky staking my garden down, I kneeled to the crickets trilling underfoot as if about to burst from their crusty shells; and like a child again marveled to hear so clear and brave a music pour from such a small machine. What makes the engine go? Desire, desire, desire. The longing for the dance stirs in the buried life. One season only, and it's done. So let the battered old willow thrash against the windowpanes and the house timbers creak. Darling, do you remember the man you married? Touch me, remind me who I am.

Stanley Kunitz

my 10 min play Film Noir

sticky @ galapagos friday, may 26th, doors at 7:30 show at 8 pm all new 10 minute plays no cover galapagos 70 n. 6th b/w kent and wythe because anything that can happen can happen in a bar Plays by: Alex Beech, Jennifer Boggs, Elizabeth Emmons, Katya R. Schapiro and Adam Szymkowicz Direction and performances by: Ali Ayala, Damon Boggess, Ann Fidler, Robert Hancock, Neil Hellegers, Rob Hille, Matt Korahais, Jackson Loo, David Marcus, Shira Milikowsky, Sarah Sakann, Eve Udesky, Kara-Lynn Vaeni, Ana Valle, Marisa Viola and John Wu

May 15, 2006

I am nervous

The Juilliard Scene Night is tonight. I have never attended one of these and don't know what to expect or who will be there. But the theatre is big and apparently they're overbooked. They are reading the first 10 min of my Hamlet cowboy comedy.

Wish me luck.

May 14, 2006

This coming weekend May 18, 19, 20, 21

In Boston, my 10 min play Snow.

www.devtheatre.com

Devanaughn Theatre proudly presents the

4th Annual Dragonfly Festival

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday Matinees at 3 pm

at the Piano Factory, 791 Tremont Street Rear, In Boston's Historic South End

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at

www.theatermania.com or 1.866.811.4111

dialogue from the film Out Of The Past, 1947

http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/o/out-of-the-past-script.html

- Tell me something. - You don't look as though I could.

- You've been a lot of places, haven't you? - One too many. - Which did you like best? - This one right here. - I bet you say that to all the places.

-You were never married before, were you? -Not that I can remember.

-A guy can't even get shot by a dame... ...without the whole town starting to buzz like a... -Like you? Smoke a cigarette, Joe. -You just sit and stay inside yourself. You wait for me to talk. I like that. -I never found out much listening to myself. -You know, you're a curious man. -You're gonna make every guy you meet a little bit curious.

- Don't you like it in here? - I'm just not ready to settle down. -Shall I take you somewhere else? -You're gonna find it very easy to take me anywhere.

-I could have run away last night. - I'd find you. - Yes, I believe you would.

I never saw her in the daytime. We seemed to live by night. What was left of the day went away like a pack of cigarettes you smoked. I didn't know where she lived. I never followed her. All I ever had to go on was a place and time to see her again. I don't know what we were waiting for. Maybe we thought the world would end.

- I didn't know you were so little. - I'm taller than Napoleon. -You're prettier too.

- Did you miss me? - No more than I would my eyes.

-Jeff, I'm glad you're not afraid of him. -I've been afraid of half the things I ever did. - And this time? - I'm only afraid you might not go. -Don't be. I'll be there tomorrow.

Let's go down to the bar. You can cool off while we try to impress each other.

- Look, I got along before this job. I ate good, and I grew as big as you did. If there's something you don't like, say so.

Her name is Meta Carson. You'll find her charming. She may even find you charming. I understand that women have.

-Jeff, I had to come back. What else could I do? -You can never help anything, can you? You're like a leaf that the wind blows from one gutter to another. You can't help anything you do, even murder. - You can't say it was that. - I can say one thing. I buried him.

-Buddy, you look like you're in trouble. - Why? - Because you don't act like it. -I think I'm in a frame. -Don't sound like you. -I don't know. All I can see is the frame. I'm going in there now to look at the picture.

