Slingin' Ink. Singin' Ditties.

Blue sky and headless horsemen...

2010-10-11T14:11:00.005-05:00

Yesterday, some pals and I drove into a stunning day of adventuring around Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow. The sky was outrageously blue and the air crystal clear as we followed the path of the Hudson. It was a joy to see the trees sporting more color the further north we meandered. Here are a couple wee photo essays (click on 'em to make 'em bigger)...

1. Me at Sunnyside, Washington Irving's "cottage" which we toured (and also witnessed an enormous tree reportedly living since 1776). How 'bout that blue sky?? 2. Paul giving us a site-specific demonstration. 3. Paul, Nikki, Renee, and Roller. 4. Roller making no head-way with a girl. 5. Me and Dubya Irving's marker (the third one to stand there since the first two were gradually chipped away by souvenir-seekers).

Some sights around Sunnyside and the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (which featured strongly in the Legend...). And there's a lovely shot of the lake near Stone Barns at dusk. There were many ducks and geese. Roller thought a deer we saw was a donkey. The evening air was rich and clean and the crescent moon was bright. So beautiful.

And, yes, the day was filled with good food and friendship. It was so amazing that a place that felt a million miles away from NYC was a mere 30-some-odd miles away. We're already planning next year's trip to include some of the many sold-out events around town. Another amazing autumn day!

You may say I'm a dreamer...

2010-10-11T13:51:00.007-05:00

This past Saturday was the anniversary of John Lennon's birth. He would have been 70 years old. Can you believe it? Since I heard it was a nifty thing to do, I visited Strawberry Fields in Central Park to raise my voice with hundreds of folks. What an experience!

Here's one of my wee photo essays. (Click on it to see more detail.)

There was a band set up that joined with countless guitars and even one fellow with trumpet and harmonica. Many brought flowers to wave and/or place on the Imagine mosaic. There was Lennon impersonator who I have to say was pretty on his game... knew lyrics that hardly anyone else did. One commentator nearby was hilarious. After many songs, he's exclaim, "GOOD JOB GUYS!" And once in reaction to someones song request said, "THAT'S PAUL SONG. THIS IS JOHN'S DAY!" And on the video below, he's the one at the end who yells, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHNNY!!" Also, a little kid on his dad's shoulders saw the distant flicker of the candles on the mosaic and loudly asked, "DO THEY HAVE CAKE UP THERE???"

I'm sure there are tons of photos and videos of this evening all over the interwebs because in addition to mine, there were about a bajillion cameras. I felt very New Yorky this day. I know Lennon belonged in some way to everyone. (As a kid, I remember seeing some graffiti in Albany, Oregon just after he was shot. It said, "Lennon Lives.") But Lennon seemed so amazingly tied to NYC. And it was so neat to stand in Central Park and sing such wonderful words with so many folks. Wow!

Blue ribbon at the White House...

2010-09-30T23:24:00.006-05:00

I took the bus to DC a couple days ago and stayed with friends so I could join the Blackwell family at the White House and a ceremony where they would get nationally recognized. Let me back up. Last year, my friend Susan Blackwell connected me with her brother. His son Tony had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and, seeing no satisfactory resource for calculating health needs for his boy, programmed a resource himself. I provided a few illustrations for what became Tony's Plate. John then entered the application into Michelle Obama's Apps for Healthy Kids campaign. Well, thanks to some hard work from the whole family, they won the popular vote. Fancy, huh? I'm so honored that they asked me to come along. Above right there is a shot of the Blackwells and I in front of the capitol building after the ceremonies were over and the USDA arranged a little bus tour of the city. Here are a few more shots from the trip...

1. There's me at the White House. To be totally forthcoming, I only got part of the White House tour after a bit of a delay. Just as we got to the East Room, our event leaders pulled us from the tour to head to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building for the ceremony... because we couldn't keep the cabinet secretaries waiting. Ah well. I'll have another chance. 2. Me and Lincoln. 3. The Capitol on the skyline. 4. Me covering the Capitol with my umbrella. Oops. But it was raining.

In addition to these sites, I also had the chance to see some art galleries. I saw an amazing exhibit of items created by Japanese people held in camps during WWII. Such beautiful paintings, jewelry, sculpture, practical wood pieces, etc.!! Beauty out of adversity. And I also had the great pleasure of seeing a huge exhibit of Norman Rockwell's original charcoal/pencil sketches and oil paintings... from the collections of George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg. It was nostalgia overload!

I was also able to make the trek out to Arlington, VA and Signature Theatre to see their production of Chess. It was stunning! Really great! And I was also able to visit the remaining pieces I created for Signature. Many have been sold, but there are some left (ironically some of my favorite pieces).

I'd like to thank Cindy and Ash Long, my friend Garrett/Elise's mom and brother. They welcomed me into their guest room for the trip. It was so nice to have a place to stay and it was comfy!

Well, that's it for now. What an adventure!! And I look forward to the next one. Take care, all! Peace and love.

That's a whole heck of a lot of Broadway!

2010-09-26T21:13:00.011-05:00

I am EXHAUSTED!! But it was SO worth it. I was a drop in a vast ocean of giving today in the heart of the theatre district. The Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction brought out thousands of wonderful Broadway geeks with money to burn (or even more likely in a lot of cases, money to sacrifice). While I was often super busy, here are a few shots I was able to take of the goings-on...

1.There's the backdrop of the "silent" auction. (I put "silent" in quotes because there are wonderful chatty hosts who steer things along.) There at the middle right is a clock made partially from my art, and above that is a framed and matted original ink piece signed by 18 stars of the autumn's Broadway openings (for the Grand Auction later). Note my logo on the t-shirt in the foreground. They were EVERYWHERE! 2. Some sights from the day: A fellow carrying a life-size cutout of Mandy Patinkin circa 1984. 3. A character named Rose and American Idiot's foam middle fingers. 4. My friend Susan and Daniel Craig. 5. Shubert Alley.

I have to give a shout-out to my helpers throughout the day... Justin Roller my point man and Kevin Munhall who manned the early shift. There were others who were willing to help, but with a pretty small table, we were all set. And then there was the cavalcade of dear friends who stopped by to say "hello" which I was SO grateful for. I don't want to name them all to risk leaving someone out, but know that each and every loved one brought me so much joy today (including phone calls). 1. A westward shot down 44th Street. 2. Kevin and I at the table. 3. The poster in the window of a deli where I got an amazing sandwich. 4. Roller at a rare slow moment at the table. We had dropped prices and had experienced a few rain drops as seen on the signage. 5. Another view of 44th Street, this time eastward.

The Grand Auction was a trip and a half. BC/EFA main dude Tom Viola asked me to be present as they auctioned off my art... the last lot of the day. 1. The "backstage" host's cheat sheet included onstage guests' headshots. So there's Greg Jbara, Levi Kreis, Priscilla Lopez, Jonathan Freeman, John Tartaglia, Nathan Lane, Amy Irving, Anthony Rapp, Bernadette Peters, and ME! What??!! 2. Another cutout of Mandy Patinkin enjoying the auction proceedings. 3. Although I can only take marginal credit for all the amazing work that went into it, I'm still happy to say that this item fetched four figures in the auction. 4. A shot of me being nervous before having to go talk about my art on the auction stage. 5. Yes, I had to directly follow the amazing Bernadette Peters. I then proceeded to the stage where Tom Viola told the folks why I was there. I shared a few remotely coherent thoughts, and then the bidding began. My art, signed by lots of celebs, brought in $1700. I'm blown away.

So I end this day with paper cuts and ink stains on my hands, a dry scratchy throat, and a severely enlarged cranium. It will take my friends and family some doing, but I'm confident they can bring me down a few notches where I belong. Seriously, it was an amazing day and an event I was truly blessed to be a part of. Peace & love, all!

If you're in NYC long enough...

2010-09-18T00:08:00.020-05:00

Okay, I know I've only been here for just over four months, but there are certain things I've been able to witness already that are basic milestones in the theatrical season. I've posted about getting to see the Tony Awards rehearsal...

And a Sardi's caricature unveiling (Kevin Chamberlin's likeness as captured by Sardi's resident artist, Richard Baratz)...

Well, this evening I finally made it to the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on 49th to see Fela! And in addition to the performance being the amazing Lillias White's penultimate as Funmilayo (before she hands it over to Patti LaBelle), it was also the performance taped for the Lincoln Center archives (Photo: The archivemobile).

Lincoln Center has been documenting almost every Broadway show since the 1970s. The recordings are kept on file at the Lincoln Center Library. Such an amazing resource! (Photo: a technically illegal photo in the theatre... with a glimpse of one of the cameras at far left).

BUT WAIT... Something even more rare is the renaming of a theater. In March, Roundabout Theatre Company announced that Henry Miller's Theatre on 43rd would be renamed the Stephen Sondheim Theatre. I just had to drop by on Wednesday when the new marquee was lit. After speeches from Roundabout folks, John Weidman, Nathan Lane, Patti LuPone, and an emotional Mr. S, the switch was flipped. Pretty wonderful!

AND AN EVEN BIGGER BUT... I'm so incredibly astounded to say that in the place where this crazy theatrical world and my own world intersect, there is a significant convergence happening as I type. As I may have mentioned, I've been working with the great organization Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS to design the poster for their annual Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction. I also did the work to put my doodles on street pole banners. I knew they were going up this week. I just didn't know how many. They are EVERYWHERE!! Along 44th, 45th, 46th, 47th Streets, and up and down Times Square. I think there are 35 or so. It makes me giddy and a little dancy to see my scribblings all over the center of the theatrical world. I'm so thrilled and grateful!

AND... I know I've blogged and posted about it incessantly, but I was also fortunate enough to see my work in the New York Times in an article heralding some of the folks considered to be "the Line King's heirs", folks carrying on the traditions of the late, great Al Hirschfeld who drew for the Times for decades and carved a big ol' niche for himself in pop culture. I'm happy to say that my Flea Market art will propel me into the Times for a second time within a month. Ads run sometime this week and the day of the event!

If you're in the NYC area on Sunday, September 26, the Broadway Flea Market will be in high gear from 10am to 7pm, and I'll be there selling prints, drawing quick-sketch caricatures, and wandering around and taking it all in. Come on down!

I'm so incredibly grateful to feel welcomed and embraced in this Broadway community. Sometimes it just takes a little glimmer of a sign to let a person know their decision was the right one. I've been blasted with signs the magnificence of the jumbotrons in Times Square (the ones lighting up my banners for the next couple weeks). Well, that's it for now! More later. Peace and love, all!

Remembering... and looking ahead.

2010-09-12T21:44:00.008-05:00

Yesterday was a beautiful, clear early autumn day in NYC. I had made plans to take a bus trip out of town (to Downingtown, PA, the home of Victory Brewing and a really super tour... see below). But once I returned to the city, I wanted to go downtown to the World Trade Center site to look around and reflect.

[Note: Click on the pictures and they'll get bigger.]

[L to R:] 1. As I emerged from the C train station at Chambers Street, I caught my first glimpse of the powerful lights aimed at the sky to represent the twin towers. 2. Numerous portions of the fenceline were decorated with flowers and notes. 3. The construction is beginning to pick up in pace and the first tower being built was well-lit this evening. 4. The tributes along the walls were numerous. Numerous listings of all the names, some with notes written near them. 5. A firetruck made its way through the crowd, and I think the photo that I took looks a bit ethereal. 6. The flag still waves proudly as a nation remembers.

As I mentioned above, I took a bus trip to Pennsylvania for a brewery tour (through a great Midtown beer bar, Rattle & Hum). It was a beautiful ride southwest to Downington. I love that there is so much to see so close to my city. Here are a few glimpses into that adventure:

1. The banners upon entering Victory's brewpub. 2. On the tour, the creative mind behind Victory, Bill Covaleski, in the hop freezer. 3. Such and amazing sight... full-flower Simcoe hops. 4. The pig after roasting. 5. Toast! 6. A tasting of all sorts of treats. There was a beer that smelled like an herb garden (Saison du Buff), a rauschweiss (or smoked wheat beer... Scarlet Sunset), a single hop pale (Pursuit Simcoe), and many more wonderful brews.

Today, the weather was a bit drippier, but it couldn't douse the spirits of folks in Times Square as we celebrated the start of the new theatre season with Broadway On Broadway, a big concert and event featuring the Broadway casts, celebrities, give-aways, booths, etc.:

1. The ubiquitous Chicago pamphlet girls. (Very focused trainer to trainee: "Whenever they take a picture, they MUST get a pamphlet!!) 2. The stage right at the crossroads and all the jumbotrons which were all tuned into the event. 3. The loft of pigeons that seemed to be trained to fly en masse at dramatic moments, like "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and when Marin Mazzie changed keys in "I Miss the Mountains." 4. More crowd. Lots of folks. 5. Some Wicked fans. 6. Confetti! AT&T obviously sponsored this part because the confetti included little logos and ads.

As I was standing in Times Square, I occasionally noticed a familiar doodle pass by. Broadway Cares was promoting the upcoming Flea Market with a visor. They told me it would be happening, but I just didn't know it was for this event. Cool!...

1. Close up of the visor and my logo. 2. The Wicked fans with their visors. 3. A lovely lady who was putting hers to good use. 4. A stack on the newspaper machine. I think a distributor was taking a short cut. 5. And, yes, many free things end up tossed to the curb. Still kind of neat to see my art littering Times Square. 6. Me with my visor in the falling confetti.

It was a really great weekend. Now, this coming week will be full of hard (but intriguing) work. I feel so blessed. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Of beaches and Boston...

2010-09-06T13:06:00.012-05:00

It's been a while since I've landed here with tales of adventure. Sometime you just have to store up... and then toss them all out at once. I recently had the best type of vacation I can imagine... adventures, exploration, friends, food. I spent a week on Cape Cod and in Boston. And here's a doozy of an account of the discoveries. (I feel like I'm setting y'all up for a big ol' vacation slide show.)

The instigation for the visit was the wedding of my friends Christine and Joe. 1) I stayed at their rental and had the two-story windmill all to myself. 2) The view of the marshlands out behind the house. 3) Joe and Christine, and wedding attendees Kathel and Jimmy. 4) Jimmy bearing the rings at the wedding. 5) Me on the lower level of the windmill... with warm decor, quirky art, and old musical instruments. 6) The ceiling in the second floor bedroom.

The wedding took place at the Edward Gorey house in Yarmouth, MA. Gorey is a renowned (and prolific) illustrator, known by most from his many books, and also his contributions to the PBS series Mystery and his Tony-winning designs for Dracula starring Frank Langella. I'm enthralled with his work and his unique style. So I was like a kid in a candy store with the opportunity to look around. 1) The yard sign. 2) Pointing the way. 3) Illustration recreation and Black-eyed Susans that decorated the house. 4) Gorey's book The Gashleycrumb Tinies inspires a scavenger hunt of sorts throughout the house where you can discover all 26 untimely ends of the unwise children. 5) Gorey's Tony and Dracula designs. 6) Omblegroom, the 22lb. Gorey House cat.

The nifty look of these photos comes courtesy of the Hipstamatic application on my iPhone. Here is a selection of photos using the grainy black & white "film"... 1) Weathervane and original design. 2) Window decorated with some beloved objects. 3) Trick wallpaper... the ladies only show up when the light hits it from the correct angle. 4) Another window, this time with toy mice. 5) Edward's fridge. 6) Out another window is a Gorey-inspired graveyard.

In nearby Dennis, MA you'll find the Cape Playhouse and the Cape Cinema. 1. The front of the playhouse, showing the awning damaged by high winds the previous week (and when this photo was taken, anticipating hurricane Earl). 2. The playhouse has been open every summer since 1927 and the walls are papered with posters featuring many notable names who have performed. 3. Gertrude Lawrence is said to haunt the place. If you are in "her" dressing room and you don't bring her flowers, things tend to fall off shelves. A scrap of paper featuring her autograph fell from the rafters when a tour was being given. Spooooky (and fun)! 4) The Cape Cinema was built three years after the playhouse and now features art and foreign films on the one screen. 5) Vintage concession ads and preview graphics are part of the experience. I saw the Robert Duvall movie Get Low while I was there. (Amazing!) 6) But, hands-down, the star of this place is the enormous mural covering the entire ceiling and walls... designed by famed illustrator Rockwell Kent and painted by legendary set designer Jo Mielziner. Wow!

On a full day's meandering, I drove the length of the Cape, from Yarmouth up to Provincetown. 1. Yours truly and the Highland Light in North Truro. 2) The "Nantucket Bucket" at Moby Dick's... steamed mussels, little-neck clams, and corn on the cob. 3) Some old pilings in Provincetown with the Pilgrim monument in the distance. 4) Charming P-Town. 5) Lobster roll! 6)Sun setting over the water... the only place you can see that on the east coast.

On the way to Boston, I navigated the Old King's Highway and stopped where I felt the calling... from Yarmouth to Plymouth (lots of "mouths"). 1. Lothrop Hill Cemetery. 2. A fire station sign announcing the imminent arrival of Hurricane Earl. 3. In Plymouth, a monument to Samoset (I believe). 4. The rock and my shadow. 5) The Mayflower II. 6) Burial Hill.

Boston adventures: 1) The view of downtown from my hotel room. 2) A couple pigeons atop the Boston Common plaque, with Park Street Church looming overhead. 3) The gravestone of Mary Goose, possibly legendary "Mother" Goose. 4) These may or may not be pencil nubs once used by a renowned and revered caricaturist. 5) A large milk bottle near the site of the Boston Tea Party. A little tea house down the street was advertising a special called "Earl's Fog" in commemoration of the hurricane... Earl Grey tea, honey, and cream. I couldn't help but feel the whole tea irony. 6) The Old State House and the site of the Boston Massacre.

1) Paul Revere's house. 2) Paul Revere monument with the Old North Church in the foggy haze of the background. 3) A blurry but pretty shot from the hotel room as the Earl rain began. It ended up being pretty much a dud of a storm. 4) Trinity Church. 5) In front of the Boston Public Library. 6) One of the many murals inside the library. I was a bit disappointed that the John Singer Sargent mural gallery was closed. Ah well... incentive to return.

1) A monument near the Boston World Trade Center and a fun shadow. 2) The Museum of Fine Arts. 3) I did get to see the Sargent murals here. 4) Scuplture study: Air. 5) Fenway Park from the outside. 6) And looking in. Note: I also enjoyed the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Sargent's huge El Jaleo and many more amazing pieces in an absolutely stunning building surrounding a beautiful courtyard. There are also two large empty frames, left that way after the Rembrandts once held there were stolen in a big heist.

Well, that's the end of this particular journey. After a four hour bus ride, I was back in NYC. And I can say that I do indeed feel at home in my new home city based on a wonderful happy feeling as I approached the Midtown Tunnel. So many adventures to be had here... and even more just a quick jaunt away. Such a wealth! Take care, all! Peace and love to you.

An epic walkabout...

2010-08-28T00:37:00.006-05:00

Just to keep my hand in 'round here, I'm bringing you a mini photo essay with glimpses from a day full of wandering adventure...

Here we go... 1. A trek down to the southern tip of Manhattan found me first at Bowling Green, the first public park established in NYC. 2. And just a skip from said park is the famous bull statue which gets numerous visitors to its undercarriage. 3. Then, in Battery Park (where I also enjoyed a meander through an out-of-the-way labyrinth... not the Henson type) is a really amazing sculpture called "The Immigrants." Here's a shot of part of it. 4. Then, sort of nearby is Fraunces Tavern which hold a lot of weight in the Revolutionary War era's history. George Washington really did sleep here. Or if he didn't actually sleep, he met with a lot of influential folks here. 5. I then moseyed north to Central Park where I found Sheep Meadow teeming with sun-worshippers and frisbee tossers. 6. And as I headed up the Mall, I found a photo op at the Columbus statue. The red orbs might be caused by the sun... or by the souls sent to heaven from the disease CC introduced to indigenous cultures. Oops... got dark there.

