We are now represented by Tim Fox at Columbia Artists Management, which is a really exciting development in the Basic Training journey. I am finally able to look back at the run in New York and it feels good to come out on the other end with some positive feelings. Still some things that need to be figured out but for now I can say that it's all good. I am also working with a wonderful attorney in Los Angeles and things are definitely looking up. I'll be sure to keep you in the loop as things develop.
Speaking of developing, the baby is growing like mad. My wife is still all baby which makes me happy because when you marry a girl you kind of wonder how she's going to look pregnant and I'm proud to say she shines. Got me a good one yall.
Here in Vancouver the snow has taken everyone by surprise. Two huge dumps of snow in the last week and believe it or not there's more on the way! I haven't been this cold since spending my teen years in Davenport, Iowa. The Midwestern US and the Canadian prairies AIN'T NO JOKE when it comes to cold weather. At least the air temp here is reasonable and we don't have that cutting wind to deal with. This snowstorm caught Vancouver by surprise - so surprised that the city didn't even plow the streets for four days and the side streets are still not done.
Anybody got an extra shovel? I love some hard work.
The Vancouver performances are selling really well, as a matter of fact the Feb 14 8pm show is sold out and the others are filling nicely. Check out www.thecultch.com if you'd like to join in the fun.
For anybody on the east coast we have some dates in Charlotte, North Carolina coming up in March so keep an eye out for it. Just gotta make sure the dots are connected before the tickets hit the streets.
I hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and if Christmas ain't your thang then be safe and eat up. Tis the season to get chubby!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
TONYTONETONI
It has come to my attention that several fans of Basic Training have come to my defense in an online argument regarding an unfavorable review of Basic Training in TimeOut New York. On the TimeOut NY website these fans have posted comments defending the show and my talent against some reviewer who remains among the 1% of people who didn't like the show despite the fact that he was laughing and applauding throughout. (one of the fans sat behind him on the night he saw Basic Training). He has a right to his opinion, I just think these people want him to make up his mind.
The editor of the TimeOut New York theater section expressed that he didn't appreciate these fans calling his reviewer a jerk and he accused me of 'standing in the doorway and creating an awkward exit' as if I don't allow people to leave the theater when the show is over. This is New York. When New Yorkers are ready to go, they go. And I stand to the side after the show. I was raised to say thank you. It never ceases to amaze me how someone who didn't even see the show can make assumptions about things they know nothing about.
Maybe he needs to stand there 'in the doorway' with me and listen to the stories of hope audience members share with me as they exit about how they don't normally go to the theater and my show makes them feel like they might want to consider going again- for a few reasons:
a. Basic Training ain't a musical and it actually speaks to issues that are on people's hearts and minds every day
b. The American Fear Machine wants everyone to think we'll all be living in hostels and eating at soup kitchens by 2010 so hearing a story of hope and redemption is never a bad thing.
To the fans I thank you, because you are the reason I get out of bed every day. Much like the 2008 election, the people have spoken. It's good to see democracy at work.
Not everyone who sees this show likes it and I fully accept that. I think that's the same for every show, movie, restaurant, whatever. Choice is a good thing. But when you get 10 awesome reviews and one bad one, it ain't the show that needs to change.
Keep it comin.
The editor of the TimeOut New York theater section expressed that he didn't appreciate these fans calling his reviewer a jerk and he accused me of 'standing in the doorway and creating an awkward exit' as if I don't allow people to leave the theater when the show is over. This is New York. When New Yorkers are ready to go, they go. And I stand to the side after the show. I was raised to say thank you. It never ceases to amaze me how someone who didn't even see the show can make assumptions about things they know nothing about.
Maybe he needs to stand there 'in the doorway' with me and listen to the stories of hope audience members share with me as they exit about how they don't normally go to the theater and my show makes them feel like they might want to consider going again- for a few reasons:
a. Basic Training ain't a musical and it actually speaks to issues that are on people's hearts and minds every day
b. The American Fear Machine wants everyone to think we'll all be living in hostels and eating at soup kitchens by 2010 so hearing a story of hope and redemption is never a bad thing.
To the fans I thank you, because you are the reason I get out of bed every day. Much like the 2008 election, the people have spoken. It's good to see democracy at work.
