Play Review

Another one before I recycle the script:

DOG SEES GOD: CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BLOCKHEAD by Bert V. Royal. The term "blockhead" should've tipped off a child of the 80s like me, but it didn't. I finally clued in on the heavy use of C.B. for the main character. Yes, these are the Peanuts kids in high school, swearing, having sex, brutalizing each other, and dealing with confusion over sexual identity. So, it's clearly Rated R, but it bums me out because the play is really well-written with great characters and an amazingly touching ending. But there's no way I could get past the barrage of the F-word and all kinds of blatent sexual dialog. I suppose the author was just going to the extreme opposite of what Charles Shultz created, except for man's inhumanity to man that is evident in both works.

Well, I don't think I can recycle it after all. If only for the scene where Beethoven stands up to Matt, and the powerful ending of the play. It'll have to go in the safe, though. I've got a young niece and nephew who like to root though my bookshelves.

Play Reviews

As a director, I'm always buying plays, looking for one I want to direct. I tend to look for female-heavy casts because community theater generally has more ladies than men. I also look for family-friendly scripts. I rely on places like Samuel French and Dramatists Play Service to give a good description of their plays but, alas, often the descriptions give no real hint to the language, sexual content, etc., of the story. So, I thought I'd document some of the plays I've read for others to see before they buy and give them a Movie rating.

ST. SCARLET by Julia Jordan. Two sisters and a brother deal with their emotions and past on a stormy winter night. Labeled a dark comedy, I didn't find it particularly funny. Lots of the F-word, so Rated R.

THE MEMORY OF WATER by Shelagh Stephenson. Three sisters, a husband and a boyfriend deal with the death of the sisters's mother. The mother shows up to plague/help one of the sisters come to terms with her grief. Very well-written, but not particularly uplifting. Then again, it's a drama and well done. But not somewhere I'd like to spend my off-hours from work. Rated R for the F-word, sex and drug discussions.

THE LONG CHRISTMAS RIDE HOME by Paula Vogel. Couldn't get past the first few pages due to language and innuendo. Described as the past, present and future colliding on a snowy Christmas Eve for a troulbed family of five, this "puppet play with actors" is for the artsy crowd. From a skim, (sorry, Paula, I'm looking for family fare), it has tons of the F-word and pretty overt sexual scenes. Rated R.

Sadly, they're all heading to the recycle bin. They just don't fly for Community Theater.

Moving to my Main Blog - Enesvy.com!

I've decided to keep Director's Desk as a subsite of my main blog at http://www.enesvy.com/. That will be my most updated page from now on. Director's Desk will return to its original purpose of being the go-to place for Cast and Crew when I am directing a play or film. So, see you all (the millions of you that read this) over at enesvy!

Final Weekend! Come see us!

July 18-19 are the final performances of "The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society Murder Mystery." It's your last chance to see me at my sinister best...despite falling sets, dropped lines and lightning fast costume changes! See you there.

Opening Night! We're Ready!

We have had two fantastic nights of performance already: our dress rehearsal with Friends & Family, and our benefit performance last night with the Barracuda Swim Team and their families. Over 80 people were there last night and they had a great time. We've received lots of praise and we LOVED all the laughs.

You can check out a couple other pictures and our poster at http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii314/sarrowroot/MissionCreekPlayers/2008FarndaleMurderMystery/

Laughter is good medicine! Come one, come all!

Friends and Family Night!

You're invited to our dress rehearsal, aka, Friends and Family Night. It will be at the Pressroom Theater (14 N. Mission) at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, June 18. Family and friends of cast and crew are invited!

Farndale Final Task List

Done and Dusted! Way to go, all!

DONE
Cut construction paper panels – TJ
Hang banners - Lisa
Print programs - TJ (sent to print guys)
Assemble program covers, programs, and quiz slips –Nicole and Christina
Set up coffee table and tea serice
Put up the headshots/bios poster just inside the auditorium –Nicole (by Tuesday)
Write up a front-of-house document for the noobs
Write up backstage list for Dan
Buy more coffee supplies (at least herbal teas) – Lisa
Make Mike's fashion show hat - TJ Make
Audrey's fashion show headband – Lisa will have this done by Monday. Find fog machine remote control for Pawn - TJ
Count the program season covers and figure out how many more to order -TJ
Hang Welcome Banner in lobby - Nicole
Finish designing programs - Nicole
Bring false eyelashes and stage makeup - Each castmember appears to have this handled
Clean theatre and set up show-only chairs – Christina, TJ, Nicole, anyone else who comes Paint stage – Christina, TJ, Nicole, anyone else who can come help Hang stage skirt - Nicole will do when painted stage floor is dry
Find a lampshade and holder for the floor lamp, or buy a new one at Wal-Mart -Nicole Measure door panels to cut construction paper - TJ Cut construction paper panels - TJ Glue on construction paper panels - TJ Test use of fake panel taped on with double-stick tape-Lisa
Proof Programs - Cast and Crew, Nicole will oversee
Glue Mr. Goodbody's hair down a bit - TJ Check coffee supplies - Christina Buy more coffee supplies (we at least need some herbal teas) - Christina
Put more lace on Regine's headband - TJ Finish painting stuff on mantelpiece – Christina to do this weekend Hang the gold plate on a screw above the cabinet Paint some hinges on the door – Christina to do this weekend Put more cue notes on back of fireplace -Nicole Buy water and snacks for cast/crew – Nicole will buy Coke, Diet Coke and Pop Tarts. Lisa is buying bottled water and bringing grapes and apples.
Buy more double-stick tape-Lisa
Order more season covers - TJ
Put elastic on hem of Mike's fashion show dress - TJ
Put our event on internet calendars – Christina has on to do list for tonight when she gets home