My Way

Monday, December 10, 2012

Myth Bringing Fact

A couple weeks ago I had the great opportunity to teach a mini-lesson about writing for Raina's 4th graders. I brought these young minds the knowledge that came to me within my recent years, knowing though that these young ones would connect, find validity, and grow.

The education system unfortunately instills regiment when purposing a productive and flowing piece of writing. Introduction, three supporting ideas, conclusion. Each paragraph 5 to 6 sentences. Sentence structure itself. Words to and not to start sentences. Etc.

Sometimes though, you just gotta write a sentence that feels right even though it may not jive with the "rules". And that's okay because that's how you can best express yourself.

Okay, so I didn't share those specific ideas with the kids because they should learn the basics... BUT, I did share that writing comes in all forms. I brought in some journals and shared bits and pieces, stories and poems, so they could see that writing not only came in many forms, but it ultimately comes from the individual soul who is brave enough to share.

Raina then segued the lesson into having the kids write true stories of something that had happened to them. The story that Raina shared was one from Bobolinks Fall Tour, when the entire a cappella group was at my parents' house in Guilford; Raina and some other gals decided they were going to make Butternut Squash soup. When the beautiful, golden-yellow concoction went into the blender, a push of the button flew squash around the kitchen, blending with our already golden-yellow walls. Followed by a laugh, we decided to order pizza.

As I listened and laughed along with the kids, I couldn't believe I had forgotten this epic Bobos tale.

When the kids left for music, Raina and I got to chat about the morning and how shocked I was that I had forgotten all those details.

"Well," she said. "I had to amp up some of the facts so they could better see the writing tools we're trying to use (onomatopoeia, a "hook", etc.)."

Sometimes fact becomes myth, and myth becomes fact. We get to the final, rudimentary emotional values and educational victories, no matter which journey we take.

Here's Raina singing "Brave Enough" from Shaina Taub's mythologically based musical, THE DAUGHTERS. Be sure to go to her website and download some of the songs from the musical for FREE; I love "I Sing of Artemis"!

Happy watching!

Friday, December 7, 2012

"NOW A CHARLESTON!"

January 2009. Middlebury College Music Department's production of "Gypsy".

Role of a lifetime, with the best scene partner anyone could ever ask for.

"I need a haircut so badly..."

I had just been down in Florida with the swim team for our annual training trip, and the combination of chlorine from double practice days in addition with my daily application of Sun-In (to achieve a balanced perfection of the sun-kissed look) had completely fried my hair.

Just straw.

"I cut hair!" Emily piped in. One of her clients, Dave Birr, had considerably the best "flow" of campus...

Hair dresser found! AND, we could catch up before rehearsals started.

"Just cut off the dead stuff." I still needed length on top for the classic musical theatre side-part, aka, a gel-helmet.

Chop.

Inches of frayed gold fell from the front of my head to the floor. With a gasp, I knew immediately I'd be going through a bottle of Hair-Net a night to keep down my "freshly mown lawn" length hair down as I twirled around the stage.

"I cut all the dead stuff off like you told me too!!!"

And that she did. Goodbye blonde... I guess I am supposed to be brunette.

This is just one of the many adventures I've journeyed with this gal. I know there are going to be so many more, and I look forward to every time we can get together, expecting and knowing hilarity to come, intertwined within our expeditions.

Here's Emily singing "I'm So Happy" by Jill Abramovitz and Joy Son. Enjoy!

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Coming home.

Soldiers coming home from war has been on my mind recently. Maybe it's the commercials for those TV shows about this very reconnection of fighter and family, protector and protected. Whatever it was, the soldier was a "human" I wanted to represent here in this concert.

Ryan Scott Oliver's "Odyssey" was the first (and best) choice for us. It's not of present times, but it is, in its own way.

There's no reason to go into why we take for granted what we have; we all know we do in some way or another. Then the added aspect of these men and women coming home with memories never to be imagined by so many of our society.

That is why they serve, to keep those memories away from those they cherish, both literally and symbolically.

Here's to the braves of America this holiday season. Thank you. Thank you.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Chatzy.

Melissa was the first person that I ever would call to chat even after an entire high school day together. She was my first friend for that.

I'll always remember coming out to Melissa. I was a sophomore at Middlebury and we were chatting on AIM (oh the days). We had kept in reasonable contact post high school, but not as much as we had throughout. We talked everyday during high school, then suddenly our new lives just took over. And we were fine with it.

But there was still a tie, a tie that truly held me to only two people in high school. I wish it had been more, but 'tis the way the cat catches the yarn tip. (I just made that up; make of it what you will).

"Melissa, I have something to tell you."

"Ok."

"I'm gay."

"Great Sky."

Or something like that... You get the point. I think my favorite part was when I saw her over the next vacation, she told me that she thought that it was gonna be either that or I hooked up with a girl, finally.

