Author: dumsumla

ny it blog featured me

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Last week, I was honored the New York Innovative Theatre Foundation asked me to be their guest blogger. It’s been a while since I blogged, but I was happy with the result of the three posts I contributed. They covered topics such as the future of the Off-Off Broadway or Indie Theatre scene, politics in theatre – is there enough or are we just preaching to the choir?, and theatre burnout.

Generally, I’m not very good at keeping up with the blogging world. I see its appeal and value, but I typically don’t have the time to dedicate to a blog a day; however, my time sharing on the IT Foundation’s blog re-inspired me. I find myself with a bit more time these days, so we’ll shoot for a post a week. If that turns out to be more or less, so be it.

In the mean time, if you missed my posts from last week, check ’em out here:

out with the old

public enemy

burnout

Thanks, again, to the NY Innovative Theatre Foundation. I’m looking forward to their awards ceremony for innovative theatre on September 20th. My theatre company, terraNOVA Collective, is nominated for 9 Innovative Theatre Awards, and I’m super psyched to see all my OOB colleagues.

haiti

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Earlier tonight, I dropped a status update on Facebook, and the story in this link is now on fire on the Interweb:

Stupid. |
Robertson: Haiti ‘cursed’ since Satanic pact POLITICO.com
http://ow.ly/WdAu

It’s always angered me whenever ministers call out tragedies and horrors for the “sins” of groups, like when Jerry Falwell blamed the 9/11 attacks on “pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians.” It’s just simpleminded and judgmental. It needs to stop.

I didn’t realize how deep my understanding of this improper place of blame went until I got this email from my mother in response to said status update (posted with permission):

I wanted to respond to your Facebook posting about Pat Robertson but did not want to post on Facebook. I remember years ago, when a little nine year old boy went to a new church with a bad cold. He did not want to go to his Sunday school class, so he stayed in the adult class with his parents. They were studying a book by Pat Robertson, in which he said that people get sick because they have sin in their lives. Out loud, the 9 year old boy said, “I don’t think this is the church for us.” His parents agreed. They chose not to go to that church again. Wisdom beyond your years carried on into your adulthood. The situation in Haiti makes me so sad. Wish there was an explanation, but sometimes the only explanation is that sometimes life just sucks. 😦

Love,
Mom

How awesome is that?

PS. I was the 9-year-old boy (if you didn’t figure that one out).

PPS. Support Haiti. Donate or find out more about the recovery effort HERE.

PPS. One Love.

belle benfield

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My friend, Belle Benfield just graduated with her MA in Fine Art. She’s a pretty spectacular person, and that’s reflected in her art. Check her out at www.bellebenfield.com

Here’s a taste:

archibald motley, jr.

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Recently visited the Museum at The Art Institute in Chicago and re-discovered Harlem Renaissance artist Archibald Motley, Jr. Hot stuff.

the arts start and work here

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A few weeks back, I wrote about how NEA Chair Rocco Landesman is going to my hometown of Peoria, IL to take in a show after he poo pooed their theatre without ever having seen it. Kathy Chitwood of Eastlight Theatre and Suzette Boulais, the executive director of ArtsPartners of Central Illinois contacted Mr. Landesman, challenging him to come to Peoria and see what they got. Being the stand up guy that he is, Mr. Landesman accepted Kathy’s invite to attend a special benefit performance of RENT, which Eastlight produced earlier this year. The benefit is this Friday night, and as a precursor to the show, they’ve created a nice PSA for Peoria arts. Rock it, Peoria. And, break legs this Friday night when Mr. Landesman visits your fair city.