Thursday, December 30, 2004

Happy Holidays

Following performances of I HATE THIS people often ask what impact the play has had on my relationship with my family. The answer is, my relationship with them is fine, better to ask what impact the show has had on them.

For Christmas this year, my father made a contribution in Calvin's name to the The Heifer Project which helps hungry families around the world by giving them livestock or other farm animals in hope they may become self-reliant for food and income. He bought a hive of bees. I loved that. He also gave a flock of ducks in Zelda's honor.

In late 2001 he originally offered to dedicate a pointsetta for Calvin at his church, and there were those in the family who didn't get it. Toni and I have greatly appreciated his remembrances, they mean an awful lot.

Happy New Year's, folks.

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

Farewell From Bad Epitaph Theater Company

After five years my company, Bad Epitaph, is calling it quits. Not a major event in the history of Cleveland theater, but it is bound to be some kind of downer to a lot of theater fans around here, if only for purely symbolic reasons.

The state of theater in Cleveland kinda blows. The most daring theaters are petering along as best they can. Small companies like ours pop up for a bit, do some refreshing work, and then either disappear or ... well, no that's about it, they disappear.

Most of us are already involved with other companies, that's part of the reason for the split. Again, no big crying shame. It's kind of a relief. But I know I will miss the autonomy of doing whatever the hell I want after a short while. I always do.

Bad Epitaph Theater Co. 1999 - 2004
"I have tried so hard to do the right."
Cleveland, Grover (1837-1908)

Little Boys

We found last week that the Fish (as we call him) is going to be a boy. Or rather, he already is, but now we know it.

This news came strangely to me. I think I had assumed I really did want a boy, but wouldn't admit it to myself, for fear of being disappointed. And now I am not sure that was ever the case. My standard line was, "I just want it to be live and healthy." And I think that was true.

Boys are weak, you know. Boys are fragile. Zelda could get hit by a train and get back up again, she's tough. But little boys? Little boys die. At least, that's been my experience to date.

Wednesday, December 01, 2004

Angle 17

Fringing It

My personal take on Fringe Festival culture, and my experience in NY. Okay, not just my take, I interviewed a lot of people for it. I like it a lot better in print than when I wrote it.