Day off.

Rehearsing 42nd Street with our fantastic gang has been a pleasure, but the day off can be a really nice thing too. I left my Vista family's place around 11 and ran errands before venturing north to Laguna for my first visit to the Sawdust Festival. I always love the laid-back vibe of this place and enjoy bringing along a sketch book to jot down any inspirations that pop into my head. I then made my way north, hitting up various haunts along the way. One stop was in Hollywood as the sun had just set. This photo shows the Pantages Theatre and Columbia Records building along with the amazing sky. Now I'm chilling at my own place and getting ready to jump into my own bed for the first time in quite a while. Then I'll be heading back to Vista tomorrow for our first dress rehearsal. The adventure continues...

New moon.

Just a quick post as I'm in the midst of tech rehearsals at the new Moonlight Amphitheatre... I am so in awe at how a community can come together to create something like this new facility. The city passed a bond a few years back that included a new fire station, a new city hall building, and a new stage house for Moonlight. The place is beautiful, well-appointed, and just plain inspiring when a Moonlight vet thinks back to where it all began.

Well before I first joined the family, Kathy Brombacher – then a high school drama teacher – started a meager summer season on a slab of concrete in the middle of Brengle Terrace Park in Vista. The seasons and audiences grew, and by the time I had the pleasure of doing my first show with them in 1995 they had established the single-level stage house and lighting grid. We dressed in plywood dressing rooms behind the stage and did our makeup at picnic tables. Trees in the backstage area dropped spiders on us and ants devoured any food left out (including prop food). Scenic drops had to be slid on and off from the side (and paged by a stagehand). Until a full modular trailer was added years later, the one bathroom backstage was a little walk down the driveway in the production office. And I don't think anyone working for Moonlight over the years would trade these years for anything. But...

When I walked up the hill for my first rehearsal at the new facility, I was incredibly moved at 1. how the construction and everything was accomplished in just nine months and 2. how everything thing was done so incredibly right... with amazing forethought. Full fly loft with an automated flying system, state of the art sound system with fill speakers for every crevasse of the amphitheatre, an actual orchestra pit with acoustic flexibility, a costume room with laundry facilities, a roomy shop, a sound-proofed rehearsal room (and costume carousel), dressing rooms with bathrooms and showers, air-conditioning. The seats were all replaced and the lawn areas filled and graded for better seating and comfort. And everything, backstage and front of house, is all ADA compliant. It is a truly breathtaking accomplishment for this community, and I'm really happy and proud to be a part of the first musical produced on the stage. In fact, I'm a little tickled to say that I got to be the first person amplified via wireless body mic through the new system. After a fifteen year association with Moonlight (meager compared to many here), I love that I have the tiniest little personal milestone to put in my "scrapbook."

That's all for now. I've got to dig into my wonderful "day job" and get some drawing done. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Creativity jump started.

Just a quick post from beautiful Vistavision. (That would be Vista, CA, land of the Moonlight Amphitheatre.) I'm still in my first week of rehearsals, but a good majority of the cast has been at it for a month. They rock! Such a nice and talented gang of folks to be playing with. We have our first rehearsal on the beautiful new Moonlight stage tonight which is very exciting.

But as you may know, the past couple weeks has seen a lighter output of artwork from me since I've been busy at rehearsals and performances. I prepared my weekly sketches in advance and deferred my other projects so the only thing I'd have to worry about in Wichita was the Camelot sketch. It's just not the easiest thing to maintain a heavy illustration workload while spending so much intensive time preparing for a show. SO... my high-output rhythm of the past few months took a bit of a breather. I've realized a couple of things: 1. As it is with anything, a little break can be a good thing for rejuvenation. 2. Taking too much of a break from something one is meant to do can cause one to feel rudderless, ill at ease, or even irritable. I'm tackling some projects this morning and I feel great. It's like I've needed to get back to my art and there's a sort of release now that I'm back at it. Anyway... just thought I'd share. Back to work...

Camelot sketch...

