Last night

I was on a panel (along with Bixby Elliot and Winter Miller) talking to current playwriting students at the New School about what to do after you leave grad school. I hope we said the right things. I think we did. I'm in a regrouping, revising, holding pattern right now. I don't know what my next project is and that always drives me a little crazy. I'm not writing and I'm not working on a production and that makes me feel a little like I'm not really a playwright. Which was why it was nice to talk about how I am a playwright last night. And what I do to be a playwright and how much work goes into not just the writing but the marketing and networking. It was oddly encouraging to talk about how discouraging it can be at times.

Get your tickets now

Kristen Palmer's long awaited play

http://www.smarttix.com/show.aspx?showCode=DEP

tax cut for middle class

damn!! Go Obama!

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a1FeXDS3utrg&refer=home

"Obama, 46, is the first Democratic candidate to propose a
comprehensive strategy for overhauling the tax code. In the speech to
the Tax Policy Center today, he portrayed the current system as overly
complex and skewed toward helping the wealthy at the expense of the
middle class. "

"The plan would also simplify tax filing for many Americans by having
the Internal Revenue Service provide pre-filled tax forms using
financial data it receives from employers and banks. The service would
be available to filers without complex taxes, or those with only wage
and bank-interest income."

"Obama has also proposed repealing President George W. Bush's income
tax breaks for households earning more than $250,000 a year to pay for
a plan to offer health insurance to more Americans. "

h/t freeman

http://matthewfreeman.blogspot.com/

Last night

I had a rountable reading of my new screenplay at MCC that went surprisingly well. (Thanks talented Actors! Thanks S +J +M!!!) A lot more was working than I thought was working which I was happy to see. I also saw all the problems I have to fix. I'm surprised as much of it works however considering how fast I wrote it. Also, according to the actors, I am successful at creating the imagistic scenes that are found in screenplays but not so much in plays. I was happy to hear that and also that's the hardest part for me so it's good to know that it's working. Now have to figure out how to fix what's broken.

NYTW Misanthrope discounts. Tickets for all performances September 14 – November 11 are just $45 each (reg. $65). In order receive this discount, tickets must be ordered by September 24. Use code TMBLG44 when ordering. To purchase tickets, call (212) 947-8844 or visit www.broadwayoffers.com New York Theatre Workshop also offers both Student Tickets and CheapTix Sundays. CheapTix Sundays: All tickets for all Sunday evening performances at 7pm are just $20 each! Tickets are available in advance but must be purchased at the NYTW box office on a cash-only basis. Student Tickets: Full-time students with a valid student ID may purchase $20 tickets for all performances (subject to availability). Limit one ticket per ID. Tickets must be purchased in person and require an ID at the box office. The NYTW box office is located at 79 East 4th Street (between Second Avenue and Bowery) and is open Tuesday - Saturday from 1pm - 6pm.

