2008 recently has been serving up some unbelievable opportunities for me. I’m performing more comedy, I’m dating (I know, shocking!!), I got that raise at work; things seem to be turning for the better. Unfortunately, health wise things are going rapidly in the opposite direction. I’ve had the flu/head cold for 2 weeks, my baby leg symptoms have moved into my “good” leg, I’ve lost my appetite and I’m not sleeping. Now other than the baby leg I would look at this as warning signs of Heath Ledger syndrome. No disrespect intended, but until of late I have been a world class eater and amateur insomniac, I mean I am a night person on a 9 to 5 schedule so sleeping has always been problematic but not completely illusive as of late. So what’s wrong with me, so much is going so right why can’t I seem to get it all together at once. Surely once these pesky germs find their way out of my system things will get brighter, I need to figure out what to do about my falling tendons. Achilles was right once you lose them it’s all over. Maybe Eastern medicine has some ideas they love to poke things into your feet.
More happy news, Clive Owen and Naomi Watts were filming a movie on my block. Their trailers right outside my window. For those of you that know the Magic Treehouse you know that my bed is right there practically on the sidewalk. So does that mean we’ve “slept” together. Ok that’s reaching, but delightful dreaming none-the-less. LOL!
Then while walking Ms. Kayla on January 9th as I do every night when suddenly a cab pulled up on our familiar cross street. I then heard an accent not to be believed and when I turned around to see who the hillbilly was accosting my eardrums it was Mr. Clay Aiken. Dressed in white valour sweat pants and a blue hoodie. He was talking on his blue tooth and caring a white plastic bag with unknown contents. Then it happened he saw me seeing him and went, if you can believe it, 3 shades paler. I said, "Take it easy Skipper McGee!" (which is his Manhunt Screen Name-for those of you that don’t know Manhunt is a gay social sex network) That's when the pale burst into Rainbow Red and he scurried quickly into his Residential Suites Apt. I giggled all the way home!!
I wrote to Jonny McGovern the Gay Pimp, my favorite podcaster and told him the story, (since they are the ones that uncovered the Manhunt id name) he was thrilled that his little undercover gay baby “read” miss thing and turned it out for the Gay Pimping Crew. I am currently trying to get my friends Marc and Stephen to help me put out a podcast of our own. I think the format is so much fun and harkens back to the days of what was it called, oh yeah radio. On other creative fronts I am working on two theatre pieces one a dramatic interpretation of the 8min and 15sec LOST series run down currently posted on ABC.com for all those who need to catch up. Frankly, it’s genius and needs to be brought to life with interpretive dance. Then my cohorts in crime Chan Harris and Jacob Toth are working on a full musical production of a show destined to change the old, worn out face of Broadway, mark it people as soon as it’s written so will it be done! LOL!
Yeah things are great, if I could just walk without pain and sleep I’d be golden.
So, February, bring it grrrl, let’s keep this ball rolling!!!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
To Be or Not To Be...(posted late due to lapse in memory, ie: I forgot I wrote it..)
It's a famous question one that we all must struggle with, some of find it easy to live and dread the darkness of death. Others long for the peace that comes in the silence. Heath Ledger now knows this stillness. Whether by accident or on purpose, only time will tell, he lies with the fishes as they say.
My world weary heart can barely stand it. This lose does not ring true in a breast still beating. It feels strange, out of sync, something that came too soon, something that could have easily well been a plot twist, to take the hero at the beginning of the story only to have his spirit restored and by the end the would be lovers reunited with bliss within their finger tips. Unfortunately, life isn't a script. No one dies in the arms of their true love on a street with no name. Heath didn't get his close up before he faded to black. He was alone, in his home, naked, in bed with pills scattered about his head. Nothing red carpet or glamorous about it. No flashing paparazzi, no Access Hollywood.
My mind still tries to understand why? Was it an accident? Was it on purpose? We may never know the truth. How unhappy could someone so talented be? Who seemed to have everything in his grasp. Sure a marriage that seemed to have failed, but a baby girl. Matilda, 2yrs old who will have to watch the 15 films her father was in to even glimpse the man he was or could have been. I know what it's like to hold on the shadows, memories, things that make up the child you were and the woman you become. How could he leave her? How could they leave me?
