The Living Newspapers Workshop

For the past few weeks I've been writing (along with two other talented writers, Josh Koenisberg and Lindsay Gelfand)for the Living Newspapers Workshop.

To quote the press release:

"Using current events as its source material, with the aim of injecting social immediacy into the theater, The Living Newspaper is a live performance series that exposes a story's multiple angles and social implications."

You can read the entire press release here.

Sheila Callaghan Cracks me up

Sheila Callaghan cracks me up. Her twitter posts are hilarious. Her pictures are even funnier. Behold the genius that is Sheila Callaghan...

Only in New York!

Emerging Writers Group on Novacast

Here's a video blog by Jason Eagan (Artistic Director, Ars Nova) about the Emerging Writers Group!

Emerging Writer

February 12 was possibly the best night of my life as I officially "emerged" as a writer at the Public Theater and presented an excerpt from my play RED FLAMBOYANT.

Here are some pics of my cast, who were all wonderful!

Thanks to all my friends who came, and thanks to Nora and Bonna for snapping these pics!

The Emerging Writers Group Evening of Excerpts

At long last we have arrived! I'll be sharing my excerpt from my newest full length play RED FLAMBOYANT on Thursday February 11, 2009.

Tommy, Can you hear me?

Amy and I attended the 15th Anniversary benefit concert of TOMMY starring the original Broadway cast. It was amazing! What a treat to see the original cast wailing away to the songs of the Who's famous rock opera. I directed a production of TOMMY several years ago for the Shelterbelt Theatre in Omaha, NE and I still remember everything single note of that music. The overture is simply sublime. During intermission I even got a treat while standing in line for the restroom. Des Mcanuff was standing right behind me. I immediately morphed into "pitiful little fan" and turned to him and told him what a great show it was and that I was big fan of his work. I'm such a dork. He was great, and patted me on the back.

Man of Steel

An important part of summers in NY is always the Bryant Park Outdoor movie series. Last year Amy and I went and watched To Sir With Love. This summer has proven to be extremely busy and I didn't get a chance to check out any of the movies until tonight. I was NOT going to miss Superman The Movie. All my close friends know that I LOVE Superman. He is my favorite superhero.

Amy got there early and waited at the edge of the lawn until 5pm when they let everyone with blankets enter the lawn. According to Amy, it was like the Oklahoma land race, where thousands of people engulfed every little patch of green.

The movie started around 8:20pm and I was happy to hear the announcer say the film was dedicated to Christopher Reeve. When the movie started, people started to cheer. They show the entire director's cut, which was fantastic. It started with the opening of the comic book and a slow camera zoom in of a comic panel of the Daily Planet. Then a fade into movie curtains which opened to silent black space. Then, the first three notes of John William's iconic movie score (one of his best) pulsed like a heartbeat and the crowd roared.

It was a really great, respectful crowd. No obnoxious people, except for the ones smoking behind us. I got chills seeing the interior shots of the Daily Planet which is really the Daily News Building (where I work).

My favorite scene is Lois Lane interviewing Superman on her terrace. It is a perfect example of an expository scene that doesn't sound expository. She learns about his abilities and weaknesses (which factor into the movie later) while smoldering with sexual tension and humor. It is one of the best written scenes in a movie I think. No doubt Mario Puzo lent a hand to some of that crackling dialogue.

Kicking a Dead Horse

I was invited to see the first preview performance of Sam Shephard's new play Kicking a Dead Horse at the Public Theater last night.

As I looked for a seat to sit in , Mr Shephard entered the theatre, and said "Hi" as he passed by me. It was surreal to say the least.

Out of respect to the play since it's still in previews, I will refrain from giving a critique, but I will say that I would definitely like to see it again once it's opened.

The photo is from the National Theatre of Ireland production.

Burger and the Bard

Over Memorial Day weekend, I met my friend Rob for dinner before seeing the final dress rehearsal of Hamlet at the Delacorte (Shakespeare in the Park).

We dined at Big Nicks (upper west side). The bacon cheeseburger I had was DELICIOUS. The patty was thick and cooked perfectly the way I like (well done). Check it out if you're ever in the area!

