Ready For Semester Reviews?

Me too. ;-P

Shopping Stop

I went to the bookstore for a bit tonight. They were playing really awful Christmas Carol interpretations. I think I have to say that even more than not really caring for the decorations early I don't like being pummeled with the music. Still I guess it's not so much early any more, being well after Thanksgiving and all.

But they could pick better versions to play.

I have maybe a dozen books on my "to read" shelf. I waled away from "Spook Country" more than a month ago and I haven't been back to it. I guess I should finish it someday. So I didn't buy anything. Here are some of the things I specifically didn't buy:

or this:
or this:
although I am not certain I've read the prequel to that one. Or even this:

Which really I will get sooner or later, but maybe if I wait until I am ready to read it I can get it off the $5.99 table. Nothing wrong with that.

It's A Mystery

Yesterday I arrived at my office to find this propped against the door:

No note, no nothing. I wonder what that's about?

I Don't Think This Is What he Had in Mind

Gene Roddenberry was forward thinking, but I think maybe this is more than he bargained for...

Excellent

or maybe this is more your style...

Fall Theatre Triva Contest

Think you know something about Theatre? Pittsburgh? Entertainment? Time to step up.

Below are all the questions from the fall generated from the “News From the Real World” page (http://cmuptm.blogspot.com/). They cover CMU, Theatre, Pittsburgh, and anything else that might relate to being here at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama. Some of you receiving this email are actually answers to some of the questions below. Most of you have been involved in at least one thing referenced in a question – and you’ve certainly talked about (or even seen) many of the items addressed.

Let’s see how much you remember. We’ll do four divisions: People that took the quizzes, Students that didn’t take the quizzes, CMU Drama faculty & Staff, and Everyone else. We’ll get four new winners to replace last year’s champion: David Holcomb. Winners will get a plug on the web page, the envy and adoration of their peers, and I guess maybe a “News From the Real World” t-shirt or something (I’ll have to work on a prize).

Feel free to forward the contest to friends.

All the questions are numbered, groups of questions are preceded by the closing date of the week they were given (for questions with “this week” or “recently” and the like).

Send your answers to me at this address: dboevers@cmu.edu the competition will be open until December 19^th at which time the winner will be announced.

Have the big fun!!!

9-3

1. Where is “The Little Mermaid” running?
2. What organization did Cirque and MGM/Mirage just join?
3. Locally, who is doing “Private Lives?”
4. What artist was the inspiration for Roger Kirk’s set design for Opera Australia’s “The Tales of Hoffman?”
5. Who is the writer/director of the new work “33 Variations” opening at Arena Stage?
6. Why did Havel pull permission for Prague’s National Theatre to do his newest work?
7. What is unusual about the current Mabou Mines production of “Songs for New York: What Women Do While Men Sit Knitting?”
8. Name three School of Drama faculty up for renewal this year.
9. Where is “Young Frankenstein” running?
10. What state is home to “Burning Man?”

9-10

11. What company provided the fog machines to Lord of the Rings?
12. Who is starring in the Guthrie’s Peer Gynt?
13. What play did the Bishop of Central Florida cancel at Trinity Preparatory School?
14. What’s the FTAC’s beef with Canada?
15. Who in town is doing Ah, Wilderness?
16. Who wrote Runner Stumbles?
17. Who will be televising Legally Blonde?
18. What Equity contract is frequently used for small productions off-off Broadway?
19. How does the leadership of the Coconut Grove Playhouse plan to resurrect it?
20. What information are we likely not to see from Young Frankenstein?

9-18

21. Why is the spring revival of Guys & Dolls looking unlikely for Broadway?
22. What are Derek Jacobi and Mark Rylance trying to convince us of?
23. What was interesting about the Trinity Preparatory School’s latest production?
24. Who is Ronald Allan-Lindblom?
25. Who is Grisha Colman?
26. What is remarkable about the Pitt production of “Outside Inn?”
27. What appears to be the main stumbling block in the IA Local #1 negotiation?
28. Where did we find they are so short of film techs the union is having classes for tradesmen?
29. What did the employees of the Germantown Performing Arts Center do to get themselves fired?
30. What’s different about the plays of Coyote Rep?

