[ Friday, August 29, 2003 ]
Just a reminder:
This weekend is your last chance to see
my final Broom Street show.
Bring friends.
posted by Rob on 8:32 AM |
link
(0) comments
--------------------
[ Thursday, August 21, 2003 ]
Welp, it's coming up on week five of "
Psychos In Love," and look--STILL no review of the show.
Well, I guess all the papers must be busy or something.
Of course, here I am looking in the
Isthmus, and
seeing two APT reviews.
Right next to each other.
By two different reviewers.
Last week, I called up
The Capital Times and spoke to the arts editor, asking if they sent a reviewer yet.
He got really defensive, and said they just didn't have the people--and plus, the Madison Blues Festival was coming up, so they were all prepping for that.
Which, of course, doesn't answer why no one showed up for the last four weeks that we've been running, but never mind.
He also said that "it's not just Broom Street," and there are plenty of theater companies that they don't review either, and that "often, it a matter of finding enough people."
Oh, like it's a fucking shuttle launch. The Isthmus could afford to send two people to the same fucking theater--which, I'll add, is not even in goddamn town and doesn't need the fucking publicity.
And as for the
Wisconsin State Journal? I'm gonna go and see what stories are in "Daybreak" today.
Be right back.
Okay.
Not a single fucking story on the front page about anything even happening in this state, let alone Madison. On the indside, it's the same deal. Generic puff-pieces culled from the AP and other papers. Not a single article about anything happening in this state.
I mean, does the Journal even have anyone working over there any more?
I'm sorry, but this truly pisses me off. In the five years that I've been a director for Broom Street, I have NEVER seen a show of mine not get reviewed by ANY of the local papers.
So, if you're as pissed off as me (and that truly is saying something), feel free to complain to any or all of the local papers.
To complain to The Capital Times, click
here and
here.
To complain to The Wisconsin State Journal, click
here.
To complain to The Isthmus click
here.
Go and do, my children. And if The Isthmus grouses at you, remind them that BST was, in fact, number one in their "Annual Manual," so yes, in fact, there IS a demand.
posted by Rob on 1:05 PM |
link
(0) comments
--------------------
[ Monday, August 11, 2003 ]
Yeah, yeah, I know.
I haven't posted in a
really long time.
What can I say? I've either been too busy, or too tired, or both, or all three.
So, here's a list of mini-updates:
1. Psychos In Love, and all that that implies.
This actually needs to be in subsections, there's so much:
Gorman Bechard.
Yes, indeed, the original co-writer/director of the film came to see the show opening weekend, and really liked it--he even refers to me as "Madison Theater God" on his website, which is pretty dang awesome. Also with him was
Jan Radder--to those of you who have seen the film, he was the "Blood Pumper," both on and off screen. ("I can't stop NOW!!!") He also mentioned that, yes,
Carmine Capobianco and
Debi Thibeault, the original stars of the film do know about it, and wanted to be there. (Although if either of you are reading this, you've got THREE MORE WEEKS, DUDES!!!)
I should also mention that Former BST Tech Goddess Jhen Harding was also there, and totally geeked out on Gorman and Jan. Hee!
Gorman also read from his current novel,
The Ninth Square at the University Book Store the following Saturday, as well as show us his latest short film,
OBJECTS IN THE MIRROR ARE FURTHER THAN THEY APPEAR, which was damn creepy.
It meant a lot to me for him to come out to see the show, and he's also been cool enough to drop me a line every week to see how the run's been going. Speaking of...
How It's Been Doing.
Not bad, although last weekend was pretty small. Second weekend was pretty kick-ass, and opening night was just
amazing. We've had a couple of large-but-quiet crowds, and a couple of small-but-loud crowds. Very strange.
Have There Been Any Reviews Yet?
Not that I can see. If we've had an critics show up, they haven't announced themselves, and if they have, they haven't written a review yet.
Jeez, guys. It's
halfway through the run. Not to raise an eyebrow, but I can't help noticing that
APT shows have three MONTH runs and get reviewed--often--the day after they open. In the words of
Potch:
I'm not sayin'.
