This may sound odd but I believe that Musical Theatre soars the best when the musical voice of the show feels like the musical voice of the characters.  Not every character’s voice has the same musical voice.  There are ways to tweak all of the musical voices in a show so that it shares a common thread.  But it is when a multi-generational show has everyone rocking out to the same music or all singing waltzes.  This is all dependent on the time/place of the show.   Just like dialogue, the musical voice of a character must be an extension of the character.  Some will sing slower and some quicker.  Some are tenors and some are basses.  Some will sing a foklsy tune while some will rap.

When the musical voice rings true…then the story is being told clearly…that is when I am with you for the ride, the whole way.

As Americans, we do pay a lot of taxes but we do get a lot in return (though I think everyone can agree that it would be nice if the politicians would spend our money more wisely).  It seems there are refunds and deductions for almost everything these days from owning a hybrid car to owning rental property in low income neighborhoods.

I propose a tax refund for anyone who has full time employment at one of the nation’s many not-for-profit organizations.  As a full time employee at a not-for-profit organization, I work towards the betterment of society…that is why we have been granted not-for-profit status. I am working for the “greater good”.

Anyone who works at a not-for-profit does so because they believe in the greater good and the mission of the organization.  But anyone who works at a not-for-profit knows they have to believe in this because otherwise there is little justification for the lower pay.  People in not-for-profits make less than their commercial counterparts.  If I were to quit my job and do the exact same job at a commercial organization, I would be making at least 25% more annually.  Who wouldn’t like 25% more in pay each year?

But here is the important thing…I want to work in a not-for-profit and have little interest in working in the commercial sector right now.  So why is there not a refund for those of us in the not-for-profit sector?  Theatres, foundations, environmental, etc.  This refund on our income taxes would help spur on growth economically from a group of people who know how to pinch pennies.  But most importantly, a tax refund would also encourage more highly qualified people to take on positions at not-for-profit, making us competitive to high-paying corporate jobs (if there are any of those left).

I am not voting that we all get 5% of our income back each year but what about 5% of our taxes as a Thank You.  Thank You for working for the greater good.  Thank You for making the world a better place.  Thank You fornot working at a bank and embezzling millions of tax payers dollars and depositing them off shore.  Thank You for being a good person.  Here is some of your tax dollars back.  Please Enjoy!

A great piece of art, inspires me and give me an erection for the artistic part of me (I also get Professional Erections for a good database or spreadsheet or finally typed memo, but these are more fleeting).

Every once in a while I come across a piece of art that I can’t stop spill over and over again.  There have been shows that I have listened to demos of and could not stop listening and imagining staging and casting in my head.  I will then start to disect the song like an actor, then I will mentally stage it like a director and start thinking about design elements.  When I get that far with a show…it has hit me somewhere special.  I am hoooked.

Right now I am hooked on a musical that I recently heard a demo to.  I am now reading the source material, then I will read an old draft of the script, then I fly to the midwest to see a production of this show.  I am jonesing on this show hard time because it excites me and inspires me.  I want to delve in it like a sexy mysterious new artistic partner.  I can’t help it.

When I show has that something (in Hollywood they call it “it”, which I think is acurate but stupid), it hits me and sticks on me like a rash.  A wonderful rash that I want scratch and have to scratch.  The good ones never go away. There are still songs and shows I obsess over to this day…many years later.  But it all starts with the Artistic Erection.  That something that slaps me across the face and makes my Artistic Spirit drive stand straight up and say “I want that…more more more”…. sigh, if only this owuld happen more often.

I could put out a press release right now that announces that my one-man show “Just Because there is a press release” will be opening on Broadway in the 2009-2010 season and sadly many website will post it, then right an article about it, then people will post items about it on their facebook pages, then the bulletin boards on certain theatre websites will be a buzz with questions and critical blows about the show.  All because I put  out a press release.  This goes in the same vein as the previous post about anyone can call themselves a Broadway producer by getting a business card made at the local Staples.

Once again, there is such little validation done for these shows.  Any show can say they are Broaway Bound and many think they are (though few should be, frankly).  And too many websites will take whatever is sent them and post it  because “user generated content” is cheaper and easier than hiring good writers and creating your own features and editorial.  Just let the riff raff societal cross section that enjoy your website create the content for you…that should work, right? (i’m getting sidetracked for this is another topic I will explore at a later time)

My opinion is this… until the show has a marquee up and are selling tickets…it is not guaranteed to be coming to Broadway.  Think of the number of shows that have floated around the Theatrical Index for years stating they are Broadway Bound (Carmen?  Nefertiti? Tale of Two Cities?  oops…).  When they start selling tickets, I take them seriously.  And once the Marquee goes up (which is not a cheap expense), then I know they mean business.  Yes, there are websites and cast announcements but look at For Colored Girls… or Lone Star Love?