Toby continued... 1. Still in the Park, I gravitated once again, as I often do, to Bethesda Fountain. 2. At Strawberry Fields, I overheard a girl ask her mother, "Imagine what?" I was agog. 3. After running a few errands, I took advantage of the amazingly temperate weather and ventured over to the Hudson River for an early evening hike. 4. Heading back east to meet up with friends, I passed a public school which featured a mural designed and painted by students. Note the literary tribute of the top book in the stack. 5. Graffiti on the sidewalk in Chelsea is radically optimistic. 6. Here's just a glimpse at a wonderful evening with friends... After truffle mac & cheese at The Cafeteria and before beers at the 156 year-old McSorleys, we dropped into the workplace of our friend Jenn. She sells cupcakes and we ate some. Mmmm!!

Well, that's it for now. A post in the near future might just come from a cah in Hahvahd Yahd. Or maybe Cape Cahd. We'll see. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Catching up.

2010-08-13T17:36:00.004-05:00

I've been meeting up with friends to catch up lately. It's such a wonderful thing... to "catch up"... to find out what's new and exciting in each others' lives and just "be" in the same general vicinity. In fact since I've been in town three months now, I'm already catching up with folks I've seen since I got here. That's pretty neat. But NOW I need to catch up on this blog. The whirlwind that is my life is making it difficult to justify spending a lot of time updating blogs and websites and Twitter and Facebook notes, but this afternoon the blank slate that will soon be filled with ink (on a commission) is allowing me a little bloggage time. I'll start with some broad strokes and get more specific as I go...

The gig at Broadway.com is pretty exciting. I'm now receiving press tickets to see shows which are complimentary. Free tickets to see Broadway and off-Broadway shows. It's a huge perk and sort of a dream come true. I'm not taking it for granted. The projects are fun and exciting, and I'm mostly happy with my output. Here's a little graphic with slivers of my nine pieces to date. I have my sketching schedule now through the end of September, and then the rest of the autumn will bring a cornucopia of possibilities for the column. I'm so excited (and grateful)! Be sure to drop by Broadway.com every Thursday afternoon for fresh art.

In addition to the weekly website work and the encouraging progress of the work with Broadway Cares, I've built up quite a workload of commissions... a couple touring show commemorations and celebrations of several folks' amazing milestones. I feel blessed to have the chance to be a part of these special events... and to be doing what I love to do for a living.

I turned 38 last week. August 7th was full of friends and fun... brunch, a play (actually for work, but can you believe I get paid for this???), beers and dinner, an outdoor concert (See a snippet on my other blog, Everything Waits To Be Noticed), a gathering with out-of-town friends. It was also wonderful to hear from Dad who left a happy message, and the onslaught of little messages on Facebook is always a nice surprise. On a day where one reflects on one's life, I realized again and again just how much I'm blessed and doing exactly what I am meant to be doing. And, looking ahead, I am so grateful to be opening a few doors that will lead to some nifty things.

I've booked my travel plans for an adventure to Cape Cod and Boston at the end of the month. I'm going to the wedding of some friends, seeing a show, and doing some good ol' exploration of the Cape. And then I'll spend a couple days in Boston (and surrounding environs), again exploring places that are new to me. I might even head out to Walden Pond... but not unless I read up on my Thoreau.

Here's a little glimpse into how my brain sometimes ticks. I was watching the 1983 movie Muppets Take Manhattan on Netflix Instant View and noticed that the Broadway theatre in which they mount their show "Manhattan Melodies" is the Biltmore (I'm sure merely used for exterior shots). I looked it up on the Wikipedia and noted that after it sat vacant for years after an arson fire, it was renovated and was renamed the Samuel J. Friedman (now featuring shows presented by Manhattan Theatre Club). I had a meeting today at Hotel Edison which is right across the street, so I took this photo. Ironically, the play advertised on the front of the theatre (which closed weeks ago) starred Linda Lavin. Ms. Lavin also had a star cameo in Muppets Take Manhattan. The correlations put a smile on my face. The world is an intriguing puzzle. Oh... and since that theatre was the Biltmore – and just down the block is the Barrymore – 47th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues was once truly the street with "more." Hee hee.

And I ate my first lobster roll today. A New England delicacy, many restaurants have their versions. I went to a great little place today in Long Island City called Sage General Store. The lobster roll was AMAZING and it came with their bacon potato salad which was absolutely DIVINE! Anyway... it was a good day.

Well, that's it for now. Take care, all! Peace and love.

You can't stop the ink...

2010-07-29T00:25:00.004-05:00

I really love what I do, and that's a good thing because I'm doing a whole heck of a lot of it! I've just finished up my seventh piece for Broadway.com, and as we head into the autumn the assignments will be coming even more fast and furious. During the summer, the pickins are a bit more sparse, but worthy of celebration nonetheless. This week's sketch will be celebrating the new cast members in the Pulitzer Prize winning Next to Normal. Here are a few photos from along the way (and please note that the incredibly stylish sock on my drawing arm is to keep me from sticking to the paper on hot & humid days)...

I also dropped by the office today to sign a boat load of prints. Wow, they look good... giclee prints on amazing paper. And the colors pop SO well! I hope they all go to good homes!

There is even more in the works. I'm working with Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS on a couple projects including the poster for their big early autumn event, the Broadway Flea Market. It's a great cause, and I'm also happy to say that this will be wonderful exposure for my work. There are more possibilities in the works, but I don't want to count those proverbial chickens. Exciting possibilities, though.

Well, I have a few things to do before catching some winks. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Raspberries!!

2010-07-24T00:38:00.004-05:00

Okay... I'm not usually one who will attend celebrity appearances unless it's to see them do what they typically do, BUT I had heard that Carol Channing was to be dropping by the Barnes and Noble at Lincoln Center this evening for a chat and maybe a bit of singin' from her new CD which mostly includes hymns and gospel tunes. The juxtaposition and proximity made it irresistible. And she's just so precious. And such a legend. I joined my friend Deejay Gray and we reveled in the experience.

I'm not typically an autograph guy. I'm not even good about getting subjects to sign things I've drawn. It just isn't normally important to me. But I stuck around and got Ms. Channing to sign my CD booklet. She was so lovely, and then I distracted her while she wrote my "XX"s and "OO"s. So I got a couple "X"s and a squiggle of sorts. And when Deejay told her "You're the reason I got into theatre." Carol said, "All right." Hmmmm.

Here are a few clips from the musical part of the event. (Not sure if I was supposed to do this, but it'll be fun while it lasts.) Ms. Channing is lending her support to the important cause of keeping arts education alive in the schools. If you want to follow her efforts (and I hope you do), check out her website: carolchanning.org

Well, that's it for now. Much more to come. I'm going to bed now... the first night in a while that I've planned to get eight hours of zzzzzzzzz.

My friend Nils.

2010-07-16T21:51:00.008-05:00

A dear friend made his transition a week ago. Dear friend to many, actor, musician, husband, father, cool cat Nils Anderson is feeling no pain after a five year battle with cancer. I found out as I turned on my phone while taxiing to my gate at NYC's JFK airport last Saturday. He left a multitude of us with hearts aching for one more hug but full of his unique presence and the understated but sincere joy that he offered us all. His presence is still felt substantially through his daughter Amy and his son Eric and his wife Leslie. I will also personally remember him each time I develop an onstage character (and/or affix a fake moustache), see an upright bass, or hear a cool scat solo.

I remember closing night of a production of The Secret Garden in Vista, CA. Eric was hanging with us backstage as Nils and I got out of costume. Nils always had a secret with every character he played... something that informed his character work, but that he kept to himself until closing. He asked Eric and I if we wanted to know his secret as he had assessed the role of crusty Ben the Gardener. He removed his shoe, and taped to the sole of his sock were pennies and pebbles which gave him a very convincing limp onstage. I was enthralled, but the laugh that came out of E told me just how much the trade passed from father to son. It was a great glimpse into that family. I too am grateful for a father who is willing to pass on his stories to his kids. Not everyone is so lucky.

The day after Nils passed, Eric was in NYC fulfilling the culmination of a lot of dream-filled work... work that Nilsie lived to hear about. The Freakers Ball (an evening of the musings of Shel Silverstein) became so much more than just a groovy evening. It was a celebration of the heart of Nils carried on through E. For me it became more like "The Freakers Bawl." I was a mess and I was so honored to be present. Nilsie was in the room.

Today, a few friends were walking through Central Park. A little jazz combo was playing. One of us said, "I love an upright bass." It was a few hours later when we realized that we all thought of Nils at that same moment. As it should be.

Rest well, Nilsie. We miss you, but you're still with us in so many wonderful ways. Heaven is a much cooler place right now.

A west coast escape...

2010-07-13T19:54:00.004-05:00

I picked a great week to be out of NYC since the temps shot into the triple digits. The weather was temperate and mild on the west coast. I first flew to Portland, OR and met up with my bro and his family. We drove out to the coast where we surprised Grandma and joined more family. It was a great visit. There was TOO MUCH FOOD and it was all great!

It was the Fourth of July. The photos above (L to R): The front door of the Warwick beach house near Waldport, my brother Jordan playing tag with his son Jack (taken through the traditional window art), some random folks standing behind us as we watched the LaDeDa Parade in Yachats, a taster tray from Rogue Brewers on the Bay, the family watching as my bro and I set off fireworks in the driveway, Yaquina Head Lighthouse, and the family in the midst of taking the family photo.

Here's more (from L to R): Me at Heceta Head Lighthouse, Grandma, still at Heceta Head, Mom and my bro's family at the entrance to the Enchanted Forest, me and my lemon teeth at the Chowder Bowl, nephew Jack and "Abraham Lincoln", and Jack getting a shooting gallery lesson.

Then I headed down to Southern California to visit friends and to get some R & R time on the North San Diego coastline. The photos (from L to R): the meditation gardens at the Self Realization Fellowship in Encinitas, a couple shots of me at Swami's Beach below the gardens, Stone World Bistro & Gardens, Randy's Donuts which was just down the street from the car rental place.

It was a great visit. I got to see so much of my family and eat a LOT. (Did I mention that?) And in Cali, I got to see a lot of friends and chill out a bit. I look forward to a return. In the meantime, things are picking up here in NYC. I've landed a few commissions in addition to the weekly piece on Broadway.com. AND I just had a couple of exciting meetings that will be leading to some fantastic developments. (I'll post when things are more firm.) I'm drawing a lot and enjoying it very much.

And this weekend I'll be in Milwaukee, witnessing the final presentation of the 2010 Ten Chimneys Fellowship. It should be stunning! Can't wait!

Well, that's a lot, but I've been storing up. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Shakespeare in the Park...

2010-06-29T12:48:00.003-05:00

I took part in an NYC tradition the other day. I got up early and waited on line for free tickets to see one of the Public Theatre's Shakespeare in the Park offerings. After waiting for about three and a half hours, I had a couple tickets to The Winter's Tale. I then went on with my day and returned in the evening...

Roller and I got there in time to grab a beverage and climb to our seats. The play was great and very well-done. Such beautiful design – such wonderful stage pictures – and the cast was really amazing. But most of all, I kept thinking about how I was in the middle of a huge city, in the middle of an astonishing park, experiencing live theatre. Really cool. I took a couple photos on the sly. Above is the stage at intermission. You can see Belvedere Castle there in the background. The other picture is during the second act.

What an amazing institution this is! Before it's done for the summer, I want to return to see Al Pacino in The Merchant of Venice. I hear one has to be a bit more of an early bird to get tickets for that one.

Well, that's all for now! Back to work. Peace and love, all!

Catching up again...

2010-06-26T00:57:00.005-05:00

I've been caught up in the whirlwind once again. There is just so much to do. And when there isn't much to do, there is so much to see. I'm swamped! But there are some things I'd like to show you from wanderings I've had lately.

Here's me at Belvedere Castle, and then overlooking the Delacorte Theatre where I hope to catch some Shakespeare In the Park soon. And at the recently restored Bethesda Fountain. Central Park is such a gift. What a pleasure it is to spend a day just wandering. So much to see! So many adventures! This evening I was so happy to get caught up in the fireflies that emerged at dusk in the park. West coasters don't get this much, so it's pretty magical when it happens. Here's a little glimpse...

Well, I've got to get to bed. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Making good on delinquency...

2010-06-18T22:34:00.006-05:00

Oh wow, have I been tardy with a post lately! Honestly... I've been busy. Okay, maybe I haven't been busy enough to warrant the kind of procrastination that yields wonderful rambling posts, but I really have been swamped with various nifty jobs and gigs.

The biggest of the bunch has been the first of my weekly contributions to the Broadway.com website. This first piece found me awake for 26 hours straight. Check out a wee video accounting of the day here...

Today found me wandering around Hell's Kitchen, SoHo, the Lower East Side, Greenwich Village, and up 40 blocks of Seventh Avenue. Along the way, I gathered lunch, dinner, a couple beers, one of the most amazing donuts I've ever had, art supplies, new ear buds for my iPhone, and tons of photos. And I saw a really amazing movie... Micmacs (by the same team that brought us City of Lost Children and Amelie). What a day!

Tomorrow will find me water-taxiing to Governor's Island with my good friend Lisa for the aforementioned Brewfest. Beer tastings from 100 different craft brewers. Food and live music and an amazingly interesting setting. Should be a great afternoon.

Life is full here in NYC. There's a lot of fun to be had and thankfully the fun includes my work. I'm here to get the art out there. 'Nuff said. And I'm happy to say that the plan is working out. And the plan rolls on!

Best wishes to you all in all that's next. Peace and love.

Dropping in for a quick post...

2010-06-01T01:07:00.006-05:00

I haven't been the best at updating this thing lately. Whoops. But I'm still finding that balance between working on all the project in the works AND gallivanting around the city, meeting up with friends and sitting in Broadway theatres. (I'm making progress, though.)

Today, I took some "me" time after updating the websites to wander the neighborhood. I found a decent little sushi place and located where I'll be buying my next burger... and grabbed some groceries. Part of this excursion was during a lovely little summer rainfall. The pavement smelled like that freshly rained-on smell.

This past weekend found my friend Ralph in the city. He spent his time in the city gathering friends to see shows and share meals. It was so nice to see him and connect with others that are part of his gang o' pals. There he is at O'Flaherty's with a NYer by way of San Diego, Spencer. And there's me at dinner with Ralph and Moriah at Joe Allen. The wall decor is mostly posters from flop shows which is incredibly fun. I'm posing in front of a couple of my favorite flops' window cards.

Speaking of window cards, I don't think you've made it as a poster illustrator in this big city until someone has defaced your work. Here's my (gap-toothed) Danny Kaye (well... Brian who plays him) on 46th Street.

Life is full here in NYC. I'm diggin' the new adventure. And of course now I'm fading. Sleep! Tomorrow will bring more sketch work and then a bite with my pal Greg. June is here. Can you believe it?? Well, I gotta catch some winks. Take care. Peace and love.

Dinner at Sardi's.

2010-05-27T11:24:00.003-05:00

So few words these days can sum up such an old school Theatre District experience. Sardi's has been an institution since the 1920s and has distinguished itself throughout the years as THE place to see and be seen pre-show and post-show. And in my little world, I'm especially drawn to the place because it represents the place where theatre and caricature meet. Traditions live on here, and the history is palpable.

Another distinction here is the long-held tradition of offering a discounted Actor's Menu. Every day, the prices are a bit lower if you show a membership card from an actor's union, but on Wednesdays the prices drop well below that. I made the trip yesterday, and with my iPhone and Hipstamatic photo application I subtly documented the experience. Do you like how artsy fartsy this is?

L to R: Me in front of the brass signs on the sidewalk; the Actor's Menu; me at my table with oodles of caricatures behind me; the latest caricature (Stanley Tucci) to be hung on the walls; and a photo of the place after dark.

I had center cut pork chops and a Bass ale preceded by a side Caesar salad. Vanilla ice cream and coffee for dessert. All of it was amazing... the food, the service. But most of all, it did my soul good to take some time in this magical place. I'll be back.

NYC reflections...

2010-05-26T12:49:00.007-05:00

As I've been getting settled here in NYC – exploring, revisiting, catching up – I've been remembering some great times here in this city. My first trip to the Big Apple was just in 2004. It was the first time I was considering the move, but I wanted my first trip to be a vacation, so I got a hotel room at the Ameritania near the Ed Sullivan Theatre.

The first Broadway show I saw was the Roundabout revival of Sondheim's Pacific Overtures. Being a Sondheim nut it was a happy thing that I saw one of his shows first, especially since it features probably my favorite SS song, "Someone In A Tree." The intro to that song began and my face was suddenly a waterfall.

This trip was also incredibly significant because I visited the Margo Feiden Galleries, Al Hirschfeld's dealer. I hadn't planned on it previously, but I ended up dropping a significant amount of cash on Hirschfeld litho. (Read the story behind my purchase HERE.)

I discovered magical Central Park and marveled at how a huge, bustling, city with multitudes of busy folks has this huge green spot right smack dab in the middle of it. Here's the great Hans Christian Anderson statue next to Conservatory Water.

I love this city. I'm so happy to be here, and I'm proud of myself for taking a big step out of my box and shaking up the routine. I know it will pay off with something wonderful. To be honest, it already has. Just the act of making the jump has been a big reward.

I also want to acknowledge the constant evolution of a big city. Things go away. Sometimes this is really sad. A few visits ago (February 2007), my friend Meloney and I had an absolutely wonderful adventurous day. The main reason for the day was the Martin Sexton concert at Joe's Pub. But we dropped into an old bar called Chumley's in Greenwich Village. It has a long history as speakeasy and watering hole for multitudes (including famously many renowned authors). One of the many stories about how the term "86 it" came from originated here. When the bar owners were tipped off about a raid during Prohibition, they would call out "86 it!" which meant that the patrons were to leave out the front entrance which is 86 Bedford Street. F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald had their wedding reception here. Edna St. Vincent Millay occasionally subbed in behind the bar. It was a cozy, dingy old place lined with book dust jackets and graffiti-carved tables and benches. As Mel and I wrote poetry after the amazing Marty concert, the little fireplace took the chill off the place on the very cold day. I'm so glad that we had this magical experience.

Just two months after our visit, the pub management was digging in the basement to clear more space to chill beer kegs. They hadn't sought the correct inspections or permits, and they ended up compromising the foundation of the historic building. Although they're attempting a rebuild, Chumley's as generations have known it is gone. So sad. Here's a shot through the construction fencing.

I don't mean to leave this post on a sad note. Life goes on, and fortunately for this one amazing little nook, there are thousands more in this amazing city. Well, that's all for now. Take care! Peace and love.

More theatre and a doctor visit...

2010-05-20T12:47:00.004-05:00

I've been going going going. I've got to say that I'm SO grateful for the Theatre Development Fund. A membership has meant getting some dandy prices on tickets... which means I can afford to see more shows. Monday found me at Rock of Ages. So much fun! I joined Roller and mom Deb as they both got drawn for ticket lottery. On Tuesday, I saw the play Red...

Alfred Molina and Eddie Redmayne are just brilliant! The play (by John Logan with direction by Michael Grandage) is about abstract impressionist Mark Rothko and his assistant during a specific commission. Art. Relevance. Timing. Passion. Perception. Seeing. Really amazing stuff. I also was a bit mesmerized by the post-show milling about on the sidewalk in front of the Golden Theatre. The lights on the sidewalk are red and folks were standing around, chatting about the play. The cop was shuffling cabs along on their way. Really magical in an everyday sort of way.

