AIDS Walk New York

AIDS Walk New York is May 17. You need to sponsor someone, and I want your money. It's that simple.

Let's cure this disease and leave the world a little better than how we found it.

My donation page is here.

He Lives

In case you didn't see it, this one has been extended at Film Forum for five days and is a damn fine time.

Here's where I'm off to tonight.

America in Play Redux

Next Monday night is Part 2 of America-in-Play's reinterpretation/mash-up/collage/what have you of "A Glance at New York." Our installment went very well two nights ago - Marissa Copeland was fabulous in the Lize Tall Tale, and Carrington Vilmont was a terrific Houdini. On Monday night March 30, is the next installment, "Stealing Glances." Admission is free.

Suddenly Last Summer

Last fall, Phillip had brought his Maggie Smith DVD set to Wellfleet, and while we were in rehearsals for "George Place," we watched this one night - one of the best Williams' adaptations I'd ever seen, with Maggie Smith as Violet Venable, Rob Lowe (???) as Dr. Sugar and Natasha Richardson as Catharine Holly.

I never got to see Natasha Richardson on stage - missed her in "Cabaret," "Anna Christie" - but all day I've been thinking of her in that Williams piece. She was so desperate, twitchy and haunted - and so much a match for Smith, who knows her way around a Williams line. Richardson's death seems so random today.

Plays & Playwrights Blog on AIP

Over at NYTheatre's blog, Plays & Playwrights, Rochelle posted more info on AIP's "A Second Glance" next Monday night at Tribeca Performing Arts Center. It's free - more info is available here. Some marvelous performers, including Carrington Vilmont, who was in Tom Rowan's "The Second Tosca," which Kevin Newbury directed a few seasons ago.

Matthew Freeman Explains It All For You

Matthew Freeman - Clayface to my Batman - explains the subtle nuances of theatre blogging in NYC. Complete with links to articles about cats.

Hell YEAH

BAMCinematek and the films of Carl Dreyer. Starting tomorrow night.

CTI

A strange recommendation, to be sure, but I did this a few years ago - the three-day seminar on producing for the commercial theatre for CTI. I'm not interested in producing for the commercial theatre. But for a playwright, this was a very interesting and valuable experience, and it does give you a great appreciation for what someone goes through if they want to produce theatre anymore.

It also lets you - as a playwright - know what would be appropriate for a producer to ask for in a negotiation. And what would be completely off the chain.

Liz Lerman's Modest Proposal

Also from my pal Martha - 'cause I'm finally getting to my inbox after closing "Conversations" - choreographer Liz Lerman on Wall Street executives and how not to spend your MacArthur genius grant.

More on Foote

My pal Martha sent this - a lovely Foote appreciation on Arts Journal - which also pegs the whiff of snobbery in much of the material that has appeared since his death last week.

Time Out NY Blog: Pimp My Chekhov

Adam Feldman on Chekhovapolooza around town, with regards to "Conversations on Russian Literature Plus Three More Plays." Plus, other hacks you've never heard of, like Denis O'Hare, Simon Russell Beale and some Irish guy named Brian Friel.

A Great Playwright Goes Home

Horton Foote passed away yesterday, about ten days shy of his 93rd birthday. His play, "Dividing the Estate" just closed on Broadway in January. He was in Hartford, CT, completing work on his massive "Orphans Cycle," being co-produced by Signature and Hartford Stage in the fall.

That, people, is the way to go.

I first saw Foote's "The Widow Claire" in the eighties at the old Circle in the Square Downtown. I didn't care for it. I was 23 then, and it didn't have enough action for me. Fast forward about 18-20 years when I saw productions of "The Last of the Thorntons" and "The Carpetbagger's Children." Suddenly, Foote's slow-moving, decidedly un-flashy characters resonated with me in my life and memories. Was he better, or was I older? I was older.

One thing to feel good about - his children, notably Hallie and Daisy - will undoubtedly protect and care for these works. They'll put them in the right hands and make sure they live.

And I'm going out to Hartford in a few months with my friend Dave 'cause I wanna see the whole damn Orphans Cycle. Why not? You think a writer comes around like this every day?

Judd

It's nice to be praised. It's even nicer to get praise from old friends and colleagues whose opinions you value. My friend Judd Silverman wrote up a lovely 'mini' review for Conversations on Russian Literature over at his blog.

Judd does not mention it, but he had a hand in original readings of "Play Russia" over at the old Turnip Festival...many moons ago.

Last Chance for "Conversations on Russian Literature Plus Three More Plays"

We've had a tremendous run and tickets are going fast for the last four performances. If you wait till you get to the box office, you may be disappointed. So order in advance and just pay the damn online fee at Smarttix, tightwad.

Above, two glorious actors - Frank Anderson and Jonna McElrath in the title piece of the evening, photo by Kyle Ancowitz, who directed two of the other entries in the night.

Coming Soon

A bunch of playwrights including myself - plus videographers, composers and renegade dramaturges - over at America in Play Project will examine, dissect, respond to and generally raise Cain with the classic American play, "A Glance at New York." Tickets are free - at Tribeca Performing Arts Center on March 23 and 30. Info is here.