Chock full of entertainment

Monday: Left work early for the Bon Jovi concert at the Pepsi Center. Daughtry opened, and I realized that I need more of their songs. iTunes to the rescue. They did a very good set. Bon Jovi just rocked the house. At one point, he and Richie Sambora played on a tiny stage about 5'x6' in the middle of the audience. Loved the show, sang along to many songs, reminisced about songs played at my 8th grade dance, and had a wonderful time with Mom (who had ASKED for the tickets, she of the hating Bon Jovi-ness back in the day).

Tuesday: We saw Merry Wives of Windsor at the DPCA. I met Mom early for dinner and a spot of tea. The set design was amazing, as always, with benches and oaks coming up from the floor and the pub coming from inside the row houses. Adored the interaction between Mistress Ford and Mistress Page.

Wednesday: Criminal Minds 3.14 Damaged aired, the first new episode since the end of the WGA Strike. Very happily guest starring Nicholas Brendon as Kevin Lynch. Seeing 'more' of Nicholas was interesting, especially since CM didn't have his tats covered. I really liked the interaction between Lynch and Garcia in both scenes, kudos to the writers and Kirsten Vangsness for the 'somewhere between a Commodore 64 and a block of government cheese' line. Nick's expression, perfect. And the moment at the end where Kevin was waiting for Rossi in his office, priceless.

Thursday: Got my Buffy Special Edition box set. Didn't get a chance to watch any until Friday & Saturday. Checked in on my Aunt after her back surgery. Prognosis is good, she just needs to get through the PT and the pain. Her family, immediate and extended, is here to support her.

Sunday: Stories on Stage at the DPCA. "Adults deserve a great story and cookies and milk, too!" Today's theme was Out in the Wild. Due to traffic and the parking situation, we missed the first reading by Norma Moore of 'Brilliant Silence' by Spencer Holst. Next was 'Kathy Chalfant reading 'Wakefield' by E.L. Doctorow which was funny, and very well read. After intermission, Frank Corrado read the classic 'The Most Dangerous Game.' Finally, a big secret surprise (at least to me - I was given tickets at the last minute), Bill Pullman read part of 'A Walk in the Woods' by Bill Bryson, which was also very funny, and read aplomb. Afterwards, during milk and cookies (literally), all the actors came out and I got a chance to meet Mr. Pullman face to face. He was a really sweet, down to earth guy, loved the audience and said he had a great time.

All in all, very entertaining week. Now for some sleep before work tomorrow.

Random Thoughts

Lately I've been watching a lot of tv shows on DVD. I just finished Bones season 2, which I enjoyed. I particularly enjoyed the story arc between Jack Hodgins and Angela Montenegro, culminating in a trip to the altar. I also got Kitchen Confidential with Bradley Cooper and Nicholas Brendon. Hilarious. Another mid season cancellation on Fox back in 2005. Currently watching Shark with James Wood. Premise: an excellent defense attorney switches teams and begins working for the LA DA. So far, interesting, good. Next week, I'm starting a deep foray into the Buffyverse, when Buffy the Vampire Slayer begins coming from Netflix. I think I have a little Hollywood crush on Nicholas Brendon, who plays Xander. Fun, fun.

Plainsong on Tuesday was excellent. The staging was amazing, with all the hydrolics and a huge cast. Stephanie Cozart, who I've loved in everything I've seen her in at the DPCA, portrayed a depressed mother trying to make her way out of the darkness and John Hutton was her estranged husband teaching history at the local high school. A student even gave a 'speech' on the Burr/Hamilton duel. Family and community come together in unique ways in the end. If you get a chance, I'd recommend seeing it.

Friday night I played some pool with TJ at Woody's and at Zoosters. I'm getting much better, hitting the ball I'm aiming at and actually getting some pretty sweet shots. Called the 8 ball wrong and lost, but it was still a gorgeous shot. Had some very tasty ribs at Brothers BBQ after pool and was home by 10pm. Sweet.

I got a chance to catch up with Shaych at the DPL for writing Saturday morning(ish). Got some written on By the Light of the Faerie Moon and got to fall in love with his iPhone. Seriously, shiny.

Taxes are done, sending them in Monday.

Have a great week!

Grown-up stories

Today I went to The Thrill of the Game at the DPCA. I took the light rail downtown from Aurora and met my mom and my aunt and uncle. It was general seating, and we got our 'regular' seats, which we'll be sitting in on Tuesday for Plainsong.

