"Oscar Sunday"

This evening I took the time to sit down and watch the 76th Annual Academy Awards on television. Being the entertainment-minded person that I try to be, I enjoyed it.

Billy Crystal's opening skit was humorous, and I think both that and the presentation skit by Will Farrell and Jack Black -- "You're Boring..." -- were the most entertaining parts of the event. Those two segments made me chuckle, and I think they were both well done. Kudos guys. Comedians indeed!

By the end of the evening, "The Lord of the Rings" had taken eleven Oscars, and deservedly so. This puts them in a three-way tie with "Titanic" and "Ben-Hur" for most Oscars won in the history of the Academy Awards. Nicely done!

And as to the biggest (and most disappointing) surprise in my mind, was the award for Best Actor which went to Sean Penn. I'm sure he deserved it for his perfomance in Mystic River (which I have not seen), but personally, my vote would have been with Johnny Depp, who I thought did an unparalleled job in "Pirates of the Caribbean...". But so goes the Oscars. Just to be nominated is an award in and of itself, and I'm glad Depp was recognized.

So, it was an interesting (and long) evening, but enjoyable. Previous years have perhaps been more exciting, but this year there was a lot of talent to recognize, and I'm thrilled to see my all-time favorite movie, "Lord of the Rings" earn it's place in cinematic history. In those regards, I thought this 76th year of Oscar was worth watching. .... What did you think? :)

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:33 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Performance: That's a wrap!"


We didn't quite have a sold-out house this evening for our final performance of "Wish You Were Here", but I think we came very near to it. There wasn't a lot of feedback afterwards either, so it was hard to gauge how much this audience truely enjoyed the show, but from the few vibes I was getting, I think we easily won them over. The only concrete negative feedback I saw, came from the less then approving expressions of my former stickler of a theatre professor (who is generally also known to be less than complimentary in her reviews of others in the theatre scene). But, overall, though we may have been a slight notch down from our best performance on Friday, I think we pulled off another enjoyable show.

That said, night three of our show has passed, the script has been retired from it's current run of performances, and the cast has gone home. Thus ends an enjoyable few weeks of production, and a wonderful opportunity to bond with fellow theatre alumni. I really couldn't ask for a better opportunity, though, nor a better group of people to work with. It's been a blast! Truely, it has.

So now that this show is over, what does the future hold in terms of my own continued theatrical endeavors? Well, I do know this.... As summer approaches, and we move into fall thereafter, I plan to audition for an increased number of local theatre opportunities, while still pursuing my art, and hopefully working my way toward my greater goals in the creative world. I already know of a few acting opportunities that have interested me, so, if all goes well, this summer could be a fun one.

We'll have to see what comes of it all though. I don't like to make too many concrete plans ahead of time becasue life changes on a moment's notice. But as for doing something I enjoy, there's no question, this year will be full of it. That's one prediction I can make with near full certainty. And, as always, I'll muse about right here for those of you interested in the journey.

For now though, once again I find myself tired after a good show. I think I'll head off to bed, catch up on rest, and give Sunday a fresh new start. Have a blessed weekend, and, enjoy your 'Oscar Sunday'!

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:39 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Performance: 2nd Night"


This afternoon, my parents arrived in Milwaukee -- from Minnesota, and I enjoyed their company for the later hours of the afternoon. They took me out to dinner while they were here -- for my birthday (Feb.18), and we enjoyed the variety at a local Chinese Buffet restaurant. We also had a few hours to chat, which was, as always, quite enjoyable. Since I come from a close-knit family, and most of use kids live (or attend college) away from home, visits with family are always a welcomed event.

While they were down here, they also took in my Friday performance of "Wish You Were Here". The show went well, and was indeed attended by a full sold-out audience. The crowd seemed to enjoy the show, and once again, vibes were good afterward. I -- personally -- felt strong in my own characters, energized, and prepared, and, as my fellow cast seemed to say likewise, I think we pulled off another good evening of theatre.