9-24

31. What building has the city of Pittsburgh recently recommended for “Historic Status?”
32. What is an omozukai?
33. Who just opened My Fair Lady?
34. What is Project Freewheel?
35. How old is West Side Story?
36. Who is the director of the upcoming Key to the Field?
37. What is the Pittsburgh Zoo celebrating?
38. What is the latest challenge to Canadian film production?
39. What Broadway show’s actors have suffered a rash of injuries?
40. Where are the “Ivey Awards” given?

10-2

41. Where are the Ovation Awards given?
42. What is the Off-Broadway show Jump all about?
43. What are the “IT” awards and where are they given?
44. What high profile film had a crew death last week?
45. Who and Bob and Colleen Bonniol?
46. What is interesting about cast members Gracie and Murphy Coen in the Met’s “Lucia di Lammermoor” besides their being siblings?
47. Name at least 2 of the 4 Junior Performance Project titles.
48. What Pittsburgh Company just opened “The Marriage of Figaro?”
49. Who is Robyn Archer?
50. What Happened to Angela Gheorghiu this past week?

10-8

51. What does Isamu Noguchi do?
52. What local company is doing “Someplace, Not Here?”
53. Where is Quantum doing “Therese Raquin?”
54. What is special about Thursday, 10/18?
55. What is “Defying Gravity” about?
56. What is the opening show of City Theatre’s season?
57. Where are the Barrymore Awards given?
58. Who is the School of Drama partnering with to develop new musicals?
59. What was the apparent sticking point in the Local #1 negotiation?
60. What Pittsburgh festival opens Thursday 10/11?

10-15

61. What local company is doing The Comedy of Errors?
62. Who is planning on moving their theatre from Oakland to downtown?
63. Who is trying to buy the Chicago Theatre?
64. What local company is doing Madame Butterfly?
65. What company is signing to back Madonna?
66. What local company is relocating their offices to the strip district?
67. Why is IATSE President Thomas Short upset with the WGA?
68. What are the Henry Hewes Awards?
69. What is the current date for a Local #1 strike authorization vote?
70. What’s the League’s beef with the FCC?

10-22

71. Who is Jane Werner?
72. Who was the major donor that BAM recently lost?
73. What is the basic-cable rift between SAG and AFTRA about?
74. What two local groups collaborated on In Service?
75. What was First Voice?
76. Who is Neil Mazzella?
77. What has Time Warner done for NYC’s Signature Theatre Company?
78. Who is the playwrite behind 365 Days/365 Plays?
79. What date did IA Local #1 just authorize as a strike date?
80. Why is the “yellow card” dispute between Local #1 and producers of even greater significance?

10-29

81. What does David Allen say is the “Meaning of (Organized) Life?”
82. Name one of the two Grad One Act titles.
83. Who mounted the local production of “Macbeth?”
84. How many years has it been since the Pittsburgh Ballet showed a budget surplus?
85. An Akon show was cancelled at Emory University, why?
86. How many units is the “Guys & Dolls in Context” class?
87. What’s going to be different about the Atlanta Ballet’s production of “Peter Pan?”
88. What city did Travel + Leisure magazine rate #2 in the nation for theatre?
89. Who is Karla Boos?
90. Why did La Jolla Playhouse reschedule their “Diamonds are Forever” Gala?

11-5

91. What’s the latest problem with Disney’s “It’s a Small World” ride?
92. What does “43 Folders” refer to?
93. Why does Elizabeth Reiss feel like the Arts Festival is being evicted from Point State Park?
94. What is the date set for talks to resume between IA Local #1 and the Broadway Producers?
95. What is the “hook” to Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company’s “Black & White” festival?
96. Who’s union contract with who expired last week?
97. Who is Tom Short?
98. Who is Red Whittaker?
99. Who wrote “The Farnsworth Invention?”
100. According to the League of American Theatres, how many shows does the average theatregoer attend each year?

