Remember Me Boys...

So the time has come to end the blog. Our last 3 shows are this week and it has been a pleasure being a part of the production. The cast has been great (as usual) and the show itself is wonderful. Thanks again to Scott Miller for taking us on the roller coaster ride that is Urinetown. It was scary at first (to say the least) but after the initial nausea and vomiting, it got much better. The challenge was great and I learned a lot (as usual) and I hope to do it again soon.

Also, thanks to the cast. From the first rehearsal I think we all knew we had our hands full but every single one of us rose to the challenge and it really shows up there on that stage. I'm not singling anyone out this time, because everyone has really worked hard to make this show great. Although I do have to say... 2 hours doing your make-up is worth a pat on the back... you really look good Cladwell!

And finally to our production crew and band... BRAVO! The set was great, the lights fantastic, the costumes dead-on and the music superb! It never ceases to amaze me how your work can make such a difference in our performance. Thank you for all your hard work.

Oh wait... and to the Rep (more specifically the person leaving the comment).... I was just kidding on the You Tube video... geeez! I have heard great things about your production, its just ours is obviously much different (be that good or bad in your eyes).

This is also Newline's last performance in the Artloft. For all of its faults and qwirks and lack of air and strange funky smells emanating from the walls and sounds of solid matter flowing through the sewage pipe in the lobby and the bolts sticking out of the theater floor that you inevitably fall on or trip over, I will miss it. But I also look forward to New Line's new home in the NEW Ivory Theater. I can't wait until I get to see the new space and hopefully perform in it.

Over and Out (sorry Matt)

Scott Tripp
Urine town cast member - New Line Theater

Back Off BIATCH!

I would just like to squelch any rumors that Izzy is starting about me touching her ass. NOW, yes it is true that I may have ended up with my hand near her butt, but when we are all in that tight formation at the end (hee hee-I said "end")... it is bound to happen. As for rubbing? I was simply keeping the beat with my hand and it started hitting her ass cheek... but in my defense... there not many places on that stage you can go to get away from her ginormous ass. I could have been on the other side of the stage and somehow my hand would have grazed her ass! In fact, it would take a full day of travel to get far away enough from the planet that is her ass so that I wouldn't accidentally touch it (love ya Izz). So that is all I have to say about this "bitchuation"!

Oh yeah... the show. Well... it is going amazingly well. We are definitely settling in. I think there are tiny things that are coming out... little nuances if you will, that are making it great! The audience Saturday was great (sell out...YAY!). They were IN IT! Laughing from word one and applauding during the last scene. Talk about a smart group of peeps. Week 3 is coming up... Get your tickets now... they are going fast.

Has This Show Made Me Less Patriotic?

So I find my self getting absolutely disgusted with the shape of the country. Don't get me wrong, I have never been thrilled about Bush (or Shrub, as my Dad likes to call him) and the Imbecile Cheney being in office. But since Urinetown, I have really started to worry about things like my carbon footprint and recycling, etc. and the lack of action to correct these major environmental issues going on in the good ole' U.S. of A. (see my previous post about the bee-nappings for an example). I know you Flagaphiles will be outraged reading this (and I really don't mean to break your crayons), but lets face it... this country is a wreck! Lets not get into the war (I mean no one can possibly think we are going to "win", but I do respect the people who are brave enough to try). Could it be that Al Gore is right? As stupid as it sounds, what if the earth does "have a fever"? What does that mean for us?

Then the question becomes... how far do I take it? I don't want to get all crunchy and start wearing those ugly Berks (No offense to the lesbians out there... I'm sure they look pretty on you) but it seems like it is one way or the other. There has to be a happy medium. I was at Homo Depot the other day and had a crap-load of chemicals to kill every living thing in my yard (weeds, bees, mosquitoes, those ugly things that are eating the leaves on my Magnolias) and I put them back. I may still go back and get some of them (I REALLY hate mosquitoes), but I started thinking about the creek behind my house and what these chemicals could be doing to the water in it and the ramifications that may have for every living thing that depends on that water. I HAVE seen raccoons drinking from it. And, as my dog Beau can attest to (because he likes to bring them to me as a gift), there are hoards (swarms? schools?) of turtles living in and around it. What is a guy to do?

I am going to go crazy here! ARRRGGGHHH! So for now... run free little turtles! Run free! But I say to all those mosquitoes reading this blog... your asses are mine!!!!

Now you can go back to surfing for porn.
HBH

My Kinda Town!

Okay, so we opened. Big deal right? WRONG! I have to admit I was rather worried about this show for awhile. It is very complex and it seemed like it was taking forever to come together. It wasn't until our final rehearsal that I was convinced we may actually pull this off. Then we opened.

It went great. They were trepidatious at first but they got into it and soon they were laughing with us! But to be honest.. that is boring for you readers and I hate as much as anyone when the writer goes into any diatribes on any particular topic so I am just gonna say it went very well.

The real reason for my blog is what happened at Friday's show. It hummed along and it was a great show. So we are doing the curtain call when the music all the sudden stops! All of us look dumbfounded (not unusual for my dear friend Isabel, but I digress) Then Nick (Senator Fipp) starts giving a nice little speech about how he's been doing theater awhile and how he met his best friend Aaron doing theater etc. So here I am thinking Nick is getting ready to announce he is moving and that this will be his last show with Newline...BUT WAIT!

So then he says he met a great girl when he was doing some Shakespeare show (the title isn't important to the story so I won't bore you with which one. I'm sure it was Shakespearean...thats all you have to know) and then he introduces this girl to the audience (we all knew who it was-- all of us but Isabel again..poor dear) That girl is Amy who plays Little Sally. And then he proceeds to get on one knee and proposes to her right there on stage!