Last night, I caught South Pacific at Lincoln Center. I had seen it close to the beginning of the run, but this time I was getting to see my pally E (Eric Anderson) in the show that marks his Broadway debut. I'm so proud of him. And the show is still breathtaking and tight and sharp and amazing.

As I said, I'm constantly on the go, and I think it might be getting to me a bit. A sinusy/throaty thing that I've been fighting on and off for a while has once again taken up shop. I made an appointment to see Dr. Irene Shapiro on Central Park West. Bless her, she's pretty ancient. Let's just say, I think her examination table is an antique. The permanent stirrups were a nice touch. She propped my arm on one when she took my blood pressure. It was all good, though. She got me a prescription for a z-pack and I'm on my way to recovery. Fun adventure.

Now, I'm taking the day to draw and update the websites (and of course procrastinate on Facebook and the blog). The next few nights I'll be seeing a few more shows. Such a wealth of stuff to see! Once again, I'm thankful to TDF for helping me avoid bankruptcy. That's it for now. Take care, all! Peace and love.

First big outdoorsy day...

2010-05-15T22:59:00.003-05:00

Wiped. Out. [This post will be written in fragmented sentences laboriously typed as if I walked all day on my fingers.]

Up late drawing. Slept in. Drew more. Got ready. Boarded train to West 14th Street. The Highline... old freight train line up the west side. Now beautiful walking paths. Met up with Roller and mom, Deb. Chelsea Markets. Yum. Walked across town. Union Square farmers market. More yum. People outdoors. Lots. Community. Colorful. Joyous (mostly). [There's a photo of the start of the Highline in the Meatpacking District. And then, looking back south, there's the Statue of Liberty shot through the building that houses Chelsea Markets.]

Wandered Hell's Kitchen. Street fair on 9th Avenue. Smelled fried goodness. (Too full from smoked salmon at Chelsea Market.) Met up with Jeffry and Erin for chat and nosh. Gooz joined. Hit the train with Gooz to Brooklyn. DUMBO. NY Photo Festival. Huge potluck and slide show under Brooklyn Bridge. [Must be the day for photographing the sights through other sights. Here's the Empire State Building through the Manhattan Bridge... from DUMBO.]

Gotta sleep. More work to do. But. Must. Wait. Until tomorrow. Unless I get a second wind of inspiration... * Nope. See you tomorrow. Peace. Love.

Boxes and art...

2010-05-15T00:03:00.007-05:00

This post might be a little extensive... First off, I finished the majority of my unpacking on Thursday, getting things relatively stowed and settled. The art equipment is ready and rarin' (which I took advantage of this past morning). Here are a couple views of the room. Most of the decor is my roommate Rudy's and the room has a travel theme. I have free reign to change it up, but for now I dig it.

After sketching away this morning, I headed into the City to take advantage of some art museums' free admission day. And to find the Manhattan satellite location of an amazing Oregon-based coffee company, Stumptown. It's in the Ace Hotel on 29th near Broadway and located in the same building is a little sub shop called No. 7 Sub. I just sort of stumbled upon it, and I'm so glad I did. I had their ceviche sub which included rice crackers, yuzu, and cucumber. Amazing. (I shall return.) And in the hotel lobby was this fab sign pointing to Stumptown...

Stumptown is an amazing free-trade company that really knows their coffee. I grabbed a pound of coffee that they ground for me to the specifications of my coffee maker. I ordered a latte which they created for me in this happy little mug. The crema of the shot was just amazing, and the latte art was perfect. There was no way I was marring this drink with any additive. So good. The staff all wore hats and most had tattoos. All the fellows had fun moustaches. A friend referred to the look as "very Brooklyny." I will definitely be back. And one of the perks is that my local R train stops just a block away.

After my jaw hit the sidewalk upon seeing the endless line to get into MOMA on their free Target Friday, I pushed on and got my ticket. But I held off entering right away to avoid the bag check line. Instead, I went next door to the (also free for a couple hours on Fridays) American Folk Art Museum. Their free events include live music, which in this case was a lovely folk singer, Jo Williamson. The collection here is really fantastic.

Once I finally made my way into MOMA, I discovered that the temporary exhibit is that of a performance artist named Marina Abramovic. On the main floor, she sat in a chair (in an enormous taped-off square surrounded by lights) and docents prepared guests to sit opposite her and stare into her eyes and share energy as long as desired. It was being filmed as part of a living exhibit. Interesting! And the exhibit continued on the sixth floor with other exhibits she had created. Fascinating!

It was a great afternoon of art. And then I met up with my friend Kilty to catch up and share a glass of wine. It is so wonderful to meet up with friends! Tomorrow I've got to get some more sketching done, but since it's supposed to be so pretty, I may just have to go experience some of NYC's amazing outdoor spaces... Central Park and something I've just learned about called The Highline, a reclaimed industrial path re-envisioned as an urban park. Sounds intriguing, yes? Take care, all! Peace and love.

A drippy, wonderful day...

2010-05-13T00:17:00.004-05:00

I can't make this too long because I'm currently procrastinating on the box unpacking, but the day was fantastic! I walked in the beautiful rain about 20 minutes from my place and met up with Brotha E for breakfast. It's so wonderful to have family in the area!

Then I headed into the City for my first Broadway show during my residency. (Sounds like I'm a doctor.) Since the very first Broadway show I saw was the 2004 revival of Sondheim's Pacific Overtures at Studio 54, I felt it was fitting that this time around I would see Sondheim On Sondheim, also at Studio 54. Back in Ott 4, I wept when hearing my favorite Sondheim song, "Someone In A Tree." This time around, I was particularly moved by songs from Sunday In the Park With George and Merrily We Roll Along... especially some words from the song "Now You Know":

"It's called burn your bridges, start again.
You should burn them every now and then
Or you'll never grow!
Because now you grow.
That's the killer, is
Now you grow."
– Stephen Sondheim

Now, I've not actually burned any bridges, but I am starting a new adventure on a new coast. Nothing new in this situation is insurmountable, but the decision to actually make the change was way out of my comfort zone. I'm proud of myself, and I look forward to diving in with my whole being. Oh, and it made me so happy to hear Barbara Cook sing "In Buddy's Eyes" and "Send In the Clowns."

After that show, I met up with Zach (from the Route 66). We picked up Everyday Rapture tickets at TKTS and grabbed some BBQ. The que was good and the show was fantastic! Thanks Zach!

Now, I'm unpacking boxes and getting things settled. The art supplies and equipment are ready and rarin' to go. "At last... my arm is complete again!!" I really should take the day tomorrow to get all my stuff stowed and/or up-and-running. The weekend might be a little nutty... a couple meetings, Roller's Mom coming into town and possibly wanting an show buddy while Roller works, and some errands to do. I'm hitting the ground running, and I feel like I've started to plug into the energy of this great City. Here we go! Take care, all! Peace and love.

The new chapter...

2010-05-11T11:00:00.004-05:00

Well, I'm writing this from my new digs in Astoria, NY. The boxes just got here and I'm cooling off from schlepping them up the stairs. And I'm munching on a Usinger's hickory stick from ol' Milwaukee and finally watching the Betty White SNL on Hulu. This is some funny stuff!

Route 66 closed very well on Sunday. The crowds were strong and on board until the end. We had lots of friends and family and Rep company and staff in the house which was lovely. I'm so glad this show happened, and I'm so grateful for it.

So yesterday... We left for the airport around noon. Zach, his dog Petey, and I made it in time to grab a bite before the flight. (Also serendipitously ran into Lee Ernst as he was returning from teaching in Delaware.) The flight was mostly uneventful (except for one quick drop in altitude) but once we got to NY, Zach directed my attention out the window... We were coming up the western side of Manhattan, a view I'd never seen since this was my first time flying into LaGuardia. There was the Statue of Liberty and then all those tall buildings. Really cool.

The apartment was just a short cab ride from the airport, and once I was there, I stowed my suitcases, and the roommate, Rudy, and I took a walk around the neighborhood. He's been here for 13 years, so he gave me the inside scoop on the good markets and restaurants. I look forward to exploring the neighborhood. Heck, I look forward to exploring so much in this city!

I unpacked the suitcases and then ventured into Manhattan. I grabbed a slice and dropped into a favorite watering hole, Pony Bar, at 45th and 10th. My buddy Steve was playing and singing at Sweet Caroline's a couple blocks away from there, so I stopped in to say "howdy." Then I walked around the block to O'Flaherty's on 46th where I met up with my friend Lisa (the Gooz), her fella Rob, and the gang from Million Dollar Quartet to watch their performance on the Letterman show. It was fun to hang with folks that I had only seen headshots of as I was drawing their caricatures... and super nice to get such a warm welcome from them. Then my peeps Jenn and Luis came by after Jenn had performed in Broadway by the Year: 1966 at Town Hall. What crazy great folks, all! We parted ways, and as I headed to the train to get back out to Astoria, I passed St. Luke's Theatre where my artwork adorns the marquee (not my best work, but still very cool). A homeless man was standing in front of the theatre, eating a pretzel and staring at my marquee. I took it as a sort of friendly wave from this city... my new home.

On my last full day in Milwaukee as I was packing, I ordered delivery from a Chinese/Japanese place where the sushi was actually remarkably good. It came with a fortune cookie which provided this fortune: "To love what you do and feel that it matters – how could anything be more fun?" Indeed. Gratitude.

Now, I'm gonna get cleaned up head into the city. Can't wait to hang out with the other Justin tonight. We had a great time when we were in LA at the same time, and NYC should be even more fun. That's all for now. Don't expect each entry to be this extensive. (Face it... you'd get bored.) But it's my first entry from the east coast. Had to be done! Take care, all! Peace and love.

Closing another chapter...

2010-05-06T23:41:00.004-05:00

When planning this whole big move, I had anticipated having a hard time closing the Los Angeles leg of my journey. And that part came true. I had a hard time saying goodbye (at least for now) to my home of almost 20 years. (In fact I'm already considering a return visit in mid-July.) I knew from experience that my time in Milwaukee would be nice, but I had also figured that this leg of the journey would be a sort of means to an end. But I'm finding that I'm a bit melancholy saying goodbye to this chapter. I've had a great time. See a couple posts back for some of the reasons I'm having a hard time hitting the road.

I sent off my boxes yesterday. Suddenly, 424 pounds of my belongings were making their way to Astoria, NY. And the apartment here in Milwaukee suddenly felt empty. I had to go visit a few local haunts to grasp onto the memories. I'm so excited about the NYC move, but three months here in Wisconsin has seeped into my soul... with their friendly folks and vibrant arts scene and fun & funky neighborhoods... and their brats and beer and custard and cheese and... I hope to be back sooner than later.

But my new home is NYC. I'm looking forward to landing in Astoria, Queens, NY. There's a sort of a big blank slate waiting for me... except that I've been writing on this slate for years already. I have a family of dear friends waiting for me. And my work precedes me too. I've been setting up meetings and meals and drinks. And I have three friends from LA who are visiting the city in the next month or two who have already chatted with me about getting together and sharing vittles and/or evenings in the theatre. It's a big transition moving across the country, but I'm feeling an incredible peace... tinged with excitement and anticipation about the new possibilities. Here I go!

Goodbye for now Milwaukee. I'll miss you! Take care, all! Peace and love.

Video: Lots of Broadway art...

2010-05-05T11:29:00.003-05:00

In the midst of the ongoing weekly sketches over at Squigs Knows His Lines, I set a parallel goal of creating an illustration celebrating every single show to open on Broadway in the 2009/2010 season. There were 38 of them. Six of these pieces were based on and/or culled from pieces I was commissioned to do. (I just realized that I was commissioned to draw almost 16% of new Broadway shows this year... pretty nifty!) And I drew more than that too. Here are the results in a little video that I narrated...

Certain times of the year were slow (January) and some were crazy (October & April). But I did it. I'm very happy with some of the pieces. Less happy with others. But I did it. It feels really satisfying to see them all in around three minutes. I did it! Hee hee.

And I have a distinct hunch that this won't be the last time I'll tackle this challenge. I have a feeling that my future is being shaped with every pen stroke, and I'm grateful. I thank God for my gifts and abilities and inspiration and the opportunities I've been afforded to make this all happen.

Well, that's all for now. I've got to tackle some long neglected website updates and business card layout. Whee! Take care, all! Peace and love.

Grateful for the gig...

2010-05-03T02:13:00.007-05:00

I've done a little doodlin' on the current endeavor in Milwaukee. It features the wacky cast of Route 66: Danny Calvert, Adam Estes, Zach Robbins, and myself. I am so grateful for this gig and for so many of the benefits:

• Creative: The chance to collaborate on this fun show has been so great. It is always a wonderful thing to be afforded the chance to do (and discover) what one does well, to be encouraged and supported to do so, and to find a way to do it eight times a week. It was also a really great thing to get to know the Rep family a bit better and have the chance to learn some new things.
• Financial: I've been able to take advantage of this contract to live rent-free and sock away money for the move to NYC. I was also able to utilize the shipping and airfare clauses in the contract to get me and my stuff to my next chapter.
• Professional: There have been so many new relationships developing in my time in Milwaukee. I'm happy to be exploring artistic collaborations with both the Rep and the Ten Chimneys Foundation. And the wide-open schedule has allowed me to take on numerous art commissions and develop relationships and networking with folks across the country.
• Familial: I am SO happy that many family members were able to come see the show. First, I received a lovely visit from my brother and his family. And then, Mom, Grandma, and aunts Pam and Sandi made the trip and shared a wonderful visit.
• Physical: Getting a good cardio workout almost every day has been great for so many reasons, and the walk between the hotel and the theatre has been fab for getting into NYC walking shape.
• Adventure: I always love experiencing a new place. Now, I've been in Milwaukee previously, but it has been a wonder to experience it with a new set of folks. And one of the major highlights was singing the national anthem in front of 26,000 folks which included 90 from the Rep. I really dig Milwaukee.
• Soul: Time shared laughing, eating, drinking, playing has been an absolute joy. I treasure my time with the Rep family, the Radio Golfers, and my own show family. Making people laugh and making good music is one of the most amazing gifts. I have been blessed to get the chance to do so with a talented and fun group of folks for 70 some-odd performances over the last few months.

To all of you who joined me on this leg of the journey, thank you! Thanks to the Rep family, and even more specifically the gang at the Stackner Cabaret. Thanks to my Route 66 cast and behind-the-scenes fab folks. Thanks to Bets Malone and Michael Borth for their creative mastery. And extra special thanks must go to Roger Bean for making it all happen.

That's it for now. I've got to get some winks before a well-earned day off... which will find me doing laundry and repacking boxes before catching a movie and then heading to Racine to be hosted by our fab stage manager and amazing chef, Richelle. Take care, all! Peace and love.

A breath after the art whirlwind...

2010-04-30T10:37:00.005-05:00

Okay, I still have work to do on various projects, but a huge pile of work has been created, shipped, and presented. All in all, I drew for five Broadway show opening night commemorations: The Addams Family, Million Dollar Quartet, American Idiot, Promises Promises, and Everyday Rapture. I'm so grateful and proud to have had these opportunities. And I'm also so grateful that so much work has meant that I've been able to sock away some good money for the impending final leg of the move to NYC!

Here's detail of the Everyday Rapture piece. Sheri Rene Scott plays a person who is also named Sheri Rene Scott and tells the story of her journey from Mennonite Kansas to showbiz Manhattan. In addition to the sketch featuring her cast and directorial team, it also features Jesus, Mr. Rogers, and Judy Garland. Fun project. I can't wait to see the show when I get to NYC.

Well, I do have more to draw before I pack up my boxes for shipping early next week. Can't believe these three Milwaukee months have passed so quickly. Time flies when you're having fun... truly.

Take care, all! Best wishes in your journeys. Peace and love.

If you make that face...

2010-04-27T22:08:00.011-05:00

...it will stay that way. Was Mom right? She was if you're talking about casting your face in stone. And that's just what I got to do today. My friend (and Milwaukee Rep resident company member) Lee Ernst is a treasure trove of theatrical knowledge and passion. He offered to cast my face to give me yet another tool in my arsenal of makeup know-how... to create prosthetics.

Here's me after the bald cap application, the alginate drizzle and smear, and the plaster-soaked cloth strips.

And as we waited for it all to set, I did my best Claude Rains impersonation. Where my shades at? Or am I Boris Karloff?

Here's the negative after we peeled it off my face, sitting in a cradle of newspaper before Lee poured the stone mixture into it. It looks like a positive image, huh? It's how the busts in Disneyland's Haunted Mansion follow you as you walk by.

Here's Lee chiseling stone out of my nostril. It's a glamour job.

And here's me, Lee, and me. Thanks SO much, my friend! I'm so grateful! P.S. I love that you left the soul patch!

And only the day before, we joined 90-some fellow Rep family members at Miller Park to witness the Brewers trounce the Pirates. And we also lent a hand with the festivities. Here's a little video I cobbled together showing some of the adventure...

What a rush that anthem was! Can you hear the crazy delayed echo? It's like having someone sing exactly what you just sang a second earlier right in your ear. Wacky! We had such a great time. Once the game started, we took advantage of dollar hot dog night and partook of some local beer. The Brewers won this evening, 17-3. Just pulled it out. We think it was our harmony.

Well, that's it for now. Best wishes, all! Peace and love.

Another peep...

2010-04-25T21:56:00.008-05:00

Still here amidst the whirlwind! Lots of performances under the belt and lots of art shipped out. Here are the latest two pieces that have been commissioned for Broadway opening nights...

American Idiot opened at the St. James Theatre (or "St. Jimmy Theatre" since that corresponds with a character from the show) on April 20. Rita and Tom Kitt commissioned this illustration of key members of the creative team which of course includes Green Day.

The next piece was just presented this evening by my friend Kristen Beth Williams who is making her Broadway debut in Promises, Promises. She commissioned this piece. I wish all my friends best wishes for long runs. And I can't wait to see these shows when I get to the city in just barely over two weeks!

In other fun art news, I've recently drawn a caricature that may be adorning t-shirts in a big Hollywood movie. The movie is called Butter and my caricature is of Ty Burrell (Modern Family). I hope I haven't overshared, but keep an eye out for Butter in 2012.

And on the Route 66 front, we're plugging away and have a mere 16 performances left to go. We went into the studio last Monday to record the demo of the show and we hear it turned out really spiffy. Tomorrow, Adam, Danny, and I will join Rep company member Lee Ernst to sing the national anthem at a Brewers game. New Rep artistic director Mark Clements will be throwing out the first pitch, and around 90 folks from the Rep will be in attendance. Should be fun. Hope I don't forget the lyrics!

I just figure the next two weeks will be a continuation of the whirlwind. I have a few more art projects, but I'm doing my best at not taking on too much because there's so much to do! I have to repack my boxes and get things set for the final leg of my big NYC move. It's an exciting time! And I don't want to miss out on a few more visits to my favorite Milwaukee haunts. This really is a great town. I'll miss it. Hope I get to come back someday soon.

Well, that's a long-winded quick post. Best wishes to you all! Peace and love.

A peep from amidst the whirlwind...

2010-04-16T13:00:00.006-05:00

It has been wild here in my little world here in Milwaukee. Route 66 is still cookin' and the art commissions keep rolling in (and out via my local post office).