Tomarrow is our last performance, and at early estimates perhaps not a sold-out show, but we'll see. My parents will be leaving sometime in the afternoon to heading up to Sheboygan to see my sister's show ("Man of La Mancha"), so hopefully, it'll be another wonderful evening of theatre for them up there as well. In the meantime, I'll be working to make sure that my own contribution to our Saturday show down here in Milwaukee, is as good as if better than our first two performances. Afterall, regardless of how well things went previously, there is always room for improvement.

But, at the present time, however, all is quiet here in Milwaukee. I'm tired from a busy day of entertaining guests and performing the show, so I think I'll be heading off to bed shortly. I'll likely write a little something about our Saturday performance tomarrow though -- for those of you interested.

Until then, however, have a wonderful weekend, and I'll see you on the flip-side. :)

Your happily blogging actor friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:56 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Opening Night: 'Wish You Were Here'"


Well, it's late Thursday already, and opening night for the stage show, "Wish You Were Here" has come, ....and gone.

All-in-all, though, I think it went pretty well. We didn't have the largest of crowds show up, but those that did seemed to enjoy the performance. And those of us performing under the lights seemed to put forward a show to be proud of. Comments and compliments went around after the show, and the general mood seemed confident. For a stage show -- after opening night -- that's a good sign.

I've heard rumors that tomarrow -- Friday -- should be our largest turnout for the show. By last count, I had heard we were completely sold out with the expectation of a full house. We'll see how much truth there is to that tomarrow night. Before that though, we've got another day to ensure that whatever we did right tonight, only gets better tomarrow. :)

Tomarrow my parents are actually coming down to Milwaukee from Minnesota and plan to take in the performance. They'll also be in the area to see my sister's show up in Sheboygan this weekend -- the musical, "Man of La Mancha." So, for them, it'll be a theatrical weekend, and unique in that my sister and I both just happen to have shows opening at the same time. That's actually rather rare lately. Hopefully too it'll make for a fulfilling (and safe) 300 mile weekend trip for my parents.

So, a satisfactory opening night performance is behind us, with two more yet to go. I feel just as ready for tomarrow as I was for today, and excited to once again perform for a live crowd. There's always room for improvement, and I may experiment with a few things yet during the upcoming two performances, but overall, for the show we've got, and the talent involved, it's worth a see if you have nothing better to do. Seriously. :)

If you're interested, feel free to visit the theatre website for more information. And, if you do stop by, stick around after the show, feel free to say hi... I'd love to hear your review (good or bad)! .... [grin].

But, for now, I think I'm off to bed. The yawns have already started to surface. That means I've worn myself out today. Again, another good sign. :)

Have a blessed Friday, and, if I don't see you at either of the two shows yet this weekend, I'll be sure to review the highlights of each shortly after, ....right here, as always. Have a good one!

Your happily blogging actor friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:46 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Wednesday: P-minus-1"


Today marked the last rehearsal for the alumni show, "Wish You Were Here," and I think it went off well. There were a few things I discovered that I -- personally -- needed to work on in preparation for opening night tomarrow, but overall, I think we're ready to give the audience something to enjoy. :)

The big thing I need to keep in mind now, though, is that I am no longer running these shows for the benefit of myself and working to improve the character(s)..... No, the next few evenings shift to being a performance for the benefit and enjoyment of those who attend. That's a slight bit of a change in mindset. But, I've done this before. I think I'm ready. It's time to draw upon those fruits of rehearsing, and just go out there and have a blast!

Hopefully I'll see some of you there! ..... If not, though, no worries, I'll try and recap the first performance this evening after I return.

So, until then, have a blessed Thursday evening, and I'll catch you all again right here with another post in a few hours.

God bless.

Your happily blogging actor friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:38 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Becoming Herbert"


Today I made another excursion out to the mall, and this time, all went well. I didn't miss any busses, and I got my shopping done. I even had an hour to sit in the center of the mall and observe people as they walked by.

Now, I'll be honest, you can learn a lot by just sitting an observing how people move about and react to their environment. Some people swagger.... some walk confidently. Others swing their arms unknowningly, and still others easily project their moods and emotional state just by the way they walk. Even their natural physical center can tell you a lot about them. It's amazing really.

But, observing and knowing yourself and what you can be capable of projecting by the way you move, were what my observations were aimed at. There's more to acting then learning lines and following blocking. Becoming another character also includes movement, and though it may be subtle, it can give you one of your greatest grasps on the character you're playing.

