The Bird and Mr Banks

Last Saturday I had the privilege of seeing Sam Anderson perform the title role in The Bird and Mr Banks. Anderson's work was extraordinary. And the play itself, the writing, the direction, the set, made me remember how transformative fine theater can be. Yes, as Aristotle demanded: a cathartic experience. I am still thinking about it days later. It's playing at the consistantly excellent Road Theatre in North Hollywood California. Click here for more information.

RIP Natasha

Natasha Richardson. A beauty. A heartbreaking talent.
Watch her sing "Maybe This Time" as Sally Bowles in Cabaret. This pretty much sums it up.
Click Here.

Sanctuary

Last night in my class I had one of those experiences that make me so grateful to be an actor and a teacher. A very talented student and colleague of mine Ogy Durham, and a wonderful young actor named Nicole Lagstein did a scene from Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. Both actors came to class fully prepared, they had both obviously paid a lot of attention to wardrobe and brought in rugs and accessories so that the stage was transformed into a quiet and lonely dining room in an old home. The storm had passed, and Sonya and Yelena reached for life by reaching out to each other and got a few moments repast from their individual loneliness. The critique after the scene was invigorating. Both students asked challenging questions which led to deep script analysis work. Like that late night conversation between Yelena and Sonya, our little class in a tiny theater deep in the valley became for a few hours, a sanctuary, a repast from the loneliness of the “business” of acting. A small group of artists in the pursuit of growth and excellence, reaching for life.