HUMP DAY CHECK IN - 2/20/13

So the great grey beast of February limps along here in Smith-Conner land. Is it Spring yet? By the look at the outside temperature right now, I'm guessing not. Working outdoors this Winter has really taken it's toll on me.  I am more than ready for warm weather to return before my skin starts to crack apart.

I finally cast the last male role in Thunder Knocking on the Door, so I am excited to unveil my cast very soon! It is an amazingly talented group of performers, and they are certain to rip the roof off of Creative Cauldron this Spring! I will give you two hints until then...the cast features two actors recently seen in Signature Theatre's Dreamgirls, and one actor recently seen in my production of the musical talked about below...Stay tuned for details...

                                                               (Photo by JoNell Franz)
Night of the Living Dead the Musical will play this Fall in St. Louis at New Line Theatre! We are beyond excited to have the full show make it's professional regional debut! I cannot wait to bring you more details through the coming months about the St. Louis NOTLD! Here is an article on Broadway World announcing it!




In the current installment of SH*T I LIKE, we have another film that yielded unexpected results...

This film is ridiculous and entertaining from minute one.  The film explores the genre of "no reason", as a tire raises itself up in a desert, and goes on a killing rampage with it's telekinetic powers. It makes no sense.  It isn't supposed to. It is my current favorite film. The always wonderful Stephen Spinella stars and narrates the film. It is currently on Netflix Instant, so check it out! (WARNING - if you are grossed out by over the top special effects such as exploding heads, skip this one.)

Stanford Mixed Company, an a cappella group I accidentally discovered, has an amazing CD on iTunes called, "The Other Side of Blue".  It features songs by the Indigo Girls, Dave Matthews Band, Madonna, Pat Benetar, U2, and others.  They are an incredible group, and I have NEVER been into a cappella until hearing this CD. Check them out on iTunes, and you can hear their cover of Madonna's Crazy for You HERE.

That is all for now, so until next time - keep battling the great grey beast...March is almost here!
xoxoxoxoxSGS

Hump Day Check In - Nevermore will the Boy Detective Fail...

Good Morning, interwebs! I am writing this blog from my new laptop! Yes, folks, the blog will lurch back from the dead now that I have a tool to write on again!

So what is going on? As always, very much.

The Boy Detective Fails is still running for 2 more weeks, so I have about 8 more performances as Billy Argo, Boy Detective. This makes me incredibly sad, and this role has been 2 years in the making. Letting go of this show is going to be like ripping off a very large band aid. Not looking forward to it.

Matt is directing a production of his first show, Nevermore at Creative Cauldron. It features many area favorites, including Priscilla Cuellar, Mary Payne Omohundro, Karissa Lynn Swanigan Upchurch, Katie Culligan, Dani Danger Stoller, and Sean Thompson. I had the priveledge of seeing a run through last wee, and am seeing another one tonight, and can assure you, it is money WELL spent.

It is, first of all, an incredibly SEXY cast. Secondly, the talent of the cast is overpowering. Matt has done some really amazing directing as well! So all in all, I am verrrrry excited about the entire production. Check out www.creativecauldron.org for details and tickets!

And in further Nevermore news, Musically Human Theatre Company, a new emerging company in NYC is looking to produce it's initial season using all Matt Conner shows! They are kicking this off with a concert version of Nevermore, featuring the original Edgar Allan Poe, Dan Cooney, and also Eleasha Gamble! The Concert is November 7th at the Duplex in NYC. Details will follow. After the concert, the group will do a reading of NightoftheLivingDead in December, followed by full productions of both in the spring/summer! The company is raising funds for the Concert over at our favorite fundraising page, Kickstarter - visit their Nevermore event page and donate anything you can!

In other news, I will be posting a look back at the summer, sharing some atrocious movies that I have had the pleasure of discovering, and much more, including coverage of the opening of Nevermore at Creative Cauldron, to coverage of the closing of the AMVP Rep at Signature next week! Please stand by!

xoxosgs

Hump Day Check In

Hello all...

Well, Sunset Boulevard has closed, and as is always the case, a bit of melancholy has filtered in as a result.

It was a fantastic run, and a wonderful production. I truly feel blessed to have been part of such a talented family of people. Now, it's back to 25 different jobs...oy.

I have returned to teaching 2 days a week in Fairfax County Schools, I am back at Ticketplace one or two days a week, I am doing some data entry for my friend Kim's company, Happy Hounds LLC, and am also back bar tending at Signature.

I have an exciting audition in one week for a major production at a major DC theatre that would run this Spring if I got it. Please send positive vibes. This would make my life sooooo much easier this Spring.

I also will be in a children's theatre production of Oscar Wilde's "The Selfish Giant" at ArtSpace Falls Church in March/April. But unless that other show works out, the next time I am back on a stage after April will be in August. That project has not been announced yet, so I can't put it out there just yet, but I expect it will be announced very soon, and boy am I excited about it! Details to follow...

Let's see...what else?

Buddha laying in bed is my new banner up top, because he is the cutest thing on the face of the planet and I couldn't help myself. So there.

Book of the Moment:

I have been reading a book by Thomas DeBaggio called "When It Gets Dark" and thoroughly enjoying it's beauty. DeBaggio himself is dead now, but before he died, he chronicled his life after being diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's Disease. DeBaggio also lived in Arlington, in a house that it turns out I walked past everyday when I worked for Happy Hounds as a dog walker. His remembrances of Arlington past are quite detailed and very interesting. This book is an eye opening glimpse into the mind of one grappling with a vicious disease, and seeking to document the beauty of all things in his life while he can still remember them. I highly recommend it.

Song of the Moment:

Erykah Badu's "Turn Me Away (Get Munny)" is currently playing in repeat in my head...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67Jn3pcc178

And that's about it for this Hump Day Check In. Hopefully life will get a little more exciting very soon. Take care of yourselves.

xoxo

sgs