Pippin on Broadway

Recently, while in New York, I was able to see PIPPIN (watch the video linked here), a musical I’ve been wanting to see since my youth since it opened on Broadway when I was in high school. I remember watching The Ben Vereen Show on TV because of his extraordinary performance as the Leading Player, which won him a Tony Award in 1972.

PIPPIN has been a beloved Broadway score by Stephen Schwartz by millions of people, and has been a key music produced in colleges and high schools across the country. Bob Fosse’s signature style of dance elevated the 1972 production to that of a classic.

The new revival of the play by Diane Paulus, who also revived HAIR and PORGY AND BESS has a knack for breathing life into musicals who’s historical runs ended years ago, and have taken on a sort of mystical air. It takes a brave and brilliant soul to mess with these musical war horses and I’m delighted to have experienced all three of her revivals.

But PIPPIN remains, for me, a touchstone musical, mainly for the score – and more precisely – for the songs, “Corner of the Sky” and “Morning Glow.” Two beautiful and moving songs that spoke to me at my young age. Watching them a few weeks ago brought back all those feelings and memories of growing up.

Aside from the music, this revival includes circus acts, a fine cast and a set that reveals itself to be beautiful, but illusive itself. It’s a stroke of genius because, when everything is finally stripped away, there is only ourselves.

The Place Beyond the Pines

The Place Beyond the Pines, to me, is the first great film of 2013. Set in Schenectady, NY amid various classes and men, the film weaves together three generations, but aims at the relationships of fathers and sons.

Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine) has made a minor epic propelled by stellar performances and a palpable dread that infuses almost every scene, which keeps you riveted for its entire running length of 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Eva Mendes, who has the difficult task of being almost the sole female in the cast, isbrilliant for being at a loss as to what to do about the circumstances she finds herself in and the deceit swirling around her.

I loved how the camera moved through the scenes: from the very first time we see Ryan Gosling almost glide with confidence from his trailer,through the carnival and into a tent, we watch how the director probes each scene for nuance whether it’s a tattoo or a dangling cigarette.

It’s novelistic in its approach, revealing characters and lives set in motion by tragedy. I hope it has a long life beyond the theater and will become a minor classic.

Once Again, Shame on Our Senate

I think every Senator who voted NO on background checks should have the experience of being held up at gunpoint and knifepoint like I was many years ago when I was living in Los Angeles. Maybe then they would understand the fear that an experience like that engenders. The kids who held me up were no older than 25, most likely showing their mettle as part of a gang, and most likely I was just one victim in their life of crime. Or maybe the Senators should spend a day walking in the shoes of a parent, sister, brother, loved one or friend who’s lost someone to gun violence. They wouldn’t have to look very far at all.

Those that believe that background checks for every gun purchase – online, at a store or gun show – isn’t necessary is missing the point. You have to show your ID to buy Sudafed, a prescription, to walk into a bar, to use your credit card. There would simply be some traceable record of that gun and it’s connection to the purchaser, and maybe it might save the life of one person, or several lives inside a theatre or school because that person may think for a moment about the repercussions of easily being caught.

For those who believe that we should just enforce the laws we have now, please, show me the ones we are supposed to enforce – like the one where felons are not supposed to have guns? That one? Laughable. They can buy a gun at a gun show. Or steal one of the millions upon millions we have in this country. We are the most violent country in the world – and for good reason. We own the most guns – and guns kill. I’ve read about several accidental deaths lately of fathers losing sons and vice versa. That would not have happened, and that family wouldn’t be going through the trauma and grief they are going through now if there wasn’t a gun in the house.

We have had a shameful Congress for far too long now on a variety of issues. Don’t you think it’s time that we begin to rethink the people who are being elected and vote for those people whose intelligence and compassion outweigh their need to line their pockets?

Mountains

I always draw inspiration for writing and solitude from the mountains. My work is rife with mountain imagery and water.

Today’s excursion to Twin Falls in the Central Cascades was no different. A glorious day and abundant water made the falls spectacular. Lucky I brought the big camera to take some photos.