But in the midst of all the craziness, it was wonderful to get a visit from Mom, Grandma, Aunt Sandi, and Aunt Pam. I met them in Chicago on Monday and we explored the Field Museum and had an amazing dining experience at Shaw's Crab House. I headed back north to jump into my week of shows, and after they visited Springfield, IL, they arrived in Milwaukee. We sampled some of the MKE's fine vittles and they came to see the show last night. It was such a nice visit. As I type, they're at the airport heading out on their various flights. In the photo (left to right) is Mom, me, Aunt Sandi, Aunt Pam, and Grandma.

I can reveal a couple of the recent commissioned illustrations since they've been presented on the shows' opening nights. Here's The Addams Family featuring the whole cast and much of the creative team and staff (almost 50 folks in total). Cast member Aléna Watters spearheaded a collaborative commission with fellow ensemble members.

Next is Million Dollar Quartet featuring the cast, swings, director, and music director. Swing Victoria Matlock commissioned the piece. Thank you all so much for thinking of me to be a part of the commemoration of the shows' journeys.

And of course things are getting busier.

The final three weeks of the show are here, and our three days off are already packed with activity. Monday, we welcome our director Roger and musical director Michael back to town as we go into the studio to record the new demo of the show. The following Monday, we'll be singing the national anthem at a Brewers/Pirates game. And our last Monday will bring what I know will be an amazing dinner prepared by our stage manager Richelle. She spoils us! We do have a random Thursday off too (because one of our gang has to head back to NYC for a TV audition/gig) and I hope to go daytrippin' that day. We'll see how that works out because...

The phone keeps ringing with art projects. I'm trying to take on anything and everything, and that presents challenges... nothing I can't handle, though (I hope). I'm currently sketching another Broadway show and a caricature to be used in a big ol' Hollywood movie. More shows keep opening on Broadway since we're reaching the Tony nomination cut-off, so my goal of posting an illustration of each one on Squigs Knows His Lines gets more and more challenging. I have four pieces next to the light board ready to ink. And I have a couple flexible pieces on hold as the wacky deadline pieces get done. Add to all this the adjustments I'm having to make on my websites (due to the move and new artwork) AND a new business card design. I'm keeping my head above water, but only just.

And of course I'm procrastinating by updating the blog and Facebook. I gotta get back to the drawing board. That's all for now. If you see another blog post in the next weeks, it's likely that it's due to more procrastination. Until then, take care all! Peace and love.

P.S. Someone has been commenting on posts in a language I don't understand. I feel bad for denying the comments in my moderation, but I just want to be able to know what's being said before I release them for posting. Thank you for your interest, and I hope you understand.

That toddlin' town!

2010-04-06T13:01:00.003-05:00

Well, we're seven weeks into our run here in Milwaukee. The crowds are still diggin' it and tickets are becoming more scarce. It's a really great thing to make folks laugh and make some great music. Mom, Grandma, and Aunts Pam and Sandi drop into town to see the show next week, director Roger and musical director Michael visit the following week to record a demo of our show, and our gang will sing the national anthem at a Brewers game the week after that. We're chugging along on Route 66.

As I've mentioned, I'm mostly chained to the drawing board during the days with various commissions. I just mailed off a huge piece yesterday, and another high-profile piece is in late revisions. I have three pieces that I need to complete and send off in the next few days, and a couple more big ones that are looming next week. It's a thrilling, exhausting, and rewarding work load. I'm so grateful. (And once the art has been officially unveiled, I'll post it here so you can see the fruits of my labor.)

But sometimes a fellow needs some time off. I decided to take a day trip to Chicago yesterday. I tagged along with fellow Route 66er, Adam Estes, since he had to drive south for an audition, and while he was there I visited the amazing Art Institute of Chicago and grabbed some stuffed pizza at Giordano's. Then I met up with Adam and we checked out the penguins and monkeys and big cats at the Lincoln Park Zoo, had a beer at highly rated beer bar The Map Room, did a little window shopping, and experienced some blues at Kingston Mines.
Then on the drive back to the MKE we got caught in a crazy hail storm and had to park the car partially under an overpass with a dozen other cars. The lightning was crazy! Especially since everyone stayed safe, I was so happy to experience a wild Midwest thunderstorm. Fun day!

Now I'm sitting at my computer, procrastinating on three pieces that need to make some major headway before the day is out. Gotta draw, y'all!

Not dead...

2010-04-02T22:44:00.002-05:00

I know, I know... I'm not posting regularly. I'm busy! The show and the art during the day is keeping me burning it at both ends. The good news is that I'm getting a lot of really good work accomplished. The bad news... I don't update any online updating outlet unless I'm procrastinating.

Anyhoo... This will be a short update. Spring is springing here in Milwaukee. The last couple of days brought temps in the 70s (and even 80s). We return to 50s and rain tomorrow, but spring is on its way. So on my latest grocery excursion, I bought some flowers and made a dandy arrangement to keep me company whilst I slave away at the drawing board (also known as the dining table in my spiffy Milwaukee pad).

Okay now, I've got to get to inking my latest commissioned creation before it gets too darn late to think. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Often in absentia...

2010-03-25T23:43:00.004-05:00

It's a great thing to be busy. I sort of thrive when I have a full schedule. I get things done quicker and often better when I have multiple deadlines breathing down my neck. Of course I'm doing my show in the evenings and all day on weekends, and I'm working of various projects on the weekdays... tax prep and multiple art commissions.

The commissions are fun and challenging and varied, and I'm so thankful. Even when required to make numerous revisions, the work is thrilling. I have many more projects in the offing including some exciting opening night show commissions and some commemorative illustrations. The future will likely bring some incredibly exciting possibilities including a project with a major Broadway website and a collaboration with the Ten Chimneys Foundation which is preserving the Lunts' (first couple of Broadway) legacy of fine work onstage and fine living offstage.

Speaking of Ten Chimneys, I rented a car on Monday to run some errands and take a trip out to Genesee Depot, Wisconsin to meet with the gang out there and get a personal tour of the estate. It was nice to be back behind the wheel after over a month away from it. In addition to dropping into Genesee Depot, the day found me in Illinois depositing some checks, grabbing sushi with my buddy Jim from the Stackner Cabaret, and enjoying some frozen custard at Kopp's, a Milwaukee institution. So good!

In summary, the show is rocking – officially extended through May 9th – and our cast is preparing to perform at an event at a local mall, record a demo recording of the show, and sing the national anthem at a Brewers game next month. And the art is really cooking... so many possibilities that are becoming reality. Life is good and I'm so grateful.

Well, that's all for now. I've got to document some more receipts for the taxes. Ugh. Well, life is MOSTLY good. Ha! Take care, all! May peace and love prevail.

I am beloved in Sweden...

2010-03-16T10:17:00.001-05:00

Check this out.

Quick post: A few random things...

2010-03-11T13:17:00.003-06:00

Hi all! Here are just a few random thoughts I felt like sharing. First off, on Tuesday, Zach and I from our cast joined the team from Radio Golf (the Rep's Stiemke Theatre) for soul food at Mr. Perkin's place. Wow! I had smothered pork chops, greens, mac & cheese, and fried okra. Can't eat like this all the time, but once in a while, it's an immense treat!

Being in Wisconsin, the folks on the news are going to talk about the city Sheboygan rather often. Is it wrong that every time they do, I want to say "Sheboygan" like Jerry Lewis? And it kind of sounds like a wacky cartoon sound effect.

In the middle of my solo in the encore last night, I jabbed myself in the left eye socket with my thumb. Real smooth, Robertson. I instantly had a lump and multicolor bruising. But ice helped, and it doesn't look too bad today. I'm still taking some makeup to the theatre today.

A couple weeks ago, I drew the cast of the Rep's production of The Seafarer for the weekly project. It went over really well, and I've received so much positive feedback and just plain encouraging comments. (Maybe I jabbed myself in the eye because I'm not used to my head being this big.) But among the niftiest of things to come out of this is that Dawn, the Rep's managing director, asked if I'd donate a print to be signed by the cast and auctioned at their upcoming gala fundraiser. I feel so honored!

And the last topic today is that I was surprised to check in with my Equity insurance office to see when I might have health insurance coverage again... and I was told that beginning April 1, I have six months of coverage. Hallelujah! This means that as I hit the Big Apple in this crazy transition in my life, I have one less thing to stress about. Yippee!

Well, I've got to get back to the drawing board. I want to layout two more sketches before heading to the theatre for a nearly sold-out performance tonight. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Our Route 66 gang...

2010-03-08T00:45:00.004-06:00

As we head into our day off at Route 66, I thought I'd post a shot of our cast. Here we are... Danny Calvert, Adam Estes, Zach Robbins, and me. It has been a tough but highly rewarding week, and we are happy to have the show up and running. It only gets easier from here. And we have more time to ourselves as well. I'm looking forward to the new temporary routine and a few local adventures too.

I'm happy to say that my bro and his family will be seeing the show next week. And then Mom, Grandma, Aunt Pam, and Aunt Sandi will see us in April.

Oh... Here's a shot of a couple of the lovely gifts we received on opening night (taken especially because they looked pretty together). The orange bag and mug are from director/author Roger Bean, and the cute car-covered cupcake is from Stackner cabaret artistic director Sandy Ernst. I also got some other amazing gifts and some really touching sentiments written in cards. It was a lovely opening night. [Note: I drew the Route 66 logo for Roger years ago, so it's really cool to see it all over the Rep's advertising and these gifts. Twice in the show, we even recreate the four little guys' actions. Who knew this would happen when it was on the drawing board?]

And now I've got to put final touches on a couple pieces for Squigs Knows His Lines. Take care, all! Peace and love.

The show is open and the snow is melting!

2010-03-07T13:03:00.004-06:00

The highs have been in the 40s lately and huge snow drifts are mere wisps of their former selves. Local weather folk are saying that spring is on its way which I hope is true. I've actually enjoyed my daily walks in the cold, but I've found that it's sort of an art to bundle up in a way that allows a person to look somewhat decent upon arriving at one's destination.

The biggest news here is that Route 66 is now open! We had three days of "hurry up and wait" tech rehearsals followed by a tune-up day and a paying preview audience on Friday. Yesterday, we brushed up a few things before our call time. The Stackner cabaret was filled with enthusiastic folks, including our wonderful creative team and lots of Rep family. It was great to see pally Steve who was out to witness his wife Betsy's first choreographic work (so great). The show went over very well and many think it will do very well for the Rep and the Stackner's sales. That's a happy thing. Once I get access to some production photos, I'll post them here. Until then, here's another photo of fellows trying on cow headdresses.

Now we have one more performance tonight before a well-deserved day off. And now it's time for me to get into the routine of the next two months: drawing, regular gym visits, prepping for the NY move, seeing more of Milwaukee. So much to do!

Oh... While I'm in great company here in the MKE, it's always nice to see something from loved ones in my little Rep mailbox. If anyone wants to drop a line, here's my mailing address:

Justin Robertson
c/o Milwaukee Repertory Theatre
108 E. Wells St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202

Take care all! I hope to post more over the next weeks since I have some more time on my hands. Until the next time... peace and love.

And I helped...

2010-03-01T23:24:00.002-06:00

It's not my usual style, but I did contribute to this commercial for Reprise Theatre Company's production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. John Hennessey, designer for Reprise, provided me with a photo of a Roman bust. I experimented with my Wacom tablet and made adjustments in Photoshop to make the bust look like it was in the midst of a goofy guffaw. Said bust is featured prominently in this commercial. Enjoy...

Rehearsing Route 66...

2010-02-27T09:50:00.004-06:00

Just a quick entry today. Rehearsals are really chugging along here. [Note: Terms in italics are theatre terms that some reading this blog might not be familiar with. I don't mean to sound condescending to those in the know... just educational to those who might not be as familiar.] We've staged the entire show (learned where to go and what to do once we get there), and in the last two days we've stumbled through the whole thing (running the show, speedbumps and all, to see what we still have to focus on). Today, we'll be fixing things and focusing on trouble spots, and then we'll run through the whole show again. Tomorrow, the designers (lighting, sound, costumes, etc.) and theatre staff will watch our designer runthrough.

Then we'll be having dinner in our show venue (the Stackner Cabaret) and watching the closing performance of the current show (Pearl Bailey... By Request). Then we have a lovely day off before hitting tech week when we'll spend long hours putting all the elements together. The show we've been putting together in the rehearsal hall will meet the actual show space and all the collective elements our designers have in store for us. We welcome our first audience next Friday, March 5 (I think), and we officially open on Saturday, March 6. Here we go!

The photo above features (in the foreground) choreographer Bets Malone, director/writer Roger Bean, and stage manager Richelle Calin. And reflected in the mirror are fellow cast members Zach Robbins and Adam Estes. Yes, Zach is modeling cow horns. Ah, the glamorous life we lead! Ha ha!

Now I'm going to review my notes from last night so I don't make the same mistakes again. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Delinquent post... from Milwaukee!

2010-02-22T20:29:00.002-06:00

Hello, all! I am SO sorry it has taken me a while to post an entry. I've had a few moments to myself, but they've mostly been spent getting settled in my temporary digs, reviewing music and choreography, catching up on laundry, grocery shopping, and an occasional outing with my show gang (a necessity when most of the days are spent with the nose at the grindstone). The above photo finds me in front of my home until early May – The Knickerbocker on the Lake. In the photo, my apartment is concealed behind the upper right corner of my hat.

Today was particularly glorious in the ways of winter. It really isn't too cold... upper 20s to mid 30s. But last night, a rain froze just before the snow arrived, so the snow stuck to all the trees, and this morning they were cloaked in white, down to the tiniest twig. Wow! Here's a view of the park across the street from the Knickerbocker. Lake Michigan is in the background. And then there's one of the lions that flanks the entrance to the hotel. I think I'll name him Nick. (Get it? Nick at the Knick!)

I haven't thought to take too many photos in rehearsals, but you can catch a glimpse of our cast in an interview here. And you can see our show's title tune in progress here. You might notice that I space out a couple places. Hey, I'm working on it! The footage was taken by local actor and personality John McGivern who, among many other irons in the fire, contributes a video blog to local theatre website (and playbill-type company) Footlights. John, a great guy and an amazing proponent of Milwaukee and the arts, also owns some of the lodgings the Rep is renting for us at the Knickerbocker, including my place.

Today on the day off, the Rep organized a trip to outlying shopping areas for those of us without cars. Our host, Marilyn, shuttled us to Target and Trader Joe's. Oh, how I love TJ's! I think my visit must have provided a bump in their market shares, but it feels good to have a well-stocked fridge full of healthy-ish goodies.

After rehearsal yesterday, some of the gang grabbed a bite and returned to the Rep to catch a performance of The Seafarer, a drunken tale centered around a poker game. The performances were just amazing... a real testament of the talent here in Milwaukee. And I was inspired to capture them in my weekly sketch for my Squigs Knows His Lines page. Here it is:

MILWAUKEE TIP #1:

In my regular (or semi-regular) posts here, I'll offer suggestions for places to visit in Cream City... to grab a bite, to have an adventure, to put the feet up or whatever. While not heeding a particular order of significance, I'll start with the Comet Cafe on Farwell. Everything I've had there so far has been delightful... the baked mac & cheese, the hummus and olive plate, some carefully selected microbrews. It's an old-school smoky dive that has received a facelift (ditching the "smoky" and adding healthier alternatives to their comfortable diner fare). This evening I was on the edge of my seat as we watched Olympic curling.

And across the street is a little hole-in-the-wall called Flipville Records where you must squeeze through cramped aisles to find vinyl of yesteryear and tchotchkes of yore (lunchboxes, action figures, Matchbox cars, etc.). It's a bit of a time machine on Milwaukee's east side.

Well, I've got to go practice my Route 66 moves so I don't look stupider in rehearsal tomorrow. Take care, all! Peace and love.

The road trip of road trips...

2010-02-05T01:39:00.000-06:00

Almost 1000 miles. Okay... just over 900. But it's quite a schlep. I'm hauling myself and numerous boxes in my car along the 101 or the 1 north into Oregon. Quite a trek! Here are some highlights so far:

• Getting started – I hit the road around 9am on Wednesday. After grabbing coffee and a banana, I headed north on highway 101.

• Hearst Castle – Wow! It's hard to believe that someone lived like this. On 200,000 acres, there's a private airfield, a commercial dock, a zoo, and an immense mansion. The rooms are styled on themes... gothic, cloisters, baroque, etc. There are two enormous pools, an institutionally-equipped kitchen, and kennels for some 60 dachsunds. I can't even begin to fathom the kind of privilege this sort of ownership would bring.

• Big Sur – I watched the sunset as I drove north into Big Sur. Double wow!

• Monterey – I stopped over in Monterey before hitting up Cannery Row and the Monterey By Aquarium. This place is simply mesmerizing. The Row – as immortalized by Steinbeck – is now quite the commercial property, but you can catch a glimpse of yesteryear if you squint tightly enough. And the aquarium is absolutely spectacular!

• San Francisco – I stopped off briefly in the Frisco before I crossed the Golden Gate for destinations northward. I had intentions to hit up the Rogue brewing pub in North Beach, but they weren't going to open until I needed to be on my way. Oh well. But I got some great shots of Coit Tower and the Transamerica Building.

• Humboldt County – I wish that I saw more of this area during the daytime. As I moseyed into the redwood forests, I saw the bases of some of these giants, but as I passed signs advertising "Grandfather Tree" and "Drive-Thru Tree" I ached that I was missing it all. I was, however, impressed with folks who created peace signs with twinkle lights so I could experience the gist of the vibe in the dark.

Now, I'm sitting in a hotel room in Eureka, and I'm anxious to see the town in the daylight. Tomorrow will bring new adventures in visits to Trees of Mystery and points northward into Oregon. I just hope it will include visits to some spectacular lighthouses. We'll see. By tomorrow night, I'll be sleeping in my folks' guest bed.

The journey is wild. I'm happy to be on the journey, and I love that you're on it with me. Take care! Peace and love.

Oh my word... what have I done?

2010-02-04T00:07:00.001-06:00

I'm sitting in a hotel room in Monterey, California. I left my LA apartment this morning with the remainder of my earthly belongings (that isn't on postal trucks around the country). The day's journey has taken me and my car towards Oregon where I'll leave said car and some boxes with my folks as I head east... Milwaukee for three months and then NYC.

My roots have been firmly planted in Southern California for almost 20 years. I've recently realized that I have spent more time there than I have in the place I was born and raised. A great majority of my family of friends are in SoCal, and in addition to packing my life into carefully planned boxed shipments, I've also spent the last couple of weeks saying "goodbye for now" to these folks who have been a part of my life over these years. While it has brought me great joy to be able to see these loved ones together in one place or another, I've also been left with a bit of an ache each time... knowing that life is changing and familiar places are passing into revered memory. Thank goodness that technology has made the world smaller and that a visit to the old neighborhood is just a plane ticket away.

Why have I found the need to make such a drastic change and move? In the gatherings of late, I've been telling many versions of the one main reason... my art needs the validity of being in the middle of the NY theatrical community and potential opportunity needs my presence to grow. I've been contemplating the move for almost six years now, and at this point I have to ask myself, "If not now... when?" It's time. However as free-wheelin' as I like to think I am, change is hard for me. I've actually fallen asleep each night for the past few weeks with anxiety pangs, and I've awoken the last two days with the dry heaves. And then I've had to remind myself that I not only have the support of countless friends and family members and colleagues, but I have a great potential that a lot of hard work has honed and focused upon a big dream. And that dream will come true if I take this leap.

And as the rubber meets the road... I'm following my heart. I value your prayers and positive thoughts. Here I go!

