Ideas and Ink

Pat Condell - Insight from Britain

2008-03-02T12:10:00.002-05:00

Pat Condell offers refreshing insight into the changes going on in Britain and Europe. He knows the negative consequences of political correctness and similar phony fads. Please give him a listen at his blog, http://patcondell.libsyn.com/ .

Passing Strange: Truth in a Rock Musical

2008-02-26T20:23:00.005-05:00

Passing Strange is a show that gives the term, "rock musical" a good name. This autobiographical tour of the Seventies and Eighties takes the audience from South-Central Los Angeles, to Amsterdam, to Berlin, and home again. Composer, playwright, and narrator Mark Stewart ("Stew") rips away many stereotypes about music, drug culture, anarchist politics, and youth. The truth is universal - crossing age, race, and cultural lines. The music is compelling. A fusion of rock, gospel, folk, and Broadway, there's plenty for everyone. The satire is biting, but with enough truth to get past one's defenses.

After runs in Berkeley and off-Broadway, Passing Strange opened at the Belasco Theater in February. The set is simple, yet creative. The dialog is frank without being obscene - the language is relatively "family-friendly" - Stew is a craftsman with language who does not need to resort to obscenity to communicate. The ensemble cast is outstanding. The music sweeps the audience along, and is an essential part of the story. This show is a unique and personal multimedia experience.

Please click the link, learn more about Stew and his marvelous creation, and get tickets for the next time you're in New York! This show deserves much success and a long run. We will hear more from Stew.

See the show. You will remember it forever.

Here are a couple sites that relate to the new 'Passing Strange' musical:

Www.Passingstrangeonbroadway.com (the new show site)

www.stewsongs.com (site by the author/composer, including his band - needs updating)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stew_(musician) (bio of Mark Stewart - 'Stew')

There's a link on the Stewsongs site to Myspace (some firewalls may need you to set special access permission), where Stew has posted some of the music from the show: http://www.myspace.com/passingstrange

Enjoy!
I.

PB-Wicki - A Net Collaboration Tool

2007-04-20T07:36:00.000-04:00

Please check out the PB Wicki collaboration tool at PBwiki tour!

It's like a team meeting or conference center, with various tools that you can see by taking the tour. Recommended.

I.

Dwacon blog - worth a visit!

2006-11-20T09:52:00.000-05:00

Dwayne Conyers is a media consultant and producer with amazing insight. Take a look at his blog and his main site. It's good for a laugh always, and a helpful insight if you pay attention.

On Theatre and Politics - Matthew Freeman: The Showcase Code: Why Use Equity Actors?

2006-08-13T11:30:00.000-04:00

On Theatre and Politics - Matthew Freeman: The Showcase Code: Why Use Equity Actors?

Neon Mirage – Visions and Realities of Las Vegas

2006-07-17T07:54:00.000-04:00

Take a wild ride across the desert to Las Vegas, and laugh as you experience the neon shrine from sixteen unusual points of view. This hilarious and thought-provoking show from the Tony Award-winning Actors’ Theatre of Louisville comes to New York’s Fringe Festival on:
TUE 8/22 @ 7:15 - 8:45
WED 8/23 @ 4:45 - 6:15
THUR 8/24 @ 7:15 - 8:45
FRI 8/25 @ 6 - 7:30
SAT 8/26 @ 7 - 8:30

Neon Mirage will be performed at Fringe Festival’s Venue #5: Henry Street Harry DuJur Playhouse, at: 466 Grand Street (near corner of Pitt – Subway F to Delancey, JMG to Essex; BUS: 14A).

You’ll meet the insiders, founders, and workers who give the city its unique, sparkling mystique. You’ll see a spectacular musical production number set in the MGM Grand Hotel, and strikingly different employees of that hotel, arguing about an everyday cell phone. You’ll see the concept of Las Vegas invented, as an afterthought of a desperate conversation. You’ll recall the nearby nuclear testing of the 1950’s, with a twist. You’ll think of hotel workers differently, after this encounter with two memorable housekeepers. Siegfried and Roy’s tigers discuss the tragic mauling incident – can tigers be judged morally? Six playwrights dissect and probe the collection of myths, folklore, and stereotypes that surround Las Vegas.

You’ll experience the hopes of gamblers at the endless slot machines. You’ll hear a desperate, feminist showgirl explain how she got into an absurd situation, and how all makes sense - almost. Another Las Vegas girl tells the story of her mother’s disappointment, in a gesture. A street girl explains the rules of survival on The Strip, hinting at the stark underside of the glittering culture. You’ll see a chapel wedding, presided by The King, of course. You’ll meet the guy who can’t win, the girl who can’t lose, the man bedeviled by his mediocre luck, and the poignant twist of fate when the three meet. You’ll see the girl who went to Vegas, her friend who didn’t, and the difference Vegas made when they meet later in life. Rick Hip-Flores’ high-energy musical numbers capture the spirit, the fantasy, and the personal tragedy of the Las Vegas experience. You’ll see the stark reality and the glittering mirage of America’s theme park for grownups.

Coming to the New York Fringe Festival from the Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Neon Mirage is a magical synthesis of the genius of six playwrights (Liz Duffy Adams, Dan Dietz, Julie Jensen, Lisa Kron, Tracey Scott Wilson and Chay Yew) and a composer (Rick Hip-Flores). The characters are brought to life by the 2006 Actors’ Theatre Apprentice Company. Commissioned for this Spring’s 30th Anniversary Humana Festival of New American Plays, Wendy McClellan directs this kaleidoscope of stories, forging a unified work in 16 fast-paced scenes that leave the audience both laughing and thinking. The show’s Web site is http://www.actorstheatreapprentices.org/ .

Welcome!

2006-07-06T22:17:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Ideas and Ink!
With luck, we can make sense out of a few things. If not, at least keep a sense of humor.