The performance consisted five different stories with a sports theme. First was Casey at the Bat, read after a rousing group sing along of Take Me Out to the Ball Game. Next was Needle Match about tennis, which was very good and a little creepy. After intermission, we had Lightweight Champion, translated from Spanish, which I think was my favorite, gritty and sad. Raymond's Run, about a girl and her brother; I could just see them running. A rousing rendition of Who's On First by Randy Moore and Kathleen Brady rounded out the afternoon, just before milk and cookies.

I love being read to, and after listening to several books on cd, I've come to appreciate the skill involved in reading a story. Today, I really enjoyed being read to live by some very talented people.

One final look

Saturday I drove into a wet and rainy Boulder to see the last show on my punch card. After much deliberation, I chose to do a repeat performance.

I parked at the Library (huzzah for free parking!) and walked by Boulder Creek under Broadway and up to 13th to the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. I got my last punch for Arachne and wandered through the muesum until the show was opened. I got a second row seat along the back, where I could see the entire stage (the first time we were to the side and missed part of the story in the stage dressings).

I saw a few of the actors from different pieces at the Fringe, which was fun. Everyone seemed to be supporting everyone else.

With a different persepective, and a different night, the show came alive in a different fashion. Some of the surprise had left the piece, like the skittering spider part, however, the story and the acting withstood the loss of my innocence.

Whereas some of the pieces at the Fringe showed different or updated visions of an older story, Arachne told the myth set in the time and place of its origin. "We tell the same stories over and over again." "If we're lucky and we have a story where we're really smart or really clever, then we tell that story over and over again." Her retelling of this ancient tale not only brought the myth to life again but also gave me a glimpse into the eyes of an angry Goddess and I felt the loss of faith that Arachne purported keenly.

"I am here in the corner, where you don't want me. But I am still here."

Flying Solo

Friday afternoon, I got an email from DJ, he was unable to make it out on Friday night. I pulled out the festival schedule to see if there was anything I wanted to change about the shows we planned on seeing. Luckily, the shows were all in the Dairy Center for the Arts, a nice central location, close to some good eats and relatively easy to park near.

I got off work early, due to summer hours and drove into Boulder. The sky was overcast a bit, with the sun peeking out at different times. By the time I got to the Dairy, it had warmed considerably and I decided to run by Noodles for a bite to eat. With my book (the reading of which I wouldn't be noting on my CV, as it would mean I didn't like to socialize), I walked down to the restaurant and ordered a nice trio of breaded Parmesan chicken, mushroom stroganoff, and a caesar salad (with real grated Parmesan cheese on it). Quite tasty, and I read my book for about an hour before heading back to the venue.

By now, it was raining lightly, like it had last Saturday walking back from *Bux (which, incidentally is next to Noodles). I went into the Dairy to get my tickets and I got a chance to meet Sophie Nimmannit, the artist and actor in Arachne. She was very personable and genuinely excited to hear feedback. Later, while waiting in line, she put on the Athena mask (with mirrors for eyes, which just felt so right for a Goddess) and handed out flyers to her show.

The first show I saw was Something is Rotten, a very off beat version of Hamlet, with puppets, a goldfish as Ophelia, a construction truck as a very convincing Laertes, and a ghost sock with pink stripes. As before in many of the shows we saw at the Fringe Festival, the actors continually broke the fourth wall. All in all it was funny and entertaining, definitely something unique in the treatment of Hamlet.

After a brief break, while the stage was set for the next performance, I found myself in the same seat (front row stage left section). The Decameron Project had large imposing asymetrical blocks for the staging, looking almost like rock formations or distant mountains. Later in the show, everyone had a start when one of the big crags came crashing down by mistake with a thunderclap.

Set in a future where mankind seemed to be nearly destroyed by an undefined plague, six survivors told each other stories to keep the dark at bay and remind themselves of their essential humanity. Some of the stories, like the Family Bed and the Office Sex Toy (my titles, not theirs) touched a deep vein of humor and sexual banter. Others, like Come Back After Death and Wrong Therapist, had humor laced with a piercing meaning, reminding us all of what it is to be human. While the actors physically broke the fourth wall by leaving the stage and sitting on the floor before it, they never spoke to the audience. I loved the storytelling aspect and how the others would participate in acting out the story. It gave a richness of experience and allowed the players to be different people all within the context of the show. Serious, but ultimately uplifting.

After the last show, I was quite tired, and left the beautiful Boulder valley to wind my way home. One more punch for tomorrow and the Boulder International Fringe Festival will be over, at least for me, until next year.