- Apple martini? - Thanks. -Meta talked about you like you're the ninth wonder of the world. - She skipped one. - Meta must be the eighth. -All women are wonders because they reduce all men to the obvious. -And so do martinis.

- I don't want to die. -Neither do I, baby. But if I have to, I'm gonna die last.

May 12, 2006

a 3 page play--first draft

The Question by Adam Szymkowicz adamszymkowicz@yahoo.com Characters: GINA STU Setting: Someplace unromantic. A dirty apartment, a fast food joint, a dentist office. Something like that. Time: Now. (GINA is thinking. STU stares at her.) STU So? GINA It’s unfair of you to bring this up. It’s unfair here and now. Everyone’s suffering and I can’t even have any sympathy for them although I have felt from time to time, these windows of feeling for people not like me far away. But even those windows are gone and I march in and out of our world like a zombie on a track and then you come in with your thoughts. STU It’s been four years, Gina GINA I feel everyday I want to cut my hands off or photocopy myself to death. Get caught in the fax machine, the paper shredder. Or the electric stapler. It’s easier to talk to the phone callers or my well-coifed and varied bosses if I swallow antidepressants in expectation of a full day of people throwing stacks of papers at me. STU But— GINA Five years ago I was chasing down suitors like they were wild beasts. And I caught most of them. Most of them I caught. Men, women, men and women. And I fucked regularly, some might say constantly. Sometimes on lunch or cigarette breaks. Always or often with some regret. STU Gina— GINA And the gallons of coffee I drank. Between lines of coke. And tabs of acid. Shrooms. Lots of pot. And the mystery pills my roommate brought home and hid between her toes. I was hung over or strung out all the time. I was always so tired. All the time tired. But that was before my life with you. STU I know, but— GINA And you . . . You have bad breath all the time. You never wash the dishes and when you do, they come out with hair on them and you leave the dirty sponge in the sink. Sometimes you get drunk and you say the most horrible things to my friends, to your friends, to strangers. You temp all day. You are two hundred and twenty thousand dollars in debt from a questionable education. You’re always on the internet. STU What’s wrong with the internet? GINA You hate yourself seventy to eighty percent of the time. The other twenty to thirty percent of the time you hate me. Recently you piled all your laundry into a sort of a nest where you now sleep instead of in the bed with me. STU I have a bad back. GINA You don’t wash. Your face is scratchy when you do touch me, which you rarely do. You never say I love you anymore. And you wear those goddamn pants every fucking day. Except when you come home and walk around in those ratty-ass boxer shorts you probably took from your dad’s hamper last time we visited your folks. STU They’re mine. GINA And it’s not just one or two of these things. It’s a collection of these tiny infractions and flaws and gaps in what there is and what there could be—not that I know or could tell you exactly what could be because everything seems pretty bleak and nothing seems possible in any way. I guess I’m trying to say I think I’m not happy right now. STU OK. (Pause) But what does that mean? Do you want to get married or what? (Pause) GINA I don’t know. Let me think about it. STU OK. Cool. (GINA thinks. STU stares at her.)

The Ultimate Audition Books

You want to read 2 one minute monologues of mine? Wait, would you like to pay approximately $19.95 plus shipping per monologue? Sounds too good to be true? But wait, you also get 220 other one minute monologues to read per book. That's right PER BOOK!!! 221 One Minute Monologues for Men http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/157525400X/qid=1147454859/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-5865691-1148723?s=books&v=glance&n=283155 221 One Minute Monologue for Women http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1575254018/qid=1147454859/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/104-5865691-1148723?s=books&v=glance&n=283155 I got a one time fee for these so no need to buy multiple copies to support me. If you do want to support me however, come see my shows in June and July. Details soon.

May 11, 2006

Brooklyn Rail Articles

http://brooklynrail.org/2006-05/theater

An excellent article by Ms. Palmer about Ms. Callagahn.

