The Last Gasp of Summer

Well there it went. Labor Day Weekend 2008. As always, we joke with each other - "How is Summer over already?". Yeah. I am asking the same question. What's funny is that every year we end up asking ourselves this, but while Summer is slipping by we hardly take umbrage. When it is early July, it seems like September is FOREVER away. September is not even a thought. How does it happen so fast?
And what have you done with your Summer? We also ask ourselves these silly questions. We put so much pressure on a season that it can never be what we expect of it. When we were young in school our first assignment back in class was usually an essay in which we had to explain what we did with our Summer.
It is a mystical and magical time of year when we all seem to be happier to be alive. Happy to enjoy the sun, and do activities outdoors. Happy to go and get an ice cream cone and not feel guilty about the calories. Happy to grill out and have outdoor picnics. Happy to be content in doing absolutely nothing.
Happy.
Even as August begins, the long and sprawling month of 31 days of dead heated Summer air seems endless. It stretches out and blurs like the horizon of a hot asphalt road.
Then you wake up one day and start to make Labor Day Weekend plans, and before you hang up the phone it hits you. Labor Day.
Where has it gone?
Well for me the Summer has been spent mainly at work. I started working at Alexandria Tanning Salon in May, and also was teaching at Arts Adventure camp in July, plus working my usual Ticket Place job, and also juggling my cabaret, Insomnieoke that ran 4 performances in July and August. Oh, and making candles.
My time spent performing this past Summer is shorter than i would have liked it to be, as I did not have a show to do this Summer. But instead I had many other opportunities that were all different from each other.
I spent the beginning half of the Summer having panic attacks over my cabaret. What to do in it, how to make it funnier. How to conceptualize it. I got so sick of thinking about it. In the end, it came out how it came out. I was not totally happy with it but it was what it was. People seemed to enjoy it.
Then there was the Signature Theatre Open House. That whirlwind of a day that is always a manic rush of a good time. I had a blast and think I liked the Imrov Show hosted by James Gardiner and Evan Casey the most. I don't want to have to wait a year to see and do that again! It was too much fun!
Then the Kensington Arts Theatre Gala last week,which was fantastic and a big success for the company. Matt and I were happy to be able to perform there, and LOVED the chance to see our friends Brad Oscar and Diego Prieto.
And finally this past Monday I had the pleasure of singing in "Where Does East Begin?" a Musical Journey by Matt Conner at the Millenium Stage of the Kennedy Center.
I have sung for the Kennedy Center's Page to Stage Festival, which this was a part of, every Labor Day for the past 4 years. I am always happy to do it, and love the opportunity to sing my partner's gorgeous music. New material was featured from 3 shows that he is working on: Crossing, Senior Moments, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It went very well, and I think was our best showing at the Page to Stage yet.

And in closing, this is what I did for my Summer. At least part of it. I will continue to update with Summer recaps through the week.
Sorry I have been blog silent of late, but I have been working non stop and when my time is free obsessing over the DNC or RNC, depending on the night.
Talk soon,
SGS

WRAP UP

I am wrapping up August candle sales and looking forward. September candles are dark, and the most masculine scents so far for me.
Scents are: Mid-Summer Night, Midnight Blue, and Campfire.
Less than one week remains for August orders.

Send your orders to candlesbystephen@yahoo.com

LABOR DAY at Kennedy Center!

For the past 4 years I have spent my Labor Days at the Kennedy Center performing my husband Matt Conner's work. I will be there again on Monday September 1st singing some new music from my husband's new works. His SLEEPY HOLLOW music is amazing, and there are 3 songs from it. This year Signature Theatre's whole hour is showing Matt Conner's music only.
The event is free at September 1st at 6pm. Come out and see new music!

Here are some photos from Labor Days past...

Come and see us! Past Signature Theatre video archives are HERE.

TONIGHT

Matt and I are performing at the Kensington Arts Theatre Gala tonight. Info HERE.

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS

Go and VOTE FOR ME!
I am slipping down to 3rd place!!! AAAARRRGHH!
Hurry, before I fall into obscurity!!! Noooooo!
LOL!

3 years, baby.

