If you like a good ole "show within a farce," you can check out the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival (from 1982) of Michael Frayn's play, "Noises Off" (directed by Jeremy Herrin). Besides the good time of a fun show, and stellar cast and crew, I want to give a particular shout-out to the fabulous Megan Hilty, who is playing Brooke Ashton.
Read MoreI recently had the pleasure to e-meet the winner of my Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen Monologue Contest, and this is one talented young actor! Ryan Henzi is from Ankeny, Iowa; he's 10 years old and he's been acting for years already! Now you can get to know this budding young actor too, and take a look at his great video performance of "Shepherd Superheroes."...
Read MoreThank you for participating in my Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen Monologue Contest! I was truly impressed by the talent of the submissions! Thank you for taking the time to perform and record these monologues—you all did a terrific job! ...
Read MoreIf you're looking for a short solo performance piece, check out this one below. It's a comedy (drama) which runs about 5 minutes, and showcases just what kinds of issues "Secret Santa" can bring up... Enjoy!...
Read MoreWell, I wouldn't shelf Elf just yet, but if you see this musical version of the "new classic" Christmas movie, Elf, just don't be expecting...well...Broadway....
Read MoreEveryone can probably give you their favorite Christmas movies, and I definitely love a lot of the classics, like Miracle on 34th Street (with Elizabeth Perkins), Rudolf, Elf, A Christmas Carol (Muppet version of course), It's a Wonderful Life, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, The Santa Clause, Love Actually. But there are some that don't get as much attention, and maybe deserve some exploration. So here are three of this playwright's top films that you might not have heard of, but are worth a watch....
Read MoreOkay, so as much as I love theatre, obviously--I also make time for good theater, as in, the ole fashioned moving pictures kind. And if you can throw in a novelty space for watching those moving pictures...? I mean, come on, how can a geek like me say no? ...
Read MoreThe first time I met the very talented Matt Udvari, he was sitting in my graduate level Playwriting Class at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). But Matt wasn't a Playwriting student; he was a graduate student in the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at CMU. So what was he doing in this very selective MFA program course (which consisted of a whopping 4 playwrights for my year, and 2 screenwriters)? Well...
Read MoreAh, that's the beauty of the expansive world wide web, right? Now for those in the upper generations who still remember what it was like before the internet made everything readily available, it's still kind of a novelty that we can reach so many people via the web...
Read MoreHere in the Northeast, we enjoy a lucrative season of apple picking. I went this Fall with some friends and my family, and...
Read MoreCheck out my most recent e-newsletter, announcing a new one-act Christmas-themed comedy for young actors, Christmas Superpowers and Believing in Blitzen. You can also learn about my monologue contest (you could win a monologue written for you!). And find out what my Halloween costume was this year...hint...I wasn't Princess Leia, but...
Read MoreI have loved the Bravo network for bringing us fab reality shows like Project Runway (yes, Lifetime took over, but it started on Bravo), Top Chef, The Millionaire Matchmaker, and Flipping Out. Guilty pleasures all around....
Read MoreThere is a plethora of new work being produced in New York City, and you'll run into some pretty bad shows, but it's wonderful when you find a true gem in the midst. While I have not yet seen this show (it opens tonight), I have a good feeling that this is one of those precious stones among the pebbles. Why? Well, for one...
Read MoreIf you're an artist between the ages of 15-18 (10-12 grade), you can considering applying to the National YoungArts Foundation. Applications are accepted in a variety of fields, including cinematic arts, classical music, and writing (to name a few) and you can find the application here (be aware, unfortunately, there is a $35 application fee, but you can get it waived). So what is the National YoungArts Foundation? Well, in their own words...
Read MoreOkay, so Matt Schatz is a super talented writer. And I can use that term "writer" in a general way, because he's nailed down so many different facets of the craft. He's not translating a new version of the Iliad just yet, but other than that, he's covered a lot of bases. So what does he do? Well...
Read MoreWho does not have a special place in their hearts for a Julie Andrews movie? If you don't know Mary Poppins or the Sound of Music, you must, and I mean, must, watch these movies, if for no other reason than to be able to experience a truly large movie of its day (but there are really enough other reasons to check it out). Her career didn't stop there though...
Read MoreWe all have exposure to actors on the big and small screen, and many of us have the joy to experience drama from stage actors in theatre. But while we do know some of the voices behind animated characters, we don't as often think of the good ole fashioned radio actors anymore. This is no surprise since radio drama has mostly been usurped by television and film. And believe me, I love a good movie (just saw The Double, which I raved about in a previous post), but there is something quite unique about radio drama. And I personally have a very soft spot for it.
Read MoreThere are certain movies that just stand out to you. Certain ones that speak to you, excite you, energize you. Maybe they feel relevant to something you're going through at the time, maybe they remind you of something you love, maybe they keep you on your toes and your adrenaline goes through the roof, maybe they just make you laugh really hard. But we all have those 5-star-netflix worthy movies...
Read MoreIf you're looking for great monologues written with teen actors in mind (including a few of mine from What Happened at the Mud Puddle), check out YouthPLAYS's new monologue book, Go Solo: Contemporary Monologues for Young Actors....
Read More