So, that said, by the time I left to catch my bus back to my apartment, I had come up with an entire page of possibilities to experiment and play around with as I continue to become Herbert. And in the end, I found a new research technique that I actually had a lot of fun with and will probably contine to use for further roles. And, not only did the observations I came across help me, but so did the time to think and muse on the process as I watched.

Later in the day, when I arrived at rehearsal and put a few of the ideas to the test, I felt a lot stronger in the role than I had on previous rehearsal nights. Even my directors commented. There's only so much the lines and dialogue can say about the character, the actor gets to have fun and do the rest. And I'll be completely honest with you, that's the part I'm having a blast with!

So, by day's end, I found myself happy with the course of the rehearsal, and, strangely energized. It has definitely been a good day of discovery, and even more, yet another intruiging step 'becoming Herbert'.

But, alas, it's off to bed for me shortly, now that I am home again. But I'll catch you once again tomarrow with a review of Wednesday's final rehearsal, in which, as I understand, we will already have a small preview audience. Now that's something worth getting excited about!

So, until the marrow,

Your happily blogging actor friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:51 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Monday: Amusing Misfortunes"


Well, it's Monday night already, and that means only a few days until the theatre production, "Wish You Were Here" goes up. Only two more rehearsals before a Thursday night opening.

Today, I decided to take some time in the afternoon and head out to a nearby mall to pick up some slacks (which would be used for the show,... but quite useful beyond that as well), and perhaps to do a little 'people watching' to get a few more character ideas too. Unfortunately, things didn't quite work out as smoothly as planned. I ended up getting caught up in projects in my apartment a little longer than expected, and then missed my bus out there. That particular bus route runs every half hour, so I decided to stand around and wait.

I stood at the bus stop running over some vocal excercises for my characters (and singing to myself as I seem to have the habit of doing.). I'm sure I got a few glances from passers by, which ended up being an amusing situation in and of itself. Seeing some guy walking back and forth on a steet corner (with different physicalities from time to time), singing and talking aloud, probably isn't something the normal person does while they wait for a bus to arrive. And I'm sure it was also something the normal person doesn't see very often. But, hey, I'm an actor, I'm supposed to look wierd, right? Whether I was rehearsing anything or not, it's just part of the job. :)

I did catch the next bus out, and arrived at the mall without further "wierdness", but I had just over an hour to take care of anything before I had to catch a bus back to my neighborhood. As a result, I ruled out even trying to get in some people-watching. That left finding and buying the appropriate slacks I was looking for, as well as dinner in the food court. Unfortunately, I foolishly ended up shopping in the wrong store (I wanted to use a specific store credit card). Realizing this in the fitting room, and seeing that I had just wasted my time looking in the wrong place, I had to nix buying the slacks as well and just head over for dinner.

By the time dinner was finished (which incidently hit the spot for what I was craving), I headed back to catch my bus. Unfortunately, I got there just after it pulled away from the mall bus stop. I missed this one too. That meant waiting another half hour, and being late to rehearsal.

I was entertained though as I stood awaiting the arrival of the next appropriate bus. There was a group of four young 'streetwise' African American boys hanging out, apparently waiting for the same bus I was. Three of them had the fare they needed, while the fourth did not. As a result, I chuckled as he went around melodramatically asking everyone that passed by if they had a dollar to spare. None of them did (or cared to help the kid), and I didn't have any to spare change either, so I ended up watching the scene play out for the half hour that I waited.

It was very amusing too. When the bus did come, I, as well as the three kids got onto the bus, while the fourth did not. He did end up finding a dollar somewhere after the bus pulled away, and ran all the way across the mall gounds to catch it at the last possible moment though, so he did make it in time in the end. But it made for a very amusing scenario and dulled my foolishness at my own personal misfortunes. :)

When I eventually made it back to the theatre, I was half an hour late. Thankfully, the play had been able to rehearse without me, though I was informed of some rather humorous concerns regarding my tardiness when I arrived. I felt bad; I'm usually not late like that, but this time I had to rely on the bus after foolishly miscalculating it's schedule. In the end, rehearsal actually only lasted half an hour for me.

