Blah, Blah, Blah

The first review is in. The Tampa Tribune doesn’t have it linked yet on their main site, but the review is great.

When a long-forgotten play returns to the stage, the first thing you have to ask is : Was it worth rediscovering? In the case of Sophie Treadwell’s 1928 “Machinal” on stage at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center’s Shimberg Playhouse courtesy of Jobsite Theater, the answer is yes.

Dena Cousins…is riveting as the increasingly fragile heroine. Some of her scenes tread very close to Joan Crawford-esque excess, but it’s the character who seems unbalanced, not the performance. In a series of smaller roles, Katrina Stevenson has a wonderful doll-like physicality with a satirical edge, and Caroline Jett makes a chilling mother. Michael C. McGreevy is blithely unbearable as the husband who sees his wife as one more business deal to seal.

Boo-yah.

It’s not a “perfect” review, but I felt that her criticisims were honest and fair.

Of course, having the words “Michael C. McGreevy is blithely unbearable as the husband” in print is perhaps not the most comforting thing ever written about me. I’m sure that if my ex sees that she’s going to get quite a kick out of it.

There are two weekends left, my friends. You’re NOT going to see this kind of theater performed often in the area. Support something different and out of the norm. Go see “Machinal.”

Tickets available online or by calling the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center box office at 813-229-STAR (7827)

*** Edit *** The review can now be read here.

At the request of Mr. etcet

1) Total number of books owned?
Quite a few, but not as many as there used to be. I realized that recently. I don’t even know what happened to them. I used to have a lot of Vonnegut. Gone. Same with all my Hunter S. Thompson, Robert Asprin, Piers Anthony. Kinda sad, really. Anyway, I’d say several hundred.

2) The last book I bought:
“The Cat Who Walks Through Walls” by Robert Heinlein

3. The last book I read:
“Star Trek : Deep Space Nine – Unity” by S.D. Perry

4) Books that mean a lot to me:
“1984” by George Orwell
“The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkein
“The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy” by Douglas Adams
“Richard Scarry’s Busy Busy World ” by Richard Scarry
“Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual” by Gary Gygax

5. Tag five people and have them fill out this poll:
maladr1n, spprs, actorkat, mollyq, ross_winn

Machinal opens on June 2nd.

The Paid Preview night is Wednesday, June 1st. Tickets are half price for this performance. If you have wanted to catch one of our shows but don’t feel you can afford it, this is a great opportunity for you to see what we’re about.

Two hour rehearsal today, and then a 10 (technically 12) hour one tomorrow. Exhaustion time approaches. Snarkiness has already begun and will probably be in full effect tomorrow. Ahh, Hell Week. We love you so.

Looking forward to friends coming over tonight. The first “public” outing of the grill.

It’s going to be a long day, and I’m tired already. Hopefully I just haven’t woken up yet.

Check out the play that was being produced in this article.

I ran into one of my ninth grade theater teachers, Kerry Glamsch, at a showing of Girls Guide To Chaos a few weeks ago. He wanted my contact info, but I forgot to get it to him. mollyq gave me his address and I wrote him this morning. Now we’re catching up, and he is asking if I’m interested in working with him on a show.

Everything comes full circle, I guess. Too bad it’s not another staged version of an Edward Gorey story.

…is R’s birthday. Apparently Mom isn’t dealing too well with it. I wouldn’t have known if my sister L. hadn’t called me yesterday and told me.

Thought Dump

After watching enough news, I’ve concluded that we’re all doomed…Thus, the only sane response is to sit in a box and drink beer from a hat.

– “Rat”, Pearls Before Swine, Stephen Patsis

Ok, gang. If you don’t mind, please check in here and let me know if you’re coming on Saturday and how many people you are bringing if you are. I need to order the cake today and I want to make sure I get enough. In case you aren’t clear, we are planning on 6PM Saturday.

If you’re bringing some kind of dish or something to throw on the grill, or if you have any special dietary concerns, please comment to that effect here as well.

Thanks!