Being Italian

So I'm playing an Italian lawyer in Brooklyn in 1957. If you're a regular reader, you know what a struggle the role has been for me. I'm not Italian, nor a lawyer nor was I even alive in 1957. Now, at least 3 of my best friends (K, Janet and my dear D) are Italian. None of them are from Brooklyn, nor were they alive in 1957, either.

So, I have to invent what being an Italian lawyer from Brooklyn in 1957 is. At least in the context of this particular play.

Everyone I know who has seen the show has told me how much they liked it and how good they thought I was. What they don't know is... it's all fake. It's a con. Purely technical acting without actually feeling a thing. And that's something I don't often (or like to) do.

Tonight was what was supposed to be our pickup rehearsal between weekend performances. As it happened, the professor who is teaching this play at the college where we're doing it was unable to attend any of the regularly scheduled performances, so the speed-through we were supposed to have, instead became a full-on dress rehearsal for his benefit. There were a few other folks in the house (my friend Walter, among them), so in the end, I didn't mind it as much as I thought I would. But I was still tired and cranky after wearing a suit and tie on the most humid late-September night I can remember in a long time.

I got home, took out my contacts; set my dishwasher to run and plopped down in front of my computer to visit my usual sites, when lo and behold, the hilarious and ballsy Stephen Rader had a post in which he linked the trailer for Rob Marshall's movie version of the musical Nine, itself based on the Fellini film 8 1/2. I love the show and love the trailer for film (I also loved Marshall's version of Chicago). But it's the song they have chosen for the trailer that really hit me. I think I should take its advice and just "Be Italian."

While it's hardly the first I've seen this trailer (I've posted it at least twice before), it's the first time I've seen it since starting work on this show. This weekend's audiences may see a slightly different Italian lawyer from Brooklyn than last weekend's audiences saw. Ah, the power of music! Thank you, Mr. Rader. Love ya!

More, anon.
Prospero

And Still Another Quick One

Having now listened to the astonishing "Yellow House" for the second time, I have added the entire Grizzly Bear catalog to my Amazon Wish List. I've been trying for days to come up with a way to describe their unique musical style.

Obviously influenced by the Beatles and 70's "Art Rock" bands like Genesis (before Phil Collins ruined them); Yes and Pink Floyd, Grizzly Bear might best be described as "New Age Folk Rock ala Cirque du Soleil via John Lennon with Rick Wakeman on Keyboards. " Does that make any sense at all? I suppose to Grizzly Bear fans, it might. Still, it seems lacking somehow. How can one describe one of the most unique sounds in modern music? Like I said, it's been a long time since I've become so completely enamored of a band...

Anyway - Bridge opened well, I suppose. The house was small, but appreciative and the poor guy playing "Eddie" nearly amputated his thumb on stage, performing business (cutting an apple) he's been doing for weeks without incident. I am starting to enjoy myself, and find great pleasure in talking like (you should pardon the expression) a 'Brooklyn Guido.' I've even gotten myself a 1950's Flattop haircut and I now look like your high school's football Coach (Drop an' gimme twenny!).

I'm seeing Jennifer's Body Sunday morning (AMC has cheap tickets for shows before noon), and my review will follow, anon.

Prospero

"...and then I wasn't so excited..."

This is not a post about bashing Kanye West. There are plenty of people out there doing that already, and even if he is an ego maniacal asshole who completely deserves the bashing he's getting both online and the "legitimate" press (which he totally is and does), this post is rather about an unassuming young, beautiful C/W singer who was more surprised than anyone by her win at the VMAs.

19 year-old Taylor Swift had won Best Female Video for her song "You Belong with Me." Imagine the excitement and joy, at 19, you would have felt upon winning what has become a pop-culturally iconic award, only to have some dickhead, who exists only to promote himself and his own agenda, jump up and snatch your joy away by proclaiming that someone else's work was better than that for which you had just won a pop-culturally iconic award. Ms. Swift has been quoted as saying "At first I was excited because I won the award. Then I was excited that Kanye West was on the stage... then I wasn't so exited..."

Today, at my age, I would have punched that jerk in the nose (or at least not relinquished the mike). At 19, I would have had a very similar reaction to Ms. Swift's.

And then there's poor Beyonce Knowles - obviously both flattered and embarrassed - who did the only thing she could and demonstrated the true meaning of "class" when upon winning an award of her own, called Taylor Swift out to finish her speech. Beyonce continues to prove that beauty, talent and graciousness always wins the day. You can see sweet Taylor Swift's adorable, award-winning video here. Beyonce's video may have been hot and oh-so-parodiable, but Swift's video was charming, funny, romantic and fairly universal.

In other news... I had a sort of breakthrough tonight (well, technically last night). I think I may finally have found this character's voice. The rest should soon fall in place. I thank my director, who allowed me to figure it out on my own. I may still really dislike the play, but I think I finally figured out how to play the role in a way that will satisfy everyone - even me. Whew! Talk about cutting it close! We open this Thursday night...

More, anon (very anon, actually)
Prospero