All that trouble, just to make it to a half an hour rehearsal. Yeah, I know, I'm pathetic. .... [lol].

But, it was a worthwhile half hour. I tried a few character/voice things, some which I liked in performance, and some which I hastily discarded. After rehearsal my friend (and co-star) Jen surprised me with an unexpected belated birthday card. And, to top that off, I ran into a student friend of mine, Shelly, whom I have not seen in a very long while. So, everything worked out relatively well in the end.... even if God had a chuckle at my amusing misfourtunes of the day. He does have a sense of humor afterall. :)

Tomarrow, I'm going to try another mall excursion, only this time, I'm going to plan it better. We'll see what happens.

Until then, take care, and have a blessed Tuesday.

Your happily blogging and always amused friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:14 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Sunday: Quote of the Day"


"Behind every great man.... is a woman rolling her eyes."
- Film: "Bruce Almighty"

posted by Jon at 1:53 AM  I   I  0 comments

"Some Tidbits About Jon"


So, I was a little distracted at one point today. As a result, I came across a number of personality survey tests and such. That said, I hearby list a few tidbits of unique (and rather realistic) information that I enjoyed finding out about myself. Enjoy, and feel free to test yourself as well. :)

According to my dialect, I am 33% Yankee -- a definitive Yankee.

In terms of my leadership personality, I am "a mild-mannered assasination victim -- the Abe Lincoln type. I have a peaceful nature and am good at mediating disputes, with the exception of the occasional bloody civil war."

For fun, according to this Death Test, I can expect to die on April 1, 2059, at the age of 79 years old. On that date I will most likely die from: Cancer (40%), Heart Attack (21%), or an Alien Abduction (13%).

According to this amusing Nerd Test, my nerd score is 219. My nerd rating is 46.9%. This means I am slightly nerdier than Liberace.

According to the Political Matchmaker Test, My party compatibility table reads : Republican Party (78%), Constitution Party (67%), Natural Law Party (56%), Green Party (56%), Reform Party (56%), Democratic Party (33%), Libertarian Party (22%).

With this quick (and surprisingly accurate) Personality Test, I find that I am Introspective, Sensitive, and Reflective. "I come to grips more frequently and thoroughly with myself and my environment than do most people. I detest superficiality, and would rather be alone than have to suffer through small talk. My relationships with my friends are very strong, which gives me the inner tranquility and harmony that I require. I do not mind being alone for extended periods of time; I rarely become bored."

And, again, for fun, according to the Intergalactic Explorer Test, if I served aboard a starship in the 23rd century, I would probably be one of the engineers.

And finally, an interesting analysis of personality based on first name. Since my full first name is Jonathan, I have included the results for both "Jonathan" and "Jon". Incidently -- and quite oddly -- both appear to be rather accurate:

"As Jon, you have a natural interest in the welfare of your fellow man, and a desire to help and serve others in a humanitarian way. You are responsible and generous, although somewhat scattering and disorganized at times. Any jobs requiring systematic and conscientious effort, or involving any form of drudgery, dismay you. In your work, you would seek a position offering self-expression through contact with people, such as sales or teaching, or a position giving scope to your creative, artistic talents. You are good-natured and likeable, and people tend to confide in you and seek your advice in personal problems. Others sense your sincere interest and desire to help, and you can always be counted on to see the bright side of any problem."

"Your name of Jonathan has given you the ability to handle people. You are pleasant and diplomatic, and seem to sense how others feel. For this reason, you could do well in public relations work. You appreciate the finer things of life, and like to have a good standard of living. You feel that it is important to convey the impression that you are financially secure, and you place importance on your mode of dress, and on appearances generally. While you could do well in certain positions of authority, you have a certain lack of initiative and a tendency to procrastinate."

Interesting. Realistic. And rather amusing. ....Ok, break's over. Back to work. :)

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:41 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Wanted in Marketing; Dreaming Elsewhere"


A little over two months ago, I decided to focus my job hunting away from Sales and Marketing positions because I knew -- though it *could* have something to do with creative design -- the positive responses I had been getting were all within purely business capacities. I don't want a face-to-face business marketing job. That's not my gig. So, I ruled them out, and have not been sending out my generic business resume since.