What's really weird is that I just watched Brokeback Mountain from stem to stern this weekend. I know, I know they could take my gay card away for waiting so long but, I had seen bits and pieces but not the full film in it's entirety. I thought that Heath whose character said so little verbally, but said so much was a mark of genius and pain. A dear friend gave me A Knight's Tale as a Christmas present. It's playing in the background as I write this rambling. Now we wait to see if the toxicology will tell us anything, does anyone know why Mary Kate Olsen is involved (random!!!) whatever the out come, I mourn the lose of someone so young and talented. Young people die everyday and it's sad and tragic across the board.
My world weary heart can barely stand it. This lose does not ring true in a breast still beating. It feels strange, out of sync, something that came too soon, something that could have easily well been a plot twist, to take the hero at the beginning of the story only to have his spirit restored and by the end the would be lovers reunited with bliss within their finger tips. Unfortunately, life isn't a script. No one dies in the arms of their true love on a street with no name. Heath didn't get his close up before he faded to black. He was alone, in his home, naked, in bed with pills scattered about his head. Nothing red carpet or glamorous about it. No flashing paparazzi, no Access Hollywood.
My mind still tries to understand why? Was it an accident? Was it on purpose? We may never know the truth. How unhappy could someone so talented be? Who seemed to have everything in his grasp. Sure a marriage that seemed to have failed, but a baby girl. Matilda, 2yrs old who will have to watch the 15 films her father was in to even glimpse the man he was or could have been. I know what it's like to hold on the shadows, memories, things that make up the child you were and the woman you become. How could he leave her? How could they leave me?
What's really weird is that I just watched Brokeback Mountain from stem to stern this weekend. I know, I know they could take my gay card away for waiting so long but, I had seen bits and pieces but not the full film in it's entirety. I thought that Heath whose character said so little verbally, but said so much was a mark of genius and pain. A dear friend gave me A Knight's Tale as a Christmas present. It's playing in the background as I write this rambling. Now we wait to see if the toxicology will tell us anything, does anyone know why Mary Kate Olsen is involved (random!!!) whatever the out come, I mourn the lose of someone so young and talented. Young people die everyday and it's sad and tragic across the board.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Man or Mouse?
Jeter on my Mind….
As I find myself in the year of our lord two thousand and eight a funny little man seems to be at every turn. On December 31, 2007 not feeling well at the start of the New Year, I fell asleep watching Michael Jeter in the movie, The Green Mile. His performance as Dell (Eduard Delacroix) the Cajun on death row for molestation is one that is so layered and seamless that you struggle with the way you feel for the character, ultimately society would have you wanting to see him fry. However to me he seems broken like a child’s toy and I always end up rooting for him and Mr. Jingles regardless of how futile. Something about wanting to be forgiven, to make things better or different, to maybe have made other choices seems to rest behind his eyes.
That night I dreamed of mice and friends, or was that friends that were mice I can’t remember? Then while performing my morning ritual of coffee and playbill.com in my Jew cube. I’m reading Seth Rudetsky’s end of the year column when I stumble upon a Jeter reference while Seth was interviewing Tommy Tune (see below):
I asked him about that brilliant number he created for Michael Jeter in Grand Hotel. He said that they couldn't find someone to play the role of Kringelein and Tommy remembered seeing Michael play a door mouse opposite Meryl Streep in the Public Theater's Alice in Wonderland. He tracked him down and turns out Michael was working as a secretary in a law firm. Tommy brought him in and at the audition Michael Jeter told everybody that he didn't sing. Tommy wanted to know if that meant that he had never sung, or if he was literally tone deaf, so he had Michael match different pitches…which he was able to do. Tommy sat with him onstage and said he should sing something really simple for everyone and held his hand. He remembers Michael's hand shaking terribly as he sang, but he got through it. Of course, his acting in the audition scenes was brilliant and he was cast. But, Tommy forgot to ask him to dance. He said he likes to see how everyone can dance at an audition, just in case it's needed somewhere. Well, one day during rehearsals, Michael was holding himself on the bar (drinking bar, not ballet) and making his body do these crazy Raggedy Andy/spineless/no-bones-in-his-body moves. Tommy saw it, loved it and made it the basis for "We'll Take a Glass Together."
