Vote for Comment of the Week

This week's contenders, put your votes in the comments for this post:


Comment #1: a new comment on your post "Working class prefers comedy and the intellectual ...":

I liked this argument better when it was called Upper Class likes Noh and Lower Class likes Kabuki.
Its a cultural issue. We are looking at too closely. These two styles of story telling happen to both classes and both can empathize with each genre. There's no boundary to be drawn. So I would agree with Dale. Comedy and drama are human experiences and all humans can relate equally to both.
I wonder how much of it has to do with socioeconomic roles and stereotypes that people feel the need to fill or become. Do rich people really like opera? Or do they like to laugh? Are those art-house dramas actually comedies that take themselves too seriously because they are catering to a certain audience?
Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to drink some chocolate milk and watch Remains of the Day again. 

Comment #2: a new comment on your post "Strippers on a train: The reality of Chinglish cos...":

This was interesting to me to read about, since I've never heard of seen of a set up like this before, I do think it is amazing though. I like the collaboration between the design team that took place in order to make this be able to happen. The entire production team all had to be on the same page in order for this to be executed. This is definitely one of those elements that isn't appreciated or necessarily noticed by the audience but has a lot of thought and organization put into it. I'm sure they are amazed once the same actor is on stage 40 seconds later wearing a different outfit however, but don't think twice about all the work put into it!  

Comment #3: a new comment on your post "Public Funding?":

Barring magic wands, or perhaps even more unlikely a change in the political wind, it might be more instructive to look at this issue from somewhere closer to reality. In a country where per capita government funding for the arts is basically non-existent (in the U.S. less than 50 cents per capita per year, God Bless America), artists depend on commercial success or private funding to realize their visions. Again, realizing that this situation is not likely to change in our lifetimes, maybe we should look on the bright side. I don't know if I think that's such a bad thing that a free market rather than a bureaucrat should decide what art should be produced and what is best left un-produced. Call me a Republican, but I think it's a mistake to place any power concerning taste in the hands of government. From commercially successful, subscriber-based theaters to hillbilly art collectives making floating sculptures out of trash, there are many ways fund the endeavor. In my limited experience, most of them involve creating within your means and being true to your goals than free piles of cash. Good art will always find a way to get done, and if your worried about it, so will bad art (and yes, there is such a thing).  

Comment #4: a new comment on your post "In Some sweet day Series, Dance Meets Visual Arts":

With the focus that our society now puts on collaboration and communication, a combination of the visual and performing arts in a museum space really isn't surprising. An interesting point brought up in this article is that despite curators' efforts, there seems to be a resistance from the visual arts world to accept performance and dance in an exhibition space as a legitimate component of the museum's collection. Because of the ephemeral nature of the performing arts, it is difficult to integrate them as permanent exhibitions, necessitating an incredible amount of comprehension and cooperation between the various groups in charge of putting together these wonderful dance and performance pieces, which are truly innovative.  

Comment #5: a new comment on your post "A Review of ‘Phantom’ in Bellport, N.Y.":

I would really like to see "Phantom." I've already seen the Lloyd Webber version, and I've read Gaston Leroux's novel in french. Of course, the Webber version is overly commercialized and became a different story from the original novel. "Phantom" probably does not have the rock music, which would again bring it closer to the Leroux's idea. I'm very interested in Eric. First of all, this production gives him an identity, helping the audience relate and pity his deformity. Second, his personal struggle to show Christine his face is more interesting than the action-packed Webber production. I feel that Eric's actions will evoke a more powerful emotion from the audience; there's just something so interesting about watching a character with an inner conflict

Worth a Look

Here are some posts from last week's Greenpage that might be worth your time...

Planned L.A. Production of 'Deathtrap' Canceled Amid Controversy

backstage.com: The L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center’s fall production of “Deathtrap” won’t go on, now that a creative dispute with playwright Ira Levin’s estate has derailed the popular show. “It was the best-selling show we’ve had in 14 years,” producer Jon Imparato told Backstage. The production had been set to resume a six-week run in the 50-seat Davidson/Valentini Theatre in September. The five-actor original cast had all signed on, and some had turned down work to continue doing the play, Imparato said.