Not everyone who sees this show likes it and I fully accept that. I think that's the same for every show, movie, restaurant, whatever. Choice is a good thing. But when you get 10 awesome reviews and one bad one, it ain't the show that needs to change.
Keep it comin.
Finale
Tonight was the final show and it was pretty exciting. Uncle Tony and Aunt Debra were in attendance so Uncle Tony got to bask in his glory for a bit. I won't be able to process things about this run until I can get back to Vancouver and step away from it. Mixed feelings. My wife made it home safe and our baby is growing by the minute. Its fun to see it move when it hears my voice, apparently when my wife came to see the show the baby was moving and kicking like crazy. Either it hates theater or it thinks daddy is a genius. Once its born next year I'll be sure to ask.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Home Stretch
Basic Training will have its final Off Broadway performance on December 1 and it feels good to know that we came to NY and conquered.
In the past few weeks I've been doing lots of radio interviews including an interview with the lovely Farai Chideya on NPR which is posted on the website www.basictrainingnyc.com if you'd like to listen in. Early this morning I did an interview on WBAI which went really well. The best thing about doing a 7am interview definitely ain't the time slot. It's seeing the city of New York slowly come to life. WBAI is down on Wall Street and it's right in the middle of the action. I had never experienced that before: The news anchors setting up to let the world know what was happening on Wall Street and how the markets were looking. The vendors warming up their carts full of bagels, coffee and juice. The rumble of the subway under your feet and the cabbies using their horns like a rooster's call to awaken the sleeping giant that is New York City. I miss Vancouver but NYC has a flavor all its own.
My wife returned from England last week and we spent a few days at a gorgeous house in Connecticut. Always good to get away and enjoy the sound of nothing. We just sat by the fireplace and watched movies and talked about our excitement and expectations of our new baby. What will it look like? Will it eat a lot? (if it takes after it's Dad it will) Something tells me fatherhood will change everything but I wouldn't have it any other way.
The success of Basic Training has provided me with so many wonderful opportunities that I am forever grateful for but it's also exposed me to a lot of fake promises and fake people. Like any industry you gotta take the good with the bad I guess. The joy I get in coming home to a loving wife, a few true friends and family is the only thing that seems real to me right now. Like mama used to say - people are what they do, not what they say.
I feel like my hardest work is still ahead of me but this journey started with a few people that need to be recognized. Tony Lepore is one of them - this guy is my stage manager but he's not just any technician. Since 2004 he has stood by the show through thick and thin always believing that it would one day open Off Broadway. When ever I had to do an industry showcase in a rehearsal room at the last minute he would drop everything and make sure that although we only had a boom-box the cues were right on time. Tony's professionalism and work ethic make him one of a kind and he has traveled with Basic Training to Dubai and Abu Dhabi which solidified his place in my mind as one of the hardest working dudes I know. Hanging out in Dubai also meant my wife and I got to spend some fun time with him and it was unforgettable. In 2005 when Tony and I first arrived in the Middle East and realized that we didn't have to pay for food we almost ate ourselves sick. Looking back we probably looked like two inmates sitting there wolfing down gourmet food like somebody was going to steal it from us.
Good times.
I can't say this run in New York flew by but I can say that every show feels like the first one. Except for the matinees. I will never understand the logic behind doing a 2pm show when the 7pm still isn't sold out. But when the lights go down it doesn't matter. Everybody gets 100%.
In the past few weeks I've been doing lots of radio interviews including an interview with the lovely Farai Chideya on NPR which is posted on the website www.basictrainingnyc.com if you'd like to listen in. Early this morning I did an interview on WBAI which went really well. The best thing about doing a 7am interview definitely ain't the time slot. It's seeing the city of New York slowly come to life. WBAI is down on Wall Street and it's right in the middle of the action. I had never experienced that before: The news anchors setting up to let the world know what was happening on Wall Street and how the markets were looking. The vendors warming up their carts full of bagels, coffee and juice. The rumble of the subway under your feet and the cabbies using their horns like a rooster's call to awaken the sleeping giant that is New York City. I miss Vancouver but NYC has a flavor all its own.
My wife returned from England last week and we spent a few days at a gorgeous house in Connecticut. Always good to get away and enjoy the sound of nothing. We just sat by the fireplace and watched movies and talked about our excitement and expectations of our new baby. What will it look like? Will it eat a lot? (if it takes after it's Dad it will) Something tells me fatherhood will change everything but I wouldn't have it any other way.
