Illustrious Summer of Artistry

Illustrious Summer of Artistry

Summer is almost over. ALMOST. And I wouldn't trade MOST of it for anything.
It’s been very long, very interesting… filled with amazing opportunities.

THE PILLOWMAN
Spent the early part of the summer doing what I would say is by far my favorite show to date: THE PILLOWMAN. I was working along side some of the local actors that I have always looked up to… and I managed to do, what I believe to be, some of my best work on stage…
This was such a cool, artsy show. People managed show up and enjoyed it as much as we did. And for those of you familiar with our work know that is very rare. Ha. But really, it was a triumph... I VERY proud of that show.

PROFESSIONAL THEATRE IN A CORN FIELD
The day PILLOWMAN closed I began work on my professional summer gig with WIU’s Summer Music Theatre. Summer Stock in Macomb… if you can imagine…

The awkward season was as follows:

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS
A show I was definitely not looking forward to… but I ended having a ball. It really turned out to be a decent production. I don’t know what it was… but I really enjoyed myself. I think it was because I knew what was to come when ST. LOUIS closed… something worse. Yes, worse than ST. LOUIS...

I SHALL NOT BE MOVED
Short Bus of Musicals, this is I SHALL NOT BE MOVED. I SHALL NOT BE MOVED, Short Bus of Musicals. Hop on! It’s a gospel show with NO dramatic structure, NO plot, NO real meaning, NO real heart… but truth be told, audiences loved it. It also turned out to be a hit and the biggest money maker of the season. As bad as the show was, I truly enjoyed the staff I was working with and there were moments where I felt some sort of spirit… and Gougeon and I managed to have a good time. And I think that was because we knew what was to come…

THE NERD
Playing Willum in this show ranks up there with Younger Brother in RAGTIME and Michal in PILLOWMAN as one of my favorites. I LOVED this show… it’s some of the most fun I ever had on stage. I was working with one hell of a director (Jay Conner) and some of my best friends (Ben Gougeon, CJ Langdon, Sam Dubina, etc.). We had almost TOO much fun…
I am really very excited to revive this production in the fall…

TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO THE QCA
On July 30, I made my journey back to the QCA… only to have merely hours off before I began my next project. Well, projects…

COLLEGE FOR KIDS
For the last two years, I have been teaching the youth of the QCA the art of theatre... and I have returned for my third. Ok, that sounds really pretentious… ok…
So. I teach them. Right… it’s decent money for something I really enjoy. This year I even made up a syllabus, handouts, and adapted two children’s scripts for the little bastards. It’s a good time…

THE SECRET GARDEN
Last week, I received an e-mail from Derek Bertelsen, a local director from Millikin…. And he had been having some casting issues in his benefit production at Galvin Fine Arts Center. He was looking for a replacement for Albert Lennox, a decent supporting role…
I looked at it this way: I have already done 4 shows this summer, have another on the slate, and I figured why not make my summer total 6, right? So… I said “Cool, I’ll take it.” I explained I wouldn’t be able to begin until July 31... And he was down. I jumped in and in two days have learned the entire show. It’s always exciting to work that fast…
The show opens August 11...

And so does…

BLUE HOUR: CITY SKECTHES - MVP’s Tribute to DAVID MAMET
I am stoked about this show. CJ and I have been looking forward to this for months and here we are only a week away! This, too, opens August 11... (I will do GARDEN at 7 and do this at 10... and on Saturday will perform SG at 2 and 7 and BH at 10)… it’s all very exhilarating…

MY BREAK BEGINS
Beginning August 13 (around 4:45 when SECRET GARDEN finishes its matinee), I will be taking a much needed vacation from my theatrical life. I have been going non-stop since January and I need a break…
I am going to hang in the QC for a day or two and then retreat back to Macomb to prep my apartment for my roommate, research grad schools, and get things organized before the fall semester begins…

The summer’s been an artistic high and, for lack of a better cliché phrase, an emotional roller coaster…

I think I’ve grown a lot and really fallen into who I really am. It’s… cool.

I enjoyed the ride.
We all need to do that sometimes.