Posted by David at 9/09/2012 05:10:00 PM

All The Ways Your Company Is Killing Productivity At Work

thegrindstone.com: According to this awesome new infographic from Atlassian, you can see exactly all the ways your employees are wasting time. Too much email, pointless meetings and interruptions by fellow workers are the main culprits. Pointless emails waste time but it seems that those meetings you have everyday are the real killers. On average, an employee attends 62 meetings each month and considers half of them as time wasted. That’s 31 hours, or three quarters of a work week, spent in unproductive meetings each month.

Posted by David at 9/09/2012 04:59:00 PM

Meet the Makers

Pittsburgh Mini Maker Faire: Pittsburgh Mini Maker Faire is proud to announce this year’s makers, who will exhibit, demonstrate, perform and teach at the 2nd annual faire on Sept. 22, 2012 from 10am-4pm at Buhl Community Park and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

Posted by David at 9/09/2012 04:52:00 PM  

Behind-the-scenes Godzilla photos were charming, absolutely ridiculous

io9.com: A wee while ago, we looked at a behind-the-scenes snapshot of Godzilla out for a stroll with a lovely woman on his arm. It's a fantastic photo certainly, but this tableau was but one of dozens of endearingly weird shots of the famed monster off duty. Here's a boatload of casual kaiju photos from throughout Godzilla's history, including several (toward the end) of his other tokusatsu buddies at rest.

Posted by David at 9/08/2012 04:37:00 PM

When The Convention Ends, Grab Everything Not Nailed Down

Reason.com: As soon as House Speaker John Boehner gaveled the 2012 Republican National Convention to a close late last night, delegates started grabbing everything with the convention or party logo in sight. Balloons and confetti from the convention are a cool souvenir but the tri-corner signs are the biggest prize at national party convention.

Posted by David at 9/08/2012 04:24:00 PM

Ellipses...

Watching the game on a 90"+ display in the living room has me thinking about acquiring a projector...  Now that the traffickers have electric/diesel submarines is it maybe time to change up our drug policy...  Folks in the TD3 class are in the final stages of their "Smooth Criminal" projects...  Slate ran a bunch of articles about Sneakers yesterday.  Maybe I'll watch it tonight...  Even very, very early in the season it is hard to watch the Steelers lose...  Really have to say, although nobody seemed to really say it at a convention, in the aggregate I think we're better off now than we were four years ago...  I accidentally discovered an excellent strategy for unfortunate meetings - don't go...  More and more I am thinking I have come around to thinking parallel with Bill Maher...  Really I couldn't even tell you why we have a landline anymore...  All doubt has been eliminated, I have a lot of screwdrivers...  There is no question, students really, really get attached to their projects...  For a moment it looked like I would be going to the NYC World Maker Faire.  Now, less so...  The teachers are on strike in Chicago, hard to know where to be on that, it's a mess.  Of course now that Paul Ryan is against it...  Doing our first show with large format inkjet.  Sure hope everything lines up...  Last week me and the missus had people over three times.  We do enjoy the entertaining...  It was much easier for me to watch the DNC than the RNC.  Maybe my independent status is over...  Thinking of doing a shutterfly book on the dinosaur puzzle projects...  So far the office remodel is holding up very well...  9/11 anniversary, so long ago now...

Vote For Comment of the Week

This week's comment contenders, put votes in the comments for this post:

Comment #1: a new comment on your post "Critic's Notebook: real world concerns about a fan...":

"The Nightingale" its true is not naturalistic. It is not trying to capture how life actually is it is a symbolic representation of how the world is/was. But the real problem is that they tried to take a show that was clearly set in FEUDAL CHINA and make it reflect today's world. If the show had been actually set (meaning the costumes, props, choreography, and script) in a random ancient time with some Asian aspects then I don't think any of this flair up would have happened. Or if they were stuck on setting it specifically in Feudal China then they should have cast more Chinese actors. The reason this was not done is because Steven Sater the writer decided that he could not write the story of an entirely Asian cast (which is what a previous workshoped reading had been). And this brings up the most interesting question of all can a person of a different identity write and tell the story of people outside of who you are? I guess the answer is, depending on the identity you can? I don't think anyone can actually answer that question. But I just look at the work that is being produced today and who makes decisions and it seems as though if you are someone that is in the know then you are someone that won't be questioned. Also if the piece is abstract enough then no one will question your work. 

