Today is Halloween, a holiday initially signaling the end of harvest and approach of winter that goes back to Roman times. Eventually it evolved into the eve before the Christian All Saint's Day on November 1 or All Hallow's Eve - now Halloween. Banned by the Puritans but steadily rehabilitated in the Victorian era, it … Continue reading HALLOWEEN!
Month: October 2017
National Candy Corn Day
Today is National Candy Corn Day. This is one of my favorite national days as it combines vegetables and candy. I am most thrilled that there are three flavors in every kernel. These treats are rather tasteless but then so am I. Perfect. Don't know why, but they remind me more of teeth than corn, … Continue reading National Candy Corn Day
Your final chance to see Plays & Prestidigitation #9
Today at 3 PM is the final performance of Plays & Prestidigitation #9 - The FRIGHT Edition. If you haven't already seen it get to http://www.polarisnorth.org for more info and if you've already seen it - come see it again! This has been such a magical weekend and I have to thank the whole team … Continue reading Your final chance to see Plays & Prestidigitation #9
Come to see P&P #9!
If you are in New York today, come see Plays & Prestidigitation #9: The Fright Edition at 245 West 29th Street, Fourth Floor at 7:00 PM tonight (Saturday). Check out http://www.polarisnorth.org for details! Kudos to everyone who recognized this is not the correct show image - just checking to see if you are paying attention! … Continue reading Come to see P&P #9!
Opening Night for Plays and Prestidigitation #9 – The Fright Edition
If you are in New York I hope you will join us for our show at Polaris North Studio on 29th Street tonight and this weekend. It combines short plays and magical interludes. It will be a little scary, a little macabre, and lots of fun. There are several brand new short works and the … Continue reading Opening Night for Plays and Prestidigitation #9 – The Fright Edition
National Pumpkin Day
Today is National Pumpkin Day. Obviously this is tied to nearby Halloween and the whole harvest autumn thing. Two notes. Celebrating a holiday in which we carve up the guest of honor into funny or scary forms is kind of weird. And now-a-days you only use pumpkin flavor from a can. When was the last … Continue reading National Pumpkin Day
Review: The Portuguese Kid
Manhattan Theatre Club is presenting John Patrick Shanley's new play at their off-Broadway space at City Center. The efforts of the cast are notable, especially Jason Alexander and Sherie Rene Scott who work hard and keep the play surging forward. Unfortunately the script is a reminiscent of a TV sitcom that reaches hard and out … Continue reading Review: The Portuguese Kid
Players Theatre Boo! Short Play Festival
Recently I saw a performance of the Boo! Short Play Festival at The Players Theatre in Greenwich Village. It was an interesting batch of plays in a seasonal festival. A little uneven and somewhat odd selections for a "scary" festival. I really went to take in the efforts of several Polaris North members putting together … Continue reading Players Theatre Boo! Short Play Festival
A visit from my niece
Technically she wasn't visiting me, she was visiting New York City. I understand that. Before I moved to this town I did the same thing. She rode the bus with a young friend from the Mary Baldwin University Theater Department just to see The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. They were in town less … Continue reading A visit from my niece
Lessons in the Patriarchy
A lot going on lately in relations between the sexes. Harvey Weinstein, Roger Ailes, Donald Trump, and so much more. Lots of public and private figures learning lessons and sharing tales and fessing up. Much weighing in on social norms and what must change. I found it in a much smaller forum looking for images … Continue reading Lessons in the Patriarchy
Time Travel for Writers
As a playwright I am always obsessed with language. What a character in a certain situation, certain environment, certain time period would or could say. Not every reader is fact checking what I write, but an off tune word or phrase can take an audience out of the moment and is one of the biggest … Continue reading Time Travel for Writers
Recent Reads: Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase to Catch Lincoln’s Killer
James L. Swanson has written an enlightening and engrossing account of the events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth. I knew all of the major points and touchstones of the history but this book is an invaluable guide and deep dive into all the details surrounding it. It is astounding how … Continue reading Recent Reads: Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase to Catch Lincoln’s Killer
Review: MY SWOLLEN FEET
