Madame walker

I am in indianapolis at the madame walker theater. She was the first black woman millionaire. True.

The theater is old school. It has about as many instruments as my elementary school. And there's no stage manager. Or lighting designer. Or sound designer. Just me, nilaja and a guy named thomas and a guy named william.

We've outfitted nilaja with a lavalier and I think she'll be able to fill this house just fine. It seats 1000 tho we don't think there'll be more than 450.

Now its time to go back to the airport motel.

All in a day's work.

The whirlwind

Today is the final day of the workshop of nathan wright's peninsula. He's made a number of refreshing changes and there are more for todays reading. Here's hoping the cast doesn't get overwhelmed.

Then the whirlwind begins:
I am in indianapolis for a one-off of no child tomorrow.

Sunday I am off to a workshop of forgetting by trista baldwin at the playwrights center

Then tues I fly to los angeles for our run at the taper.

In addition, I hope I get to have some decent meetings set up for tcg.

And itd be nice to relax.

The laugh

Braly has this great ability to laugh at himself and his situation. And it is infectious. Plus, it helps animate him.

Last night, however, he laughed too much and in the wrong spots. it was the equivalent of someone coughing on the verbs. Or stealing focus and always on the punchlines.

Consequently, he robbed us of the ability to laugh. We were amused but never free to laugh.

I won't likely get to see the show again but who knows? Maybe I will fly out from LA day or two early.

Braly review

Yep. It's a good one...

Thanks, Neil Genzlinger for understanding...

Nathan wright's peninsula

I've been working all week with columbia mfa playwright nathan wright on his play peninsula.

Braly up and running

I think he's doing great. Let's hope he is doing great tonight. I am not watching for the first time since we got up and running. And I had some friends check out the show. I am hopeful that everyone had a good time.

Meanwhile, I had dinner tonight with john o'boyle and ari roth. We're talking about working on his play - love and yearning. In the not for profits and the annals of higher learning. I met with ari last month while in dc and then again a little later. I dig the play and his writing and I will be very psyched to continue to develop it.

John is very impressive. A smart guy. Clearly passionate about the theater. He's got a huge advantage over other producers in that he has experience in another business: commercial real estate. This allows him to make parallels to the theater business. And decide if investing in a show makes any sense.

And off broadway is tough.

Just ask scott morfee who got another rave review from isherwood today for adding machine a musical.