I just wanted to briefly say that August 20th (now yesterday) is the 3 year anniversary of this blog. I started this blog 3 years ago to explore an online dialogue with anyone who would listen, and try to make you laugh if I could. Try to share with you things that I think are funny, things that I am obsessed with at the moment, pictures of our crazy and scatter-shod life.
I never knew what I was getting in to and it has been a roller coaster of a time.
That said, I am glad I stepped up to the roller coaster and got on.
I love and welcome your constant readership and comments back. I love the open dialogue that we have shared.
I opened this blog 3 years ago with this tragic little photo from college days, and repost it now to commemorate.
I want to thank you all, honestly from the bottom of my heart for reading this and even caring enough to come back the next day and read again.
Stay aboard and keep driving with me, I'll be taking this rig to some fun places this year.
Thanks so much for all of your support...it means SOOOO much to me.
Love,
Steve

KING OF PIZZA - Reading Number 2

Matt, Ryan, and AK had the second reading of their new children's musical, The King of Pizza at our house tonight.

The show was read by me, Kurt Boehm, Kara Tameika Watkins, Felicia Curry and Priscilla Cuellar.








We all gather around a meal first (pizza, naturally) and chit chatted about everything under the sun as Buddha was frantic beneath our feet for pizza bones...
In attendance but not participating were Danny Tippet, Eleasha Gamble, and Jenny Cartney Speaker...













Buddha was mercenary to all of them, putting on his best pouty face and looking pathetic and malnourished and just being heart breakingly cute...









Now it was time to start....We all gathered in the living room and started to read.

























I think Buddha was thinking about playing the part of the cat, and then decided that he would rather chew a piece of rawhide.











In an unexpected turn of events, one of the songs for the show (we simply listened to pre-recorded songs when it was time for a musical number) was not found on the cd. So we all went downstairs and Kurt Boehm sung the song live. Here is Kurt "selling it". :)

















Buddha went and demanded love and affection from Aunt Jenny...



















The show was fantastic, and so much better shaped this time around. And man is it funny! I will keep you updated on all news with this fun show for kids AND adults whenever something new happens with it. Stay Tuned!
Also, you can always hear and see more at MATT CONNER's website!

Kerri Strug

Still my favorite Olympic moment ever...she landed that vault on ONE FOOT y'all!

VOTE FOR US AT DC THEATRE SCENE!!!

Vote for Felicia Curry and I as Audience Favorites as Best actor and actress respectively in a musical in tick,tick...BOOM! at Metro Stage!
HERE IS THE LINK TO GO AND VOTE!

Flowing with Flo

My ex-mom Flo Lacey (from One Red Flower at Signature Theatre)is now in town with ACE at Signature Theatre. We met up with her last night at Cap City, and I took a few photos...above we have Matt squared; Matt Conner and Matt Gardiner.








Here is Kurt Boehm with Flo...











Here is all of our group...(including Tracy Olivera, also in ACE)






And finally me and Momma Flo....




We had a great time seeing her, and are glad that she is back here. Go and see ACE at Signature Theatre!

IMAGE OF THE WEEK

more talk of tick,tick?!

Once again I am going to have to thank Joel Markowitz's kind words over at DC Theatre Scene. tick,tick...BOOM! made his list of best musicals of the past year. Here is what he had to say:

"tick, tick… BOOM! (MetroStage)

I’ll never forget Stephen Gregory Smith, Felicia Curry and Matt Pearson’s gorgeous harmonies at MetroStage in Jonathan Larson’s not-so-well-known show. What a pleasure to watch three of our most talented young performers burn up the stage with their energy and gorgeous voices. And what Felicia did with “Come to Your Senses” would have registered a 5 on the Richter Scale. "

Thank you very much, Joel.


Also, DC Theatre Scene is conducting it's second annual Audience Choice Awards, and tick,tick...BOOM! is nominated twice: I am nominated for favorite actor in a musical, and Felicia is nominated as favorite actress in a musical.
Spider Woman is also nominated for best musical.
Go over to their site and VOTE!

...God that feels like a lifetime ago...tick,tick talk.

Over at DC Theatre Scene, local theatre blogger Joel Markowitz has made a list of his personal favorite "Best Musical Performances" of the past year. It is a list of about 17, and I was happy to see that both Felicia Curry and I were included for our performances in tick,tick...BOOM! at Metro Stage. It really does feel like forever ago at this point. That is why when I read this I was all like...?...! Oh wow...yeah...that!
Here is what he had to say about us:

"Stephen Gregory Smith as Jon
In tick, tick… BOOM! (MetroStage)
From his first opening song, “30/90,” Stephen Gregory Smith, as the young, just-turned-30, pained and confused Jonathan Larson, had the audiences at MetroStage eating out of his hands. It was his first starring role in a musical on our local stages, and this Helen Hayes Award Winner proved that he deserves more leading roles. Blending gorgeous harmonies with his two fabulous co-stars Felicia Curry and Matt Pearson, Stephen offered an honest interpretation of Jon - unsure, scared, bluntly honest and fearless about pursuing Jonathan Larson’s dream of composing great music and a great musical."