Mike Daisey article--lookit the blogroll. If you don't know this guy you should

Gary Winter--I know you know Gary. Everyone knows Gary, right?

May 10, 2006

I'm writing slowly now. I've stopped actually. i'm on page 66 of this play called Incendiary and I'm completely stuck. I have some vague ideas about the ending but no idea how to write this next scene. so I'll blog instead I guess.

May 9, 2006

Our cat Skeezer has developed the habit of knocking water glasses (and most recently a pitcher) on the kitchen floor where they shatter. Then she likes to roll in the broken glass. I can only assume she is trying to revisit an experience from a previous life.

May 8, 2006

Double P Part II

per my day job, I am invited to the Pulitzer luncheon. What's the point though, really? no one freakin won. I know there are other people who have won awards, journalists, fiction writers etc.

But I am atending for the free food in the middle of my workday.

M F

So Let me tell you about Matthew Freeman http://matthewfreeman.blogspot.com/.

As he blogs, we recently met for the first time. It is true he is tall and young looking. (between 15 and 20 I would say) It is also true I enjoyed talking to him a great deal. His girlfriend (who will remain anonymous to protect her from ravaging online hobos and the such) I found sweet and smart and funny. And she has great taste in literature. As for her choice in men, well let me speak more on this.

What Matthew may or may not have told you is that his father was an Episcopal minister. This for me explains a lot. He has the angelic face one would expect of a minister and to go with that or against that, he has the desire to cause small rifts of strife, or clouds of chaos . . . or something of something.

Those of you who read his blog and comments already know this. I find this kind of charming actually. I hope our paths cross again soon.

schedule for Food For Fish in July

http://www.httheater.org/kraine.html#july

May 7, 2006

"I just got steamrolled"

A NY Times article about the school where Kristen teaches can be found here. I haven't talked to Kristen about it yet but this article seems pretty biased. There is lots of space given to detractors of the school whereas I know a lot of the parents believe stongly in the school and I wonder why they aren't quoted alongside the detractors and their minions. Also the guy who wrote it was hanging around at the beginning of the year. Some things work differently there now. Land of the Free http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/07/nyregion/thecity/07free.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

May 6, 2006

scene I had to delete from Pretty Theft

SCENE 30

(On one side of the stage the WAITRESS sits at a table, a couple of empty glasses in front of her. BARTENDER approaches.)

BARTENDER You want another drink, Lily?

WAITRESS I don’t know. BARTENDER Who does this guy think he is? I mean where did he come from?

WAITRESS I don’t know.

BARTENDER He just shows up and, what, you’re having a drink with him? I mean if he does show up. But where the hell is he?

WAITRESS I don’t know.

BARTENDER Are you going to sleep with him?

WAITRESS I’ll have that drink now.

BARTENDER (Moving to make the drink.) Whatever happened to us?

WAITRESS There never was an us.

BARTENDER You know what I mean. I woulda treated you like a princess.

WAITRESS I’m not a princess, Floyd.

BARTENDER You would’ve drank for free.

WAITRESS He’s not coming.

BARTENDER I never would’ve done that. Standing someone up. Specially not you.

WAITRESS I know.

BARTENDER So . . .

WAITRESS No.

BARTENDER No? Not even on a trial basis?

WAITRESS No.

BARTENDER Oh. You want like a hot dog or something? On the house.

WAITRESS Can I use your phone?

(BARTENDER hands her the phone.)

WAITRESS (on phone) Hello, Tom. I think I have an idea where you can find those girls.

May 5, 2006

Creepy new weapons from the Bush Administration

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/03/washington/03laser.html?_r=1&ex=1146974400&en=05ce20f115c14bac&ei=5087%0A&oref=slogin

The Bush administration is seeking to develop a powerful ground-based laser weapon that would use beams of concentrated light to destroy enemy satellites in orbit.