I want to note that this is the first journey I've taken quite a long time on which my feet haven't been shod in my ol' Doc Martins. I broke them in in London in 1994, and they've been on every trip abroad since. But it was time to retire them after many treasured steps over the years.

And finally, I offer a couple recent pieces I've posted over at Squigs Knows His Lines. Time marches on and so does my commitment to my weekly self-assigned project. Here's Scarlett Johansson and Liev Schreiber in A View from the Bridge on Broadway and Norman Large and Debbie Prutsman in Sweeney Todd in Long Beach, California. I may have to cheat in the next couple weeks as travels take me hither and yon around the country, but for now... fresh art weekly. I hope you enjoy.

That's quite a long and rambling message, but that's all for now. Take care! Peace and love, loved ones.

Good strides.

2010-01-29T12:43:00.000-06:00

Wow, I needed a day like yesterday. I got so much done. Primarily, I found homes for my desk, tall shelves, and old computers. I sold the desk through an ad on Craigslist, and just a few hours after the initial e-mail, it was on its way out the door. (Thankfully I had finished my last illustration assignment yesterday morning.) The tall shelves went to my friend Mary and a non-profit she has called The Birthday Box Project (giving fully packaged party kits to underprivileged kids). Since the departure of these items kind of crept up on me, last evening was under the time crunch of clearing the desk and shelves... and getting quite a bit of the stuff in boxes. The computers will be literally going across the street to a little computer shop which will polish 'em and resell for low prices. I'm not getting any money for them, but at least they're saving me the cost of recycling.

I also finished boxing up books and music for my media mail shipment to the folks. Right now, I'm off to the post office to send them off. And then I'll swing by the printer to make the spiffy prints of my commissioned piece. This afternoon, I'll pack some more, and then I'm heading south to return a friend's guitar I've borrowed. Back home tonight to pack some more and hit the hay for a busy weekend of coffee and meetings and gatherings. Wheee!

I'm not entirely sure why I'm listing out all the details of my to-do list except that I think it helps my resolve to see what I've accomplished. You just happen to get to have a peek into my whirlwind. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Getting stressed...

2010-01-27T11:25:00.000-06:00

Wow, I'm becoming more and more aware of all I need to do before I take off next week.

I've made huge strides already, but I still need to box up my carefully divided piles. It's a big puzzle how everything will go into those boxes and where they will end up, and I think that's the most daunting part of the task.

I still need to find homes for my desk and a couple tall shelving units. I have leads, but it's stressful getting my needs and others' schedules to meet up.

Planning the drive to Oregon is giving me a little stress, but my hope is that once I'm on the road along the California coast, it will be a sort of vacation. My initial plan is to make it to Monterey on the first day, and on the way I want to see Hearst Castle and whatever else I can see. The second leg will bring the Monterey Aquarium, a short stop in San Francisco, and I'm hoping I'll be able to get to Eureka by nightfall. And then the final leg will take me up the coast into Oregon and to my folks in Lebanon. In addition to wanting to see the California and southern Oregon coastline, that route will also help me avoid what could be snowy patches along the I-5 route. I do look forward to being in the car, listening to favorite tunes including my reference CD of the songs that will be in the Milwaukee show. Road trip!

I've also gone ahead with plans to take part in a living room reading as a last (for now) hurrah with my peeps at Musical Theatre Guild. That takes place on Monday, but we have a read-through rehearsal this evening. I'm a little ashamed to say I haven't done much homework and I'm afraid that I will be the weak link. While they are working with me fully knowledgeable of my situation, I still feel bad. Maybe if I can just set aside an hour before rehearsal, I'll feel a lot better.

That's not all... I've taken on a commissioned illustration project that needs to be completed before I leave. On one hand, it's a little stressful, but on the other, it might just be the saviour of my sanity. When my brain gets full with planning and organizing and my body gets tired from lugging boxes, it has been healing to be able to sit at the desk and create something of beauty. The subject resonates with me and I'm finding it a joy to draw. And the fee will be partially applied to packing and shipping and traveling expenses, and for that I'm super grateful.

Add to all of this a steady schedule of meetings and lunches and coffees. I've got to plan a tiny road trip to return a guitar. I'll be attending the opening night of an amazing show featuring dear friends. And I've got to do my best to get my rest. The happy irony of this situation is that even though I'm stressed out, I've still been able to fall asleep when the head hits the pillow. Grateful!

And of course, I'm procrastinating by posting on my blog. But it does feel great to write out what's spinning in the noggin. Back to work! Take care, all! Peace and love.

Purgin' and packin'... but the art rolls on.

2010-01-25T02:39:00.001-06:00

In the midst of all this shuffling of my belongings, I've also been keeping the hand in the art. There are still a few commissioned things I'm working on, but the majority of what I've done lately is seen on my Squigs Knows His Lines page (which has been around for one full year now)...

Here are a few recent pieces. There's Ricky Jay who I caught in his latest one-man show in Los Angeles, the three gents who have played Tevye in the current Fiddler On the Roof tour, Elaine Stritch who is playing a limited engagement at the Café Carlyle, and pieces heralding the Broadway openings of Present Laughter (starring Victor Garber) and A View From the Bridge (starring Liev Schreiber and Scarlett Johansson).

I enjoyed a wonderful couple of hours at the Huntington Library and Gardens today, thanks to the benevolence of an anonymous friend. What a beautiful sunny and cool day in Pasadena! I absolutely loved perusing the art and the flora.

This week will be all about wrapping up... boxes, paperwork, time with friends. I have so much to do, but I think the scheduled work load is doable. Here we go! Take care, all! Peace and love.

Why do we get stuff?

2010-01-23T02:45:00.000-06:00

I've had quite the productive day. I raided the deepest corners of my living spaces and have come up with boxes and bags of stuff to send elsewhere. I took a bunch of stuff to Goodwill. I sold a bunch of books to a struggling mom & pop used bookstore. And I donated additional books to a wonderful arts library nearby. As I did so, I wondered to myself why I gather all this stuff. Each individual item comes to me for one of a variety of reasons. There are so many reasons one attains stuff, whether it be an impulse buy or well thought out and pre-planned purchase. I'm also certain that certain acquisitions find us because – simply – they make us happy. And I also often wonder to myself, "Why in the heck did I spend money on this?"

I'm hanging onto a bunch of stuff because it still serves a purpose (which might include simply making me happy), but part of the liberation of these recent days has been the process of deciding that certain things might serve others better. Pretty spiffy. More work has to be done, but I'm happy about where I'm at.

I also had the wonderful experience of having some friends gather for a sort of going away poker party this evening. My buddy Kevin Traxler cooked and baked his brains out and we ate like kings and queens. Wacky card-slinging shenanigans were followed by the viewing of silly videos. I'm so grateful. I'm having the best time in these going-away gatherings, and I also find myself sitting back and watching my friends laugh and chat, and it makes me so happy that this happiness goes on and on... and it will be here when I come back for visits. So much to be thankful for.

Well, that's it for now. Take care, loved ones! Peace and love.

Where did all this come from?

2010-01-20T17:13:00.000-06:00

I continue in my quest to purge the extraneous from my collections of stuff. It's amazing how daunting the task is. All my stuff seems to multiply, so as I tackle one box it seems like there's suddenly three to find homes for. But I'm getting a handle on it... so far.

My tool box had three old remote controls from TVs or VCRs I'd trashed years ago. I was hanging onto two old computers because I just didn't know how to erase the hard drives. I had tax files from 13 years ago and cell phone bills from eight years ago. I had a stack of 20 programs from the opening night of the Snow White show at Disneyland. One will do nicely. Piles and piles of stuff that serves me no purpose now, nor will in the future. I'm trashing things and, while some parts of the purge are a little melancholy, overall it's incredibly liberating.

Note: The decrepit disco ball in the photo above isn't actually mine. It was sitting in the parking lot of Debbie Reynold's rehearsal studios today as it hailed and poured. I was at the studios to audition for The Lion King and it went pretty decently. We'll see if I'm warthog material.

Okay... back to purging before I have to scoot along to Pasadena to see the Playhouse's production of Camelot. I'm really looking forward to seeing David Lee's pared-down and refocused take on a beautiful story. So here I go. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Kamikaze book purging.

2010-01-16T12:10:00.000-06:00

I'm going through my collections of books and DVDs and CDs and figuring out what to keep and how to pack 'em up and where to send them... and what to part ways with. I'm particularly paring down what has become a rather large book collection. There are a lot that I haven't cracked in years. So as I dive in and separate the keepers from the ones I'll be donating, I find that I've got to strike a balance between being relentless and being careful not to ditch something that will prove helpful in the future (or something that has sentimental value). When it comes to illustration books, my work has focused a bit and some how-to books aren't as necessary. And folios of certain artists are still nice to look at, but they don't inform my work as I once thought they would.

There are many reasons I've acquired these books. I have to look at each book and decide if those reasons still serve my purposes and enrich my life. And some have been given to me by family and dear friends, so I want to hang on to these. But there are many in this crazy collection that will be going places. The children's books will be going to a kids charity. I'm trying my best to find a home for the illustration books. I've unsuccessfully tried to get in contact with local arts libraries. Hopefully I'll find a place worthy of these great resources. If not, I'll have to be okay where they do land.

I've never been much of a hobby reader. I'm more of a hobby doodler (and theatre enthusiast), and my book collection informs that. Without reading too much (ha... punny) into this downsizing it's a little like getting rid of old friends. It's a good thing I don't have to do this with my actual friends. Ha!

So, I've got to get back to my book purging. So much to do! Take care, all! Peace and love.

Packing.

2010-01-13T23:25:00.000-06:00

There's something that's incredibly exhilarating about weeding through old files and getting rid of clothes not being used any more. And a second look at collections of books and DVDs and CDs and art supplies allows the seldom-used to find better homes. It's a good thing to purge the belongings occasionally, and if this were just a periodic downsizing, I'd be nothing but thrilled at my proactiveness. But this purge comes attached to the end of a chapter. I'm very proud of this chapter and I'm excited about the new chapter, but the transition is a little sad. I find that the time I've allotted to putting stuff in boxes is the time I most want to spend time on Facebook or drive around the neighborhood or even take a road trip. I'm getting a little blue about leaving my stomping grounds of almost twenty years. But it's time to make a change. And I don't need to purge my friends. They're all coming with me. Okay... just in my mind's eye and my heart (and via e-mail and Facebook and the phone), but they're coming with me all the same. Where's that roll of tape?

I'm moving.

2010-01-12T19:30:00.001-06:00

I've been gradually getting the word out, but boy do I know a lot of people! I'm so incredibly grateful for so many wonderful folks in my life, but it's a daunting task to get important info disseminated to everybody in a personal way. So while it's a little less than classy, I've been using Facebook and here I am on the blog.

I'm moving to New York City. It's a change I've contemplated for quite a few years, but as the artwork gets stronger word of mouth and more opportunities reveal themselves, it seems as though it's about time to focus my energies on and in the Broadway community. It also might be a good and adventurous thing to broaden the audition net. It's an adventure and there are so many possibilities.

So... I'm thrilled that work will gradually catapult me eastward. My friend Roger Bean has offered me a part in his Route 66 at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. February 2nd, I'll drive to Oregon to leave the car with my folks and then I'll fly to Milwaukee to begin rehearsals on February 9th. The show opens March 6th and closes on May 9th, and then my stuff and I will land in NYC.

Change is hard. I've got my apprehension and worries. I don't know where I'll be living in NY, and I don't know entirely how I'll be making a living. But then I realize I have three months and many resources to find a place, and there are so many possibilities already in the works for paying the rent. Whenever I think of how much I have to worry about, I remind myself how resourceful I am and that I'm not alone. I have so many angels on my side. Change is good.

So here's a random sampling of some of the things on my immense to-do list this month:
• Packing boxes to ship to Milwaukee.
• Packing boxes to store with the folks.
• Packing boxes and bags of donations to Goodwill.
• Packing suitcases for the flight to Milwaukee.
• Learning how to erase the hard drives of two old computers I'm donating.
• Finding the easiest and cheapest way to shred old files.
• Learning the guitar I'm supposed to play in Route 66.
• Learning the music for one last reading I'll be taking part in on February 1st.
• Meeting up with folks to say "goodbye for now."
• Getting ahead on my weekly art postings and commissions.
And much more. Lots to do!

And, boy, I'm going to miss my LA peeps! I've been in California for almost twenty years which is longer than I lived in the state in which I was born and raised. It's a wonderful thing that the internet has made the world so small. And I've got to keep reminding myself that it's just as easy to fly back to the west coast as it has been to visit the east coast. There are so many folks I treasure here. Some of the e-mails and calls I've already received have been so amazing. And I received an anonymous piece of mail today that included a free pass to the Huntington Library and Gardens and a note that said, "Thought you might enjoy an afternoon of sunshine and flowers before you head east." Wow! I'm so grateful for this chapter as I move on to a new one.

So best wishes of peace and love go out to you all in 2010. There's adventure to be had out there. Go find some!

Update: Squigs interview on BroadwayWorld.com...

2010-01-11T16:27:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned yesterday Don Grigware's interview with me is indeed up on the Los Angeles section of BroadwayWorld.com. Click HERE to see it.

More Squigs around the interwebs...

2010-01-10T23:27:00.000-06:00

Hey all! It was a beautiful day here in Los Angeles, capped off with an amazing sunset. I took a break from all my toiling and split the early part of the day between church, a movie, and a bite to eat at a favorite haunt. The Oinkster in Eagle Rock (Classy name, huh?) will be featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on the 18th, so I wanted to drop in before the crowds are too crazy. I really enjoyed The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. I really dig Terry Gilliam's wild visions, and it was really interesting to see how they worked around Heath Ledger's absence. Crazy story about the world not wanting to hear stories any more (and a deal with the devil... as played by Tom Waits). And now I'm at the desk working to tie up many loose ends on the to-do list... e-mails, minor art fixes, paperwork, and planning for the coming week. Argh.

But as I procrastinate, here are a couple of nifty news items. First off, I was contacted by the Stephen Sondheim Society in England asking me about using one of my pieces to help promote an amazing concert that will celebrate Steve's 80th birthday and will raise funds for a charity benefiting children with cancer. Click on the image and look at that lineup. Wow! I'm SO happy to be able to help a little.

And I've been featured in an interview. Don Grigware is a local reviewer here in LA. The interview currently appears on his blog (click HERE to see), but early next week it will also be seen on BroadwayWorld.com since Don is a LA correspondent for that website. I'll post that link when it's available. Thanks, Don!

Now, this coming week must bring oodles of productivity. Lots to do! I rarely give thanks that I'm unemployed, but this would be one of the occasions. So, for now... take care, loved ones! Peace and love to you.

Commissions from late 2009...

2010-01-06T16:15:00.000-06:00

I just realized that three big projects I was toiling away at before Christmas have all been presented to their intended. SO... I can show all of you! RuBen Permel commissioned a piece to commemorate his journey on the Oxygen Network's Dance Your Ass Off. We featured all the contestants, the judges, RuBen's dance partner, and host Marissa Jaret Winokur. Joseph Leo Bwarie who is playing Frankie Valli on the first national tour of Jersey Boys ordered a sketch for himself and his cast. And Victor Hernandez rallied his fellow cast members of the new musical Bonnie & Clyde to commission a piece to celebrate their experience.

Well, that's a little update for you. I should really get back to the desk and make some new stuff. Take care! Peace and love.

Roses and rogues...

2010-01-04T03:01:00.000-06:00

It's been a full day. Dropped into church for an inspirational sermon and glorious music, then hopped on a shuttle to the Rose Parade float viewing grounds. Wow! I had no idea A) how big the viewing event was and B) how amazing it would be to see the floats up close. All that work for one beautiful weekend!

Then, I grabbed a pulled pork sandwich at one of my favorite haunts, The Oinkster in Eagle Rock. Always so good!

And after an afternoon procrastinating at the desk, I headed to Westwood for a little Christmas gift to myself... Ricky Jay in "A Rogues Gallery: An Evening of Conversation and Performance." This guy has to be one of the most interesting people on the planet. He has been seen in many movies over the years, but his freakish talent lies in his knowledge of the world of mysterious deception. If I think too hard about what I saw him do this evening, my head hurts. Happily, though, if I think back on the enthralling tales he told (of centuries of conjurers and learned animals) I sleep with dreams of playing cards, chess patterns, and handicapable entertainers. It was a mesmerizing evening.

Well, that's all for now. Peace and love!

2009 in review and 2010 in preview...

2010-01-02T00:27:00.000-06:00

I'm back in town after visiting the family for Christmas and welcoming the New Year with friends. I have so much to do in the next weeks, so there are huge master to-do lists that I need to jump on. So since I'm in the groove of making lists, I offer you some recap lists. First, a list about the last few days, the end of my year...
• Christmas.
Spent with the family in Oregon. Turkey. All of Mom's good stuff. Grandma's deviled eggs and sweet taters. SO much food eaten in a house that was holiday blinged out prettier than words.
• "Me time" at the coast.
A couple days of refocusing where the waves crash hard. Oh, and I practiced the guitar too.
• Seattle.
Visit with family in a spiffy city.
• New Year's Eve.
Jumped off the plane and reshuffled the bags at home before hitting the road to Vista and my peeps, the Beavers (and Tamburrino). Ate snacks, drank beer, fell asleep before midnight. (Hey! I had a long day. And the Beavers are parents of a newborn! Besides, I heard Dick Clark chunked the countdown anyway. I'm not sure if we're officially in a new year!)
• New Year's Day.
Watched the Rose Parade on the TV as the Beavers tried to get wee Danica to eat and sleep. Hit the road for LA and dropped in on some friends' open house brunch. Now trying to get the mental ducks in a row for a busy month. More on that later.

Now, here are some lists highlighting my busy, productive, labor-intensive, enjoyable 2009...

THE ART.
Oh, how I love what I do! The work is showing grand returns:
• Squigs Knows His Lines.
Facebook "fan" page. Began in January. At least one sketch per week. Celebrating all things theatre.
• Forbidden Broadway.
For the first time, my caricatures adorned the set of a major production. Musical Theatre West, Long Beach, CA.
• MetroStage.
My first gallery exhibit. Followed the theme dictated by the show at the theatre and drew some Broadway composers.
• Signature Theatre.
My second gallery exhibit. Drew many pieces highlighting this Tony-winning theatre's twenty years in existence. Was excited to see some of the exhibit in the background of a photo on the Today Show. Whee!
• Broadway.com.
Finished out the year with an illustration highlighting a year-end feature on this popular website.
• Commissions.
The art magic was hired to celebrate Broadway shows, Broadway tours, regional productions, movers and shakers, art and artisans, a reality TV show, and a partridge in a pear tree. Feel very grateful and honored.

ME ONSTAGE.
Wow, I had some really great gigs this year:
• The Scarlet Pimpernel.
I played Sir Ozzy at the Welk Resort in Escondido, CA.
• Camelot.
Was thrilled to get a crack at King Pellinore at Music Theatre of Wichita.
• 42nd Street.
Helped to inaugurate the shiny new facilities at Moonlight Amphitheatre (as Bert Barry).
• Stop the World, I Want To Get Off.
Had the immense but rewarding challenge of playing Littlechap for Musical Theatre Guild.
• Disney’s Symphonic Legacy.
Played Happy in the Snow White segment under the baton of John Mauceri at Disney Concert Hall. Wow!
• Two By Two.
Jumped into this starry reading at Reprise. Debuted a song cut from the original Broadway production of the show with the lyricist in attendance. What a great gig! Laughed nonstop for four days.
• Workshop readings.
Enjoyed helping along works-in-progress Neurosis the Musical, The Roxy, and Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion.