"Felicia Curry as Susan and Others
In tick, tick… BOOM! (MetroStage)
As Susan, Jon’s girlfriend, Felicia Curry continued to WOW local audiences with her powerful vocal talents, and in tick, tick, BOOM! she reminded audiences what a great actress she is, too. Also playing several loony roles - the lead in one of Jon’s musicals, his agent Rosa Stevens, and a marketing exec, Felicia has audiences laughing, but when she stood on the stage to sing the emotional “Come To Your Senses,” she had the audience cheering! I’ll never forget it! The walls were shaking. Our interview with the cast is here."


Other friends on the list include:
Florrie Bagel as Baby Jane in Jerry Springer The Opera
Natascia Diaz as Monica P. Miller and Doug Kreeger as Ian Wallace
In Rooms (MetroStage)
Michael Innocenti as Sancho Panza in Man of La Mancha (Keegan Theatre)...
Check out the full article HERE!

ROOMS @ Metro Stage

I had the opportunity and pleasure to go and see Rooms: A Rock Romance at Metro Stage on Thursday night. I just wanted to add in my silly two cents worth along with the like bajillion critics who said the same: It really is amazing.
Natascia Diaz and Doug Kreeger are showcased so perfectly in this piece. Their talents add and build onto an already great book and score, creating a perfect synergy of a theatrical experience.




Natascia Diaz, who I had the pleasure ( and I cannot stress that word enough) of doing Kiss of the Spider Woman with this past Spring is a force of nature.
When she sings "Bring the Future Faster" I was on the edge of my seat, and i continued to stay there the rest of the entire show. The 90 minute piece flies by and leaves you wanting more, which is a great place to leave you.
This is a comical and moving piece, and as a friend of mine said after watching the show, "He had not been moved by a piece of theatre like that for a long time."
If you have not seen it yet, I strongly urge you to go and see it.
You can find out more information about the show at Metro Stage's website.
CHECK IT OUT!

Jay Brannan - String-a-long Song

ROOMS @ Metro Stage

I had the opportunity and pleasure to go and see Rooms: A Rock Romance at Metro Stage on Thursday night. I just wanted to add in my silly two cents worth along with the like bajillion critics who said the same: It really is amazing.
Natascia Diaz and Doug Kreeger are showcased so perfectly in this piece. Their talents add and build onto an already great book and score, creating a perfect synergy of a theatrical experience.




Natascia Diaz, who I had the pleasure ( and I cannot stress that word enough) of doing Kiss of the Spider Woman with this past Spring is a force of nature.
When she sings "Bring the Future Faster" I was on the edge of my seat, and i continued to stay there the rest of the entire show. The 90 minute piece flies by and leaves you wanting more, which is a great place to leave you.
This is a comical and moving piece, and as a friend of mine said after watching the show, "He had not been moved by a piece of theatre like that for a long time."
If you have not seen it yet, I strongly urge you to go and see it.
You can find out more information about the show at Metro Stage's website.
CHECK IT OUT!

MUSIC NEWS THURSDAY

Madonna turned 50 this past weekend, and the Washington Post had a great article about her, how much we love her, hate her, or love to hate her. I laughed out loud at the author's vague translation of her summer hit duo with Justin Timberlake, "4 Minutes to Save the World":


"Madonna: I'm feeling old, have sex with me.

Justin: I'm down wit dat. Whatchoo got? Whatchoo want?

Madonna: I would like it fast, then slow, down there, in that place.

Justin: Where it at, girl?


Madonna: It's right there. No, it's there. Yes, no! There, wait -- no, there. Tick-tock, tick-tock!


Justin: Oooh, save the world! Save the world! "

See the entire article HERE.


ALSO:
My favorite musical discovery this summer is Jay Brannan. Jay is a gay singer/songwriter whose lyrics are honest, raw, and sometimes profane. (he seems to really like the "f" word sung in a song).
That being said, it is some of the most touching and real music that I have heard since I first started crying in dark dorm rooms while listening to the Indigo Girls.
Yeah, the lyrics are like that, folks.
You don't have to be gay to get his plaintive tenor narrative either.
Here is a youtube video of one of my favorites on his new album. The song is called "At First Sight". (There is no profanity in this video, in case you are at work.)



For more information on Jay Brannan, visit his website HERE.