Take Flight: Life After 50

I saw an old friend for lunch yesterday. She’s young, nearing 30, but I’ve known her most of the time I’ve lived in Seattle through work. She took care of my dog, Tucker, and helped me enormously when my mom was passing away. She is a wonderful person!

She reminded me of when I was turning 50 and what a rough time it was. 2010 was not a good year for me, but I look back on it now and realize the gains I’ve reaped from it. I wrote some of the best stuff I’ve ever written. I changed tacks on my career. I shed people who were bringing me down. It was like I was going through a year long cleanse without the nasty tasting drinks.

It opened me up to new things – like a relationship, new business ventures, new people, and certainly the idea that there is no need to wait to start putting your most personal work out there, which is the reason for this post.

Don’t wait until your 50 to share your best work. If you think it isn’t good enough, it isn’t, but that’s the thing that keeps you producing even better work, and keeps the creative spark lit. Let others follow your journey to your greatest achievements.

So, lunch friend, former students, personal friends and colleagues, don’t wait like I did. It will only fester, cause anger, debilitation and hurt.

Put your work, your creative self out for the world to see. Now. It will change you, I guarantee it. Take flight!

 

Thoughts on the Oscars

Jokes about Presidential assassinations are never funny, ever. Blithely asking after a crass, inept joke, “Too soon?” makes a tasteless joke even worse.

Seth McFarlane was mediocre at best. The Oscars are for people who love film, not to garner ratings. Let’s be honest about that for a change. If you want ratings, watch “Two and a Half Men.” There are far more boob jokes there if that’s what people need. The show should be a celebration of film and all who toil in it – everyone. And it should be a class act.

The Oscars set was beautiful. Whoever designed it did a masterful job of making it nearly 3-D in some moments on our 2-D set we were watching. Unbelievable.

Ang Lee’s win seemed like a default because Ben Affleck wasn’t nominated. In some respects, maybe they should have just left this category unrewarded if they’re not going to nominate the director of the Best Picture winner.

I liked Life of Pi, I really, really liked it, but it was a film more about the amazing use of CGI and the brilliance of those artists and storytellers than that of narrative film, which Ang Lee dropped the boat on (pun intended) when he decided to bookend Life of Pi with where the main character is today.

Best Cinematography should have gone to Roger Deakins for Skyfall. Life of Pi was all about CGI, Skyfall was all about marrying beautiful and thoughtful imagery from what was placed before the camera when shooting to match the storyline.

While we’re on this subject, drowning out the Visual Effects winners with the Jaws theme was really dumb. Maybe the orchestra shouldn’t have been down the street in the Capitol building with just their headphones on.

Emmanuelle Riva should have walked off with Best Actress. She was brilliant in Amour.

Best Supporting Actor should have gone to Phillip Seymour Hoffman who gave a master class in acting in The Master (again, pun intended).

Adapted Screenplay should have gone to Lincoln. There was no more literate and poetic script written this year and Tony Kushner was robbed. Argo was good, but it was no Lincoln. However, it was a great year for writers and that just makes my heart sing.

A salute to the losers at the end of the telecast was wrong-headed and tasteless. Why not beat them with a stick on their way out as well? Extremely unfunny.

It was nice to see the entire cast and chorus from Les Miserables sing so we didn’t have to listen to many of the actors from the film try to sing again for very long.

Finally, The Oscars are NOT The Tonys. I have a special place in my heart for both shows – I just don’t like to see them blended together into a bad stew.

This year, I’m going to let my hair grow out and then color it blonde. I may have a chance at winning next year!

Microsoft's New Windows 8 Nook Application

Reblogged from Tom Schabarum | Writer:

My friend, Paul, shared with me the new look for Windows 8's Nook Application. If you have read The Palisades or Airstreaming on Nook, please go and rate it. Only rate it as you feel it deserves, though. I love the look of the new application for the synopsis and showcasing the other books by the author. It's also clean, simple to use and informative!

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