Tag Archives: work

Catching Up On The Work Stuff 

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This past weekend was pretty great. After an incredibly busy couple of months I’m in a slower period, for which I’m grateful, but this weekend was the fun culmination of all that work. We closed the world premiere of Pulp by Jospeh Zettelmaier that I directed at Williamston Theatre…

…and opened the world premiere of Rights Of Passage by Kitty Dubin at the Jewish Ensemble Theatre. 

Getting to do two new plays at two different theatres (with a one week overlap!) was a wonderful opportunity, and a great challenge. I got super lucky, and was able to work with some really fabulous artists. Very happy with how both productions turned out, and grateful for the chance to spend so much time laughing and enjoying doing the work with quality people.  The older I get, the more I realize what a gift it is to be able to enjoy the people in the work as much as the work itself.  Sometimes that’s not always possible but, when it is, it’s a thing to be cherished.

I’m excited to spend the next couple of months producing The Nerd (here’s the set being installed TODAY!)……and producing A Painted Window, and I’ll be prepping to direct one of the shows I’ve been wanting to do for years, 1984.


In the meantime, though, I’m looking forward to having a bit more time to spend with my family.

And now – to sleep! G’night everybody!

So much good stuff coming up at work

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Some weeks are pretty darned great, y’know?   This week I got to have an amazing 1st Production Meeting with the team for Pulp.  Rehearsals start in about 5 weeks, and I can’t wait!  I LOVE the beginning of a project when you’re working with a great production staff – the excitement, the ideas bouncing around, the energy – such a good time for digging into the work.

Not only did I have that meeting, but I had a great playwright meeting for Rights Of Passage, the other show I’m directing this fall, and I’m feeling super enthusiastic and energized about the project, and the direction it’s headed in.  I’ll be directing this show at the Jewish Ensemble Theatre, and can’t wait to work with the great cast.

Heard from the amazing David Blixt at Sordelet Ink, and very shortly we will get the proofreading copies of our Williamston Theatre Anthology Of New Plays: VOLUME II, so in another few weeks we’ll have copies of both volumes available for sale!  PS – To buy VOLUME I, click here!

And today (a little later than normal because of REASONS) we finally were able to nail down the last cast member of our 2016-2017 season, so not only is the whole season cast and staffed, but we just finalized our brochure and it’s off to the printer.

So – for your viewing pleasure – here are some screenshots I took of some of the brochure pages.  Here’s what we’ve got coming up!

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SO MUCH great stuff happening – lots to be grateful for.  I hope you’re finding all the things in YOUR day to celebrate and enjoy.  🙂

Next season at Williamston Theatre!

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Pulp

By Joseph Zettelmaier

Directed by Tony Caselli

Los Angeles, 1933. The world of pulp fiction is turned upside down when a literary agent is gruesomely murdered. The four suspects: his remaining clients, all writers for different pulp magazines. Private Investigator Frank Ellery dives into the mystery, and his world turns upside down as life begins to imitate literature in this who-dun-it-science-fiction caper.

A National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere.

 

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The Nerd

By Larry Shue

Directed by John Lepard

Aspiring young architect Willum Cubbert has often told his friends about the debt he owes Rick Steadman, a fellow ex-GI but who saved his life in Vietnam. He has written to Rick saying as long as he is alive, “you will have somebody on Earth who will do anything for you”—so Willum is delighted when Rick shows up at his thirty-fourth birthday party. But his delight soon fades as Rick, a hopeless nerd, sticks around and causes one uproarious incident after another, building to a surprise ending.

A collaboration with the MSU Department of Theatre

 

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A Painted Window

By Christy Hall

A Painted Window catalogues the reunion of two sisters, Josephine and Sylvia, that used to giggle together late at night, yet now stand worlds apart. It’s a dissection of identity, classism, racism, and the grotesque havoc that consumerism, capitalism, and entitlement have wreaked on the American dream. But ultimately, at its center, this is a play about love.

A World Premiere!

 

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1984

By George Orwell
Adapted by Michael Gene Sullivan

Directed by Tony Caselli

Based on the iconic novel by George Orwell, 1984 brings us the story of Winston Smith, a cog in the giant machine state of Oceania. Winston has been caught struggling for scraps of love and freedom in a world awash with distrust and violence. With the brutal “help” of four Party Members, Winston is forced to confess his Thoughtcrimes before an unseen inquisitor, and the audience – which acts as a silent witness to his torture. A ferocious and provocative adaptation of one of the most prescient works of literature of the last century.

Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (Copyright, 1949) by permission of Bill Hamilton as the Literary Executor of the Estate of the Late Sonia Brownell Orwell, adapted by Michael Gene Sullivan.

A Michigan Premiere!

 

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Taking Shakespeare

By John Murrell

Directed by Mary Job

When a longtime, disillusioned college professor is asked to tutor her dean’s son through his freshman Shakespeare class, she finds it to be as much a test for her as it is for him. Although they seem to have nothing in common, as they explore the Bard’s Othello together, they learn more about each other—and themselves—than either is ready to admit. While they draw strength from the play, they come to understand what it means to live up to expectations.

A Michigan Premiere!

 

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Murder for Two

Book and Music by Joe Kinosian
Book and Lyrics by Kellen Blair

Directed by Rob Roznowski

Murder For Two is the perfect blend of music, mayhem and murder!  In this hilarious 90-minute show, 2 performers play 13 roles—not to mention the piano—in a witty and winking homage to old-fashioned murder mysteries.    The New York Times calls it “Ingenious!  A snazzy double-act that spins out a comic mystery animated by funny, deftly turned songs.”  You won’t want to miss this killer musical comedy!

 

So lucky, so much goodness on the way!

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I’m so excited with the upcoming slate of theatre that I get to be involved in!  Not only do we have 3 more great shows coming up at Williamston Theatre for this season, but next month we hold auditions for Season Eleven, and now we can talk about the shows we have lined up for that!   And I LOVE ALL these shows coming up!

So, we’re in rehearsals right now for The Decade Dance by Joe Zettelmaier, which is a really funny, really thoughtful exploration of life, love, politics and race in 1970’s America.  We just had the first read-through earlier this week, and I’m absolutely stoked about the show.

After that we have Chapatti, by Christian O’Reilly.  This is a beautiful, charming, intelligent and theatrical love story that delves into the question of life, and love, after people have started to give up hope on either.

Wrapping up Season 10 is a hilarious and really warm comedy by Annie Martin called Summer Retreat. The show explores the relationship between a group of women from college through middle-age and how, as we grow, so does our love for our friends – even if we’re not all headed in the same direction.

THEN comes Season Eleven at Williamston Theatre!

First: Pulp, by Joseph Zettelmaier.  I’m directing this one, and I can’t wait.  It’s a noir/genre/detective/thriller/mystery comedy, and it’s a blast!  And it’s a world premiere, and part of a Rolling World Premiere with the National New Play Network (of which Williamston Theatre is a member).

Second: The Nerd, by Larry Shue.  An absolutely hilarious show, not nearly old enough to be called a chestnut… but is it old enough to be called a classic?  Either way, it’s a popular piece that is well known for a reason: It’s hysterical.  This will be our MSU collaboration show, and it’s a perfect showcase for our excellent partnership with Michigan State University’s Department of Theatre.

Third: Another world premiere, this one by Christy Hall.  A Painted Window is a beautiful exploration of sisterhood, and aging, and wanting to be appreciated and understood and connected to the world. It asks the question “When it’s all over… when all we have left are the memories… will we want a do-over?”

In our fourth slot I’m directing a show I’ve been excited about doing for a while:  1984, by George Orwell.  This adaptation, by Michael Gene Sullivan, explores some of the most prescient aspects of Orwell’s classic story, and some of the most socially relevant, in a terrifically theatrical way. What happens to people when their humanity is forcibly stripped away, when being different is a crime, and when people are afraid to think anything but what they’ve been told to think?  Can compassion and empathy exist in that world? Can love?

Fifth is a Michigan premiere, a terrific play that was at the Stratford festival a few years ago called Taking Shakespeare by John Murrell.  A charming, funny, poignant story where what seems to be a simple clash between people from different generations turns into an exploration of life, and the power of storytelling and taking chances.

Aaaaaaaaaaaand our final slot of Season Eleven is still TBA.  We’re waiting to cross the t’s and dot the i’s on the rights, but I’ll let you know when it’s announced!

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that I’ll also be directing at the Jewish Ensemble Theatre next season!  I’m excited to be working with Kitty Dubin on the world premiere of her new play Rights Of Passage!

So, when you add all that stuff together, and throw in the exciting Dark Nights in Billtown festival coming up in May (where we’re exploring several excellent Protest Theatre pieces), I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to be a part of so many great pieces of theatre.