Pearl Street Up and Down

Tonight the plan was for catching a show together at the Trident at 8:30. Since I get off work between 5 and 6 o'clock, I figured I could take in another show before the comedy improv. Plans changed after I heard from DJ. Now we were taking in two shows, after a quick bite at Illegal Pete's (mmm good).

IP's is at 15th and Pearl. We walked down to the Boulder Co-op at 19th and Pearl to see w/e, a one man dramatic piece (picture above). I really liked the way the story unfolded, and how the characters interrelated. The actor, Robert LaRonde, had an amazing grasp of kinesthetic sense as evidenced by the transformation between Miles and Cynthia. Miles' near frenetic pacing and Cynthia's tentative smile stayed with me.

Afterwards, we walked back down Pearl Street to the Trident (at 9th). Along the way a busker was performing for a small crowd, balancing something on her chin. She had a chain demarking the stage, one of the yellow plastic kinds. DJ told me about another performer he had seen, who did an amazing Zip Code trick. He had a chain outlining the continental US and asked for audience members to tell him what Zip Code they were from (preferably out of state). He would unerringly place them in the correct home towns and fill the map with the folks watching the show.

We got to the Trident with plenty of time, and we got some drinks. One of the performers we had seen on Sunday had just finished his set and was staying for the next one. I said hi and told him how much I enjoyed his show. He remembered me and DJ from the other night (most of the venues are very intimate, we're talking inches not feet from the stage at times).

The improv, Comedy a la Carte, was done by Mile Hi-Larity, a local Denver improv troupe. We had an MC and four players varying from Jeopardy to guess the activity with a twist. As always, audience participation was manditory. Occupations, outdoor activities, and favorite colors tumbled over each other vying for promenince and the chance to be chosen. One of my favorite improv activities is always Rewind, and they did a good job with a trucker piece. One I hadn't seen before was Flashback, where the action rolls for a while then the MC calls flashback and the players act out a scene that happened before the last scene. Confusing, but definitely entertaining.

Two years in a row, Kerri and I went to Impulse Theater under the Wynkoop for her birthday (after trying abortively to see something closer to home). It was always fun and we laughed so much we cried. Under the overhang at the Trident, in a place where I was pretty sure she had never been, I could feel her with me, laughing and being amazed at the speed and hilarity ensuing before me.

After the laughter subsided, and I could breathe normally again, we wandered back toward my car, parked at 14th and Canyon. After I dropped DJ off at his car, I wound my way back through Boulder, enjoying the quiet and the cool evening air, and wondering what tomorrow would bring.

Tuesday at the Library

Well, ok, it wasn't exactly at the library, but I parked at the library, does that count? It's a very lovely building, the Boulder Public Library, and I enjoyed parking there close to the creek and all. While I have dozens of books at my house that are begging to be read, I still could have passed a pleasant evening in the confines of the library... and it might have been slightly more entertaining.

Tonight I met DJ down by the library and we went to another of a series of Fringe Festival events. The venue, the Trident, is set up quite nicely for a little sheltered outdoor patio experience. Before the show, we kept getting peeks of the actors, getting set up on either side of the stage (behind tall white walls). I sort of felt like we were seeing the bride before the wedding. DJ thought they were eager and that was a good sign.

My mother taught me that if you don't have anything nice to say, it's best not to say anything at all.

So after the show, we walked back to the library parking lot and talked for a bit. After the night flies and the 'squitioes snacked on us enough, I drove home under the darkening sky.

A Fringing we will go

Second helping of the Boulder Fringe Festival today. The first performance was at the Trident Bookstore out on the back patio, which had a sand box and a high ceilinged covered section. We saw Curriculum Vitae by Jimmy Hogg, the Brit who approached us yesterday to come see his show. It was wicked funny. During the performance he went from wearing a bathrobe to dressing himself for an interview. We got Star Wars references, surreal moments from my own life, and audience interaction. I would see this one again, if there weren't so many other shows I have planned.

After the show, DJ and I walked down Pearl Street and the entire length of the mall. As I am not a frequent patron of the mall, I walked pretty slow and did a bit of window oogling. I also noticed an It's Your Move game store (one of my weaknesses). We had a quick dinner and walked to the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art for the second show of the evening.

The performance was upstairs in a space with seating on three sides. Before we were seated, we wandered around the galleries with both wood and metal sculptures and paintings with some mixed media. There was also a scary looking open lift. *shiver* My life long fear of heights kicked in and I stepped back while DJ investigated. It did look interesting, sort of reminded me a bit of the lifts in Metropolis (which I need to retrieve from who I lent it to).