The success of Basic Training has provided me with so many wonderful opportunities that I am forever grateful for but it's also exposed me to a lot of fake promises and fake people. Like any industry you gotta take the good with the bad I guess. The joy I get in coming home to a loving wife, a few true friends and family is the only thing that seems real to me right now. Like mama used to say - people are what they do, not what they say.
I feel like my hardest work is still ahead of me but this journey started with a few people that need to be recognized. Tony Lepore is one of them - this guy is my stage manager but he's not just any technician. Since 2004 he has stood by the show through thick and thin always believing that it would one day open Off Broadway. When ever I had to do an industry showcase in a rehearsal room at the last minute he would drop everything and make sure that although we only had a boom-box the cues were right on time. Tony's professionalism and work ethic make him one of a kind and he has traveled with Basic Training to Dubai and Abu Dhabi which solidified his place in my mind as one of the hardest working dudes I know. Hanging out in Dubai also meant my wife and I got to spend some fun time with him and it was unforgettable. In 2005 when Tony and I first arrived in the Middle East and realized that we didn't have to pay for food we almost ate ourselves sick. Looking back we probably looked like two inmates sitting there wolfing down gourmet food like somebody was going to steal it from us.
Good times.
I can't say this run in New York flew by but I can say that every show feels like the first one. Except for the matinees. I will never understand the logic behind doing a 2pm show when the 7pm still isn't sold out. But when the lights go down it doesn't matter. Everybody gets 100%.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
48 Hours
In the last 48 hours Barack Obama has won the election to become the first African American President of the United States and I have celebrated my 35th year on earth.
The power of the spoken word was so evident in Obama's acceptance speech and as I went to vote at 6am today the build-up to his victory was palpable. There was electricity in the air as we all stood in line in Greenwich Village, way too tired to socialize but not too tired to pull the lever.
My wife will be back soon, and I am really looking forward to having her here. Our baby is quite active and it has been kicking her and making its presence known. Something tells me we have an especially active and healthy baby on the way! Thanks so much for your well wishes and prayers.
This has been a particularly tough week for myself and the show, challenges continue to pile up and the pressure is keeping me awake at night. It's times like this that I really enjoy performing on stage because for as long as I can remember adversity has always been a part of my journey. Not too sure what its like to have things come easy to me but this journey has shaped me in ways I cannot put into words.
There is a revised performance schedule for November so please check www.basictrainingnyc.com or call the Box Office at 212.868.4444 for updates. We want to make sure we are making the most of the time we have in the theater and these changes will reflect that. I apologize for any inconvenience but I promise it will be worth your while. The Basic Training team continues to work harder than ever behind the scenes to make the magic happen every night and it shows. In the coming weeks I'll introduce you to some of these people but you should take a minute and come meet them yourself after the show.
Once you see all the aspects that go into making Basic Training happen every night I think you'll agree that there's no such thing as a one man show.
p.s.
We have 2009 tour dates for Australia! More to come.
The power of the spoken word was so evident in Obama's acceptance speech and as I went to vote at 6am today the build-up to his victory was palpable. There was electricity in the air as we all stood in line in Greenwich Village, way too tired to socialize but not too tired to pull the lever.
My wife will be back soon, and I am really looking forward to having her here. Our baby is quite active and it has been kicking her and making its presence known. Something tells me we have an especially active and healthy baby on the way! Thanks so much for your well wishes and prayers.
This has been a particularly tough week for myself and the show, challenges continue to pile up and the pressure is keeping me awake at night. It's times like this that I really enjoy performing on stage because for as long as I can remember adversity has always been a part of my journey. Not too sure what its like to have things come easy to me but this journey has shaped me in ways I cannot put into words.
There is a revised performance schedule for November so please check www.basictrainingnyc.com or call the Box Office at 212.868.4444 for updates. We want to make sure we are making the most of the time we have in the theater and these changes will reflect that. I apologize for any inconvenience but I promise it will be worth your while. The Basic Training team continues to work harder than ever behind the scenes to make the magic happen every night and it shows. In the coming weeks I'll introduce you to some of these people but you should take a minute and come meet them yourself after the show.