THE TRAVEL.
It was a jet-setting year for me. This recap kind of blows me away:
• Wichita (for theatre) – twice.
• New York City (for theatre, art networking, and charity contributions) – twice.
• Washington DC (art exhibits) – twice.
• St. Paul (family) – once.
• The Pacific Northwest (family) – thrice.

And beyond all the lists, I was so happy to build on relationships with friends (new and old) and family. I have such a better focus on where I want to go with my varied careers. And most of all, I'm SO grateful that hard work is paying off. I may not be rich and/or famous yet, but I'm living the dream.

2010. Now, in one final list, I offer news for where I anticipate 2010 will find me:
• January.
Purging, packing, and saying goodbye (for now) to many amazing folks.
• February into early May.
Milwaukee. The Rep. A spiffy Roger Bean travelogue of a musical called Route 66.
• May.
I'm taking the plunge and making the big move to NYC. I'm following my heart and my art. Since my pen celebrates the theatre, it's just about time that I spend some time in the community of the heart of the theatrical world. Think good thoughts. It's going to be a little stressful uprooting after almost twenty years, but here I go!

Best wishes of peace, love, and joy to you all in this new year!

So much to say. But this must suffice for now...

2009-12-29T18:51:00.000-06:00

Hi all! There is so much to say about 2009. It's been an eventful year. There is also much to say about the year to come. All of this will be said in another entry... most likely in the first few days of 2010. For now, I'm offering a little video I've created that features much of the art I created over the past year. Since the art also highlights many of the adventures I've taken over the past year, I think it's a successful year-end recap. I hope you enjoy... Click HERE to see it on YouTube.

Happy New Year to you all!! Wishes of peace and love are coming your way.

Another festive video...

2009-12-17T18:11:00.001-06:00

Hi all! Thought you might like to see another musical doodle fest here at the holidays...

I've realized that in addition to these little projects being heartfelt holiday "howdies", the scribbling allows me to blow off a little steam and shake off some of the tension that inevitably comes when focused on the detail all my wonderful commissions require. I hope you like them. Merry and happy, y'all!!

Delinquent at the holidays...

2009-12-14T02:44:00.000-06:00

Sorry I've not posted in forever. I'm swamped. I'm juggling a few commissions as well as my own ongoing projects and some other nifty possibilities in the works. And Christmas is creeping up quickly.

First off, here are a couple pieces I've done over at Squigs Knows His Lines: David Mamet's Race starring James Spader, Richard Thomas, and David Allan Grier; and the revival of Sondheim's A Little Night Music starring Cathering Zeta Jones and Angela Lansbury. Still hoping this exercise is paying off. I think it is, and I look forward to the possibilities and the potential.

Oh... as y'all know, my art still hangs on the walls at Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA, and they've put up a page of my work on their website. See it by clicking here. And I'm happy to say that slivers of my work were seen on the Today Show the other day in a photo of Kathie Lee Gifford and Signature's artistic director Eric Schaeffer. Nifty, huh?

The next week will find me mostly at my desk hitting these commissions out of the park. Here and there, I've planned a few visits with friends and a little holiday entertainment. By the end of the week I hope to take a trip down San Diego way which I will disguise as a work trip. The weekend will find me enjoying more holiday entertainment and my (as of this writing) one and only caroling gig of the season. The following week I'll be scooting off to the great Pacific Northwest for Christmas. It will be great to see the folks and family.

So, I hope y'all are enjoying the holiday time. It's yet one more chance to reflect on what we have to be grateful for. Wishes of peace and love are coming your way.

The holidays are a funny thing.

2009-12-04T01:35:00.000-06:00

In an anomaly of scheduling, I don't have a steady performing gig at the holidays this year and it's just plain weird. I've gotta admit that although I have plenty of work to do from home (and a show booked in the new year), I've been going a little nuts without having the chance to spread holiday cheer for pay this year. I'm subbing with the ol' caroling group (and have one evening on the books), but for the most part, I'm doing a one man show that few people will see. However, I'm blessed with a heap o' chances to catch friends in their holiday shows and caroling gigs, and that's definitely a great thing.

In addition to some commissioned pieces I've got on the schedule, I'm still pumping out the showbiz art on the Facebook page. Here are a couple pieces representing shows of the current Broadway season. There's Jude Law in Hamlet and The Royal Family with Rosemary Harris and many more stellar folks. I'm confident these pieces are leading to something amazing. Once I hear some definites, I'll let you know.

Finally, I just wanted to express some relief regarding a medical thing. A few weeks ago I became aware of something that might or might not have meant I had a serious medical issue. To be forthright, I've gone through various levels of being incredibly freaked out. I got good news today though. I'm not dying. Okay... I'm possibly being dramatic, but when things are off, your mind does all sorts of wacky things. At times I was seeing life through a filter of hyper-gratitude, imagining that I was experiencing moments in a series of "lasts." I'm taking this experience as a reminder that each moment should be treated with care, with wonder, and with gratitude.

Blessings and best wishes to you all in this holiday season. Be curious. Be grateful. Peace & love. I leave you with a little video I made for my nieces and nephews in anticipation of Christmas (and it's various meanings). Enjoy...

The holiday rush...

2009-11-30T15:37:00.000-06:00

Hey all! Well, the post-Thanksgiving turkey haze has made way for the rush of getting some holiday sketching done. I have a few commissions to do, and my own projects need to be taken off the back burner. Here are some recent pieces I've done for the Facebook page including illustrations of Broadway shows: Superior Donuts (starring Michael McKean), Wishful Drinking (starring Carrie Fisher), and Irving Berlin's White Christmas. Also, here's a "special edition" piece I posted on Thanksgiving Day featuring the Macy's Parade. I'm really enjoying working in color AND improving in my line work at the same time. This artful life is pretty great.

And if y'all are looking for any gifts for that theatre lover or illustration enthusiast in your life, I keep posting items over on my Etsy website. Check 'em out here. There's prints of some of my latest sketches as well as sets of cards. And the biggest news is that I'm offering some original artwork as well... 9 to 5, Bye Bye Birdie, Finian's Rainbow, Next to Normal, A Steady Rain, Sweeney Todd, and Stephen Sondheim. Click HERE to see 'em.

Best wishes to you all in this holiday season! Peace and love.

Gratitude (and more Broadway art).

2009-11-23T11:58:00.000-06:00

Just a quick posting to show off some recent Broadway illustrations. I'm doing these as a continuation of the postings over at Squigs Knows His Lines and even more as a regular exercise and investment in future possibilities. From top to bottom, here is Fela!, Burn the Floor, and A Steady Rain (starring Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig).

I am stacking up the holiday commissions which are shaping up to be a fun and varied group of projects. There are a couple musicals, a TV show, and a few pieces of some fancy individuals. I have some work to do over the next few weeks. I'm like a one man elfin workshop. Well... I am short.

Things are busy but I am looking forward to taking a break for Thanksgiving. Can't wait to watch the Macy's parade. And then there's a dinner or two with dear friends. Turkey coma here I come! And with all sincerity, I'm so incredibly grateful for friends and family and for the blessings of health and vocation(s) that I absolutely love. So much to be thankful for!

So, Happy happy Thanksgiving, y'all. Peace and love.

The end. For now.

2009-11-19T02:46:00.000-06:00

Hey all! I've had quite the fun and varied and rewarding month. I dwarfed it up at the Disney Concert Hall, took a couple of voyages on the Ark with a lot of fun and fancy (and lovely) folks, helped shape a musical based on a nineties movie, visited my brother and his family, and curated an exhibit of my art in Arlington, VA. It's been quite a ride. And now, I'm calling an end to this chapter. I need a break. I've kept a hand in the art biz and auditions this week (and will likely continue no matter what), but I'm heading a bit out of town tomorrow and don't plan to return until Saturday.

I'm going to visit with good friends, meet a new baby, see a new musical, visit beer Disneyland, and try to take a metaphorical chill pill. I'll be back to the grind on Saturday evening (caricature gig in Beverly Hills), and before Thanksgiving I hope to get a lot more art-type stuff done.

And amidst the craziness lately, some of my recent work has included a caricature commission for the amazingly talented Michael Berresse as he completed the LA run of Parade. I've also faithfully kept up the efforts over at Squigs Knows His Lines. Among the weekly posts, I heralded the opening of the current revival of Ragtime on Broadway.

I've also stepped up the efforts over at my Etsy.com site, selling prints of my recent art and some greeting cards (originally created for the MetroStage art exhibit). You can check out all the bounty HERE.

Well, that's all for now. Take care, all! Get ready to highlight an attitude of gratitude next week. Thanksgiving isn't just a really spiffy parade and tons of turkey. There really is SO much to be thankful for. Life, breath, and possibilities. Peace and love!

DC: Art and skull fragments.

2009-11-11T22:48:00.000-06:00

Okay, I'll explain that title. But I've got to keep this brief. I've got lines to study and people to draw. Or maybe lines to draw and people to study. That's funny! It works both ways.

Got back last night from a quick trip to DC. I was in town to curate my exhibit at Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA. I'm really excited about it. Signature is a happenin' regional theatre (in fact Tony-winning), and I worked with the gang there to sketch shows over their 20 years in existence. My art will be hanging on their gallery walls through at least January 17 in the new year.

While in town, I was also able to see a couple sights I had to miss on the last trip. The National Museum of Health and Medicine was tough to get to (on the Walter Reed Army Medical Center campus) but was well worth the visit... even if the visit included breaking out in a cold sweat on a couple occasions. I saw the bullet that killed Lincoln (see photo) and fragments of his skull. I saw severed limbs and a lot of accounts of battlefield medicine. I saw a hairball that was extracted from a 12 year old girl's stomach (after she'd eaten her hair for six years). Altogether ookey! But interesting.

I also visited the amazingly epically beautiful National Cathedral. Huge and full of art... scuplture, mosaics, needlework, masonry, stained glass aplenty. And for being as imposing as it was, it was surprisingly intimate. And the gardens were stunning!

And I just had to return to the National Portrait Gallery. I just love that place... representations of folks over these many years. Of course I was incredibly drawn to the Hirschfelds. I just stare at his work and feel inspired. Wow!

My host(s) during my trip were my friend Garrett/Elise Long's mother Cindy and brother Ash. I'm so grateful to them for opening their home... and for spoiling me with all the food. They live in beautiful Alexandria, VA. I slept just blocks from Robert E. Lee's boyhood home and George Washington's church. That's the front of Cindy's place in the photo. Very cool! Thanks, Longs!!

And now, I've jumped into a maelstrom of auditions (four in the next week) and rehearsals for a workshop reading of a stage musical version of Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion. Our first day was great. The material is really fun and I can't wait to see what the rest of the week holds.

Anyway... so much for "brief." I get chatty on this blog. Oh well. But now I've got to get back to work. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Off to D.C...

2009-11-07T01:58:00.000-06:00

I should have hit the hay hours ago. But I'm putting the final touches on the suitcases and all the stuff that has to go in 'em.

I'm heading to our nation's capital to shuffle my art around the outlying villages. The exhibit at MetroStage in Alexandria, VA went over well and I'm thankful to them for their support. I'll be staying in Alexandria with my friend GarrettElise's mother (which I'm endlessly grateful for), but I'll spend the majority of my time moving frames from MetroStage to Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA and getting everything up on the walls and looking pretty.

Eric Schaeffer (and Michael Barron) at Signature has been great to work with, giving suggestions but incredible freedom to create an exhibit that celebrates Signature's twenty years in existence. Such a great story of a theatre... growth and notoriety and success (winning the 2009 regional Tony Award). Really fantastic organization. And I feel honored to be part of the celebration. My work will be hanging in their gallery November 10 through January 17. The original art is available for purchase along with prints. The graphic you see here is a smash-em-up of the pieces in the exhibit. Provided it meets approval, it may be the poster heralding the exhibit.

My time in DC is limited, but I plan to get out and about a bit... seeing my buddy Joe Leo Bwarie in Jersey Boys, witnessing the ooky medical oddities at the National Museum of Health and Medicine, and experiencing the amazing National Cathedral. The latter two were attractions I couldn't get to on my last trip. Between all this and all the time I'll need to spend at Signature, my schedule is packed. We'll see what else I can do.

And once I fly home, I hit the ground running. I've got workshop rehearsals for Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion, and I've got four auditions within the span of a week. Yay! But... sheesh! I also get to go to the LA opening night of Mary Poppins thanks to my new friends at Disney Theatricals. That should be a lot of fun.

Anyway... I should force my fingers to stop typing. I've got to catch some winks. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Floating...

2009-11-03T18:36:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I was floating on the Ark. Today I'm floating on clouds.

I joined an absolutely stellar gang the past four days, bringing an obscure musical to the stage. Reprise Theatre Company concluded their Richard Rodgers celebration with this reading of Two by Two, a telling of the Noah story with lyrics by Martin Charnin and a book by Peter Stone based on the play "The Flowering Peach" by Clifford Odets. It premiered on Broadway in 1970 and starred an aging Danny Kaye. As much joy as Kaye has brought us over the years, by this time he was rather difficult and made some rather prickly demands. While the piece has its problems, it's possible it didn't get the chance it deserved because of Kaye's obstinacy.

Our lovely family included (in the above photo L to R): Jason Alexander, me, Shannon Warne, Vicki Lewis, Megan Hilty, Stephen Weber, Faith Prince, and David Burnham. All stars in their own ways. We were directed by David Lee, and Darryl Archibald led us and a 15 piece orchestra. All involved welcomed me with open arms. We had a great time and laughed for four days. The show was very well received.

One of the aforementioned changes Danny Kaye reportedly demanded affected my character. Kaye didn't want any other guy in the show to have a humorous solo, so Ham's song "Forty Nights" was cut. I had the chance to debut it. I was already nervous, but then on Sunday evening, Martin Charnin the lyricist walked in to see the show. I just had to get all those words out! Well, I did relatively well, and he seemed to enjoy hearing it again after almost 40 years.

So, last night I was onstage with this stellar gang and today I was drawing caricatures at a five year old's school birthday party. And, you know?... There was joy and reward in each. After the caricature gig, I went to the art supply store and stocked up. I went to Trader Joe's and replenished the food supply... including coffee. I just tidied the room and desk, and now I'm getting set to put the nose to the grindstone and complete my pieces for my exhibit for Signature Theatre. Ideally I will complete all the work today and tomorrow so I can prep frames and prints on Thursday and Friday. I'm on a plane to DC early Saturday morning.

I need a vacation. But it doesn't look like I'll get one for another couple weeks. Oy. I should just try to get adequate sleep. Anyway... I'm rambling. Back to inking.

Take care, all! Peace and love.

More art and music...

2009-10-27T15:54:00.000-05:00

Hey all! I just got back from a really great visit with my brother and his family in St. Paul. We went to the apple orchard and carved pumpkins and had just a great time. Since LA is relentlessly warm lately, I was happy to experience the gamut of weather possibilities... In my four days there we saw rain, snow, sun, and fog. The leaves were ablaze in color. And it was just amazing to be able to give my niece and nephew a squeeze or three.

While in MN, I had to go find some sheet music, something Billy Joel-ish for an audition the day after my return. Well, the audition ended up being a bit awkward. I seriously felt rather un-hip... if I could have had the white man's overbite while singing I'm sure I would have. But I read well (nonshowfolk translation: reading the sides or bits of scenes provided) I guess. I just found out that I booked it. I'll be in a quick reading of a new musical version of Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion directed by Christopher Ashley, artistic director of La Jolla Playhouse (and director of Memphis which recently opened on Broadway). It will happen mid- November and it should be a blast!

In the mean time, I've hit the drawing board running, balancing commissioned pieces with my own projects and the Signature exhibit. I feel like I have a million irons in the fire but I'm getting things done. It's great to be busy and I'm doing what I love.

Here is a sampling of the direction I'm going with regular Broadway illustrations. There are possibilities looming for getting pieces like this out to a broad audience. Once I can share specifics, I will. But in the mean time, here are my impressions of recently opened Broadway shows Bye Bye Birdie, Memphis, and Finian's Rainbow (actually opening in a couple days).

Well, that's it for now. I've got to get some drawing done. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Heigh Ho indeed!

2009-10-21T14:42:00.000-05:00

Wow! What an amazing evening it was! I'll keep it short, but suffice it to say that the Disney Symphonic Legacy concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall was incredible. Not only was it very well received and evidently successful. It was also a blast and such a rush. It was the first time the Disney Concert Hall featured an entire evening of Disney music. It featured pieces (including our 50 minute version of Snow White) that featured the original studio film score charts. (In the photo above, from left: Blake Griffin, Rick Wasserman, Harrison White, Ruth Williamson, Jeff Lee, me, Ashley Brown, Bob Bouchard, Jeffrey Polk, Michael Arden, Matt Crabtree.)

Maestro John Mauceri had been curating this collection for years, and Disney Theatricals (Jeff Lee, Dusty Bennett, and Thomas Schumacher) had been working on this project for a year and a half. A wonderful enthusiastic audience included the president of the Disney Company, Bob Iger, the head of Disney Studios, Rich Ross, and many more influential folks in the Disney world. By the time the audience had finally stopped applauding, everyone knew the evening had been a success. It sounds like the project will live on in some form. Whether I'll tag along I don't know. I'm really just thankful to have been a part of it.

I'm incredibly grateful... to Mark Brandon at Binder Casting for picking me, to Jacole and gang at KSR for putting me out there, to John Mauceri for dreaming up this vehicle, to the gang at Disney Theatricals for dreaming up this way of presenting it (and for picking me), and to the amazing gang of musicians and vocalists and crazy actors who made this an experience of a lifetime. I'm still floating and I'll bet I won't touch down for a while. Peace and love, y'all!

Overture! Light the lights...

2009-10-16T21:25:00.000-05:00

Hi all! I've been getting some good news and learning of some fantastic possibilities lately. Before I share the new stuff, here's something I've written about previously but am still really excited about...

Tomorrow morning I'll be making the short commute to downtown Los Angeles and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. We're starting rehearsals for Tuesday's big symphonic extravaganza, celebrating the legacy of Disney film scores. The segment I'll be involved in is a 40 minute retelling of Snow White, featuring the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the Cal State Fullerton choir, Ashley Brown (Broadway's Mary Poppins) as Snow White, Ruth Williamson (Broadway diva show-stealer) as the Evil Queen, Blake Griffin as the Prince, a gang of wackies as the Dwarfs (Bob Bouchard, Jeffrey Polk, Rick Wasserman, Michael Arden, Harrison White, Matt Crabtree, and me)... all led by maestro John Mauceri. I'm thrilled and grateful to be involved, and I can't wait for the first day of school tomorrow. Event info? Click here.

And I just received my script and score for a reading I'll be taking part in November 1-2. It's kind of blowing my mind, but I'll be a part of an eight-person cast reading the Richard Rodgers/Martin Charnin musical (and vehicle for a difficult Danny Kaye) Two By Two. In this retelling of the story of Noah and the Ark, I'll have the pleasure of sharing the stage with Jason Alexander, Faith Prince, Steven Weber, Vicki Lewis, Shannon Warne, David Burnham, and Megan Hilty. David Lee is directing and is very responsible for pulling me into the project. I'm incredibly grateful and I look forward to playing with this great gang (and having a blast). Event info? Click here.

While I'm genuinely surprised to have gotten direct-booking calls for these two projects, I'm incredibly encouraged that when you work hard and put yourself out there (combined with just the right level of chance), really nifty things can come your way.

I've been chatting via e-mail about a really fantastic opportunity. I don't want to go into specifics until things are more solid, but if it works out, it will be a regular illustration gig with some pretty great distribution. Think good thoughts!