a scene from Open Minds

I was rereading a play I wrote about 4 years ago. there is some klunkly stuff and a bit of overwriting, but I have to say, I'm proud of it. Here's a scene: (MOTHER’s house. Ordinary. Comfortable, clean, but not expensive. A large cardboard box in one corner.) MOTHER Herbie, do you have to carry that big old rock around in your pocket? You’re ruining all your good pants. HERBIE I need it, Mama. It’s important. MOTHER It can’t be so important. I have to buy you new pants. It’s not even like you’re doing hard labor. You’re just walking around with a rock in your pocket so it wears holes in your clothes. HERBIE Doesn’t wear holes. MOTHER But it does, Herbie. If you have to carry the rock around. . . HERBIE It’s my special white rock. MOTHER If you have to carry it, couldn’t you switch pockets once in a while? HERBIE It goes in this pocket. MOTHER But couldn’t you just put it in your left front pocket for a change or maybe one of your back pockets? HERBIE Wouldn’t like that. Needs to be in this pocket. Otherwise it would hurt. It would hurt . . . otherwise. MOTHER There’s no use talking sense to you. HERBIE Mama, can I go to my box now? MOTHER Not yet. I want to talk to you for a minute. You know your father won’t be home for a while and you’re gonna have to be the man. I know that’s hard for you cause you’re not like your daddy. You’re big, sure, but you don’t have the head to go with it. But that’s not your fault. It’s the way God made you and but, son, you’re going to have to try to be a man around here. You hear me? What are you doing? HERBIE (hand in pocket.) Got to rub my stone. Make it smooth. Rub it good. MOTHER I know, honey. I need you to be strong while your daddy’s gone. You think you can do that? HERBIE Can I be strong in the box? MOTHER Well, sure, but not just yet. Sit down and lets us have a talk first. (HERBIE sits.) MOTHER Now Herbie, you listening? Listen now. I think you can’t help, you know, what you’re like, but people are going to get the wrong idea with that stone in your pocket and your hand always in there. People will think . . . well, I just don’t know how to say this to you. You can’t play with the rock when people come over. HERBIE People coming over? MOTHER Well there may be some people over here later and I need you to come out of your box and be on your best behavior. HERBIE Scary people. MOTHER No, not scary people, but I need for you to be good. Can you be good? HERBIE Uh huh. Sure, Mama. MOTHER Good. And it would be good if you didn’t play with your rock in your pocket because people might think, people might think you were playing with Mr. Winkie and we both know people don’t want to see other people play with Mr. Winkie when they’re just coming over for some milk and pie. You hear me? HERBIE Yeah, Mama. MOTHER Let’s practice now. Take you hand out of your pocket. (He does so slowly.) There you go. There you go. Good. HERBIE Am I done now? (Looks towards box.) MOTHER Not quite yet. Oh, you’re such a good boy. Stand up straight. Now aren’t you a smart looking boy? Who’s my soldier? HERBIE I am. MOTHER That’s right. You are, aren’t you? Now what are you going to do when people come to visit? HERBIE Not touch my winkie? MOTHER Right. What else? HERBIE Stand up straight? MOTHER Yes. What else? HERBIE Keep my hands out of my pocket? MOTHER Right. HERBIE Can I go to my box now? MOTHER Not yet, honey. I need you to be a strong little soldier. We have to go over a few more things now. HERBIE What things? MOTHER Well, we have to pretend a few things. HERBIE I like to pretend. MOTHER I know. What do you say we pretend Daddy’s a baker? HERBIE Daddy’s not a baker. MOTHER Today we’re pretending he is. From now on, everyday Daddy’s a baker. OK? HERBIE OK, Mama. MOTHER Now what does Daddy do? HERBIE He’s a baker. MOTHER What does he do at work? HERBIE He shoots people. MOTHER No, Daddy doesn’t shoot people. He bakes bread and pastry and cakes. HERBIE Mmm. Yummy. MOTHER Right. After the visitors go maybe we can get some cakes. If you’re good and keep your hand, where? HERBIE Away from Mr. Winkie? MOTHER Right. And out of your pocket and if you don’t say. . . if you tell them Daddy’s a baker. HERBIE OK, Mama. MOTHER What does your daddy do? HERBIE He’s a baker. MOTHER What does he do all day? HERBIE He bakes . . . bread . . . and . . . pizza. MOTHER Close enough. HERBIE Can I go in my box now? MOTHER Not yet. While the company’s here, I don’t want you to go in the box. Stay out here and don’t say anything unless someone asks you a question. HERBIE Like what? MOTHER Like what does your Daddy do? HERBIE He cooks things. MAMA Bakes things. HERBIE Yeah, Mama. Course he bakes things. And he writes letters and articles and walks on the streets with signs and sometimes when he has to . . . he doesn’t want to . . . but sometimes when he has to he shoots people, even in the head. MOTHER No, he doesn’t. It’ll be very bad if you say that while the people are here. How about if you just say he’s a baker? HERBIE He’s a baker. MOTHER What does he do? HERBIE Makes cookies and sometimes letter bombs. MOTHER No. Just cookies and cakes. HERBIE And pizza. MOTHER OK and pizza. Maybe we should pretend you’re mute. Could you be mute? HERBIE Mama? MOTHER Never mind. Your Daddy’s a baker. A baker and he doesn’t do anything wrong. HERBIE Doesn’t do anything wrong. MOTHER That’s right. HERBIE Mama? MOTHER All right. Go ahead. Get in your box. (HERBIE climbs in his refrigerator-sized cardboard box.) MOTHER Comfortable? HERBIE Yes, Mama. MOTHER All right. Good. HERBIE Mama? MOTHER Yes? HERBIE Where’s Daddy? MOTHER I don’t know, Herbie. Some men are going to come in today because no one knows where Daddy is and Daddy might be angry so the men are afraid. HERBIE Why? MOTHER Because Daddy’s mad at the men and the men don’t know what Daddy will do. HERBIE What will Daddy do? MOTHER I don’t know. But don’t worry about that. HERBIE Why? MOTHER Because good always wins and your Daddy is a good man. HERBIE He’s a good baker. MOTHER Yes he is. What does he bake? HERBIE Cookies. MOTHER What else? HERBIE Jelly beans. MOTHER No he doesn’t! You’re being silly. HERBIE (Laughing at his joke.) Jelly beans! (Blackout.)

