Thursday, July 31, 2008

The 13 Foot Mt. Rushmore

Awesome.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

The beginning



So, we are about to start the new season.

In all of my years of directing, I have never directed the same show twice, and this season is starting off with me doing it twice – 43 Plays for 43 Presidents and Christmas Carol, so we’ll see how that goes.

The Presidents show is one of my all time favorite shows, we did it in Atlanta and Jimmy Carter came to see it right after he won the Nobel Prize. Never have their been more automatic weapons in Dad’s Garage than that night. He was such a champ, we couldn’t tell anyone he was coming that night, so the audience was stunned that they had come on the same night as a former President. We had to set up a room for him in the back for intermission, but when it happened, he just turned and walked into the crowd and shook everyone’s hand. He nailed all the presidential trivia in the show, and laughed during the Reagan “guns for hostages” dance. That really seemed to tickle the secret service guys.

For this round, they are writing new plays for Obama and McCain – and whomever the audience picks, we do t hat piece that night. Should be good times.

For Carol – we are making it the most Carolly of Christmas Carol. My friend Trent who used to be on Les Mis tour for 10 years, and played Javert when the show was in Louisville is coming in as Mr. Fezziwig, and my dear dear friend David Keeton is coming in as a music director. Dave founded Dad’s Garage with me, and Trent was the lead in Cannibal: The Musical (the south park musical) when we did it, um, 10 years ago. So, we’re getting a little old school (and by old, I mean old) on Christmas Carol.