I can’t believe he wasn’t a dancer or singer!
In bold are the parts that struck me most….again with the mouse, secretary, never sang or danced in front of people. Needless to say the clip gives me goose bumps and fills me with such joy and optimism that I can barely contain the tuna sandwich I had for lunch.
Jeter had gone to school for medicine and switch to acting and became a character actor of the finest order. I just keep thinking about him winning the Tony for Grand Hotel and performing that number night after night. Then I find myself crying for no apparent reason other than the world seems a little dimmer with out him.
Showtime is running Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit on Friday Night, I have a date to watch my “mousey” friend kick up a fuss.
Remember kids joy is where you find it. So if your life is lacking and you need just that little something extra to help you through your day and remind you why you're here in the first place take a look around. You just might find an enormous heart wrapped in a tiny package.
As I find myself in the year of our lord two thousand and eight a funny little man seems to be at every turn. On December 31, 2007 not feeling well at the start of the New Year, I fell asleep watching Michael Jeter in the movie, The Green Mile. His performance as Dell (Eduard Delacroix) the Cajun on death row for molestation is one that is so layered and seamless that you struggle with the way you feel for the character, ultimately society would have you wanting to see him fry. However to me he seems broken like a child’s toy and I always end up rooting for him and Mr. Jingles regardless of how futile. Something about wanting to be forgiven, to make things better or different, to maybe have made other choices seems to rest behind his eyes.
That night I dreamed of mice and friends, or was that friends that were mice I can’t remember? Then while performing my morning ritual of coffee and playbill.com in my Jew cube. I’m reading Seth Rudetsky’s end of the year column when I stumble upon a Jeter reference while Seth was interviewing Tommy Tune (see below):
I asked him about that brilliant number he created for Michael Jeter in Grand Hotel. He said that they couldn't find someone to play the role of Kringelein and Tommy remembered seeing Michael play a door mouse opposite Meryl Streep in the Public Theater's Alice in Wonderland. He tracked him down and turns out Michael was working as a secretary in a law firm. Tommy brought him in and at the audition Michael Jeter told everybody that he didn't sing. Tommy wanted to know if that meant that he had never sung, or if he was literally tone deaf, so he had Michael match different pitches…which he was able to do. Tommy sat with him onstage and said he should sing something really simple for everyone and held his hand. He remembers Michael's hand shaking terribly as he sang, but he got through it. Of course, his acting in the audition scenes was brilliant and he was cast. But, Tommy forgot to ask him to dance. He said he likes to see how everyone can dance at an audition, just in case it's needed somewhere. Well, one day during rehearsals, Michael was holding himself on the bar (drinking bar, not ballet) and making his body do these crazy Raggedy Andy/spineless/no-bones-in-his-body moves. Tommy saw it, loved it and made it the basis for "We'll Take a Glass Together."
I can’t believe he wasn’t a dancer or singer!
In bold are the parts that struck me most….again with the mouse, secretary, never sang or danced in front of people. Needless to say the clip gives me goose bumps and fills me with such joy and optimism that I can barely contain the tuna sandwich I had for lunch.
Jeter had gone to school for medicine and switch to acting and became a character actor of the finest order. I just keep thinking about him winning the Tony for Grand Hotel and performing that number night after night. Then I find myself crying for no apparent reason other than the world seems a little dimmer with out him.
Showtime is running Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit on Friday Night, I have a date to watch my “mousey” friend kick up a fuss.
Remember kids joy is where you find it. So if your life is lacking and you need just that little something extra to help you through your day and remind you why you're here in the first place take a look around. You just might find an enormous heart wrapped in a tiny package.
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