Greenspan says what? No. It can't be.

http://www.mikedaisey.com/2007/09/alan-greenspan-claims-iraq-war-was.sht

meme from Patrick

I have been tagged by Patrick. Read Patrick's post here. What I have to do: So, here's the challenge: make a list of five strengths that you possess as a writer/artist. It's not really bragging, it's an honest assessment (forced upon you by this darn meme). Please resist the urge to enumerate your weaknesses, or even mention them in contrast to each strong point you list. Tag four other writers or artists whom you'd like to see share their strengths. 1. I can write comedy without too much effort. 2. Sometimes I can write a scene that will break my own heart. 3. There are times when the dialogue finds a rhythm that feels like music. 4. I can make worlds. 5. I try to stretch what I can do and make plays that are different from previous plays. Wow. that was hard. I tag Freeman, Malachy, James, and Callaghan.

cheap tix

under 35? 20 dollar tix at roundabout.

http://www.moxiethemaven.com/2007/09/roundabouts-got-cheap-tickets.html

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/110968.html

praise of talent or intelligence

Great post from Patrick

"Persistence and resilience may be the most important qualities to
develop within ourselves if we seek long and productive lives as
artists."

http://writinglife3.blogspot.com/2007/09/beware-of-praise-of-your-talent.html

Dear Bloggers

I challenge you
to create
as i did below
a picture poem

quickly and without too much thought

and then come back here and let me know
that you did so.

It's quiet.



something rumbling in the distance. Some soft music. Some something,



Waiting is the hardest part.



"Sitting still is for chumps and the physically disabled."

That's just how she expresses herself.



We will wait. Quietly. And see what comes. Tomorrow perhaps we will see. Or in a month or in a year or in ten.

Thanks for dropping by.

nytr fundraiser

http://blindsquirrels.blogspot.com/2007/09/fundraiser-fundraiser-im-going-to.html

Apply now

Hi Playwrights, The Ars Nova Play Group, of which I am a member is now accepting applications for this next year. http://arsnovanyc.com/play-group/ They are a great group and you get to hang out in the penthouse and eat pizza and drink beer for 2 years and maybe get a reading or two and definitely get something up at the end of the year project. I had a great time last year. It's a good group of people.

a poor player on theater education and lies

http://www.apoorplayer.net/blog/2007/09/07/theatre-education-part-2-the-big-lies/

h/t isaac

http://parabasis.typepad.com/blog/

Stalker or Heart Stopper or something unknown

I have a screenplay which has been sitting around since the 30th unread by me. I’m going to have a reading with some actors next Monday. I know it will need some more work. My first draft is always underwritten and I wrote this fairly quickly. Not quickly for a play but quickly for a screenplay…for me. Those screenplays are killers. Now I’m in that in between time where I’m dying to start writing something. (especially because writing the screenplay was work and I want to play with something…like a play now) So I’m itchy, but I don’t have enough information to write a new play yet. I could go work on the novel, but that will be like work too. I could write some short stuff but that feels like a waste of time and energy. In the meantime, I’m reading Nobody’s Fool by Richard Russo and am loving it. He’s so good. It makes me want to go back to the novel. If only a novel didn’t take 3 to 4 times longer to write than a play. But really all I want to do is write a new play. Although this will never lead to financial solvency like a novel or a screenplay or a musical might. Maybe I should be writing a musical. I feel in some ways completely free to do whatever I want when I’m writing a play. Because I know so well what a play is and what rules I can break. But maybe I should be thinking how to write the play that a big regional or NY theatre will do. I wonder what that is. Anyway. Back to your usual programming.

mark your calendar

On Monday night, October 22, the New York Theater Review hosts the 2nd-ever Fall fundraiser at Manhattan's Performance Space 122!

an email I recieved from Epiphany Theater

Epiphany is on the brink and I need your help to get to the other side. I don’t usually send appeals to artists, but this is an extraordinary year and I’m hoping that you will pitch in to help us support the work of early career artists the way that it SHOULD be supported. I’m not asking for much – just the equivalent of a few drinks in a trendy bar. I’m very proud of the fact that we’re heading into our 9th season of producing the work of early career theater artists. Two short years ago, we were producing one showcase a year, had no paid staff, actors got $50 a week, and our designers scrounged together sets from found objects. I’m sure you’re familiar with the process. Now, just two years later – we’ve moved into a new theater in Saratoga, we’re on a full equity contract, and our designers have budgets with a whole extra zero on the end. We’ve come a long way. But let’s not kid ourselves, we have a long way to go. This year is the crossroads. If we can pull off our ambitious season plans (in Saratoga Springs), we will be in position to become a true regional theater committed to producing the work of early career artists. That means playwrights will see their work developed and premiered (even though they don’t have an agent), directors will have full rehearsal processes (even though they’ve never won an NEA fellowship), designers will have the budgets they need to realize their artistic visions (even while they’re moonlighting as dressers), and all of us in that very difficult first period of our careers, and those who follow us, will have the chance to work in the professional environment we, and they, deserve. So I appeal to you, as an artist, to help create a regional theater specifically dedicated to the work of early career artists - those artists who are either within the first 10 years of their professional careers or still earning supplementary income from something other than their craft. If you no longer meet that criteria I invite you to remember back to when you did. It was hard. Please take this opportunity to help make it easier. I hope you’ll consider donating $25 to $100 today. You can do it online with a credit card by clicking this link: http://www.epiphanytheater.org/newyork/ or you can mail a check to 154 Christopher Street, suite 2B, New York, NY 10014. Thank you! And we wish you the greatest of success no matter where you are in your career. Fondly, Amy Kaissar Producing Director

We Don't Get fooled again