Well, early this afternoon, I happened to get a call -- out of the blue -- from one of those 'positive marketing responses' from two months ago. It was from one of the few companies that called and had wanted to set up an interview. Back then I had politely declined. I didn't want to be traveling around Milwaukee, working on sales commission, and submitting business proposals for statistical-based clientel. Today, however, they made the same invitation, for the same reasons, and the same kind of job.

Either they must not have taken my polite "Thank you, but I must decline" answer very seriously, or my generic (and yes, very generic) business resume went into the wrong folder. .... [chuckle].

Now, granted I am in the market for another job, and traditionally, good business marketing professionals usually make some good money. I could use the steady career money. But I don't know if I can make good money doing something a have no passion for. That just isn't me. I create. I draw. I design. I conceptualize. That's where I thrive and suceed.

I have my goals and strategy to find that creative job waiting for me out there. I follow it every week (with limited success unfortunately). But, now, today, I have this nagging voice in the back of my brain saying, "Jon, you need a steady well-paying job. You just passed up one heck of an opportunity! What were you thinking?!" The rational side of my brain however, says, "Passed up opportunity? Maybe. But you said it yourself. You aren't looking for that kind of job. It's not right for you. You'll find the right one. Just keep looking."

So now I have my conscience in disagreement. I hate it when that happens.

But, I guess the good news is that right now, I am following my dreams, drawing, creating, acting.... The bad news is I'm still working at making it into a steady paying job that I can live off of. I just haven't gotten to that point yet.

But, so goes the journey towards a dream, right? Long, arduous, often drawn-out, but in hindsight, quite a journey. I guess I just keep traveling, and don't let the side trails pull me off course.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 5:03 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Wednesday: 24 Going on Younger"


There are two things I am very thankful for today: The twenty-four years of life that I have been blessed with (as of today), and the wonderful friends that I was able to share that milestone with!

....(Granted, those friends didn't know today was number 24 for me, but, hey, all the better. I like to keep a low profile -- especially when it comes to birthdays). .... [grin].

Earlier, my friend Jen had invited me over to her house today to watch a classic film with her (in her impressive basement theatre!). We're both in the "Just Plain Me" one-act play in the Alumni Production, so this film was somewhat of a research project, partially to help me better understand the character I'm playing. Of course, the film was also an excellent choice for entertainment reasons, and her company and friendship was just as enjoyable, so all-in-all, the day was very well spent!

Later in the afternoon another friend, Camille, stopped by and joined us. And, when you put the three of us together, smiles, witty comments, and fun were had by all (including an excellent and unexpected dinner cooked by Jen's mom). I truely am blessed to have such friends. And there really aren't many better ways to have spent a birthday! Truely, there aren't.

Rehearsal in the evening was also interesting. I'm still working on various character elements, but with a thorough study of my characters this coming weekend (also based on the film this afternoon), and continued research and brainstorming, I think this could be a very enjoyable show. We ran through all three one-acts at rehearsal, got further notes from two creative directors (as well as the writer), and continued the exploration process that makes theatre so much fun.

I'll admit, I'm probably hyping this show up more than it needs to be, but in all truthfulness, it's creative, original, and part of a growing alumni organization. Honestly, there's not much more that I could ask for. It's the little things like this that often seem to make life the most fulfilling. :)

So, with a happy heart, I head off to bed. It was a good day. A very good day. Tomarrow, I'll be back to work on a few unrelated projects, but I think I'll still be able to to find the fun in each of them. Besides, optimism, though a challenging aspect to remain hold of, always seems to provide a positive outlook to things. I like optimism. I think I'll like tomarrow.

Have a blessed Thursday, and until then,

Your happily blogging actor friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:45 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Tuesday: Rehearsal"


Today was a much more interesting day than Monday.

My sister had an acting gig down here in Milwaukee, so she came by for a visit and we hung out for a little bit before she headed off to the shoot. I'm glad to see she's finding theatrical success, and I'm enjoying the fact that one of my younger siblings is also theatrically-minded. It makes for some interesting interaction (and some engaging creative conversation)! At this rate, though, she'll probably become a bigger success before I will. Oh well. The world's not perfect. .... [sarcastic chuckle].