Great Jones Cafe

Last Friday night Amy and I met some friends, Bill (a fellow Nebraskan) and his wife Susan for dinner at Great Jones Cafe, located on, well, Great Jones street. This cajun and creole eatery is a perfect place to eat on a cold rainy night, and as luck would have it, it was cold and rainy that night.

We got there at 7pm and got a table easily. The place quickly fills up soon after. I had a bacon cheeseburger which was delicious. The bacon was cooked to a perfect crisp and piled on.

I was also eyeing the shrimp roll, which I will have to try next time. Amy had the jambalya which was quite tasty as well. Also, for anyone who craves crawdads, this place is well known for serving them. The people at the next table were clearly enjoying them.

Great Jones Cafe is small and cozy and just down the street from the Public Theatre. So, I have a feeling I will be visiting this place again!

Smash and Us

Went to see Lower Ninth at the Flea Theater last night with our friends Anne and Andy. There were several reasons for going, such as Andy is from Baton Rouge so we though the subject of Katrina would especially be interesting for him, but for also a far less humanitarian reason, we are all fans of Friday Night Lights and Gaius Charles who plays Brian "Smash" Williams in the series is starring in the play.

The play was very good and the performances were all great. We stuck around after the show and was able to chat with Gaius and also got a photo with him. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose!!!

The Drama Bookshop

I was at the Drama Bookshop last night looking for a couple of scripts, and as I was scanning the shelves, I saw a lone copy of "The Best Plays from The Strawberry One Act Festival Volume One" which my play "The Harlequin Maneuvre" was published in.

It was a little surreal to be in New York concentrating on playwriting and to stumble upon my play at the bookstore at that moment.

I've been accepted into the Public Theatre's Emerging Writers Group!!!

I've known about this for several weeks now, but wanted to wait until the official press release was sent out to tell everyone my good news. I've been accepted into the Public Theater's Emerging Writer's Group, which is an inaugural program of the Public Writers initiative. All the info is below. I'm also directing a one act play called "Bonfrieg" for the Long Island City One Act Festival, so things have been quite busy.

Hope everyone is doing well in the New Year!

Here are some links to articles about the group:

Broadwayworld

Playbill

All That Chat

THE PUBLIC THEATER

ANNOUNCES MEMBERS OF

THE FIRST ANNUAL

EMERGING WRITERS GROUP

12 PLAYWRIGHTS SELECTED

FROM MORE THAN 700 APPLICANTS

FOR THE INAUGURAL PROGRAM

OF THE PUBLIC WRITERS INITIATIVE

Time Warner Is the Founding Sponsor of

The Public Writers Initiative

January 16, 2008 – Expanding on its 50-year history of developing new plays and cultivating new voices for the American Theater, The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, Executive Director Mara Manus) has announced the 12 members of the inaugural Emerging Writers Group, a new program launching next month that targets playwrights at the earliest stages in their careers and nurtures their artistic growth by providing necessary resources and support.

With this new initiative, The Public hopes to create an artistic home for a diverse and exceptionally talented group of up-and-coming playwrights. The Emerging Writers Group is the first element of The Public Writers Initiative, a long-term program that will provide key support and resources for writers at every stage of their careers. Time Warner is the Founding Sponsor of The Public Writers Initiative.

The inaugural group of Emerging Writers was selected from more than 700 applicants. The 12 selected are Radha Blank, Leila Buck, Raúl Castillo, Chris Cragin Day, Christina Gorman, Ethan Lipton, Alejandro Morales, Nick Nanna Hadikwa Mwaluko, Don Nguyen, Akin Salawu, Alladin Ullah, and Pia Wilson. Each writer will receive a $3,000 stipend; participate in a biweekly writers' group led by Associate Artistic Director Mandy Hackett and The Public's Literary Department; attend master classes with established playwrights; receive career development advice and artistic support from acclaimed writers and Public artistic staff; receive complimentary tickets to Public shows and supplemental stipends for productions at other theaters; and have their work presented in at least one reading at The Public.