Just a quick post before I hit the hay after this long travel day: Camelot closed well in Wichita last night. Such a wonderful experience with so many amazing folks. I'm a little depressed, but I sort of didn't have too much time to wallow with all the flying and repacking and driving. I'm now at the Brener manse in Vista preparing to catch some well-earned winks. But my purpose for this post is to show off my closing night sketch. I think it turned out pretty dandy.

Take care, all! Peace and love.

A fleeting wisp of glory...

...that was known as Camelot! We're open and running for a good long weekend here in Wichita, and the show is pretty wonderful. I'm having a great time playing King Pellinore and playing with this amazing show family. It's so wild to think that in just a few days, our Camelot will fade into the ether. (Not unlike Brigadoon?) The journey has been really fun. Other than my own homework and running lines in L.A. with Damon (friend and our Arthur), the prep was a solid week of blocking rehearsals and a few days of tech. Mixed in there were line-running sessions around break area tables and late night sessions at the hotel. We had wonderful character discussions. Our director, the wonderful Wayne Bryan, is really passionate about this show and really shaped the production with a loving hand. Everyone in the cast is so wonderful, but since I share the most stage time with them, I have to single out Damon Kirsche (King Arthur), Laura Griffith (Guenevere), and Ed Watts (Lancelot). Each one is a consummate performer with a killer voice, wonderful presence, and super smart acting chops. I also have loved working with dressing roommates Kevin Reese (Merlin) and the fantastic Paul Sabala (despicable Mordred). We'll savor this all too short run... and enjoy a closing night party at Wayne's Sunday night.

On Monday, Damon and I will share a flight back to L.A. And then I'll unpack, do laundry, re-pack, catch up with the roommate, and hit the road south. My sis and her family will be at Disneyland and I hope to stop off for (what has to be) a brief visit. Then I continue down to Vista where I'll get settled in at the Breners (my Vista family) in order to start 42nd Street rehearsals at the new Moonlight rehearsal hall (!) Tuesday. I'm loving the whirlwind, but I look forward to the time after rehearsals for that laid-back North San Diego County vibe to kick in and make this great show experience a lovely working vacation.

Looking ahead, August will bring a return to Wichita (this time as an audience member to witness Wayne Bryan and other dear friends in The Drowsy Chaperone) and a visit to Oregon and the family. That's what's cookin' with me. Hope all is well with you. Take care, all! Peace and love!

Squigs' art lately...

As I'm here in Wichita, I've finished and posted a couple pieces. The first one here is my monthly contribution to Footlights Curtain Call magazine. This illustration will be the cover for the issue highlighting Shakespeare in Los Angeles. My piece is called "A Midsummer's Night in L.A." and shows the faeries descending onto the city and meandering their way to the various companies in town offering the Bard's fare. As the red wings reach the ground, their serpentine patterns resemble tail lights of city traffic.


Then here's my weekly sketch posting on Squigs Knows His Lines... a tribute to one of my caricature heroes, the late great Al Hirschfeld, on the anniversary of his birth.

I'll close up this entry, but another one is on the way to tell you about what's going on here in Wichita and elsewhere in the next weeks. Peace and love, y'all!

The end of a rehearsal week...

Here in Wichita, the first week culminates in our designer run-through. It can be rather nerve-wracking if a person has a lot to remember. Fortunately, I have a relatively light load this go-'round. I'm having a great time with the folks here at Music Theatre of Wichita. Director Wayne and music director Thomas and choreographer Amy are heading up a crackerjack team, and the designers and staff are simply amazing. The cast is wonderful and warm and talented. It's always a joy to come to play here.

Now we've reached the end of the week. The run went well this afternoon, giving us an idea of what we have yet to solidify. It's a really good sign when the laughs seem to be mostly in the right places (and the tears as well) at this point in the game. Now I'm getting set to meet up with the gang for a lovely dinner and evening of fun. It's our chance to celebrate a strong week and look ahead to the week ahead.

In the photos are Damon Kirsche (Arthur), Ed Watts (Lancelot), and my new Pink Floyd t-shirt. Photos by the amazing and generous Jerry Fritchman. That's all for now. Take care, all! Peace and love!