A warning: a friend of mine on LJ just had her journal hacked – they wiped out her journal, posted fake entries, changed passwords, all sorts of things.
Now might be a good time to A) update your password to something more complicated, and B) make sure you’ve found a way to back-up any entries you want permanently archived.
“When we are working at a difficult task and strive after a good thing, we are fighting a righteous battle, the direct reward of which is that we are kept from much evil. As we advance in life it becomes more and more difficult, but in fighting the difficulties the inmost strength of the heart is developed…. and with a cheerful and brace spirit we must battle; we plan and calculate in order to make progress.”
-Vincent Van Gogh
“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
– Henry Ford
“Fundamental progress has to do with the reinterpretation of basic ideas.”
– Alfred North Whitehead
“The perfecting of one’s self is the fundamental base of all progress and all moral development.”
– Confucius
Happy Easter!! Happy Easter!! Happy Easter!!
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It’s Opening Day at Comerica Park!
I can’t go today, but I’m going next week.
Sadly, the Tigers have a losing record in the 4 games they’ve played so far this season, they went 1 and 3 at Toronto this week.
But Opening Day in Detroit is a huge event, full of tradition, hope, and a love of the sport! Let’s hope they turn their season around starting this afternoon!
I’m back from my trip to New York. I was there from Sunday to Wednesday with the Senior Showcase from Otterbein College. I was hired this past Fall to work with the students and direct their Showcase which is, essentially, a show performed for casting agents, casting directors, and producers. The show is designed so that the graduating BFA actors can showcase their abilities and be seen by people who may want to audition them or represent them.
I’m happy to say that the Showcase went really well. All of the actors garnered interest to varying degrees, all getting a lot of headshot/resume requests, many being asked to come by for interviews, and a few getting auditions scheduled! I was very proud of how hard they worked, how professional they all were, and how well they handled themselves!
Unfortunately, on the plane on my way back to Michigan, I started feeling lousy andafter waking up with my throat on fire I went to the doctor to find out I have a sinus infection. After getting my antibotics and antifeelinglousy medicine, I’ve arrived at rehearsals for Shakespeare abridged which is coming along great. I’m hoping the medicines kick in soon, because I currently feel like re-heated roadkill.
That’s my story right now. I’m going to rehearse, maybe write more later, if I can stay conscious.
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Panache at the Williamston Theatre got a fantastic review from Encore Michigan: Read it here. . That’s always a nice thing, I’m hoping it helps fill the seats: everyone involved has been doing great work that should be seen.
Rehearsals for The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, abridged have been going very well – my cast is hilarious and a ton of fun to work with.
I’m actually on a couple day break from rehearsal right now, though. One of the other fun gigs I got this year was directing the Otterbein Collge Senior Showcase, and I’m headed to New York for a couple days to work with the very talented group of students as they perform their Showcase for audiences of agents, producers and industry folks. It’s been wonderful working with them, their energy is fabulous. These performances this week will be the culmination of a lot of work over the last few months, and I’m really excited for them. I’m hoping, though, that the “This needs to get me an agent” pressure doesn’t weigh too heavily on them: I keep reminding them that either way this is the beginning of their careers, and it’s an exciting time!
And, as if that’s not enough excitement, Major League Baseball starts tomorrow!
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This was the series of text messages I sent this morning, after doing a radio interview in Lansing:
-Trapped in a parking structure in Lansing! The card reader can’t read the ticket and won’t let us out!
-Had to call the “call for help” number!! Hope help comes – we need food and water.
-Will my last days be in a parking structure, all because of a faulty ticket reader??
-It’s starting to look like LORD OF THE FLIES in here. Some people started a signal fire.
-The parking attendant showed up. The group on Deck 3 ATE HIM!!!
-Deck 2 just elected an Emperor, who declared war on Deck 3. People are sharpening ice-scrapers into spears.
-Deck 4 just started sacrifices to appease the Speed Bumps. I want to go home.
-Trying to sneak back to the outside world. Distracted the Stairwell Tribe with an air-freshener and 1/2 of an old Starbucks muffin.
-We made it!! Some missionaries helped smuggle us out a fire exit! From now on, I’m only parking at meters.
Started rehearsals for The Complete Works Of William Shakespeare (abridged) last night.
This is going to be a lot of fun! The cast is hilarious, the designs are great, and the piece feels great in an intimate space like Tipping Point, which means it’ll feel good at the Williamston Theatre, too! (This is a co-production: after the run at Tipping Point it’ll move to the WT for the summer).
One of our “themes” or “concepts” (I hate that word) for the piece is that these 3 actors love Shakespeare and have decided to do a production of all of his stuff. In doing so, the idea is that they each took sections and were in charge of certain segments of Shakespeare’s work, and the other two would follow their lead in those sections. It’s a fun, simple idea that I think will provide a lot of opportunities for inventiveness, conflict and comedy.
So – rehearsal one!
Aral Gribble, Kevin Young, Laurel Hufano
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Previews went great at the Williamston Theatre – Panache was well received by the first 4 audiences!
Some family time – thank goodness!
Key moments with my kids:
My daughter fixing my wife’s hair, because she didn’t want to be seen with Mom’s hair looking silly and windblown. I guess THAT phase is starting!!
My son showing me how he can use the top 1/2 of his music stand as a crossbow… “In case burglars break in!”. So, we’re covered there. Oy.
In a breakthrough that I’m more excited about than I have a right to be, I figured out how to use my iphone to program my TiVo! The future is here! I want my flying car!!
Oh, and Prince’s new album came out today! I need to import it into iTunes so I can listen to it on my iPhone when I’ve got the time – I’m looking forward to it!
Now, I need to sleep so I’m awake for General Auditions and rehearsal tomorrow!
Starting rehearsals tomorrow:
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
By Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield
Directed by Tony Caselli
A Co-Production of Tipping Point and Williamston Theatres
With daredevil speed and precision, three actors bring the entire Shakespeare canon to the stage – all 37 plays in 97 minutes! Be prepared to laugh until everything hurts as our three actors zoom forwards, backwards (literally) and upside down through some of the greatest plays ever written in the English language.
I can’t wait to get in the room and start working on this show! The cast (Laurel Huffano, Aral Gribble and Kevin Young) are all hilarious and energetic and fabulous, and it’s going to be a lot of fun!
Finished first week of previews:
Panache, at the Williamston Theatre. The previews went really well, we got some great audience response! The director, cast and crew all did some excellent work this week and the final couple of rehearsals next week will make the show even better!
Had first Production Meeting for:
A Picasso, at the Performance Network theatre. As excited as I am for the silly Shakespeare Abridged, I’m equally excited for the challenging and thoughtful show I’ll be directing soon in Ann Arbor! Such a great script!
Gearing up for the Final Push:
The Senior New York Showcase for Otterbein College. This project has been a blast to work on – working with the Otterbein students on their monologues, scenes and songs has been a treat and an inspiration!
Misc…
FINALLY got the last of the rights for the shows we’re trying to announce as our next season at WT, so that’ll be announced this week!
Production details for the next two shows at WT.
A series of special events at WT that I’m behind in getting organized – oy.
Tony Caselli 