May 4, 2006

words for thursday

I got a rash on my hands from living here I'm tired cause my cat wakes me up When I turn my neck it cracks three times When I breathe I wheeze and cough and hack My wrist hurts from this repetitive keyboard my bed looks comfortable but it's hurting my back I am deep in debt I am unkempt I am quiet and little and small

But at night I get to come home to you

at night then you are there

the night is so long so long in coming

and you never read my blog

May 2, 2006

Here's an article that discusses student loans and job and life choices for our generation. They don't mention the arts but I know my loans are much higher than the kids mentioned (MUCH HIGHER) and NYC is much more expensive than most of the country. I'm in a lot of debt people and I will be paying it off for the next 30 years unless something extraodinary happens. Isn't it amazing what we will do for our art?

Student loans - a life sentence Forget about getting married and buying a home. This generation is thinking about next month's payment.

"Call it a reverse dowry: college debt diverts careers and delays or impedes graduates' plans to get married, buy a home or even to start a family. The effects can last years."

The cumulative effect of such student debt on graduates is unclear, although few would argue that its impact will be positive for the graduates, the economy or society.

"We've never done this to a generation of young people before," said Dr. Heather Boushey, Senior Economist at the progressive Center for Economic and Policy Research. "We've never put a generation in their 20s in debt they can't get out of before they started their work life."

"The normal approach in any healthy society is to help young married couples get started in life through marital gifts, dowries, and the like," Allan Carlson of the socially-conservative Howard Center for Family, Religion, and Society said.

"We now burden many young adults with student debt, sometimes massive in nature; the price being paid includes marriages delayed or foregone and fewer children. This is foolish public policy."

** NEW DATES! NEW VENUE! NEW SCHEDULE! **

NERVE June 8 - July 1 at 14th Street Y

Packawallop Productions has teamed up with Hypothetical Theatre Company to present the World Premiere of NERVE, a new play by Adam Szymkowicz. This production, which begins previews June 8 at the 14th Street Y will replace the previously announced production. Directed by Scott Ebersold, the production stars Susan Louise O'Connor and Travis York with sets by Nicholas Vaughn (winner, Best Set Design FringeNYC 2005), costumes by Jessica Watters, sound by Brian Hallas and choreography by Wendy Seyb.

Opening night is now slated for Monday, June 12th.

NERVE is a dark romantic comedy about falling into a relationship on the first date. Elliot has never had an online date before... at least one that showed up. Susan has had plenty but would prefer not to discuss them. When they meet in a bar one night, all their neuroses come out. So do a puppet, some modern dance and surprising twist or two.

NERVE runs June 8 - July 1, Thursday - Saturday at 8pm and Monday at 7pm with an added show Sunday, June 11 at 7pm. The 14th Street Y is located at is located at 344 East 14th Street (between 1st & 2nd Aves., accessible from the L train at 1st Avenue). Tickets are $15, available at 212-868-4444 or www.smarttix.com.

May 1, 2006

see it yourself here

http://video.freevideoblog.com/video/wm/AAC7FA18-2DDC-4D3E-B1BB-9D6CBD83E27F.htm

COLBERT TAKES ON BUSH

wow. read Chris Durang's comments on Stephen Colbert's fierce and funny criticism at a White House Dinner. The press is ignoring it but if you read it, it's hard to ignore.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-durang/ignoring-colbert-part-tw_b_20130.html

"Now, I know there's some polls out there saying this man has a 32% approval rating. But guys like us, we don't pay attention to the polls. We know that polls are just a collection of statistics that reflect what people are thinking in "reality." And reality has a well-known liberal bias."

"And as excited as I am to be here with the president, I am appalled to be surrounded by the liberal media that is destroying America, with the exception of Fox News. Fox News gives you both sides of every story, the President's side and the Vice President's side."

"Jesse Jackson is here. I had him on the show. Very interesting and challenging interview. You can ask him anything, but he's going to say what he wants at the pace that he wants. It's like boxing a glacier."

"Enjoy that metaphor, because your grandchildren will have no idea what a glacier is."