Artistic Director Oskar Eustis said, "The EWG is our effort to fling open the doors of the Public to talented young writers who haven't had access to the mainstream theatrical community. Writers are the lifeblood of the theatre, and the voice of the people – with the EWG we hope to give a new burst of diverse energy to the American theatre."

"As a media and entertainment company, we share the Public Theater's commitment to nurturing new voices," said Lisa Quiroz, Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Time Warner. "We are honored to partner with The Public to kick off the Emerging Writers Group—and the Writers Initiative—with these 12 gifted storytellers."

The Public Writers Initiative will foster a web of supportive artistic relationships across generations of writers that will influence the future of contemporary American theater. Many of today's most honored and recognized playwrights such as John Guare, Suzan-Lori Parks, David Rabe, Christopher Durang, Wallace Shawn, Ntozake Shange, Sam Shepard, Tony Kushner and Nilo Cruz have a long history developing their work at The Public. The Public has also produced some of today's most important plays and musicals, such as Hair, Sticks and Bones, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf, The Colored Museum, Topdog/Underdog, Caroline, Or Change, and A Chorus Line. The Public Writers Initiative will ensure that The Public's great tradition of supporting playwrights and playwriting will remain central to its future.

"We are thrilled to welcome 12 exceptionally talented writers to our home at The Public Theater," said Associate Artistic Director Mandy Hackett. "We launch this program with tremendous enthusiasm and look forward to nurturing new work from such a dynamic and promising group of young writers."

2009 Emerging Writers Group application guidelines will be available as of spring 2008. Check www.publictheater.org/artists/emergingwriters.php regularly for details on applying for the next cycle of this program.

BIOS OF 2008 EMERGING WRITERS

Radha Blank

As a writer, Radha Blank finds inspiration in the voice and rhythm of today's youth. In her one-woman 'dramedy' Kenya, which the Village Voice called "riveting...immediately alive," a teenaged b-ball phenom confronts womanhood, misogyny and loss through conversations with her dead mother. After successful runs at the Womankind Festival, Dixon Place and The Hip Hop Theater Festival, Kenya garnered numerous awards including New Professional Theatre's Annual Writers Award for Best Script, The NY Foundation For the Arts Artists Fellowship and Nickelodeon's Writers Fellowship. This New York native has since written for hit Nick Jr. T.V. shows "Little Bill" and musical series "The Backyardigans." Radha even spent a year developing "My Life Is A Joke," an original pilot about an aspiring female teen comic for Nickelodeon's sister network, The N. In 2008, Nickelodeon will premiere Papa Moco Jumbie, an animated musical tale she wrote about a Caribbean boy and his father who bond during carnival time. Seeing writing as a path to self-discovery and self-empowerment, Radha has instructed NYC youth in hip-hop, poetry and playwriting for over twelve years. She is a student of every child she meets and aims to use her writing to give greater voice to today's youth.

Leila Buck

Leila Buck is an Arab-American actress, writer and teaching artist. For the past nine years, she has performed her one-woman shows ISite and In The Crossing across the country and around the world. After five years training and working with Creative Arts Team, she is currently New York Theatre Workshop's teaching artist at the Khalil Gibran International Academy in Brooklyn, and teaches dramatic storytelling with Al Bustan Seeds of Culture in Philadelphia. Leila has conducted workshops on storytelling, creating new work, and drama for cross-cultural engagement at conferences, universities, schools and cultural centers in the U.S., Europe and China. Her writing and performance work have been featured in Lebanon's Daily Star and The New York Times and on Brian Lehrer Live and WBAI NY public radio; her essay on Arab-American theater is published in Etching Our Own Image, from Cambridge Scholars Press. Leila is a founding member of Nibras and Mixed Company, and a Usual Suspect with New York Theatre Workshop.