On my end of the theatrical spectrum, however, rehearsal for my show went off pretty well this evening. I wasn't feeling quite as connected as I was earlier, but I came across come new ideas, and I'm still researching the characters somewhat. So, I suppose things are generally still a work in progress. I have a few days yet to think, experiment, and adjust, but all is well. I am, however, feeling very confident with the way the characters are progressing so far. That's a very good sign.

We got our contumes for the "Second Honeymoon" show today, and I'm really enjoying them too. They're fun and simplistic. But every little bit helps create the character. You probably won't see me in 1960's vintage clothing (or something like it) in real life very often, but when it comes with the role, it's really hard to turn down! .... [grin].

Fun times. But then again, as far as I'm concerned, the stage is always a blast! I certainly have to agree with that Shakespeare guy when he said, "Life is but a stage, and we are all merely players." He hit the nail on the head.... I do love playing! ....(Now, if only I could make a sturdy living doing this, then I'd have it made!)

Have a blessed day, and I'll catch you tomarrow -- on one of my favorite days of the year! .... [wink].

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:03 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Blah Monday"


Well, I guess a so-so day comes when you least expect it.... and today was just that.

I slept in, woke up late, took care of a few things from my to-do list, and worked on my lines and character(s) a bit. Then I went off to rehearsal (for my second role), which, though not all that exciting, did have it's high points. After which, I came home, had dinner, and was too tired to make it all the way through a movie I had checked out -- to help me research the role I had just gone to rehearsal for.

So, aside from rehearsal.... not a very productive day. But, at least there's always tomarrow, right?

[sigh]

Have a good one. I think I'm off to bed. :)

Until tomarrow,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:01 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Happy Valentines Day!"


So, Valentines Day already? ....And you don't have any plans? Well, have no fear, neither do I. But, I did find a poem you might enjoy for just such an occassion. Hopefully it'll bring a smile.

A Poem: "Linda Was Quite Lonely"

Happy Valentines Day!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 7:46 AM  I   I  0 comments

"Feeling Connected"


There's nothing more satisfying for an actor than reaching that point when a role feels connected and real. It's a point where the actor is so into the performance that it no longer feels acted, but as if it were a genuine extension of himself. It's the point where the scene seems as real as everyday life.

Well, this evening at rehearsal, I think that point arrived -- for myself anyway.

I'm really looking forward to this performance of "Wish You Were Here". Herbert (one of my two roles) is an interesting character. He's the typical husband who's gone to New York with his wife for their second honeymoon, but she keeps coming up with reasons why the trip is a total bust. Herb, on the other hand, is enjoying the presumably rare opportunity. His task becomes that of trying to convince his wife to loosen up and take a more optimistic approach. Rehearsals are becoming a lot of fun, and the character interaction is turning out to be blast!

Only two more weeks until we open the show. .... Ah, the joys of performing!

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:54 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Mr. 3000 Footage Online"


For those of you that may be interested, the television show, Entertainment Tonight (aka, ET), featured a trailer for the film, "Mr. 3000" this past weekend. It's a made-for-ET feature, and not the official film trailer, but, it still provides a short video teaser of the film.

If you want to check it out online, you can do so here, at TheMovieBox.Net.

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:51 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Official Second Role: 'Just Plain Me'"


Well, I have some exciting acting news for you from my desk to yours. Officially, I have been cast in a second role in the upcoming Wisconsin Lutheran College Alumni Production of "Wish You Were Here." Yes, officially. I've already started rehearsing this one.

Now -- aside from the lead of Herbert in "Second Honeymoon" -- I'll also be playing the role of an unnamed (no, I won't tell you who it is) Oscar-winning actor in 1930's Los Angeles.

However, whereas the one-act play "Second Honeymoon" will be acted and performed as per a normal stage production, my additional role in "Just Plain Me" will be in the form of a staged reading. What this means is, for technical, artistic, and experimental purposes, all the characters in "Just Plain Me" will be have scripts with them.