Comment #2: a new comment on your post "Nakedness in Dance, Taken to Extremes":

I believe that this author is trying to raise the question of why certain audiences are appalled by a lack of clothing in some circumstances, and nearly welcoming it in others. I have never found issue with nudity in pieces, as I believe that tempered, appropriate skin-bearing can completely enhance a scene just because of the depletion of the physical barrier around the actor(s). In making someone nude, they are vulnerable, and the audience is entranced by their nudity.
The distinction between this and nakedness, however, is a strong one, and should be marked as something very different as the author notes. Being naked is often seen as distasteful and quirky; downright inappropriate at times.
We seem to run into this problem a lot in theatre, is defining the line between when a scene requires a level of intimacy that can be achieved in no other way than for a character to be unclothed. Nudity is something that directors use to enhance our emotional pull in a scene/piece/etc., as far as I see it. Nakedness is shock value.

Comment #3: a new comment on your post "Pittsburgh reinvents itself as the new Hollywood":

Pittsburgh as a new Hollywood? I don't buy it. I'm not sure how to say it, but that a little bit, there's something in the Kool-Aid out here in Pittsburgh. And someone sent some to cnn.money.com If Pittsburgh is so great why did Pittsburgh's own George Romero pack up his studio and move to Toronto to make his films cheaper there than here? How much additional influence did Thomas Tull CEO of Dark Knight Rises' Legendary Pictures and Steelers co-owner producing have when bringing the film to the city?
What point does so much work come into town that the tax credit actually becomes a source of lost revenue for Pittsburgh and it's citizens? I'm not sure coupons to Hollywood film studios are the best way to generate business. It's a nice way to get people interested initially, I'd be interested to see what happens in the long-term for Pittsburgh. I'll admit things look good for small businesses if the entertainment industry picks up here in Pittsburgh. (I'd love to see the receipts for the cartoon and comic-book themed Toonseum during the shooting of DKR. Their downtown location was literally at the end of the block where most of the shooting in Pittsburgh took place.) But these businesses need to see that it's not Pittsburgh, its history, its culture, or its people that is attracting Hollywood, it's policy. The people of Pittsburgh and the small businesses need to be aware that they've been burned before by industry leaving the town, and this might be another way to get burned. There's evidence in the article's layout itself: did no one see the video about how China is set to be the next Hollywood?!? Look to your future Pittsburgh, America business outsourcing an industry. Sound familiar? 

Comment #4: a new comment on your post "Nakedness in Dance, Taken to Extremes":

I read each of the five comments that were logged before mine and I felt that my colleagues commented on this issue in a mature and sophisticated fashion. I however will make a few smart comments and then digress into juvenile behavior before hopefully making one descent point. As nudity becomes more and more prevalent it becomes less and less taboo and less and less powerful. Paige said that using nudity “is a strong and gutsy decision". Perhaps in the 50's. Now if your conservatory does not have at least one nude bit per season then you are not considered legitimate. (Counterpoint, I would love to hear someone who is more connected than I talk about the choice NOT to do the nude “Hair” scene or the nude “Mad Forest” scene last season at CMU.) My final thought is this. While watching the Olympic athlete’s uniforms recede over the last 20 years, I was wondering. When are they just going to give in and do these games nude like the Greeks did it? Then I thought, “not having a uniform at all would leave some things unrestricted or chaffed and end the end this may compromise the quality of their ability to perform.” (Ballet too) Reality TV, pop stars, university black boxes; keep pushing the limits and eventually, it will hurt the art.  