Raúl Castillo

Raúl Castillo is a writer, actor and bass player (for the band Monster Rally). Born and raised between McAllen, TX and Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mex., he currently resides in NYC. A proud member of LAByrinth Theater Company, his plays City of Palms and Knives & Other Sharp Objects have been read at The Public as part of LAB's Barn Series Festival after being developed at the company's Summer Intensive in Bennington, VT. Raúl is a graduate of Boston University, where he studied with Derek Walcott, Kate Snodgrass and the poet Tino Villanueva. Raúl's plays Mosquito Street and a bill of one-acts under the title Border Stories were presented at the Kennedy Center-American College Theater Festival at Brandeis University. One of those one-acts - Death on my Mind - was published by Dramatic Publishing in "KC-ACTF Best Student One-Acts, Vol. 5." It was later presented by NOSTROS (L.A.), the Lark (NYC) and as part of the Cherry Lane's Alternation 2001 (NYC). Other past writing credits include Rebel Verses (NYC) and the Bloomington Playwright's Project (Bloomington,IN) with readings by Intar (NYC) and Teatro Luna (Chicago). As an actor, Raul works regularly on stage and screen. Recent credits include the world premiere of Jose Rivera's School of the Americas (Public/LAByrinth), a tour of Mando Alvarado's Throat, a lead in the feature film Amexicano (Tribeca Film Festival) and Cruz Angeles's feature Don't Let Me Drown (Sundance Lab Participant).

Chris Cragin Day

Chris Cragin Day joined the New York City theater community almost four years ago. Her childhood overseas is reflected in both her work and her hesitancy to answer the question, "Where are you from?" Though she certainly fits in the "emerging" category, she has had her plays produced at universities and small semi-professional theaters around the country. In New York City, her full length play Deadheading Roses was produced at the Lamb's Little Theatre in Times Square, and she's had numerous readings and workshops including Debutantes Anonymous at The Lamb's Theatre and A War in a Manger by Maeutic Theatre Works. Chris received her MFA in Stage Directing from Baylor University and has since gone on to commit all her time and energy to her writing. Chris currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband, director Steve Day, and their soon-to-be daughter, Kansas.

Christina Gorman

Christina Gorman's play Split Wide Open was produced at the Summer Play Festival in New York City and was developed with a fellowship at Ensemble Studio Theatre through its New Voices Program. The play was also runner-up for the 2005 Princess Grace Award. Her play DNA was produced at the Hangar Theatre as well as at the New York International Fringe Festival, where it received the award for Overall Excellence in Playwriting. Keep the Change, co-written with Joy Tomasko, was produced as part of Women's Project's site-specific extravaganza in the World Financial Center's 2007 Word of Mouth Festival. Christina is a member of The Torture Project Ensemble and with them collaborated on As Far As We Know, which was developed through a Drama League New Directors/New Works fellowship, produced by Uncommon Cause Theatre as part of the 2007 New York International Fringe Festival, and extended as part of the Fringe Encores Series. Christina's work has also been presented and/or developed at Women's Project, Lark Play Development Center, and The Juilliard School. She is a member of Women's Project Playwrights Lab. Her other works include Sacred Ground and Diary of an Adman.

Ethan Lipton

Ethan Lipton's plays include Goodbye April, Hello May (HERE, dir. by Patrick McNulty), One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Ohio Theatre, dir. by Emma Griffin), Meat (dir. Ken Schmoll in NY, Tom Mansfield in Edinburgh, Steven Chabon in L.A.), and Hope on the Range (The Complex, dir. by Brian Kite). Ethan has worked with Clubbed Thumb, Buffalo Nights and Upstart theater companies and been a writer in residence at New York Stage and Film. As a songwriter and bandleader, Ethan and his band have released three critically acclaimed albums and played extensively in New York and beyond, most recently at the Prospect Park Bandshell and Joe's Pub.

Alejandro Morales

Alejandro Morales is the author of the silent concerto, sweaty palms, sebastian (2002 Whitfield Cook Award), expat/inferno (2003 FringeNYC Best Production), marea, and castle of blood (an adaptation of the 1964 cult film of the same name). His plays have been presented/developed at NYSF/Public Theater, INTAR, South Coast Repertory, Mabou Mines, HERE, New Dramatists and Packawallop Productions, a company he co-founded and runs with director Scott Ebersold. A collection of his plays was recently published by No Passport, a collective dedicated to diversity in the American Theater. His collected works is also available as part of a digital series on Latino Theater published by Alexander Street Press. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild and an alumus of New Dramatists.