And as I wrap up, I just want to say that I really enjoyed Where the Wild Things Are. I attended a midnight showing last night and just had a great time. There are maybe a few things I had issues with and the reviews have been mixed, but I really liked it and I was rather moved. I recommend it highly!

Well, that's it for now. I've got to take a peek at my Snow White score before I'm in music rehearsal with the Maestro tomorrow. (That's tripping me out.) Take care, all! Peace and love.

Another Broadway sketch and an update...

2009-10-13T15:00:00.000-05:00

Hi all! I've been delinquent in my updates lately, but I've been super busy. Among the recent efforts, I've drawn another Broadway show. Oleanna is a David Mamet play currently starring Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles. Producer Larry Kaye (who was instrumental in bringing my art to DC recently) commissioned it...

I'm also fielding some other commissions, working hard on the Signature Theatre exhibit, and trying to balance it all with a new personal pet project. I'm trying to keep a low profile on the latter because I don't want to jinx anything, but suffice it to say it's a logical (while possibly far-fetched) progression in my caricature career. I'm obsessing a bit, but whatever the case, it's a good exercise that could lead to some great things.

I'm also really looking forward to playing with John Mauceri, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, a huge choir, and a cast of fab folks in a symphonic evening at Disney Concert Hall. We begin rehearsing on Saturday and put on the big show next Tuesday night. Very exciting.

Oh, and I got a flu shot. Happy, Mom?

Well, that's it for now. I'm off to buy more watercolors and illustration board. Then it's back to the drawing board. Take care, all! Peace and love.

My Sunday...

2009-10-04T01:43:00.000-05:00

Hey all! Just dropping a quick note about my tomorrow. But first... my today. I spent the day sketching for my Monday Facebook posting and taking steps to finalizing some recent commissions. I've decided to have a curious Sunday.

(The best of life is reserved for the curious as far as I know.) So after the morning coffee and a little "The Swingin' Years" on KKJZ, my Sunday will start with a visit to All Saints Episcopal and soon thereafter find me seeing what's new at independently owned Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena. Then I'll jet to The Stuffed Sandwich or Lucky Baldwin's for a bite before heading to LaVerne for an event featuring four of the foremost wacky minds in childrens' literature (Adam Rex, Mac Barnett, David Shannon, and Jon Scieszka). I'll then head back west to catch a "Where the Wild Things Are"-themed exhibit called "Terrible Yellow Eyes" at Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra. I have some inking to do in the evening, so I'll likely head home early evening to prep the drawing board... but not before keeping my own big yellow eyes open and eager to witness something magical. Here we go...

NYC and the Flea Market!

2009-10-01T15:30:00.000-05:00

Hi all! I'm finally feeling rested after a whirlwind trip to NYC. The main purpose of the trip was to participate in the Broadway Flea Market (benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS). Here's a little photo montage from the day. Due to rain, we had to relocate the event to the Roseland Ballroom (from Shubert Alley and 44th Street). It was crowded and crazy, but festive and fun. I offered prints of sketches and I drew quick-sketch caricatures. The best sellers of the day were the live sketches and prints representing Next to Normal, 9 to 5, and [title of show]. We did pretty well and made some decent cash for the charity. The photo furthest right is of my table team, my pals Tyler Foy and Aaron Umstead who I worked with in Wichita. Both of them recently graduated from college and hit NYC in a big way, each booking a show pretty quickly.

Another exciting development in the Flea Market excitement was getting featured on the Broadway.Com featurette on the Flea Market. Susan Blackwell interviews me and I sketch her... right around the 11 minute mark. See it here. Thank you Susan and team!!

Here are some narcissistic shots of me around Central Park. I was in town for just three days with a travel day on each end. So it wasn't the easiest to get together with all I had hoped to, but I did see a few cherished pals... old friends, new friends, Wichita peeps, California folks transplanted or just visiting, online friends and fans, amazing Broadway gypsies and celebs, etc. etc. etc.

It was a fantastic trip and I can't wait until I can get back to the city.

Now I'm home and I've hit the drawing board running. Lots to do! I have a few commissions, and I'm working on a line of fun stuff for possibly putting on t-shirts. I'm prepping for the Signature Theatre exhibit (premiering November 10). Just booked my ticket to head to Arlington, VA to curate the exhibit and see the first preview of the show my work is accompanying, Show Boat. Add to all this an engagement at Disney Concert Hall, a visit to my bro and his family in St. Paul, and a smorgasbord of autumnal activities, and life is a fun, challenging, wonderful whirlwind. I'm so grateful. Take care, all! Peace and love.

I won!

2009-09-25T22:42:00.000-05:00

Hello all! I'm so grateful to report that I've received a lovely award. The Mary Jane Teall Awards recognize excellence in theatre in Wichita, Kansas. They've given me the 2009 award for Outstanding Guest Artist. I treasure my time with Music Theatre of Wichita, and I'm really glad any chance I get to visit the city. I'm proud to say that I've taken part in eight shows and a gala fundraiser since 2002. Thank you Wayne Bryan and MTW family, and thank you Troy Dilport and Deb Campbell for the nomination. I'm so thankful for you all. I look forward to the next time I can return to Wichita.

In other news, I'll be jumping on a NYC-bound plane tomorrow morning. Sunday brings the Broadway Flea Market where I'll be selling prints and drawing live quick-sketch caricatures to benefit BC/EFA. Monday I have an audition. I'm doing my best to get in touch with as many friends as humanly possible, and I've got tickets to a couple shows (new musicals via NYMF). It's a quick trip, though. I'll be home midday on Wednesday. I'm really looking forward to the whirlwind.

Well, I'm back to last minute prep and packing. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Behind the Stop the World scenes...

2009-09-19T01:57:00.000-05:00

Here's a wee video I cobbled together. You can see a little bit of the behind the scenes happenings when putting together a staged reading... and a backstage glimpse of the wonderful folks I get to play with. We done good on Monday night. For those not familiar with the show, the histrionics I'm in at the beginning refers to the size of the role. And my absence from a good portion of the thing is because I was running the camera (when I wasn't busy talkin' and a-singin'). Take a peek...

The rendition of "Gonna Build A Mountain" is by Rachel Bay Jones on her CD, ShowFolk.

All the crazy effort has been worthwhile. I've received so many amazing comments from people I love and admire... and folks I didn't know previously. Also, there was a super positive review by a critic who really understands the quickly-paced staged reading format, Les Spindle of Backstage West... click here.

We have one more performance in Thousand Oaks on Sunday. Come see us at the Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center at 3pm. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Instant bio...

2009-09-17T02:31:00.000-05:00

At the headwaters of my theatrical career, I remember reading the voluminous bios of actors who had amassed vast amounts of credits. Some of these bios just went on and on. I remember thinking that I would instantly have a lengthy bio if I could only perform in three particular shows with long titles... Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (which I landed early on in 1994), How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (eight years later in 2002), and A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Forum (finally achieved last year). And now I've tackled Stop the World – I Want To Get Off. Another longish title. Instant bio. At least they balance out my single word credits... Carousel, Camelot, and Seussical. Anyway... These are the things I think about when the mind wanders. Back to work.

Victory on a few levels...

2009-09-15T03:35:00.000-05:00

Short post. I'm tired. The show went well tonight. Things just clicked. Teensy missteps gave way to some solid storytelling. I felt so proud and happy to be a part of the show this evening, especially playing opposite the amazing Tracy Lore and the rest of our amazing cast. The whole Stop the World team was fantastic and put together a show to be proud of... in 25 hours. I think it was a great kickoff to the Musical Theatre Guild's season.

And something happened for me that has never happened before. I stopped a show. It's an absolute treasure of a moment for stage actors. There's nothing like an applause that goes on a bit longer than your typical ovations. I'm so grateful for the opportunity and the moments and the wonderful audience. And now I'm going to hit the hay with joy and gratitude in my heart. Take care, all! Peace and love.

It's the day of the show, y'all...

2009-09-14T11:57:00.000-05:00

Tonight, we'll welcome our first (and penultimate) audience to see our staged reading of Stop the World I Want To Get Off. Yesterday's rehearsal brought our first run-through of the show which went as well as can be expected in a down-and-dirty process like this. We get to the Alex Theatre in Glendale around noon. We'll run-through the show with our orchestra and then we'll dress up, take photos, and open the doors. At this time tomorrow, I'll have one official run of this beast of a show under my belt. I'm nervous, but I'm excited too. Here we go...

And briefly, here's today's sketch over at Squigs Knows His Lines. My goal on that page is to occasionally be current with my illustrations (to show my editorial capabilities I guess). If my topic net were cast a bit wider, I would have given a tip o' the hat to Taylor Swift and Beyonce regarding last night's VMAs incident with that butthead. But rather in Broadway circles, breaking news from yesterday was that Avenue Q had their big closing on Broadway BUT they're moving to New World Stages off-Broadway. I'm trying to figure out if other shows have made this move. It's sign of the times, but still encouraging that producers felt that the show was worth keeping open.

Well, I've got to get all my wheels going in the same direction (towards Glendale). Wish me "break a leg!" Take care, all! Peace and love.

Littlechapped...

2009-09-12T21:21:00.001-05:00

I'm finding that it's rare at this point in my life that I work as hard at my acting chops as I do on my illustration chops. This weekend is an exception, but I'm actually finding it rather exhilarating. Hard work. Challenging task. Many rewards to be had. Here we go...

Stop the World update...

2009-09-12T12:59:00.000-05:00

Hi all! Just a wee shout-out from the trenches. We're in the midst of our fast and furious staging rehearsals, yesterday getting through a good portion of the show. We're back at it today. With so little time in the schedule, the blocking (and minimal choreography) is taught to us and we pretty much have time to write it down and move on to the next scene. Once we're entirely staged, we'll get the chance to run the show tomorrow. Monday afternoon brings a final run with the orchestra, then there's show prep, photo call, and a 7:30 curtain. Whew! Talk about a whirlwind!

I'm feeling good overall, but my head is swimming just piecing together the staging with lyrics and subtext. It can be a lot even while none of the elements on their own is particularly complex. But I've done a bunch of homework so many sections of the show bring a big sigh of relief when they arrive. I never thought I'd say that about the monologues, but those moments are typically just me and my script (and sans the worry of messing someone else up). I've just got to remind myself to live in each moment as it comes... and not to get too cocky and ignore my script too much.

I've gotta give a shout out to the whole Stop the World gang... Everyone is just fab and so fun to play with. I feel incredibly supported by this group of friends. In the midst of all my brain fry, I really am having a great time and I look forward to the art and entertainment that we are going to create. Peace and love, y'all!

Some recent and upcoming art...

2009-09-08T14:58:00.000-05:00

Me again. Just thought I'd elucidate (Aristocats, anybody?) on the recent art projects. I was happy to get a call from Christian Hoff asking about a caricature. He'll soon be honored by Junior Theatre (the San Diego educational arts program he participated in when he was young), and will present a concert and a limited edition CD to raise money for the program.

Here are a few pieces I recently posted over at Squigs Knows His Lines. First off, here's a tip o' the hat to the folks involved in 9 to 5 on Broadway. They just closed on Sunday after a five month run. Then here are a couple images from my trip to DC... Musical of Musicals the Musical at MetroStage and Dirty Blonde at Signature Theatre.

The drawing board has a bit of a stack going in the in box... a couple personal caricature commissions, a show or two two sketch, and a whole lot of stuff I'm doing on my own (prep for the Broadway Flea Market on September 27 and the art for the Signature exhibit in November). Lots of fun in the works! Take care, all! Peace and love.

Stop the World!

2009-09-06T22:27:00.000-05:00

Hey there! I mentioned a few posts back that I'd likely update regarding the process of jumping into Musical Theatre Guild's Stop the World I Want to Get Off. Well, here we go!

Not gonna lie... when I was offered the role of Littlechap, it took me a little time to fully decide to accept. It's a huge undertaking! Littlechap solos in a majority of the songs including the three tunes that have become more or less the hits of the show. There are upwards of 18 monologues of varying sizes. And depending on the direction of the show (thankfully in this case, a staged reading) there could be any combination of mime, clowning, dance, hat tricks, etc. I was scared! I'm still carrying a decent amount of apprehension and worry at being able to pull it off. BUT... I've turned the corner and have begun accepting a couple things: 1. This is a fantastic opportunity! I get to step beyond my usual comfort zone of being the sidekick/supporting character/secondary lead. 2. I get to work with a fantastic team that is really committed to telling the story of this über-flawed, somewhat misunderstood character and those in his life. 3. This is sort of alluded to in the comment 1, but a few years ago, I took to heart the quote (Was it from Eleanor Roosevelt?), "Do one thing every day that scares you." A good number of my most cherished accomplishments to date have come from taking this quote to heart.

So Stop the World scares me. But I have an amazing, supportive show family to rely upon and learn from and cling to. Producers Michelle Duffy and Scottie Dreier made me do this. Ha... just kidding. Sorta. Director Doug Clayton and music director Ron Colvard have been great to work with in our meetings and music rehearsals and I have complete confidence in them (and choreographer Joe Giamalva and assistant director Ken Werther and stage manager Art Brickman). The cast is incredible, and I'm particularly thrilled to be playing opposite an actress I've idolized for so long (as well as cherished the friendship of her and her family), Tracy Lore. I feel blessed. As I mentioned, we had a couple days of music rehearsals and we get together tomorrow for a potluck and some fun before we look ahead to our wacky rehearsal weekend. Here we go!

Here's a peek at my script. Since this is a staged reading, the script will be an extension of my arm for most of the performance. I decided to create a personal master script and neurotically scanned the script and bits of the score into Photoshop. I cut and pasted the few edits and inserted the score bits where I thought I might need them. I just picked up the preliminary copy from the printer today. And after highlighting, it looks like you'll find a pot of gold tucked behind the last page. Since I have so many words, I decided to color code various scenes. Yellow shows typical lines. Orange features lyrics (anything sung). Pink shows the eight "Stop the world!" monologues in which Littlechap steps out distinctly to the audience. And blue highlights the "interview" sections where Littlechap converses with his unseen boss (voiced by a horn from the orchestra). It's a nice visual reminder when scenes shift gears.

The thing I've latched onto at this point is that this show, while a behemoth pile of songs and scenes, is just a series of moments. I just need to tackle each moment as they come and worry about the next one when it comes. That's the best I can do. I'm excited. Here we go!

Hitting the ground running...

2009-09-04T15:21:00.001-05:00

I'm back home. After the whirlwind of yesterday, I'm happy to say I got a good night's sleep (despite our crazy LA heat). And now it feels like I'm juggling 18 projects and not accomplishing much on anything. Gotta focus!

One thing that's been on my mind lately is the lack of acting projects on the immediate horizon. In an actor's life, there are times the work feels like it's rolling in, and then there are other times when you feel like you'll never work again. I was feeling the latter after a few unsuccessful auditions. But in addition to the imminent Stop the World reading for MTG, I've just booked a couple workshoppish projects (actually within the last couple hours). First is a table read of a new musical The Roxy which may continue into a staged read in November. Second is a workshop concert version of Snow White at Disney Concert Hall (conducted by John Mauceri) produced by Disney Theatricals. I'm super excited about A) the opportunity and B) getting to perform on the stage of that beautiful building! So sometimes it's good to keep putting it out there and be patient.

And the schedule seems to be falling into place. All three of these projects lined up just right, and my trip to NYC at the end of September also fit right into the puzzle. We'll see if I can get a family trip or two onto the autumn calendar as well as a return to DC to curate my next exhibit in early November. I'm counting my blessings.

Well, I've got to stop procrastinating and focus on the tasks at hand. Whee! Take care, all! Peace and love.

D.C... Last day in town.

2009-09-02T23:06:00.000-05:00

Gotta admit it... if I see one more large stone thing (building, monument, or monolith) or one more piece of art of any kind, my brain is going to explode. I need to go hang out in a Walmart to balance my culture quotient. I have had such a blast canvasing this city with eager eyes and adventurous feet. This final day was no exception.

Although I had a hard time getting myself out of bed, I had reserved a ticket to visit Ford's Theatre and their tour. There I am in the theatre with the Presidential box behind me. I'm sad because the entire theatre is actually a reproduction (except for select artifacts). I then went to the International Spy Museum, but if I show you any of the photos I'd have to kill you. Seriously, photos were prohibited but I was so enthralled that I didn't think to take any. Cool museum. Then I walked a couple blocks to the amazing National Gallery of Art and spent a few hours wandering the seemingly endless labyrinth of rooms of the main gallery (West Building – see above) and the modern art area (East Building – look below). It was a prime example of feeling cultural overload.

Then I made my way out to Arlington and Signature Theatre. After grabbing a bite, I picked up my ticket and headed up to see the show – and the gallery space on the way. I'm excited about the possibilities of exhibiting here. The building itself is amazing, and it reflects well the amazing artistic vibe and adventurous mission of this theatre. Dirty Blonde was really amazing!

Now I'm packing for my early-ish flight and returning e-mails and prepping for tomorrow's audition and music rehearsal. Who says I ever take the easy road? I'm planning on greeting whatever end I meet (hopefully far in the future) with blisters on my feet and my drawing hand, and with a head and heart full of adventuresome memories and love for those I meet along the way. Can it get better? So take care, all! Peace and love.

D.C... Morn 'til night.

2009-09-02T00:09:00.000-05:00

I realize that over the past couple days, I've walked a number of miles. Just yesterday, I'm sure I walked at least a few miles, hauling my booty almost the entire way around the National Mall (which is around two miles all said and done) and a trip around the tidal basin, a jaunt through Chinatown, and various journeys around Dupont Circle. That's quite a bit of hiking. Today, I took advantage of a couple city bus tours. Well okay... before the tours, I did have a couple of walking adventures...

I finally took a photo of the site of the Reagan assassination attempt corresponding with that live video footage I remember so well from the TV. Yes, I actually went to YouTube to see it again, and a few of the frames show the building in which I'm typing this. Weird. I then took the Metro to the National Holocaust Museum. Such a powerful place. Everyone gets a booklet featuring someone with Holocaust involvement. After viewing various displays following the rise of anti-Semitism and witnessing second-hand Hitler's incomprehensible "master plan", those of us at the exhibit were funneled through an actual train car that took folks to the concentration camps. We saw horrendous footage of Jewish folks subjected to scientific experiments and viewed representations of gas chambers. I had to look at my little booklet to see if the person represented therein had survived or not. He had miraculously survived. But as I read this and rounded the corner, I smelled leather. I looked up and found myself in the middle of a room full of shoes... thousands of shoes that had been confiscated from people that met their end in the gas chambers. My blood ran cold. Very powerful.

I was able to meet up with my friend Mindy once again (after she joined me at the MetroStage opening Sunday). She and her little Zoe and I visited a fab pizza place in the lovely Georgetown neighborhood. It was a lovely lunch. Mindy dropped me off at the Natural History Museum where I took a brief trek through the collections. Above, you'll see the elephant in the main lobby. I saw the Hope Diamond too, but for some reason didn't take a picture. Anyway...

I then boarded the Open Top Sightseeing bus tour and ventured through many of DC's neiborhoods. As a side note, here's a shot of my well-worn Doc Martens that have accompanied me on every new city experience since 1994 (London, NYC, Chicago, Wichita, Milwaukee, Houston, Fort Worth, etc.). One of my favorite things about this particular trip was viewing the National Cathedral. Just beautiful! Throughout the woodsy neighborhoods around there, all of us on the top of the bus had to duck to avoid the low-hanging branches. Whee! Also on the tour, the fire station pictured above caught my eye. So much red in the scene. I used an effect on my new camera and blocked out all the other colors. Odd effect, but fun.