Comment #5: a new comment on your post "Beach Boys Musical to Close After Six Weeks in Las...":

I think this is another sign that people are over mediocre jukebox musicals. There seem to be so many shows similar to this one that just can't quite make it. What people want in a jukebox musical is a funny, compelling, educational storyline such as the one in Jersey Boys. Honestly I don't even like calling Jersey Boys a jukebox musical- it's more of a biographical musical. I think the difference is that Jersey Boys is telling the real story of the men who wrote and performed the music involved, while shows such as Surf: The Musical are trying to force classic songs into an average musical romantic-comedy kind of storyline. It just doesn't work. The music can speak for itself much better than a cheesy musical can.
Also, I'm from Vegas/obsessed with Vegas and didn't even know this show was happening. That is not a good sign. To sell 50 seats in a 1,500 seat theatre is insane to me, especially over the summer in such a busy tourist attraction of a city. The only problem here can't have been the show itself, but I'm sure there were also issues with the way the show was marketed. Also, a Beach Boys musical is not really what the typical Vegas weekend-vacationer wants to go see. I don't know first-hand what the quality of the show was, but it seems like enough a pretty good show would have to fight to make it in those circumstances.  

Worth a Look

Here are some articles from last week's Greenpage that might be worth your time...

Long Reach Long Riders Finishes Successful Pacific Northwest Tour for Behind the Scenes

Stage Directions: The Long Reach Long Riders finished their 2,000-mile (and 52 nautical knot!) journey on August 11 in Seattle, Wash. The charity motorcycle ride was their ninth annual outing and this year journeyed through the Pacific Northwest to raise money for Behind the Scenes. This year the ride had seven Harleys, six Hondas, four BMW’s and two Suzukis—along with two chase cars and two ferries. You can still support the ride and Behind the Scenes, they’re accepting donations until August 31!

Posted by David at 8/27/2012 04:34:00 PM

Students perform at FringeNYC

The Tartan Online: Imagine yourself fresh off the bus from Pittsburgh to New York. You have a bag of clothes and a bag of puppets, props, and makeup. It’s one week before you perform in the New York International Fringe Festival, the largest multi-arts festival in North America that features around 200 shows in a two-week period.

Posted by David at 8/31/2012 04:47:00 PM

Critic's Notebook: real world concerns about a fantasy 'Nightingale'

latimes.com: Are we really living in a post-racial world? It seems like we’re back in the 1990s, when all hell broke loose on Broadway after the British star Jonathan Pryce was cast as the Eurasian lead in “Miss Saigon.” The “multicultural” casting of “The Nightingale” at La Jolla Playhouse has provoked a similar backlash, with leaders of the Asian American theater community decrying the way a work set in ancient China has been cast with only two Asian American actors out of an ensemble of 12.

Posted by David at 8/28/2012 02:37:00 PM

Use a Photo to Make a SketchUp Model

popularwoodworking.com: With SketchUp, you can use a photo of a piece of furniture to make a model of the piece. From that model you can develop your plans for building a reproduction. Here’s an example using the Shaker Stepback Cupboard made by Glen D. Huey for our April 2010 issue. I swiped the image off the cover, and I know the overall dimensions. Images from the web are often too low a resolution to be really useful, and the best photos are ones you take yourself. If you can get a dead-straight view from the front and side, the process will be easier. Otherwise, you’ll need to take into account the perspective of the photo when you take dimensions in SketchUp and make the model. The first step is to import the model into SketchUp.

Posted by David at 8/28/2012 02:38:00 PM

Seek Entries for Tech Expo 2013

usitt.org/sightlines: Interested in submitting an article for the 2013 Tech Expo? It is time to look back on the past years of production challenges and pick one or more that are the most accomplished or the most interesting to write about and share with the rest of USITT. The entries can come from all areas of production. They can be extravagant solutions to specific production needs or simple devices for any shop or backstage. Successful Tech Expo entries have explored new technologies, new materials, and creative uses for materials that are already in everyday use for production.

Posted by David at 8/30/2012 02:51:00 PM

Ellipses...

