Blogs

As Mother's Day approaches, I've been thinking quite a bit about the importance of family. My heritage as a descendant of French and German immigrants, as a woman and as an American has a significant influence on my development as a playwright. More directly, the places I've lived and worked have shaped my craft in ways I may never fully understand. With the power of origins and geography in mind, I'd like to talk a bit about theatrical heritage on the American stage.

I believe there's something transformative about a person's first real job experience. No matter how much we're taught or trained, it's that first experience of actually completing a task that cements into our minds the lesson of how (or how not) to do it in the future. For most actors and playwrights that first real job is usually in a small local theater, and when that theater is woven into the fabric of a dynamic acting community it can make the difference between success and failure for a new artist. In my current hometown of New Haven, Connecticut, such a community has been the origin of more than a few important people in the theatre world.
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I was on a flight from Louisville to Milwaukee last week, on my way to scout out the Brewers. While trying to decide between Budweiser Light and Budweiser Select, the stocky fellow next to me asked for a mint julep. That got me thinking.

I've never really enjoyed the taste of mint juleps. You won't see me ordering one at a fancy bar or sipping one while I grill steaks out on my porch. But once every year, you'll find me rubbing elbows with an entire crowd of mint julep junkies. And guess what? I'll have at least one in my hands, too. Why?

The Kentucky Derby.

For the readers who don't know, I was born in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, long before it was made famous by Kirsten Dunst and Orlando Bloom. The Bluegrass State is still in my blood, so I've been celebrating it on the first Saturday in May since I can remember. Over the years, I've learned a lot about how to enjoy the race whether I'm in the infield, in the stands or watching on television. Use these tips and make the Kentucky Derby a day you'll remember.
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From the bright lights of Broadway to the dimly lit local movie theater, there's a slow and steady migration of stories. Every year, some of the season's best scripts are harvested and re-produced on film. It's a beautiful thing. While I strongly believe that the artistic experience created in a theater relies on the physical space and the energy of the audience, I also believe the advanced production technologies and unlimited settings unique to film add a depth of experience that is equally as compelling. In short, a film version of a script can be just as good as the original stage version. Take a look at just a few of the incredible recent reproductions that span genres and delight audiences both on and off the stage.
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I'm fresh off a week in Vero Beach, Florida, running the rule over Major League Baseball teams in spring training. In between piña coladas and catching some sweet ocean surf, I watched the Dodgers play a couple of games at their spring home. The Mets were just down the road in Port Saint Lucie, and I got to see them first-hand, too. The other teams were too far to drive to, but I diligently grabbed a pad of paper, a good pen and a bottle of Tuborg and parked myself in front of the television, ready to predict this year's Major League Baseball shakedown:

Barry Bonds will pass Babe Ruth on the home run list, but will not eclipse Hank Aaron. It seems that everyone is weighing in on Bonds after two San Francisco journalists published a detailed account of how, when and why the slugger allegedly took steroids during the remarkable sunset of his career. Some suggest that Bonds should be banned from the game for life and his records erased from the books. Others contend that Major League Baseball didn't prohibit steroids until recently, and that the problem is so widespread, it's unfair to single Bonds out as a cheater.
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At some point in your life, you'll be listening to an 'Oldies' station, and you'll hear a song from your youth. This can be a depressing or comforting feeling, depending on your philosophical outlook on life. It first happened to me about a year ago when I heard New Order's Blue Monday on the radio while driving to work. I was shocked to find something so avant-garde for its time relegated to the retro bin of 60's, 70's and 80's hits. Upon further reflection though, I was pleased, as New Order had managed to remain relevant 20 years after the song's release. In many ways we've been blessed in the last couple of decades by quality music acts that have managed to survive well beyond the average band's 'life' expectancy. Think of U2 for example, which have been releasing massively successful albums and tours for over 20 years. There are lots of acts like this out there, such as Elton John, Paul McCartney, or the absolute kings of survival, the Rolling Stones. What I wonder about though, is what artists from the contemporary music scene will have this kind of staying power? Who is popular right now that will still be around in 20 years?
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It's no secret that musical theatre is the heart of Broadway. Since Cats and Phantom of the Opera first premiered in New York in the 1980s, lavish designs and richly produced soundtracks have been par for the theatregoer's course. Today, Wicked, Spamalot and The Lion King are so far above every other Broadway production in sales and popularity that straight plays have a hard time making headlines. As a consumer of culture, this leaves me to wonder, is it that musicals are just more in touch with what Americans want in their art right now, or is it that plays just aren't as good as they used to be?
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Festivals of Learning

In our busy modern lives, it is hard to keep up with all the new bands and musical styles that come out each year. Unless you have satellite radio or spend some serious time wading through CMJ and other music resources, you may fall dangerously behind in your understand of the new trends and artists. Sadly, too often research time keeping up with the cool can be spent unwisely. Look at all those poor people, for example, that spend almost a hundred hours a year to learn who the latest American Idol will be. Is there no solution for keeping in touch with the in-crowd?
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A few days ago, I was sitting on a plane trying to decide which domestic beer would help me get through my flight to Connecticut the fastest. All of a sudden, the seat next to me was filled with Rebecca Lobo, former UConn basketball great. Now I'm not a short man, but she could have used me for a foot stool. As it turns out, she's a very nice girl. I explained that I was flying all over the country, looking over the latest contenders and pretenders for the NCAA basketball tournament...you know, March Madness.

Rebecca fancied the chances of her Alma Matter, and who am I to argue? The Huskies have to be the favorites with Jim Calhoun coaching and Rudy Gay doing everything else. Still, there's some serious competition from all the usual suspects like Duke, Texas and UCLA. Some of the mighty have fallen, like Syracuse and North Carolina, but my feeling is that March Madness will bring out the best in both teams.
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