Once you see all the aspects that go into making Basic Training happen every night I think you'll agree that there's no such thing as a one man show.
p.s.
We have 2009 tour dates for Australia! More to come.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
NetFlix
One of the most common questions people ask me is 'What do you do after the show? You must be tired!' This is where Netflix comes in. I don't watch much television but I am a sucker for a good movie. A typical Off Broadway evening for me is
5-5:30: Arrive at theater, stretch and warm up my voice
6:55: Places
7pm-8pm: Showtime
8-8:20: Shake hands with the audience
8:20-8:45: Towel off and change clothes, take the subway to the apartment
9:30: arrive at the apartment, shower and eat meat with vegetables of some sort
10:00: Watch an educational epic like '300' or something more sensible like 'Braveheart'. (depends on what my wife wants to watch as well, we take turns).
11:30pm-Midnight: Crash and burn. Bedtime.
So as you can see without Netflix I'd be stuck watching the three channels that are available in the apartment that has been subletted for me. Each channel has a different version of the news but they all have a lot in common - somebody got killed, the nation is in a financial panic and John McCain is 'just like me' or somebody's cat gave it's life to save a crippled rat trying to cross the subway tracks.
I'm sure this is the exciting jet-setting life you expected of an actor performing his own one man show Off Broadway. I am one wild and crazy dude. Kids, do not try this at home.
5-5:30: Arrive at theater, stretch and warm up my voice
6:55: Places
7pm-8pm: Showtime
8-8:20: Shake hands with the audience
8:20-8:45: Towel off and change clothes, take the subway to the apartment
9:30: arrive at the apartment, shower and eat meat with vegetables of some sort
10:00: Watch an educational epic like '300' or something more sensible like 'Braveheart'. (depends on what my wife wants to watch as well, we take turns).
11:30pm-Midnight: Crash and burn. Bedtime.
So as you can see without Netflix I'd be stuck watching the three channels that are available in the apartment that has been subletted for me. Each channel has a different version of the news but they all have a lot in common - somebody got killed, the nation is in a financial panic and John McCain is 'just like me' or somebody's cat gave it's life to save a crippled rat trying to cross the subway tracks.
I'm sure this is the exciting jet-setting life you expected of an actor performing his own one man show Off Broadway. I am one wild and crazy dude. Kids, do not try this at home.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Critics Pick!
Basic Training is a New York Times Critics Pick. It has been a huge pleasure shaking everyone's hand after the show and there is so much goodwill surrounding the show. As long as I can look the audience in the eye after the show as they leave the theater and personally thank them for an hour of their time and $35 bucks of their hard earned (especially now) money then I believe that the show will continue to do well. The audience numbers still aren't exactly where we'd like them to be but there is no denying the quality of the people who come to see Basic Training. Hopefully you can assist us in getting some more people like you through the doors.
My wife is visiting family in England and it warms my heart to hear that she is happy and enjoying her time there. Family is so important to her and as we start a family of our own we have a different understanding of what it stands for. Who knows what kinds of challenges the future will bring to families. Unfortunately I won't get to spend my birthday (Nov 3) with any family but that void is slightly smaller now that my Tops In Blue family has come into town and supported me here and there. I feel ten feet tall when I see a member of Tops In Blue in the audience because much like troops who served together in the field we have a connection that you can't put into words. Ever been a part of something bigger than yourself? My first was Tops In Blue, then Caesar's Magical Empire at Caesar's Palace, Akeelah and the Bee (I was the Postman) and now Basic Training.
Next stop...more feature films!
My wife is visiting family in England and it warms my heart to hear that she is happy and enjoying her time there. Family is so important to her and as we start a family of our own we have a different understanding of what it stands for. Who knows what kinds of challenges the future will bring to families. Unfortunately I won't get to spend my birthday (Nov 3) with any family but that void is slightly smaller now that my Tops In Blue family has come into town and supported me here and there. I feel ten feet tall when I see a member of Tops In Blue in the audience because much like troops who served together in the field we have a connection that you can't put into words. Ever been a part of something bigger than yourself? My first was Tops In Blue, then Caesar's Magical Empire at Caesar's Palace, Akeelah and the Bee (I was the Postman) and now Basic Training.
Next stop...more feature films!
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