So much for upping the posting tempo.  Maybe next month...  The office renovation is down to odds and ends.  I think it came out quite nice...  It is odd to me that on "The Sopranos" it would be called "The Scatino Bust Out" and be racketeering and extortion but in real life it is called "The KB Toy Bankruptcy" and is good business and evidence of national leadership...  Even though a Bermuda dollar is worth one US dollar it is still helpful to think it is worth about $0.70 US...  How much do you think is reasonable to pay for an attached 2-car garage?  Is it worth that much having one?  I don't know...  Putting together the Pro Practice schedule is like 10 equations 10 unknowns...  At the beginning of this week I felt really behind but at the end of the week less so.  That could be just because the week is over...  Preseason football hasn't really held my attention.  I hope that means I don't have to move away from Pittsburgh...  It is irritating how irritating it is to listen to the other guys speak - and that's the other guys that say that the other other guys opinions aren't really important...  It is beginning to look like getting four people together for a one hour standing meeting is impossible...  I missed Spiderman in the theatre.  I don't know if that was a big miss...  We added some channels this week.  Getting ready for the return of Homeland and Doctor Who...  How is it that factual errors get into nationally televised speeches.  I thought they had people to prevent that...  Don't look now but there is a hurricane coming to Pittsburgh Tuesday.  Probably just be a big, nasty storm by then...  It turns out that an 8 year old's criticism of the games on my tablet has really jammed up my life a little...  I guess I better go get a new driver's license with the correct address before someone tells me I can't vote...  It's a little nice having the first weekend of the school year be a three day weekend...

Thoughts On Our First Automation Workshop

About a year ago my department made our second significant buy of Fisher automation gear.  We took delivery of half of it in January and then the other half at the end of the year.  The first half of the package this time around was a second server and six additional GUI's so we could do our own automation training without having to bring out gear from Las Vegas.  Back when the gear came we also did a week of on site training here with one of their instructors.  Today we had our first shot at doing a training session on our own.

The trail audience for this exercise was our summer DP Precollege class.  Not one of them had done any automation at all.  They took to it so quickly I think a couple of them could fill spots as operators right now.

We started the day upstairs in 209 with the GUI's and the virtual theatre.  Kevin did maybe a half hour of automation background.  He'd been touching on some of the physics end of things in class so they had a good foundation and he could move right into material directly related to the gear in front of them.  After that I gave them a brief spin through the steps I had done the day before to get the machines set up.  From there we showed FTSI's promo video.

Then we were off to the races.  Kevin showed them how to do a move cue and how to jog an axis and then how to write cues.  After that we had them write cues.  I wondered whether we'd given them enough information to get through it, but they all managed to write working cues.

That was two hours, and we were off to lunch.

When we came back from the break we reconvened on the Chosky stage. The day before we'd had some help pulling and setting up our four original winches and control rack.  We brought down one GUI during the break so we'd have a front end available.  The winches were each set up with a line running off the drum up to a sheave on a lineset and then back down to a couple of hanging props (four bird cages).  The set up let us actually move things and look at some cues with multiple axes moving at once.  One of our grads had even come back this morning at o'dark-thirty and wrote a short little show so we had something to show the kids.

So once we get everyone back together we went through the items in the drive rack and then the anatomy of a winch: mechanics, electronics, and feedback.  Then more jogging and cue writing, culminating with recording profile cues (something that took a little figuring out before getting it right).

The end of the day was an hour "free swim" with both the setup on the stage and the virtual setup upstairs available for people to play with.

Overall the day went a lot better than it could have gone.  Once we got things up and running we were in better shape than I think we thought we were running up to the thing.  It did look like the kids thought the stuff was the bee's knees.

A few general musings:

• There's a lot of rust associated with pulling the stuff out of the closet.  For us to be ready to stand in front of people and train them we either need to use the gear more often or spend some serious prep time first.
• The workshop setup takes 3-5 people 6-8 hours, assuming everything is in working order.
• You can put two people on a GUI and have them have an ok time on basic stuff with the virtual theatre, but when we move to the practical we should take the time to set up more than one GUI.
• Skipping the GUI/Portal/Player setup stuff gets you straight to things that are more identifiably "theatre" as opposed to I.T.
• Although I previously thought that the virtual training wouldn't fit well into our regular classroom cycle, now that we've done this I see a glimmer of possibility.  Maybe two class days and then a homework assignment.  Maybe.