How fucking great is that? My Nick! The guy I kissed in Spiderwoman (and yes he was very good...Amy's a lucky chick). The audience was in tears.... hell WE were in tears (and I thought I was hardened against the bullshit that is love, but i digress again). So Urinetown will always be a special show for everyone who knows the happy (at least they look like they are) couple, but for Nick and Amy it will be the most special show and I feel so honored to have been there and been a part of the beginning of their life journey (boy that sounded hippyesque didn't it?).

So to Nick and Amy... congrats! I wish you both the best of luck and I know that together you will be able to overcome any obstacles that get in your way. Hold onto what you have and never take it for granted or let it slip away! I just hope to get an invite to the wedding (I give great gifts)!

P.S. Come see the show. It's good.

Now you can go back to surfing for porn! I know I am! HBH

Long Time No Read...

Sorry to all the fans of my finest literary work to date. I have been
slacking on my duties as a documenter of New Line History.

As you can imagine, the show is almost polished. We open Thursday so
it better be. Last weekend was the beginning of "hell week". Saturday
we went from cue to cue for the lighting folks (this day is
shockingly called "cue to cue"... I wonder how they came up with that
one?) Of course Sunday was my favorite day... the Band! It makes all
the difference in the world when you get to hear them behind you. It
kinda psychs you up!

Hot Blades is coming along. I have been playing a little more with
him where possible. Old man Strong is a tad harder for me. His lines
are not necessarily funny or even powerful a lot of the times. I have
been playing him a little more real to garner sympathy for him when
he gets sent to Urinetown. I think he's come a long way from where
he started.

Can't really think of much else except BUY YOUR TICKETS! I warned
peeps the last time and they couldn't get them because we sold out.
We are already at 200 for pre-sale (good for us) so heed my warning!

Arguably the Best Blog Ever

Dear Diary,

Much has happened since my last entry. Where should I begin? I guess I should mention that we moved into the theater on Sunday. Isabel and myself were supposed to just bring lunch for the crew but due to lack of crew, we stayed and helped. Isabel was getting down and dirty wearing a pretty dress and flip flops and I had on my favorite corduroy shorts and sandals... LOL. But I have to say, we rock! Matt Korinko came in later wearing his little softball uniform and of course Greggy was no where to be seen. He had to go "get lumber"... SURE GREG! I guess any man would take any opportunity they could to get some wood.

Last night we had a clean up rehearsal for dance... I guess that means we were dirty. Also, I guess I will actually have to start dancing now and not just marking it. I tend to do that until we move into the theater and start actually running the show... that way I don't risk a leg injury (yeah right). I would like to publicly apologize for breaking Zach's flip flop (thong) last night during the dance. He was really upset. I hate to see a 7 foot tall man cry (well maybe he's only 6'8").

Tonight we run the show in its entirety. A little worried here. I haven't really gone over lines in a while and I won't have time today because I have a photo shoot with Mayor Francis Slay (oops... I just dropped a name... let me pick that up). I'm hoping my energy and enthusiasm picks up soon. Its strange. I love this show and I like the people in it, but I still miss Grease and the gang from there. I think that's one of those shows that I will always miss and nothing will ever measure up. All that aside, this is such a hard show to get right and I want to be good but it's really hard coming straight from work after 9 to 10 hours of brain bashing. I just feel dead inside (hmmm, thats how I felt with the last person I dated too). I definitely don't feel like I am totally with it when I'm there and I'm not sure that I am acting as friendly (and by friendly I mean smart ass) as I usually am. Plus I don't think I am giving 100% to my performance -- My mind is totally focused on this magazine I am designing thats going to have Francis Slay on the cover (OMG, I did it again. I'm such a clutz today). I'm sure it'll work itself out. Wish us (more like me) luck!

Hail Francis Slay. Now you can go back to surfing for porn!

HBH

Consider Yourself Warned

So last night we were supposed to be off book for Act 2. Lets just say it seemed a little rougher than Act 1, especially the first time through. Although I have to say, even though, as a whole, we weren't as solid as we could have been, it seems we are much more on target without a script in our hands. Its also easier to play, as Matt Korinko says on his brilliant blog (see the link to the right and feel free to leave him a comment... he really gets excited when people do that), and it will get even easier when the lines become second nature.

One thing is clear, this show is going to be aggressive. We are "up in the audiences grill" quite a bit. Now I know some people like to be passive theater attendees. They like to keep their distance from the actors and really would be quite happy if they never had to interact with us at all (and that’s fine. Many people also purchase John Tesh CD’s. Far be it for me to pass judgment.) But if any of the 11 people reading this blog are those kind of theater goers, PLEASE, call your friends that are just like you (you know who they are... birds of a feather and all) and tell them that maybe you all should skip Urinetown.

Don't show up and sit in the front row of the theater and refuse to turn around and watch when action starts taking place behind you. Don't bitch when a flashlight gets shined in your face and don't watch the entire show with your arms folded like you are pissed off at the world that you are stuck at the Artloft. I know that people like you really like some of the "big budget" companies in town, but let me tell you..."Those Companies" do not and will not ever do the kind of work that you can expect at a New Line Show... And the people in charge there that "sweeten up" traditionally edgy shows because their audience (i.e. people like you) might get offended should be disemboweled with a potato peeler.

So if you're in the mood to see a really "cute" production after dinner at Kemol's... go to the East Side. At least there you don't have to interact with the entertainment unless you pay $20 bucks for "Candy" to mount you like the pony you always wanted (or had in some cases) when you were a kid.

You've been warned! Now you can go back to surfing for porn!

HBH