I'm so happy that we've reconnected after our college days. We've changed immensely, yet we still find our same banter atop our new groundings. That's true friendship.

Here's Melissa, the IBM Marketing gal, singing "Your Girlfriend" by Katie Thompson. Happy watching!

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Why not?

"Why not?"

That's what I've decided to ask myself whenever a decision is to be made.

Yes, that's a lot of "Why nots?"...

But, why not? Might as well, right?

:-)

Here's the second video for our cyber-release of Schuyler and The Flies' concert, "FRESH PRODUCE: What it means to be human.". Many thanks to the incredible Shaina Taub for writing this gem of a song, plus another one to come later on!

Happy watching!

PS... Here's a photo of Shaina and I backstage for the production of "Cabaret"

we did together at Ivoryton Playhouse, summer 2006.

I was the tannest German ever...

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Grandfathers of the Year.

And so kicks off the cyber-release of Schuyler and The Flies' brand new concert, “FRESH PRODUCE: What it means to be human.” If you haven’t had a chance to watch the teaser for all the videos, be sure to check it out here:

This first revealing is a bit bitter-sweet. Mom’s dad, Grandpa, passed away last night. While it wasn’t too sudden, it was sudden enough to cause stir, as any moving on of a loved one should.

Grandpa loves performing magic tricks for all his grandchildren; a favorite includes his handkerchief miraculously turning into a mouse before our eyes. He is an incredible water-colorist, constantly discovering brilliant ways to mingle his paints together to describe, with life, what he was seeing. Grandpa just has a knowledge of everything. He is Mister Fix It, whether a leaky gutter, a rocking chair that’s not supposed to rock, a jammed door knob, he used the same magic that that mouse and his paintings inhabited, bringing those broken pieces new sentience. Not to mention, he’s hilarious, playing such roles as Nathan Detroit opposite Nana as Adelaide when Mom was 4-years-old. Every card, Christmas card, stolen note, was in perfect rhyme, collecting the beaconed verbiage to bring utter joy for all those who fell within his collaborations.

Above all, Grandpa is the ultimate family man. He provided everything he possibly could and more for his family. His persistence to make sure all the people around him were not only happy, but ecstatic with life, made him an epitome of the husband and father I wish to be someday.

The best thing is that he will continue to live within me, never becoming passed, but simply continue on as present in new light. That’s something that I will be forever grateful for, knowing that there is nothing that can take away the qualities he expressed and the memories he pressed down within us all.

Within three months, both of my grandfathers have passed away. I am the luckiest man alive to have had both of these incredible role models in my life for as long as I have.

I wasn’t planning on having this be the first song to release for the concert, but with timing as it is, I feel like it’s perfect. I would like to dedicate this next song, “Lost in the Waves” by Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond, to both of my grandfathers, Bob Beeman and Jack Pihl, for all that they have taught me and will continue to teach me.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

The Weekend "Off".

I'm just waiting for a D train after seeing "Sorry" at The Public Theater. I have to write; just life-altering...

+++++

I wanted to write more last night, but I was caught off guard and cut off by anger with the MTA. Sandy's aftermath has created complete havoc on much of the North-East, much right here in the city.

Some many others have it so much worse than I, and I feel bad for being pissed at anything, especially when so lucky. But it's where I was. Where I'm not wanting to go back to; it was what it was. I was thrown off, off a road of bending crosses, changing views and jives of Soul's teachings.

I had the greatest weekend. Four shows in two days. Four shows in only two days. Theater unloaded into me and I'm riding the high. It was a variety and couplings of Off-Broadway productions never to be recreated. I haven't had the time to sit back and analyze everything I saw, and I'm not going to rush it. Actually, better, I'm not even going to try. The answers for how I felt about the shows will come when they've set and festered within the - - whatever vessel of my body theatre rests in - on - around...

All I wish to recount is how I saw the shows. The W's: What, Where, When, Who, Why.

I experienced absurd, the truest naturalism I'll ever know, epic musicale, and teetering.

I resided mainly at The Public Theater, finishing at Playwright Horizons.

I didn't just see these shows yesterday and today, I saw these shows the first weekend after this catastrophic storm that hit our coast.

I went with my roomie, his friend, my CLOC fiance, plus a surprising (and surprisingly great) date.

I journeyed because I could, and because it was free.

Yes. Every show I saw this weekend took no money from my pocket. Well, nothing's actually free, right? "There's no such thing as a free lunch." Looks like I actually got something out of my "Intro to Microeconomics" course at Midd (thanks Professor Horlacher...).

I spent money on food. I spent money on subways. I spent money on Starbucks. I spent time getting places and waiting in line (and time is money).

Whatever I spent I received back in everything I experienced - felt, stole, questioned, created, thought, jarred - in each of those (amazingly spacious with leg room) theaters.

And I'm grateful. So grateful.