In other music news, the mess that is Amy Winehouse (my happy music discovery of last summer) as you may know was fired from recording the latest James Bond movie song. Alicia Keys replaced her, and Amy is pissed off.
The producers of "Quantum of Solace" dumped her version of the Bond theme for Alicia Keys and Jack White's version, but Amy plans to release hers anyway. She wants to prove that the producers made a big mistake.





















Winehouse was quoted as saying:
"I do think they could have waited a bit. If they want a worldwide hit I have them all up here (pointing to her beehive). I guess they are going for clean-cut and boring. When I do release mine - and I am tempted to do it on the same day - this would be the bigger hit.”

Crazy old Amy Wino! Full story HERE.

That's the Music News today, though it's not exactly news...
chat later!
SGS

Alleged Chupucabra of Texas caught on Video - CNN Reports

It might be a real thing after all...
Police in Texas catch footage of a strange beast on the back roads of a small Texas town...
weird lookin' sucker, whatever it is...

IMAGE(s) OF THE WEEK: Photos found on Facebook

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (REDUX) circa 2003. (In case you didn't know, I'm second from the left).





A scene from Allegro at Signature Theatre - Circa 2003.





A (tiny)picture from the Signature Open House last week. We were all singing "Here I am" by Matt Conner from his musical, Crossing.
Don't know why this photo is so small.

Giant Inflatable Dog Turd Escapes...

Ok...THIS STORY was way too funny.
"Complex Sh*t" indeed.

1980's Saturday Morning

I had to take myself down memory lane today when I found all of these old 80's gems.
The first is a compilation of various commercials...



The second is one of my favorites...remember Time for Timer?



or rescuing a baked potato?


or...this TERRIFYING one..."home is full of bad things that can hurt you very much.."


Or this 5 minute in between Saturday morning cartoon chunk of commercials and previews..sigh. Takes me right back.

Or some of my favorite cartoon opening songs:
This one involving candy bears:


Or the cool as sh*t Thundercats:


Or Mr. Dangermouse:


ahh...I could go on, but maybe I'll make this a new Label and do this more often. It just makes me feel good watching this crap.
*sigh*

Strange Twist to the "Bus Beheading" in Canada

Many of you have heard of the horrific attack on a Greyhound bus in Canada.
This was a horrible and brutal crime, so if you are faint of stomach, don't follow that link and read about it.
I would not normally put anything on here talking about a crime such as this, but was fascinated by this angle of the story. On of my links on the right side is the Fortean Times, which gathers "Breaking News" stories everyday on it's site - usually news of the weird type stuff. I found this story today which involves this horrible killing on the Greyhound bus and seeks a connection to the Native American myth of the Windigo.
The Windigo, or Wendigo is:
" a mythical creature appearing in the mythology of the Algonquin people. It is a malevolent cannibalistic spirit into which humans could transform, or which could possess humans."
What does that have to do with this senseless killing? Maybe nothing. It is quite strange, however that Vince Weiguang Li, the man accused of stabbing Tim McLean on that bus had a part- time job delivering newspapers in Edmonton. Ten days before the brutal murder there was an interesting interview in the very paper that Li was carrying. It was with Nathan Carlson, an ethno-historian who is one of the world's leading experts on Windigo phenomenon.
One has to wonder is Li read this article and got the idea stuck in his head, or if it is all just too coincidental. Catch the full article HERE.

KAT GALA CANDLES!

Kensington Arts Theatre is having their Gala fund raiser on August 23rd. HERE is info on the Gala.
As I mentioned earlier last week, Matt and I will be performing at the event.
I also will be supplying a deluxe candle basket for their auction.
This design feature fragrances from "Green Apple" to "Green Grass" to "Energy".
The colors are bright and invigorating, and are meant to symbolize creative energy.
This candle design is unique as in it will not be made for any other month or offered through my Candle of the Month series. This set of candle will be the only ones made.
Here is a preview...


Hope to see you at the KAT Gala!
Luv,
SGS

COMING ATTRACTIONS PAST: The Nanny starring Bette Davis - 1965

Arlington County Fair 2008

Matt and I went to the Arlington County Fair today. While it is usually a trashy little event, we always have fun just the same. We always eat horrible food, regret it, and then crave more of it. Pizza, lemonade, and fried dough were my guilty pleasures today.
Our first stop is always the petting zoo.






Here's me with the donkey that I named Nestor, after "Nestor the Long Eared Christmas Donkey".





Here is Matt with various animals...



















And really, the petting zoo was the highlight of the fair. After that we walked around a little, but soon it was time to go home to our own little pot bellied pig.

Goodnight all
luv,
SGS