Nick Nanna Hadikwa Mwaluko

Nick Mwaluko was born in Tanzania but grew up mostly in neighboring Kenya. Mwaluko worked with Reuters News Agency in Nairobi and New York City. Mwaluko attended Columbia University under scholarship and attended the Iowa Writers' Workshop for a year. A Point Scholar, GLAAD COAD (Communities of African Descent) Fellow, recipient of several scholarships from Columbia University including the Helena Rubenstein Scholarship, J.R. Humphrey Fellowship for Dramatic Writing, Columbia University Fellowship for Playwriting, fluent in French, English, Kiswahili, KiChagaa and KiGogo, Mwaluko graduated Magna Cum Laude. Plays include: Waafrika (a trilogy), Are Women Human? Trailer Park Tundra, Ata, Asymmetrical Me, Basi Bwana, Once A Man, Always A Man and many others.

Don Nguyen

Don studied acting, writing, and directing at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. In 1999, Don became the Artistic Director of the Shelterbelt Theatre in Omaha, Nebraska and served until 2003. As a writer, Don's full length play Three To Beam Up was produced by the Shelterbelt Theatre. Don's one act play The Harlequin Maneuvre was a finalist in the Riant Theatre Strawberry One Act festival (2004) and was published in The Best of The Strawberry One Act Festival, Volume 1. Don recently worked with the Public Theater and Queens Theatre in the Park co-directing week 5 of Suzan-Lori Parks's 365 Days / 365 Plays with Rob Urbinati.

Akin Salawu

As a Stanford undergrad, Akin Salawu founded and ran Ergo student theater troupe which earned him the Sherifa Omade Edoga Prize for mounting culturally diverse theatre. In June 2006, he received his Master of Fine Arts degree from Columbia University's Film Division, where he was accepted with the Dean's Fellowship. He is also a two time Tribeca All Access Winner for his stage play You Dead Yet? and his screenplay Glory Masters (which also won the 2006 Columbia Screenplay contest). When not writing, Akin Salawu is a professional film and video editor and avid grassroots organizer.

Alladin Ullah

Alladin Ullah comes to the Emerging Writers Group after authoring and performing his one man show Indio, about his father's departure from Bangladesh during the 1940's in pursuit of the American Dream to an awkward arrival in Spanish Harlem. As a first time playwright, Ullah debuted Indio at the New Work Now! festival at The Public Theater. Additionally, Ullah wrote, The Halal Brothers which debuted at the Lark Theater. The Halal Brothers is a provocative story about two Bengali storeowners in Harlem at a crossroads in their sibling rivalry while battling their Islamic faith amidst the day of Malcolm X's assassination. Ullah has also developed shows for television - Showtime, Nickelodeon, and Imaginasian Network. He is a recipient of the Paul Robeson development grant.

Pia Wilson

Pia Wilson's Tree of Life was presented in a workshop production at The Red Room Theater in New York, and her short one-act Dressed In Your Dreams was a part of the Stagecrafter's "New Works Play Festival" in Royal Oaks, Michigan. Her play Do You Proud was a part of The Eclectic Theater Company's "Got a Minute?" play festival in Sarasota, Florida; while her play Whatever and Delicately was part of Groove Mama Ink's "Wonder Women Week II" play festival in New York. In 2003, Pia's short story "Dressed In Your Dreams" was published by The Summerset Review. The following year, a short film she penned, Blinding Goldfish, debuted at the New Zealand Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. It was also shown at the Pan-African Film Festival in Los Angeles and the Trenton Film Festival in New Jersey.