There is also this phenom with assuming that critical praised shows performing to packed houses will transfer to Broadway.  The moment a show starts doing well the bulletin boards are a blaze “will it transfer?  can it transfer?”.  Too frequently, people assume that the best work is being done on Broadway (not true).  There are certain shows that thrive on Broadway but every few years there are shows that break the mold (Spring Awakening) that does not feel like a “Broadway” show but make a big splash uptown.  Too frequently Producers also assume that Broadway is the ultimate goal.  But some shows just want a nice cozy 200 seat house Off Broadway and a healthy run (which is better for everyone).  Yes, having the word Broadway attached to a show makes it a sexier sell in the middle states.  But wouldn’t we all in this econmoy prefer to see longer healthier runs than big Broadway splashes.

Too frequently I see shows on Broadway that feel like the are being suffocated by the size of the house and squished by the weight of the name Broadway.  I want to take those shows and steal them away to off Broadway or to a nice regional thrust stage where they can be safe and happier…like a bunny stuck in a busy intersection.

Whenever I meet a producer and they tell me their show (which has only had one reading and has only notes on a napkin for a second act) tells me that they are Broadway bound, I want to smack them slash pat them on the head.  Let the piece be and breathe and it will find its home. The moment you decide it is going to Broadway you have already stunted the show’s growth.  Broadway is a wonderful goal but until there is a marquee… I would rather the B word was mute.

As many people have noticed, there have been many theatres over the past couple months that have ‘suddenly’ closed.  Now the word suddenly is a key word here.  Many of the theatres that have announced closings lately (not-for-profit and commercial) had closing that were not so sudden.  Maybe sudden to the public at large but nothing too shocking to the leaders of these organizations.

Theatres do not just suddenly close.  Money does not suddenly disappear…unless there was no money there to start with.

Yes, the economy is in the shitter.  Yes, there are less loans out there to be floated in the direction of a theatre needing temporary capital to make it through a rough patch.  But what if the rough patch is not a recent recession connected occurance?

Many of theatres that recently closed or are about to close had one thing in common… poor balance sheets.  Not a single company has come forward and said… “well two months ago we had no debt and 2 million in the bank…and now we are 2 million in debt”.  Some of the theatres have been more forthright with the true state of the organization at the time of closing while others have slyly hid this in press releases or on websites.

When a theatre has liabilities that double or triple the assets, that is a bad thing.
When a theatre mentions that they have been operating in a deficit for 5 or more years, that is a bad thing.
When a theatre has a business model that has not been effective for a decade plus, that is a bad thing.
When a theatre has taken out a second mortgage on their space to accomodate operating expenses, that is a bad thing.
When a theatre owes the local or state government hundreds of thousands in temporary loans with no fesible way of paying them off promptly, that is a bad thing.

These are all situation that have happened recently, without naming names or pointing fingers.  But I can point a finger… where were  the boards in all of these cases.  Unless the theatre was a privately held family business, there was a board somewhere in there.  Especially if the theatre was a not-for-profit theatre, a board should be there governing.  A board member who let a theatre get to this state, is not doing due dilligence.  How can a board member sit and approve all of this debt with out bringing up the big question…What do we need to do differently?  To blame it all on the executive director of the CFO is fine, but there is a board there as a check and balance to the directors and managers of the organization.

If these theatres would have taken the bold decisive steps years ago to balance their balance sheets by trimming programming or staff, they would probably still be open.  It is hard to cut a program or a show or a few staff members, but doesn’t losing that production of THE FULL MONTY seem like a better idea than losing the whole theatre now?

The funny thing is, rarely are all of those people actually producers.  These days investors get the producer title for the right amount.  So it is sad to see real working producers with a lot of experience, having to delay shows while shows with “producers” are still able to open.

Commercial producing is an odd breed.  It takes nothing more than a business card and/or money to be a producer these dayas.  Give me $1million and I can call myself a producer.  Unlike, not-for-profit theatres…you have to be an organization in order to produce.  But almost any individual can call herself a producer by just pulling a bunch of dollars together and finding a show she likes and wants to produce.

This causes a problem when trying to mount a new show because you do not know who is a ‘producer’ or a Producer.  I frequently meet writers who have their commercial option bought up by a ‘producer’ who turns out to be someone just entering the producing field form either area of theatre or completely different field all together…entering the producing field as if it is a hobby.  This always makes me nervous because it is a lot to gamble with someone’s work of art and life’s work.

There are ways for people interested in learnign the craft and business of Commercial producing… grad schools and a whole institute devoted to this.  But few people full get involved in the education process.  Many have a drive and desire and see that as enough. Once again…that is all lovely and good…but it is a bit of a gamble.

I wish there was a way to have a “stamp” or union affiliation so when you meet a real producer you can tell.  Like ATPAM.  Because when you meet a real, trained experience, smart, witty, invigorating producer… you fear your next meeting with a pianist-turned producer.  Maybe it is time to go back to the phrase “investor” and save Producer for those worthy or this proud enviable title.

I am procrastinating because there is nothing that I MUST do right now that I am avoiding.  But for the first time in a long while, I have a hundred things I want to do that are for my own benefit.  The problem is getting me to do these projects.

I am not usually a sloth but I am do enjoy doing nothing.  I swim in nothing like floating down a lazy river.  I can watch mindless tv for hours and not notice time has passed.  I can play odd internet games for days on end.  I love doing nothing because nothing is rarely what I get to do.