Don't confuse this, though, to mean "Just Plain Me" will be any less theatrical than "Second Honeymoon". No. It's a good play, and though read, will still be quite acted (including some intruiging plot twists!). Let's just say -- in layman's terms -- a staged reading breaks down one of the theatrical "walls" in a performance and makes it slightly less visual, and more imaginative. But, if you still aren't quite familiar with what I mean, .... well .... you'll just have to come to the show and see what it's all about. :)

Now, some of you may be confused, as I've noted in the past that I was being considered for a second role earlier. Well, you did hear correctly.... I was. But, let me put that confusion to rest. A few days ago that second role I was being considered for, was for the male role in the third of the three one-act plays -- "A Lovely Day". That role would have been of an unsuccessful thief in 1950's Chicago. I was NOT cast in that one.

However, today, I was informed of the role in "Just Plain Me". So, in the end, that brings me through a confusing turn of events that now has me playing two roles in this months production of "Wish You Were Here." Yes.... officially now, two roles.

Interestingly enough, though I am required to approach "Just Plain Me" as a staged reading, and thus not fully memorizing the lines, I've got some big shoes to fill with the role. It's an actual person. So, I'll be doing my research, and learning a lot about this guy. And in essense, this second role will be experimental for me as well.... First, I have not done a professional staged reading like this in.... well, I don't know how long. It should be interesting new territory for me. And second, other than a character who was a vauge semblance of Mark Twain for a college show, this character portrays a real person.

This could be interesting. Very interesting. If you get the chance, you should stop by and take in one of the three performances. If anything, it'll be a theatrically entertaining evening, and we all enjoy being entertained! How good it will be in the end.... Well, that's the experiment!

Hopefully I'll see you there. :)

For tickets and more information, visit the Wisconsin Lutheran College Fine Arts website.

Until then,

Your happily blogging, busily rehearsing friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:21 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Food, via my feet."


You know the day has been a pathetic one when my biggest news is the new grocery store -- a few blocks away -- that had it's grand opening today. Yes, (for those of you familiar with the area, or from WLC), the old Kohls grocery store (closed back in October 2003 when the company went out of business) is now a Pick'N'Save grocery store. I can once again shop close to home, ....and at a store within walking distance.

Yay. Convenience reigns yet again. :)

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:37 PM  I   I  0 comments

"The Lego Mini-Mizer"


Picture yourself in plastic. No, not that, picture yourself as a lego character. What would you look like?

Well, there's actually a website out there -- the Mini-Mizer -- that lets you play around with the idea. In other words, you can design your own lego guy (or girl). It's an enjoyable diversion, and a lot of fun. Check it out sometime!

(Thanks to Sarah -- outtalinegrrl -- for the website!)

-Jon
posted by Jon at 9:21 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Good Italian Fast Food"


Today -- for dinner -- my sister Rachel invited me out to eat with her and her friend, at a local fast food restaurant. The interesting thing, though, was that it happened to be a very nicely priced fast food restaurant (aka, not too expensive).... that served excellent classic Italian food. If you get the chance, and there's one near you, check out Fazoli's Italian Restaurant. If I had enough thumbs, I give it more than two thumbs up! Very good food. :)

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:28 PM  I   I  0 comments

"More snow = more shoveling = more sleep"


Well, the snow that fell last night really added up outside. There has probably been about 3-4 inches of it. When I went outside around 10am, though, the sun was shining and the temperature was a lot warmer than I'd expected. For shoveling weather it was actually quite comfortable. The downside however, was that, with the warmer temperature and the increased depth of snow on the ground, the whole shoveling job took about two and a half hours.

When I came back inside, I was feeling exhaused again, so I lay down for a nap.... and ended up sleeping six hours. I felt much better when I awoke, but the day was already half gone. But, I suppose I was productive as far as showling out my apartment lot goes, so it wasn't really a wasted day. .... [smile]

The rest of the day was typical, though.... personal projects, a little cleaning, a computer game or two... Now, as I'm preparing to head off to bed -- this time in the evening like normal -- I'm tired again. Go figure. ... [lol]

Oh, well, such is life. At least I'm getting a good workout.... and keeping busy.