I'm just sayin'.
"WHY...WON'T...YOU...DIE?!?!?"
Next Friday (the 15th), after the show, the cast and I are going as group to see the midnight show of "
Freddy Vs. Jason" at the
University Square Four Theater. So, if you wanna see "FvJ" with the cast of "Psychos In Love," well, dude, that's the time.
2. The Soapbox. Potch. (and soon, Roughy!)
Had some cool-ass visitors, too. The first was a group from the
WWDN Soapbox: NightShade,
Jade Dragon, Manniax, and Halkun. They were a lot of fun--we had a late dinner and took pictures of our feet. It was crazy.
Check us out, yo.
This last weekend, yes, indeedy, Lee Potcher and his wife, Shiela came up to visit. I showed them around downtown Madison, we had breakfast at The Original Pancake House, and lunch in Milwaukee at The Safe House, and they were nice enough to watch the show twice--and they both really liked it! As I'm typing this now, Lee's (in all likelihood) white-knuckling his way through the flight on the way home, as Shiela vainly tries to comfort him.
And, as he says
right here, Roughy will soon be paying us a visit to see the show! WOO HOO!!!
3. Joseph Clark's Massacre Strikes Back.
God, I love it when this happens. I just got an email from
Rick Dolishny, the Editor and Visual Effects guy for
"Joseph Clark's Massacre" a.k.a. "Bikini Party Massacre," saying "Your review is the best trashing of ANY film my colleagues have ever read!"
4. Yes, The Rumors Are True.
I am leaving
Broom Street Theater after this show.
Now, I'm not gonna lie to you and pretend that there aren't negative reasons, like earlier this year when I was banned for writing
this, or the mis-communication, or my disagreements with Joel, or what-have-you, but I actually think all of that kind of, well, crap, is just pointless, and, to be honest, I'd rather focus on the positive reasons for my leaving:
--
Getting some new blood in there.
I've been at this for a while, and, y'know, it's really unfair of me to keep working there when I won't enjoy it as much as any of the people who want to direct a show there, of which I know there are a few.
--
I want to step myself up as a writer.
See, once you get to a certain point at Broom Street, you can write pretty much anything and it's okay. Total freedom it really great--but now that I've gotten what I can from it, I feel the need to improve my work through quality control. This is not to knock Broom Street--it's that freedom that makes BST what it is, and it should never lose that. That said, I'm comfortable enough to move on.
--
I seriously need a break.
I've been working in theater non-stop, and I really haven't allowed for much time with my wife (and, without going into it, almost paid for it severely). I think it's time for a break so I can do just that, as well as focus on other types of writing, like prose and screenwriting.
--
It's not like I'm dying, for Christ's sake.
I'm gonna keep going to Broom Street, and I'll continue to support it. People keep saying how they'll miss me, and how it's a blow to the theater, and it's a huge loss...
Well, come
on.
Broom Street has been around and thriving since before I was born. I certainly don't want it to fail after I leave, and, to be honest, I think it'll do just fine with Tracy and Matt Grzybowski, the two new directors (who are also close, personal friends of mine). That theater is bigger than me, it's bigger than us, and it's even bigger than Gersmann (he'd never admit it, but it's true). I'd love for it to thrive when I'm done there.
Another thing people constantly ask me is "do you think you'll ever come back as a director?"
Well, that's a little trickier. I mean, would I
want to? To be honest, probably not. I mean, by the time I'd be ready to direct again, there'll already be a solid group of directors there, and then what do I do? Kick one out? Ask for someone's slot? And there's no saying that I wouldn't have to get in line to direct again.
So, no, probably not.
I've learned a lot about myself by working at Broom Street. I mean, hell, I met my wife there, so I'm always gonna feel a connection to it.
But at the same time, yeah, sorry, kids: The party's soon-to-be-over.
But the good news is you'll be the first to know when the next one's starting.
And that's that.
posted by Rob on 10:49 AM |
link
(0) comments
--------------------