The evening brought a return to Union Station and the start of the twilight/night tour on the Tourmobile. What a treat! First off, here are some shots taken as the sun was setting.

Then as darkness fell, the lights on all the monuments were just stunning... FDR, Lincoln, Korea, Vietnam, Washington. It's like an entirely different show at night! And the weather was just perfect. I was perfectly comfortable in shirtsleeves, and the humidity was low. So nice!

Then we headed to the World War II Monument that was dedicated just five or so years ago. It's just massive and honors everyone from all walks of life and all branches of the military who served in WWII. I found the pillar that featured the home state and the wall of gold stars representing the fallen. We also passed the White House (which, of course, is currently vacant-ish as the Obama's are still on vacation).

It was a wonderful day full of fun and reflection. Oh... and even though I almost fought my urge to be too "punny," I took a photo that I've entitled "right on Q." [Cue the rim shot and then the trombone says "wah waaaaah.")

Anyway... that's all for now. Tomorrow, I'll be taking the Ford's Theatre tour and catching up on stuff that I've missed thus far. Then in the evening, I'll venture out to Arlington to catch Signature Theatre's Dirty Blonde. Can't wait! So until next time, loved ones... take care! Peace and love.

D.C... Marble and felt.

2009-08-31T21:13:00.000-05:00

Oh, my dogs are barkin'. I'm actually nursing a few little blisters from all the walking I've been doing lately. But it's been worth it. My mind is just spinning from all the things I've seen...

After grabbing a bit o' the Starbucks (Thanks sis Deanna for the gift card!), I Metroed it right to the National Mall. (It's funny... this Mall doesn't have a Cinnabon. Mall of America must kick your bootay!) At the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History I saw my childhood in front of me. The Muppets are real. 'Nuff said. I took better pics, but there was just something spontaneous about this shot of Kermit and I. I saw the Harlem Globetrotters in their heyday – Meadowlark, the Geese, Curly, all on a trip I won for being a really good paperboy. Sweet Georgia Brown, indeed! And Minnie Pearl's hat brings back great Hee Haw memories. I had some of those overalls. And the Bunkers' chairs and Dorothy's slippers! The costume Anthony Daniels wore as C3PO in Return of the Jedi! And just to show that my interests don't completely lie in pop culture... the microphone that brought the country FDR's fireside chats and the desk on which Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Someone really needs to do 1776 again.

Heading west on the Mall, I spent some time with the Washington Monument. These are the tame photos. I got a little "junior high" with some huge pee pee pics. Sue me. All joking aside, I was incredibly moved by the Vietnam memorial and witnessing a fellow reconnecting with some 40 year old emotions. Thankfully his family had his back and how fitting it was to hear drone of a piper on a nearby hill. There's something primal about hearing the pipes, like feeling the roots grabbing hold of the ground. As I headed up to the Lincoln Memorial, I was in need of some humor and somehow found it in the cautionary signage on the steps. And I liked visiting Abe too. That's a pretty amazing monument.

I headed around the tidal basin to the FDR memorial. Roosevelt had noted that if a monument were ever to be built to him, that it be no bigger than his desk. This came to be... check it out near the National Archives. BUT someone ignored his wishes and created an amazing tribute. Here he is, obviously performing miracles once again. And I had a great time with Eleanor. Forgive me, Mrs. Roosevelt! And I particularly appreciated this FDR quote as chiseled in this stone.

Further around the tidal basin and past the low-hanging cherry branches was the Jefferson Monument. The views of the Mall from a spot on the way were just stunning. I found that when positioning the Jefferson and Washington Monuments near the horizon, that the lens fish-eyed them a bit. Fun! And once at the monument, I found some of Thomas' words to be particularly prescient.

Heading back to the Mall, I landed at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. I'm not such a huge fanatic about the air travel (except much gratitude for the technology that shuttles me around the country on my various adventures). But how can you not be in awe of such monumental pieces of wood and metal and dreams as the Wright brothers' actual Kitty Hawk flight contraption? Or Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis? Or the charred command module in which the Apollo 11 astronauts returned to this blue marble? Wow!

My barkin' dogs then took me to the Capital. I shuffled in from the south and chilled a bit with the U.S. Grant Memorial before climbing the steps. Once "on the hill" I spent some time taking artsy photos and singing tunes from "Schoolhouse Rock." Once I was on my way in a northerly direction, I stumbled upon a whimsical little grotto with little stone seats and water a-flowin' and a-spurtin'. It was a random little respite that I found out later was designed by the Capital's grounds designer, superstarry legend of urban landscape design, Frederick Law Olmsted. He also created Central Park in New York City among many other fab accomplishments.

At Union Station, while admiring some great architecture and brilliant cloud formations, I bought a ticket for the Twilight Tourmobile to see DC all lit up, but alas, my shutterbug syndrome throughout the day had depleted my camera's batteries. I figured that the purpose of the tour was to get some amazing photos, so I'll be taking that tour tomorrow evening. The weather is supposed to be wonderful and I'm counting on it. So I'm here in my hotel room soaking my feet and updating my blog. Tomorrow will bring more schlepping and snooping, and I can't wait. P.S. My neurotic eye for detail brought me to YouTube to look up video footage of the Reagan assassination attempt. I've found a few frames that show my hotel in the background of this tragic event. It's sort of surreal. I'll try to get over there and get a shot of the same angle. Anyway...

Take care, all! Peace and love.

D.C... The old and the new.

2009-08-30T22:16:00.001-05:00

Day two here in Washington DC, and here's a wee report. While the main goal for today was to get out to Alexandria, VA, I had some time to kill and decided to just grab the Metro and pick a stop and see what I could see. I chose the Gallery Place/Chinatown stop and after wandering a bit, popped into the National Archives. How cool it was to start off the adventure with a peek at the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and the Bill of Rights... those documents kicked off some pretty grand adventures. I also wandered through the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden for a bit, and took a self portrait using my flexible tripod attached to a park bench. A nice lady asked if I wanted her to take the picture, but I just stomped and exclaimed, "No, let ME do it!" I'm very independent. In this photo you can see that I'm carrying my jacket and tie for the evening's festivities. I carried my duds with me all day on a hanger I borrowed from my hotel. I'm classy too. You may also note that the flags in the capital are all at half staff. When I touched down yesterday, they had just laid Teddy Kennedy to rest at Arlington. How sad to say goodbye to such an amazing influence, who while clearly human showed himself to long be a man of strong conviction and voice. Bless you, Senator Kennedy!

Around two o' clock, I boarded the Metro for Alexandria. I meandered from the station down King Street toward the Potomac, taking a bit of an amazing detour to Christ Church which was where George Washington and Robert E. Lee worshipped. Not at the same time of course. I saw Washington's and Lee's family pews and learned a bunch of fun stuff. One of my favorite stories was about FDR and Winston Churchill visiting the church just weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack. They sat in Washington's pew on the National Day of Prayer and the event is commemorated by a couple little plaques. My tour guide told me to sit where Churchill sat. In the photo you can see he had a bit of an obstructed view. Oops.
Another cool story was this particular pew. Back in the day, land owners were required to support their local churches by renting a family pew. This particular fellow didn't have a family, so he rented the pew and made it available to any stranger needing a place to sit. Neat, huh?

After wandering a bit through Old Town Alexandria and the haunts of various patriots, revolutionaries, artists, and artisans, I found my way to MetroStage to change into the evening attire and see a show.

Musical of Musicals the Musical was just fantastic! I so enjoyed the production and the piece itself. Everything was just great. And it was so neat to see the art in the lobby. It's a modest little showing, but I'm super proud of it. I'm so incredibly thankful to Larry Kaye and Carolyn Griffin at MetroStage for making it possible, and I look forward to it opening the door to many more nifty experiences. But on this night, one of the big joys was being joined by my friend Mindy Reid who has recently relocated to Virginia. She and her hubby Tim just welcomed little Zoe and this was her very first night out while Daddy and Daughter bonded at home. I'm honored to have facilitated the outing, and I'm so thankful to her for her friendship and support.

It was such a great day, but my dogs are barking. I may soak them before hitting the hay. Lots to see and do tomorrow! Smithsonian, here I come! Take care, all! Peace and love.

D.C... The eagle has landed.

2009-08-29T22:33:00.000-05:00

Hi all! I thought I'd keep y'all up to date about my visit to our nation's capital. It's my first time here and I can't wait to explore. I have a new camera and a couple of guidebooks and a list of stuff to see as long as my arm. If I can, I'll update this page each evening about where my distressed Doc Martens have taken me.

First things first... I landed at Ronald Reagan National Airport over an hour ago after the plane offered a breathtaking view of the National Mall. Oh how I wish I would have had my FlipCam rolling at the time. My partner in crime here in DC, Larry Kaye, picked me up and gave me a little tour before dropping me at my hotel, noting that the hotel where Hinckley attempted to assassinate Reagan is right across the street. Now I'm on the computer and I'm happy to say that I can see the Washington Monument from my window.

Tomorrow I'll be heading out to Alexandria, VA to see Musical of Musicals at MetroStage (and see my art hanging in their lobby). More updates to come.

Squigs in the Times!

2009-08-28T04:10:00.000-05:00

Just a quick post. This is fun. A little while back, I contributed to a worthy cause with a bit of artwork. I've posted this before, but now I'm posting it as filtered through the Los Angeles Times. Yes, I've had an illustration published in the Times with a nice little credit. Nifty, huh? The big Michael Jackson tribute concert happens this weekend in Vegas and benefits keeping music programs in schools. Tons of Vegas celebs are taking part. Guaranteed to be a blast. Check it out.

Best wishes, ya'll! Peace and love.

My card(s)...

2009-08-25T12:56:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd show you a bit of the process of putting together a shipment of handmade greeting cards. These are, of course, part of my exhibit at MetroStage in Alexandria, Virginia, and I'll be shipping them off today.

When designing the cards, I tried to think of what I like when giving a card to a theatre-loving friend and tried to accomplish it in an economical way. While (hopefully) the images are what sell these things, I wanted to complement the black and white graphics with some bold, fun, and sunny colors.

I bought the Astrobright cardstock at a local paper shop, and found the matching envelopes online. I had a couple rubber stamps made, one for the back of the cards (with copyright and website info) and one for the bands keeping the cards together (saying "Cards by Squigs. Celebrating the Music Makers."). I set up my own little one-man assembly line printing, cutting, and gluing. I signed each card and wrote the titles on the backs. Each set of ten was then wrapped in the bands and sealed in plastic bags I found at a local box shop (that just barely fit).

We'll see how these things sell. I'd buy them, even at the planned cost of $15/set. While I hope they go like hotcakes, I'm half dreading a brisk business... they are a bit labor intensive. When I need to prep another shipment, I may try to organize a card-making party. Ha!

Well, I'm off to the post office. Take care, all! Peace and love.

Just breathe.

2009-08-24T16:20:00.000-05:00

Do you notice a trend in blog entry titles lately? Breath. Breathing. Sometimes you just need a reminder.

I'm happy to say that the exhibit made the cross-country trip successfully and the frames have been hung on the wall at MetroStage. It's a modest little display, but it's my first and I'm really proud of it. At this very moment I'm taking a wee procrastination break from assembling my greeting card sets. I think they might sell well, but it's taking a bit of time to put all the pieces together. I'll post a photo or two when they're done.

I look forward to heading to D.C. on Saturday and attending the opening at MetroStage on Sunday. The following few days will be filled with taking in museums and monuments and meeting up with a few friends that are in the area. Can't wait! It's an adventure.

In the mean time, I'm plugging away on various illustration projects including my Monday sketches this week. Above is my tribute to star of stage and screen, Ruby Keeler. Additionally, here's the beginning of my "Unlikely Casting" online gallery. Al Hirschfeld created this concept in the 1960s as a feature in Playbill. Stars of the day were drawn in roles they were rather wrong for, to humorous effect. I'm taking up the project with stars of yesteryear and today. The irony in each piece might be a little "inside" unless you're a theatre geek like me, but I think it will be a fun project. The first is late great Broadway darling Helen Hayes as Diana Goodman, the wife/mother struggling with mental illness in Next to Normal, currently playing on Broadway starring Alice Ripley.

Well, I should get back to making some cards. If I get done in a reasonable time frame, I think I may go see a movie tonight. But then I still have to format my Stop the World... script. Maybe I'll take the computer to a coffee shop instead. We'll see. Anyway... take care, all! Peace and love.

A breath of Oregon.

2009-08-18T23:20:00.000-05:00

I've jumped back into life at home after a wonderful trip to Oregon and a visit with the family. It's always lovely to see the folks and the sister and her family and Grandma. I spent a few days chilling at the Coast (and dropping in on my lighthouses and chowing on chowder) but headed back to celebrate the sister's birthday. More food than anyone could begin to eat. And although all the food was amazing, I was most happy to get some of Grandma's famous apple dumplings. The photo here was created when I jiggled the iPhone when taking it. Cool, huh? It was taken on the cobble beach below Yaquina Head Lighthouse near Newport, Oregon

I also saw a couple movies... my first in quite a while. When not in rehearsal lately, I'm most likely drawing, and movie time seems frivolous. But this was vacation. I thoroughly enjoyed both Julie & Julia and the latest from the animation master Miyazaki, Ponyo. They're totally different movies, but it's interesting to note the similarities. All the title characters yearn for something bigger and better than themselves and enjoy the journey it takes to get there. Lessons.

Now, I'm hitting the ground running once again. The biggest news in my world is that I've been cast as the lead (Littlechap) in the staged reading of Stop the World, I Want To Get Off at Musical Theatre Guild. MTG is a membership group I've been on the periphery of for years and have just recently been voted into as a full-fledged member. I feel so honored to be taking on this role in this wonderful company. I join an amazing cast and great show team... but I'd be lying if I didn't admit my apprehension. Littlechap is a huge role and I'm so incredibly comfortable as a sidekick or secondary lead. But I'm thrilled to be faced with the challenge and I look forward to the work and discovery and risk. Keep an eye out here, because you may just catch a glimpse into the psyche of a neurotic actor. Hee hee.

Other than that, I have a couple auditions coming up and lots and lots of artwork to dig into. I love being busy with fun projects, and, boy, do I have a lot to do right now! Wish me luck (and/or "break a leg")! Take care, all! Peace and love.

Up for another breath...

2009-08-11T22:57:00.000-05:00

The whirlwind doesn't stop. I planned it this way, but sometimes it gets a little daunting. Last week, I worked long hours on the first gallery-type exhibit of my work. I finished up the final pieces, matted and framed them, and created items to sell along with the display. Here's a glimpse at the show (as laid out in my room)...

After the nose-to-the-grindstone week, I left on a jet plane (after hitting an audition in Thousand Oaks) to Wichita where I saw the amazing Music Theatre of Wichita production of The Drowsy Chaperone (and visited my good friends there). Starring in that production was the wonderful Wayne Bryan who helms Music Theatre, and he was the subject of my weekly sketch over at Squigs Knows His Lines (see here). I also had a chance to have some great conversation with Peter Filichia (who gave me that astounding mention in his Theatremania.com column in June and was in Wichita to write about the production). After the lovely quick trip, I flew back and (after going to another audition, this time just around the corner from my place) hung my hat at home once again.

But now I'm bubble wrapping these frames and things within a millimeter of their lives so I can ship them out to Alexandria, VA tomorrow. Then I head for another airport. Yes, I'm jetsetting a lot lately, this time to Oregon. On this trip I'll be visiting the family and getting a few moments of just plain do-nothin' on the coast. When I head home, I'll have a bit more wiggle room in the schedule, but there's always something to do. I'm putting it out there a lot lately and taking some risks, but I have faith that this is what I'm supposed to be doing. Here we go! Take care! Peace and love, y'all.

Up for a breath.

2009-08-06T13:24:00.000-05:00

Hi all! Just popping in briefly. This week is packed with art and related activities, mainly because I'm in the heat of prep for my first gallery exhibit. The pieces are in their final phases, and then there's matting and framing and preparation of related sale items and packing and shipping. It's fun and educational... and a LOT to do. So I'm headed back to work.

Oh, yeah... and I turn 37 tomorrow. So I'm reflecting on all the blessings that have made this life such a joy and an adventure. Best wishes to you all! Peace and love.

All done.

2009-08-02T16:06:00.000-05:00

42nd Street has closed. We met a great crowd of over 1600 folks last night who sent us off enthusiastically. I am very proud to have been a part of this fantastic show, and I'll miss the cast and crew a lot. Here's the full version of my closing sketch (which will also be my Monday sketch tomorrow on Squigs Knows His Lines).

I've almost finished packing and will soon hit the road in a northerly direction. I have some errands to run and some people I hope to see, but the main priority is to get home and unpack and settle before I have to dive into the workload. In regard to the art, I feel energized and enthusiastic to get some stuff done. I have to complete the pieces for my first D.C. exhibition which will be my biggest project of the week. Also simmering on the drawing board: three caricature commissions, a logo, and a few of my own projects. I'm happy to have work, and I look forward to the challenges.

Well, that's all for now, y'all. Take care! Peace and love.

Wrapping up...

2009-08-01T04:24:00.000-05:00

We will be taking one more trip down 42nd Street way. I'm sad that the journey is coming to an end because the ride has been so joyous. The new stage house is simply miraculous and the crowds have been very enthusiastic. This final week of three performances has seen ticket availability only in the lawn seating (reserved seats=sold out). Last night we saw 1,483 folks on the hill. Tonight... 1,550. We're hoping to break 1,600 tomorrow night, but whatever the case, the powers that be are super excited about the numbers.

My traditional closing sketch has been completed and I've enclosed a bit of a teaser here. It was a bit of a challenge, considering the work load and the number of folks in the show (39). I'm happy with the results, though, and I look forward to presenting the prints tomorrow and posting the results here too.

I will indeed miss the show, but I am very much looking forward to getting back to the ol' neighborhood. I recently realized that I have spent only two nights in my own bed in the past seven weeks. Wow. And recent brief returns to the 'hood have reminded me why I've missed it. I have a lot of work to tackle once I get home, but when I'm not nose-to-the-grindstone it will be great to be resting in my own bed, watching my own TV, and visiting my old haunts. Anyway... That's it for now. Best wishes to you all in all that comes next. Peace and love!

Final days off...

2009-07-28T03:29:00.000-05:00

Hi all! The 42nd Street show is winding down here in Vista, and I'm already sad looking ahead to the end. But we have three more performances left in which to "bring it" and for that I am happy. We're in the midst of our days off before we're back at it on Thursday. I dropped into an open call audition today which went well (but was unfortunately unsuccessful) and met up with folks from the cast for pizza and a bit of time at a casino. Tomorrow will bring some work time, maybe a dip in the pool, and I hope a visit to a BBQ in the eve to celebrate a cast birthday. Wednesday will bring a trip up north to visit the Sawdust Fest and a drop in on a pal o' mine as well as a great seat to see The Best Is Yet to Come: The Music of Cy Coleman at the Rubicon Theatre in Ventura. See below for some art pointed in that direction...

Yes, my weekly sketch(es) over at Squigs Knows His Lines focused on local LA area theatrical happenings this week. I loved Danny Gurwin and Lowe Taylor (and other friends) in Little Shop of Horrors at Musical Theatre West (which closed yesterday), and I look forward to the show at the Rubicon (running at least through next Sunday). Lots of fun is to be had 'round here. I'm so glad to be able to catch some of it.

Now, I'm happy to be juggling some fun projects and looking ahead to some exciting adventures on the horizon. It's a good place to be. Peace and love, y'all!