So – what about YOU?  What upcoming things in your life are YOU looking forward to?!

 

Catching up on the good stuff

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Boy, January flew by.  I was directing a play, which is part of the reason, but also it was a month of weird anniversaries and things.  Over the last few weeks we had my birthday (yay 47!), the 2 year anniversary of me going into the hospital and going into a coma, and the 1 year anniversary of my father passing.  All of that stuff led to me being in a weird place for several weeks, but I guess that’s normal.

Of course, adding to the weirdness was the fact that the play I’m directing is about, among other things, a family dealing with the death of the father.  So, that made it a pretty emotional project.  Fortunately the show, Too Much, Too Much, Too Many, is gorgeous and I got to work with wonderful people while creating it.

Here’s a shot from the show!  TM3.jpg

I really like the composition of this moment in the play.  🙂

Oh, here’s our video, too!

I’m also pleased to report that there is a ton of wonderfulness going on in my world, both with family and work.  Got to see Maggie’s final home concert with the Chelsea House Orchestra, and next week I get to see the one-act play that my son Max on as Student Director!  And this week was the birthday of my beautiful wife, which is definitely a day to celebrate!

Now, though – I’m off to the final preview performance of Too Much, Too Much, Too Many.  It’s one of those pieces that reminds us, because sometimes we need reminding, that life is short, and putting up walls between us and our joy just doesn’t do anybody any good!  Live your lives, folks – live for yourselves, and for the people you love – all we have is what we make with each other.

Every moment of light and dark is a miracle.

Walt Whitman

 

Random Good Things On A Tuesday

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Sirens is going well – audiences are really enjoying it, so am I, and I think the cast and crew are also!   If you’re in Michigan, come see a show!

The Tigers start the season next week.  Some big changes to the team, let’s hope they can still make it to the postseason. Should be an interesting summer of baseball!

Re-organized my website a little bit – new theme, eliminated/changed some pictures, etc… Let me know what you think!  I’ll be updating the Team Tony slideshow soon too – got some new ones to add!  🙂

My kids went to NYC and performed at Lincoln Center with the Chelsea High School Orchestra and Choir.  I’m so proud of them.  We’re incredibly fortunate to have the amazing music program we have here in Chelsea Schools, led by some incredible teachers.

Williamston Theatre announced our 2015-2016 Season.  It’s our 10 Year Anniversary!  That’s just amazing.  And we nailed down some great directors for those great plays, too.   (I’ll be directing two, plus we have Joey Albright, Julia Glander, Lynn Lammers and Suzi Regan directing!)

And, just for fun, here’s a video that John Lepard made about our Tech Day for Sirens!

Today….and getting here

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Today is my 6 month anniversary of being out of the hospital.

It was also the first day I went completely without a cane to help me walk since getting out of the hospital.

This weekend I got to go to NYC. Along with Emily Sutton-Smith, I was there representing Williamston Theatre. We, with 11 other companies from all over the country, were awarded National Theatre Company Grants by the American Theatre Wing, and the award ceremony was Monday night. It was pretty darned awesome. Humbling, amazing and inspiring. Being there with the other theatre artists, talking and sharing and getting to know each other, was a wonderful experience – one that I think will lead to friendships and opportunities for years to come.

While we were there, it was amazing to think of how we got there. The way my year has gone, if you’d told me 6 months ago that I would be walking around New York, I’m not sure I would’ve believed you. To go from hospital bed to onstage accepting that award is still a little hard to believe. But it’s more than that: it’s a journey of 10 years. I recently celebrated another milestone: 10 years ago last month I said goodbye to my full-time job at one theatre and started work with 3 good friends to create our own theatre. One that we hoped would become our home. And here we are. This week is Opening Night of Season 9, and American Theatre Wing honored us as one of the most promising companies in the country. That’s a pretty neat thing. I think, though, the best part was that Em and I weren’t there alone. Over the years we’ve worked with some established NYC professionals, as well as many students who went on to NYC to continue their careers. Several of them joined us on Monday to celebrate, as a family, as our theatre took a nice step forward…and THAT was awesome. To know how much our family has grown, to be a part of something that’s become much bigger than the four of us sitting around a coffee shop dreaming dreams.

So, today. Here we are. I have to say, I don’t know 10 years ago, or 6 months ago, that I could’ve predicted what today would be.

I’m awfully grateful for what it is, though.

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