Have a blessed weekend. :)

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:21 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Rehearsal: Just One Role"


Well, rehearsal this evening was pretty much a meeting to discuss overall matters regarding the production, work out further schedules, and read through the plays. Everything went well, and it turned out to be a rather relaxed event.

I did find out, though, that, despite my reading for the second role, the director (of that play) decided to cast the other guy who read. She liked my reading a lot, but wasn't sure the mechanics for the production would work well with me acting in main roles -- in back-to-back plays. I think I tend to agree with her now that she mentioned it. It could have come across a little odd. Now that all is said and done, though, I can work exclusively on my original role. And, in this case, it's probably the best decision. :)

But, that's the news for today. I'm off to bed, to get up early and shovel again. It's already starting to build up outside. Oh, that pesky white stuff!

Take care, and until the marrow,

-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:29 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Wednesday Recap: Friends and Talent"


Today my friend Scott stopped by for a visit, and he brought his sister, Diana. I haven't seen her in a while. Kind of missed her. She's a good friend. She also happens to be an artist (focus: photography), so the both of us share a lot in common. It turns out, since she's a senior at my old college this year, her Senior Art Show is coming up at the end of the month. I'm going to have to make a point and go see it. ... I hear it'll feature a lot of photography -- some from Africa. I'm looking forward to it, as well as supporting her in her artisitic endeavors.

After the three of us talked for quite a while this afternoon, she had to leave for a class, and Scott and I went out and about running a few errands and just hang out. It's too bad he lives an hour north of here. We get along very well, but the distance makes regular opportunities to get together a little challenging. Luckily, my Wednesday was a rather laid back one, consisting mostly of acting-related work. I happily had the time to hang out. :)

After we had hung out for the evening, we parted ways around 7pm, he returned home, and I spent the rest of my evening around the apartment. American Idol was on..... I caught that, which, incidently, just happened to be the episode in which we were introduced to the final 32 contestants out of some 70,000 that auditioned across the country. Big episode. If you're interested, I covered it in depth on the following American Idol 3 website.

Overall, though, today was a good day. A day full of friends and talent. My kind of day.

Have a blessed Thursday, and I'll catch you all again sometime after my rehearsal.

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:39 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Re: Another Acting Role?"


Well, it's Tuesday. I think I've made my decision. I will take on the second stage role. As it turns out, the director would like one last chance to read myself and another person in the role, so, I'll find out the final verdict at my Thursday night rehearsal. Until then. :)

-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:15 PM  I   I  0 comments

"Another Acting Role?"


Actually yes, a second acting role may be a possibility.... depending upon what I decide in the next few hours.

Yesterday, I was approached with the offer to take on a second main role in the upcoming Alumni Theatre Production. There are three one-act shows; I've already been cast as Herb in one of them titled "Second Honeymoon". In this one -- which I've already been working on -- I play a young husband on his second honeymoon with his wife in 1950's New York.

The second one, which I've just been offered is titled "A Lovely Day", and features a pathetically polite thief, who is attempting to steal a woman's purse from a parkbench in 1930's Chicago. In the process, however, both he and the young woman teach each other a lesson in life.

Now, I'm pretty confident in the first role of Herb that I won from auditions, but I'm still torn in regards to the second. Maybe I just need to sleep on the decision.

The first play I'm too far into to have any doubts. I like it, a lot. The second, though amusing, didn't grab my attention as much. It just seemed a bit less open to character exploration, compared to the first role. The downside to taking on a second role is a tough decision, and often a lot of additional work. The upside, though, is an opportunity to perform in two different roles -- within the same showcase -- thus showing the audience a range of ability. I guess some would call that an actor's dream....

I'm not yet sure which road I'll take. Either way, I should know sometime Monday.

I do find it amusing, though, that this is the second time a director has come to me and asked me to take over a role some time after I've been cast elsewhere. The first time was for a full show in college -- and that was two weeks before opening night. Granted, that was a heck of a lot more work than this will be, but still.....

Maybe what they say about acting *is* true.... "Actors that end up being successful later in life, take every opportunity they can find early on."

Then again, maybe that's my answer right there.

We'll see. I'll sleep on it.... Until the marrow,

Your happily blogging actor friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 11:31 PM  I   I  0 comments