Theatre:
PRIME rehearsals
Movies:
The Theory of Everything
Birdman
Into the Woods
The Imitation Game
St. Vincent
The Skeleton Twins
Books Read:
Reread The Keys to the Street and read Christopher Nolan's screenplay
Speaker of Mandarin (Rendell/Wexford)
Books (CD):
The Power of Habit
In Queue:
Secrets and Wives, Sanjiv Bhattacharya
The Girl on the Train
Yes Please, Amy Poehler
Cooperstown Confidential
A Path Appears
Friday, January 16, 2015
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Fall 2014
Theatre
The Sweatermakers, Playwrights West
The Homecoming, Imago Theatre
Bob, Theatre Vertigo
The Scrivener, Pacific University
Dial M for Murder, Bag & Baggage
Reading: The Snow Maker, Aleks Merillo
Middletown at Third Rail Repertory
Masque of the Red Death, Shaking the Tree featuring Playwrights West
A Night in November, Corrib Theatre at Pacific
Readings: Dear Galileo, The Snow Maker
Intimate Apparel at Artist's Rep
Top Girls at Whitman College
Books
Half Empty, David Rakoff
Don't Get Too Comfortable, David Rakoff
Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel
Bring Up the Bodies, Hilary Mantel
10% Happier, Dan Harris
Composed, Rosanne Cash
Movies
Gone Girl
The Theory of Everything
St. Vincent
Frozen
Skeleton Twins
Into the Woods
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Birdman
Other
Elizabeth Gilbert talk!
AND THE GIANTS WINNING THE WORLD SERIES!!!
The Sweatermakers, Playwrights West
The Homecoming, Imago Theatre
Bob, Theatre Vertigo
The Scrivener, Pacific University
Dial M for Murder, Bag & Baggage
Reading: The Snow Maker, Aleks Merillo
Middletown at Third Rail Repertory
Masque of the Red Death, Shaking the Tree featuring Playwrights West
A Night in November, Corrib Theatre at Pacific
Readings: Dear Galileo, The Snow Maker
Intimate Apparel at Artist's Rep
Top Girls at Whitman College
Books
Half Empty, David Rakoff
Don't Get Too Comfortable, David Rakoff
Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel
Bring Up the Bodies, Hilary Mantel
10% Happier, Dan Harris
Composed, Rosanne Cash
Movies
Gone Girl
The Theory of Everything
St. Vincent
Frozen
Skeleton Twins
Into the Woods
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Birdman
Other
Elizabeth Gilbert talk!
AND THE GIANTS WINNING THE WORLD SERIES!!!
Saturday, May 3, 2014
March-April 2014
Shows and Readings:
Gidion's Knot
Gidion's Knot
Melancholy Play (and rehearsals)
One Night in November
Kelsie's full-length play Some Kind of Half-Life
Michael's full-length play Harmful Incarnate
Plays Read:
All my students' plays!!!
Everything for classes, including:
- Antigone's Red
- Take Me Out
- Miss Julie and The Stronger
Friday, February 28, 2014
January-February 2014
Shows seen:
Tales of Ballycumber
Reading of Calumnies!
Carter Hall (reading)
Entanglement (Arleen in FG show by Kevin Yell)
Eyes for Consuela
The Waves (Teen West)
Books:
The Signature of All Things
Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham
Happens Every Day by Isabel Gillies
A Year and Six Seconds by Isabel Gillies
"Although I was trying to be normal, I had the energy of a rabid animal. My dukes were up and it must have been uncomfortable even for my closest friends." p. 138
"When life feels tough or unmanageable, it's good to look at something stronger or older than you are. I'm sure that's why a lot of people in trouble turn to the Bible." p. 140
"Planning meals, hatching plans, dog underfoot, boys asleep in bed. Family. As suddenly as crocuses, my broken little life didn't feel broken; it felt like a family." p. 197
"Although I was trying to be normal, I had the energy of a rabid animal. My dukes were up and it must have been uncomfortable even for my closest friends." p. 138
"When life feels tough or unmanageable, it's good to look at something stronger or older than you are. I'm sure that's why a lot of people in trouble turn to the Bible." p. 140
"Planning meals, hatching plans, dog underfoot, boys asleep in bed. Family. As suddenly as crocuses, my broken little life didn't feel broken; it felt like a family." p. 197
Saturday, November 30, 2013
November
Reading: work stuff, and
The Sweetest Swing in Baseball by Rebecca Gilman
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Random by Craig Roberts
Economix by Michael Goodwin
The Shallows by Nicholas Carr (in process)
Rejected edited by Jon Friedman (started, didn't read much)
The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow by Rolin Jones (I love Jones and think he's hilarious, but I have to admit this one left me pretty "Huh?")
I know there's more . . .
Listening (car): misc radio mysteries from the 40s-50s.
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
NPR: The first 40 years
Seeing (Theatre):
Song of the Dodo, PETE
Dance concert at work
Wilde Tales
The Sweetest Swing in Baseball by Rebecca Gilman
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Random by Craig Roberts
Economix by Michael Goodwin
The Shallows by Nicholas Carr (in process)
Rejected edited by Jon Friedman (started, didn't read much)
The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow by Rolin Jones (I love Jones and think he's hilarious, but I have to admit this one left me pretty "Huh?")
I know there's more . . .
Listening (car): misc radio mysteries from the 40s-50s.
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
NPR: The first 40 years
Seeing (Theatre):
Song of the Dodo, PETE
Dance concert at work
Wilde Tales
Monday, October 28, 2013
September, October
Reading (binge reading!):
House of Mirth
Several old Jean Kerr books and plays, a kick inspired by this summer's attempts at a weekly family poetry night.
Research for my next 2 plays!