11-12

101. In the parlance of the WGA what is a “show runner?”
102. What city has “The Ovation Awards?”
103. Who’s 2008 season includes Peter Pan, and The Color Purple?
104. Who is Ted Pappas?
105. What playwright wrote Rock & Roll?
106. Who is fighting over jurisdiction of film production in British Columbia?
107. Who is Lisa Linden?
108. Who is James Claffey Jr?
109. What city has “the Suzi Bass Awards?”
110. What was significant about the production of Wicked at the Bushnell theatre in Connecticut?

11-19

111. What’s the difficulty with Steppenwolf’s play “August: Osage County”
112. What local exhibit opens tomorrow?
113. What strike cancelled performances of Verdi’s “Requiem” and Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte” this week?
114. Whose local production contained a product placement for Bruster’s Ice Cream?
115. How old is Disney’s “The Lion King” musical?
116. Who, locally, is presenting “Murderers?”
117. What computer program is 25 years old this week?
118. Who, locally, is presenting “This Wonderful Life?”
119. What circumstances may allow “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” to re-open this week?
120. Why are the Stratford and Shaw festivals nervous about their American audience?

11-25

121. Who is Robert Johnson?
122. Name at least one of the three sold out movies at CMU on November 18.
123. Who won the “A Life in Light” award at LDI this year?
124. What show wound up on the New York Supreme Court docket this week?
125. What is IATSE Local # 764?
126. What local company is running “Plaid Tidings?”
127. Who is Stuart Carden?
128. Who is the writer/director of “Gone Missing?”
129. Why did the company of “The Final Push” in Harare, Zimbabwe have to do their show 12 times in 2 days?
130. Who is the playwright of “Absurd Person Singular?”

12-3

131. What Las Vegas casino was imploded recently?
132. What anniversary is coming up for Pittsburgh?
133. The Nederlander Organization is suing Local #1 for $35 million dollars, what’s their reasoning?
134. What was the name of the Adam Sandler movie that had an accident on their set recently, and what happened?
135. Name three, local, Christmas themed theatre productions.
136. How long was the Local #1 strike?
137. Lakota East High School in Ohio cancelled and then reinstated performances of what play?
138. What local company just produced “The Elixir of Love?”
139. What date has been set for Local #1 to vote on the new contract?
140. What local company works in the Hamburg Studio Theatre?

Ellipses...

I should read High Fidelity. Ok, I should just read... Was anyone surprised that when the intelligence said there was nothing to be concerned about the firt thing these guys said was "well, you can't trust intelligence"? Asshats... I spent all day today doing a Powerpoint presentation, I may have become all that I despise... Blake, I think it was Brookstone, but it's possible it was West Elm, but probably Brookstone. And I wouldn't make it out of Mahagony... This shopping thing is way way way to stressful for everyone... It's the last week of class. I am not certain just where the fall went, but it's gone... As much as it would have been cool to see the Ravens win, it would have screwed up my Dolphins/Patriots prediction - oh crap, that means the Stillers have to lose too. Sorry guys... Once again, I would just like to remind everyone that when you do a project or a home improvement you should take "before" pictures, much better for portfolio and for blogging... The Dick Cheney Frontline has been in the DVR for like 2 months now. I suppose it might just be time to admit I am not going to watch it. Who has time what with all the episodes of Cool Tools and Batman the Animated Series... My mother in law bought me and the missus the same gift I bought her for the holidays. Not sure what to make of that... Congratulations are in order. I remembered to register for USITT housing before the conference hotel was full. Hooray for me... We recorded the whole Tin Man to watch in one sitting. I hope it doesn't suck, or that will be one long sitting... I forgot to go to the store today to buy DVD's for our get together - Powerpoint on the brain will do that... I think I have discovered the secret to not getting assignments re-submitted. I just don't grade them... Mrs. TANBI informs me I am too difficult to shop for. It could have something to do with my list having a donut from $20 to $500. Have to develop more modest, and yet not too modest tastes... The season finale of Torchwood was acceptable, but if I were Jack I'd memory wipe Owen and show him the door... I went an entire day without editing the Green Page. The world did not end...