The 2017 NY Summerfest included a short play by Carrie Robbins, a theater costumer with extensive credits on and Off Broadway. Directed by Paul Dobie it featured the significant talents of Amanda Rose, Tony Naumovski, Thomas Leverton and David Modello. I have worked with Tony previously and he has always been extremely talented. I was … Continue reading Review: MY SWOLLEN FEET
Review: WAR PAINT on Broadway
Right off the bat I must tell you that I was skeptical of how much I would like WAR PAINT. After all it was about 20th Century make up tycoons and their business battles. Luckily it was better than I expected. I entered and won a lottery ticket contest and plunged in. The score, music, … Continue reading Review: WAR PAINT on Broadway
Plays and Prestidigitation #9 – The Fright Edition
If you are in New York City two weeks from today, I hope you will join me for Plays and Prestidigitation #9 - The Fright Edition. This is an occasional series I present at Polaris North, a co-operative of theater artists at 245 W 29th Street. We perform a group of short plays interspersed with … Continue reading Plays and Prestidigitation #9 – The Fright Edition
Review of MICHAEL MOORE ON BROADWAY: The Terms of My Surrender
Michael Moore's show is a liberal rant, history lesson and all around entertaining performance. It is also a story of his background and involvement in the causes he supports. He makes very good points and is preaching to the choir here in New York. You know by now whether you agree with him or not. … Continue reading Review of MICHAEL MOORE ON BROADWAY: The Terms of My Surrender
My review of CATS on Broadway
First you must know, full disclosure, that I am of several minds on Andrew Lloyd Weber. I love Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita. I enjoy Sunset Boulevard and School of Rock. I do not like Cats and Phantom of the Opera. Amazingly I am not a fan of two of his most popular shows. So, I … Continue reading My review of CATS on Broadway
In praise of New York Theater Lottery and Discount Services
For those of us who live in New York we have a huge selection of live theater available. But much of it comes at high cost and with limited availability. Which is why I love the discount services and lotteries available. Here are several options to consider: Subscribe to Signature Theater. Their tickets start at … Continue reading In praise of New York Theater Lottery and Discount Services
Happy Birthday, John Lennon
Today in the United States is Columbus Day - a rather controversial national holiday. As I have complicated opinions of the man I will skip it and celebrate a day that happens to coincide this year. John Lennon's birthday. My favorite Beatle and one of the greatest musicians of all time. I still remember exactly … Continue reading Happy Birthday, John Lennon
Review: 1984 – on Broadway
The stage adaptation of George Orwell's landmark book 1984 is ending its Broadway run this weekend. I was able to catch a performance this week and could have been fine missing it. The performing leads are exceptional including Tom Sturridge, Olivia Wilde, and the amazing Reed Birney. I last saw Mr. Birney in The Humans … Continue reading Review: 1984 – on Broadway
Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival review
Last Sunday my favorite (and closest) park in New York City hosted the annual Medieval Festival. It was terrific. Lots of good festival food (a few years ago they added beer and wine), many performance stages, demonstrations of blacksmithing and sword making, multiple themed booths selling baubles and beads, knights jousting, a live chess game, … Continue reading Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival review
National Taco Day
Today is National Taco Day. There will be plenty of special taco specials at places like Taco Bell and Del Taco and other mass purveyors of such food. I have made Korean stylized tacos with my food kit purveyors and other corruptions of the form (and they were pretty good, more in the future). There … Continue reading National Taco Day
Wait till next year with my Cincinnati Reds
My beloved Cincinnati Reds 2017 season finished on Sunday. We had the awful record of 68 wins and 94 losses. As I have for nearly three decades I can only say "Wait Till Next Year." I got to see them lose in their trip to New York again this year. I'll try to see them … Continue reading Wait till next year with my Cincinnati Reds
Review: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Stephen Sondheim's SWEENEY TODD is my favorite theater musical. I love the music, the story, the Steampunk atmosphere. I have seen a fully staged version, a John Doyle version, and a wonderful concert version with the New York Philharmonic. This was my first intimate version, not what one expects from this property. The Barrow Street … Continue reading Review: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Walter Thinnes 
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