So here I am at another time of trying to figure out how to balance the joy of nothing withe joy of accomplishment.  I know the joy of getting something done or even just started greatly outweights doing nothing.  But the latter just feels so good and is so much easier.  I do so much everyday at work and now that I have some mental down time, I know I should devote it to some of my own personal projects that have been neglected.

Or maybe I will sit and have a glass wine and see what is on CNN.  It is not productive but feels good…

The economy is in the shitter.  I have lots of opinions about the way the economy and how it got here but I will get to those later in another post.  One thing I do want to share is one simple way for everyone out there can do themselves, today, on a grass roots level that can help improve the economy…. SPEND MONEY!

I know this is a time for money pinching and people are taking their money out of banks.  This just causes more problems…putting money in your matress does nothing.  Sadly, our economy is built on your money sitting in an account so the bank can use it to give to other people so they can make money to give their employees so they can put money in the bank…blah blah blah.  Pulling money just adds to the woes.

But the biggest thing is continue to spend money.  Even if it hurts a bit…spend money.  If 40 million American’s all cut their spending by $100 this month (for example), that is $4Billion not in the system being spent.

I was studying at NYU when 9/11 happened just blocks away.  One of the most profound things that happened at NYU the days following the event, was a lecture an Economics Professor gave.  His first lecture post-9/11 he did something expensive but smart.  He had a full lecture hall (probably around 350 students) and to every student there, he gave them a $20 bill.  The deal was that they had to go spend the $20 on something that was a luxury item (A CD, a Drink, a movie ticket) and that they could not use that money on something practical that they would have spent money on anyways (bills, debt, lunch).  He had a point to this… the last thing people needed to do at that time was to stop spending money… the economy needed a surge of spending.  His splurge item was giving out thousands of dollars to his students.  But I had friends in that class who went out and bought CDs or put the money towards something fun like a nice coat.

I am now not recommending you go around giving out $20 bills to people but to think about not curbing your spending and telling your friends not to curb theirs.  Yes, look at ways to cut a little spending here and there on practical needs (the food market is not going to collapse because it is a necessity) but look at making a luxury purpose.  Maybe take 10% of your next paycheck and do something “wild” with it like buying a new phone or going out to eat at a fancy restaurant.  Then maybe the next month you can take 10% and give it to a not-for-profit that is in need of cash (I am always more than willing to help you with this part!). But don’t stop spending money…that just freezes everything up!

So go buy something pretty or loud or crazy that you have been wanting… you will help put more money in the economic system and get something out of it (altruistically and tangibly).

I use my iPod probably too much.  My goal is to read on the train in and out every day but that tends not to happen if I am tired or if the train car is full.  It is very hard to flip pages of a printed script with people so close you maybe be pregnant…twice!

I purposely got a small sized iPod so that I am forced to choose what is on my iPod… forcing me to pick and choose and relish my choices.  I have lots of music (too many showtunes) and podcasts (mostly funny or quick).

My iPod has wonderful quirks that I find delightful and annoying.

-Though I know this is not true, I am determined that my iPod shuffles the same sequence of songs over and over again.  The savvy iPod people out there insist that my iPod shuffles on random… I disagree.  I recognize common sequences of songs and it tends to like to repeat the sequences.  Sometimes it drives me crazy and sometimes it forces me to actually listen to something specific… forcing decision is nice sometimes.

-My iPod is pyschic… it can sense when I need to hear something upbeat or downbeat, funky or lame, memory inducing or new to my ears.  It can also sense when I need to NOT hear a song about how horrible life is.  My iPod can be a great friend…or a real f&%$ing dick!

-My iPod loves to shuffle funny songs after the first part of two-part tracks.  You know those songs when track 4 leads directly into track 5?  yeah those…they mostly appear in music theatre.  Well,  my iPod creates the funniest combos and sometimes profound.  It is almost always jarring… the song is buzzing along, you are waiting for the conclusion of the sequence and suddenly, IN THE HEIGHTS.

Now Apple has come out with the genius mode on iTunes… and my feeling that my iPod my be part cyborg grows.  The day my iPod addresses me directly and comments on my shoes… that is when I will figure out to flip pages of a printed script in a crowded train. Because for now, that script does adapt to my day or thoughts (that will come in 2012).

There seems to be a wealth of shows I want to catch right now and just don’t have the time or money…mostly time…not that I have a lot of money, but time is lacking in order to spend the money, that probably doesn’t exist anyway….

ANYWAYS…

I want to see DOCTOR ATOMIC at the Met.  John Adams and a director who has never (EVER) done stage before.  sounds like it will be either amazing or a big wah wah

WIG OUT at the Vineyard.  I love the Vineyard…but alas…no idea when I can find time to catch Tina’s latest show…this time with Drag Queens…very different thatn the shape-shift botos

THE CLASS PROJECT, joe Salvatore at NYU is directing a new devised piece…and I love (hate) devised pieces and know that Joe will do an amazing job at it.  But I just can’t go.

I am intrigued by the new Naked Angels production at the Cherry Lane.

In general, I think everything needs to extend a bit in order to accomodate by schedule!