War Without End?

Today on NPR in a story about "enemy combatants" Senator Lindsey Graham called "the war on terror" a "war without end" and said that he didn't think any president in his lifetime would call the war ended.

THAT IS SOME FIRST CLASS SCARY SHIT

I would have hoped, by definition, a war would have to be something that could end. Have we really, electively, though our own willful action, undertaken something that cannot be finished? I thought the in thing this century was to not enter a conflict without an "exit strategy." Didn't they pound Clinton over and over on "exit strategy?"

The President is going to refuse to sign a military funding bill that sets a date for withdrawal and in the meantime his support on the hill is saying we're into something that will never end.

It's at this point of course that somebody ought to ask one of the people we're fighting if they think this is a war without end. I bet they don't. I bet they think relatively soon we will all be dead. Maybe if we're going to be in this war we're going to have to start thinking like them. We need a goal, you have to be able to visualize what you're going for. I think it's unlikely anyone can define that state.

"War Without End" Geez if someone isn't printing "Lindsey Graham 2008: War Without End" bumper stickers already we don't live in the entrepreneurial democracy I grew up in. How about "Republicans 2008: War Without End" - kinda has a ring to it.

I swear, that one phrase had me so rattled I didn't even have the wherewithal to get pissed over enemy combatants and military commissions. That is one powerful phrase.

NPR : Supreme Court to Hear Guantanamo Case: "Day to Day, December 3, 2007 · The Supreme Court will hear arguments this week in a case about the legal rights of detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Under the 2006 Military Commissions Act, Guantanamo inmates cannot exercise their 'habeas corpus' rights to challenge their detention. Slate.com legal analyst Dahlia Lithwick and Senator Lindsey Graham, who helped create the act, discuss the case."

New Project?

So today I spent some time going through catalogs tearing out pictures for Mrs. TANBI. She is really struggling with ideas for holiday gifts. Turns out I just really don't want anything we can afford - who knew?

While I was paper window shopping I came across a couple of items that may just be the next home projects. First we have a fairly cool storage system:

I think if I did it I would just do one bank, for our front hall. This looks real simple. Maybe I'll even try to do it here instead of in the shop. That'd let me finally unbox my pneumatics.

And next we have a fairly clean and simple make-up table:

The missus has been looking for such a thing and this would fit the bill nicely I think. Actually, I think Norm did one on New Yankee Workshop. This one is a little more modern, and wouldn't require me to buy a lathe. Although maybe that's a reason to do the other version.

Usually my problem is that I go to select gifts for other people and wind up buying things for myself, but today I guess I went looking for things for me and found at least one thing for someone else. I'm all backward. Oh well. Could be worse. The makeup table could be for me.

SchemeWear 2k7

Do you remember last year's SchemeWear? Well now we have this year's (hopefully) annual edition - modeled for your viewing pleasure by Alex and Jen:

He's a fine looking lad, yes?

When I asked for the same thing on the front as last year, the vendor talked me into making the "Carnegie Mellon" bigger. I guess she was right, it is easier to read.

Instead of doing the "stagehand's law" on the back this time I went for a LOLCat thing:

I am master of clip-art.

All in all the "above-the-liners" seemed pleased, although I think it's little compensation for the duty cycle the Crazy Scheme runs them at. By the way, the name is getting some traction. This year we actually have had some packages delivered to: "Crazy Scheme, Purnell Center..." Pretty weird.

So, once again:

"So where can I get my SchemeWear fleece vest?" you are asking. I am so glad you did. It's a nice gift for my above the liners, but I would love to make up the cost of this little adventure. And who knows, if I don't take a bath this time maybe I will do it again. I think some long sleeve T's would be nice. Contact me by email if you'd like to purchase your very own vest. At the moment they are listing at $40.

If I do get orders I will have to do another run as since the prices were up this year I didn't run any extras (except one for me, but I think I may lose it to Mrs. TANBI). Operators are standing by!