# # # #

THE PUBLIC THEATER (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Mara Manus, Executive Director) was founded by Joseph Papp in 1954 as the Shakespeare Workshop and is now one of the nation's preeminent cultural institutions, producing new plays, musicals, productions of Shakespeare, and other classics at its headquarters on Lafayette Street and at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. The Public's mandate to create a theater for all New Yorkers continues to this day on stage and through its extensive outreach and education programs. Each year, over 250,000 people attend Public Theater-related productions and events at six downtown stages, including Joe's Pub, and Shakespeare in the Park. The Public has won 40 Tony Awards, 141 Obies, 39 Drama Desk Awards and 4 Pulitzer Prizes.

# # #

Time Warner is the Founding Sponsor of The Public Writers Initiative, a program of

the LuEsther Lab for New Play Development.

The LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust provides leadership support for

The Public's year-round activities.

Bank of America is the Lead Sponsor of Shakespeare in the Park.

Major support is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The Ford Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The New York State Music Fund, The Booth Ferris Foundation, The Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Susan Stein Shiva Foundation, The George T. Delacorte Fund at the New York Community Trust—Fund for Performances at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, and by Warren Spector and Margaret Whitton. Pepsi is the official beverage sponsor of The Public Theater.

Additional generous support is provided by Debra and Leon Black, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, The Starr Foundation, The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Titan Worldwide, and The New York Times. Public support is provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency; and the National Endowment for the Arts, an independent federal agency.

Cultural Partners include WNYC and the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.

Pickle Press is the official printer, and Continental Airlines is the official airline of

The Public Theater.

Happy New Years!

Happy New Year! Be glad you are not this person!

August: Osage County

Tracy Lett's new play August:Osage County is currently playing on Broadway. I remember hearing about this play earlier this fall and wanting to go see it. Well, I finally got to see it over the weekend and it is one of the top plays I've ever seen in my life!

I had heard the running time was about 3 1/2 hours plus, which gave me some pause for concern, but then again Angels in America and The Kentucky Cycle are that long if not longer (and brilliant!), so I figured accept this since it has been getting rave reviews. Well, after the first act, I was a little worried. I thought "This is good, but nothing special." Then the second act started, and somewhere midway, I started to feel everything coming together, and the Genius that is Tracy Lett's came to the forefront. When the house lights came up after the second act, everyone in the audience roared with laughter and amazement after witnessing something truly remarkable on stage.

The third act served more as an extended denouement but even then, there were many secrets to be revealed and many times you could hear the audience gasping in disbelief and shock. Truly a great night of theatre. This is an alert for actors - especially actresses. Because of the Steppenwolf's belief in ensemble acting, there are lots of plum roles, and the complaint of there not being enough strong roles for women of (add age hear) years, well, the complaining should subside for a little while now. Tracy Lett's has crafted some truly amazing female characters of all ages.

Kudos to the Chicago cast for coming to Broadway and kicking ass!

Many people have speculated that this will be the frontrunner at the Tony's next year, and I have to agree. Time magazine just announced it as their top choice for best show of the year

Celebrity sightings at the show: Kevin Spacey, Paul Rudd, Julia Roberts, Bernadette Peters, John Stamos, and director Mike Nichols.

Christmas is coming! Part II

Here's some pics I snapped near Bloomingdales at 59th and Lex

Christmas is coming!

So I stopped at the Nintendo Store today to pick up a copy of Super Mario Galaxy for my Wii (I've been waiting all year for this one!) I saw the Rockefeller Christmas Tree still in it's scaffolding. I can't wait to come down here when the lights are up and people are skating (which I will be on Nora's birthday).

Random photos on a Sunday Afternoon

Here's some random photos I took around New York last Sunday afternoon with my Treo.

Tuesday at Shea

Nora, Amy and I went to the Mets vs Nationals game on Tuesday. Nora scored us $5 tickets. Even though I'm a Yankees fan, I figured since I live in Queens, I should get out to Shea Stadium to see the Mets at least once. It was not a great game for the Mets, and after filling up on peanuts, beer, and every fried food imaginable, we opted to leave during the 7th inning as the Mets were down 3 to 8. Of course, the next morning in the sports section I read that the Mets rallied in the 9th to lose only by 1 - the final score was 9-10.

Huskers at the Rogue

Another year at the Rogue with new and familiar faces!