Arachne was a one woman show with puppets and masks. The artist came out in a full spider outfit and skittered across the floor in a very realistic, and somewhat creepy, manner. (Note, I am not overly fond of spiders, I try to refrain from screaming when seeing one) The interpretation of the myth explored the story from Arachne's point of view. I quite enjoyed it.

Afterward, we walked through City Park, under Broadway, and over Boulder Creek. Running water sounds soothing and always captures my attention. We stopped momentarily on the bridge where the creek ran under our feet.

Before I knew it, I was back in my own car driving home with a smile on my face. I could get used to this.

A Boulder Day

Today was the first day I got a chance to attend the Boulder International Fringe Festival up in beautiful Boulder Colorado. As I drove in along Highway 36, at an outrageous speed, I crested the big hill that opens into the Boulder Valley. The sun was out and my breath caught in my throat. I had forgotten how stunning the view coming into the valley is and for a moment I missed my 20 mile commute into the People's Republic. Then I came back to reality and just enjoyed the view.

With the super spiffy directions from DJ, I managed to find a parking spot not too far from the Dairy Center for the Performing Arts where the first performance was scheduled. The box office didn't have the Frequent Fringer pass I wanted to purchase, so I had to bum a punch off of DJ's frequent fringer pass. The fine folks at the front turned a blind eye to our slight of hand passing the card between us.

The first show we saw was A.C.E. Comedy. It was a three person show with an American, Canadian, and an Englishman. They had cute Scrabble letters on their shirts (which previous audiences took for chemical symbols, a disturbingly intelligent thought completely devoid of cultural knowledge). The show was fricking funny, at one point bologna and American cheese and mayo took part in an oddly fascinating way. Much laughter abounded.

After the fun improv comedy set, DJ and I decided to catch a dance performance next, which happened to be an hour later. We took a walk down to the local *bux and had some icy fruity drinks (mocha raspberry and bluberry non-coffee yumminess). DJ bought mine, which was very sweet (thanks again!) and we chatted about random stuff, the best kind of chatting. We walked back to the Dairy in a light rain, passing a farmer's ditch that fascinated me. I always have had a fascination with running water, and when I was young, we lived across the cul-de-sac from an irrigation ditch where I spent many pleasant summer hours both by myself and with friends.

As we reached the Dairy, Jimmy Hogg, the star of one of the shows Curriculum Vitae, handed us postcards for his show and asked us to come see him at the Trident. I already wanted to see the show, and it's always nice to be asked personally (even if it was kind of a drive by). I purchased my pass and we played the pass the pass game again (to balance the scales).

Twitch, performed by a dance troupe of seven women, had several different pieces. My favorites included the first piece with four dancers all over the stage, doing balance work off each other, and times when their arms or feet moved so fast purple tinged their skin tones. Also, the final piece, three scenes of the corporate world, where the performers went from full business attire (including the omnipresent tie) to completely throwing away the tie as the last vestige of corporateness and jumping thought the fourth wall before the lights fell. I also enjoyed the solo performances, one woman told the story of where she came from with words and dance, and another broke one of the cardinal rules of performance by having her back to the audience the entire time. She looked like a swan at times, just moments from taking off into the great blue yonder.

I picked up a full schedule and we spread it out on my trunk (watched by the heffalumps and woozles in my back window) to determine what other shows we wanted to see. We're probably going to see something together tomorrow as well.

All in all, I quite enjoyed myself. I adore live performance, and the company was marvelous.

Second City Laughs

Last week, I got a chance to see the Second City: The Red Scare down at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. A good time was had by all; there was much laughter and many smiles and nudges as we enjoyed the skits. One of my favorite sections was an improv skit with an audience member.

Grandma: I'm so excited my grandson is coming to visit today! Oh there he is! Introduce yourself to my friends, dear.

John: My name is John.

Grandma: What a wonderful name, John. It's a good American name.

Friend 1: Yes, it's a lovely name, like John Travolta.

Friend 2: Or like a toilet, John. Oh, or maybe like a ho has a John.

Grandma: Yes, such a wonderful name!

All: God Bless America!

Grandma: Are you still single, John?

John: No, I'm married. (gestures to a woman at his table, his wife)

Friend 1: She looks like she's twelve.

Friend 2: Yes, they both look very young.

Grandma: Do you all have any children yet?

John: No, not yet.

Grandma: Good! Any time you get the urge to have a baby, you just go get yourself a cat.

John: We already have two cats.

Grandma: God Bless America! Throw a sweater on the fat one and call it good.