True West, Cloud 9, Earnest, Gross Indecency, performance art, Hell Houses, etc. etc. etc. for work.
Capstones (drafts)
Mindy Kaling's book, which I got for my birthday and read in about 2 hours, hilarious.
Everybody's Fred stories.
Seeing (Theatre):
The Burial at Thebes, my theatre
Movies:
Austenland
Blue Jasmine
Charade (with R and J, delightful)
Bernie
True Crime (my friend Pat's movie)
House of Mirth (not bad!)
TV:
Rewatching Scandal and Sports Night, with J when possible, and Good Luck Charlie, with Natey when possible.
House of Mirth
Several old Jean Kerr books and plays, a kick inspired by this summer's attempts at a weekly family poetry night.
Research for my next 2 plays!
True West, Cloud 9, Earnest, Gross Indecency, performance art, Hell Houses, etc. etc. etc. for work.
Capstones (drafts)
Mindy Kaling's book, which I got for my birthday and read in about 2 hours, hilarious.
Everybody's Fred stories.
Seeing (Theatre):
The Burial at Thebes, my theatre
Movies:
Austenland
Blue Jasmine
Charade (with R and J, delightful)
Bernie
True Crime (my friend Pat's movie)
House of Mirth (not bad!)
TV:
Rewatching Scandal and Sports Night, with J when possible, and Good Luck Charlie, with Natey when possible.
Friday, August 23, 2013
July, August
Shows:
Mostly what I saw in July were rehearsals for my show, and then my show.
Also took in Paul Susi's All At Sea, which was terrific (and full of my favorite people)
shows shows shows shows shows?
No, that's all I can think of!
Reading:
Re-read the first three Jackson Brodie books, then read Started Early, Took My Dog, which I'd been holding off on with great discipline for months.
My ranking of Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie books, not that anyone asked:
1. When Will There Be Good News? (Book 3) brings us Joanna's tragic story and the adorable teenage Reg. There's plenty of Louise, too, which is a big plus. And poor Jackson is put through the ringer about sixteen times, each better than the last.
2. One Good Turn. (Book 2) Martin is super compelling, and Gloria is plenty sympathetic. Introduction of Louise. Overall great movement from beginning to end--really rolls along and keeps you interested. Julia's a bit of a villain, which is the best use for her.
3. Case Histories. (Book 1) Introduction of Jackson,who is a great great hero, and of his really moving backstory. Of the cases, the first one introduced if full of off-putting characters (the Land family) and the adventures of the errant Michelle feel off to the side and insignificant, but the Theo/Laura story is thoroughly gripping and moving. [Weird sidebar: the entire time I read this book, I felt sure that I'd read the Michelle story before, almost scene for scene, but none of the rest of it. Maybe there is something very similar in a Ruth Rendell?]
4. Started Early, Took My Dog (Book 4) So having liked each book more than the last, I was really let down by this one. It's off the mark in terms of storytelling. Tracy and her story are good, though bog down for a while in the middle. There are way too many indistinct characters introduced at once--fellow cops who are important later, but never individual enough that we care or are shocked. The dementia of Tilly, the old actress, is drawn in fascinating detail, but she's actually not important enough to warrant nearly 1/4 of the book. And there is WAY too much Julia (mostly in Jackson's mind) and zero Louise! Give me a break.
I am willing to accept all this if Started Early can be regarded as primarily a set-up for Book 5, a book I dearly look forward to! Well, and the dog and the little girl are very lovable.
Other reading: The Fault in Our Stars, and
a little to a lot of baseball history and lore, getting up to speed for a new play.
Mostly what I saw in July were rehearsals for my show, and then my show.
Also took in Paul Susi's All At Sea, which was terrific (and full of my favorite people)
shows shows shows shows shows?
No, that's all I can think of!
Reading:
Re-read the first three Jackson Brodie books, then read Started Early, Took My Dog, which I'd been holding off on with great discipline for months.
My ranking of Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie books, not that anyone asked:
1. When Will There Be Good News? (Book 3) brings us Joanna's tragic story and the adorable teenage Reg. There's plenty of Louise, too, which is a big plus. And poor Jackson is put through the ringer about sixteen times, each better than the last.
2. One Good Turn. (Book 2) Martin is super compelling, and Gloria is plenty sympathetic. Introduction of Louise. Overall great movement from beginning to end--really rolls along and keeps you interested. Julia's a bit of a villain, which is the best use for her.
3. Case Histories. (Book 1) Introduction of Jackson,who is a great great hero, and of his really moving backstory. Of the cases, the first one introduced if full of off-putting characters (the Land family) and the adventures of the errant Michelle feel off to the side and insignificant, but the Theo/Laura story is thoroughly gripping and moving. [Weird sidebar: the entire time I read this book, I felt sure that I'd read the Michelle story before, almost scene for scene, but none of the rest of it. Maybe there is something very similar in a Ruth Rendell?]
4. Started Early, Took My Dog (Book 4) So having liked each book more than the last, I was really let down by this one. It's off the mark in terms of storytelling. Tracy and her story are good, though bog down for a while in the middle. There are way too many indistinct characters introduced at once--fellow cops who are important later, but never individual enough that we care or are shocked. The dementia of Tilly, the old actress, is drawn in fascinating detail, but she's actually not important enough to warrant nearly 1/4 of the book. And there is WAY too much Julia (mostly in Jackson's mind) and zero Louise! Give me a break.
I am willing to accept all this if Started Early can be regarded as primarily a set-up for Book 5, a book I dearly look forward to! Well, and the dog and the little girl are very lovable.
Other reading: The Fault in Our Stars, and
a little to a lot of baseball history and lore, getting up to speed for a new play.
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