Half-way through January already and what have I been up to?
Well, apart from dealing with an eye infection that’s left me feeling a little
down/annoyed, I have been enjoying a slow, relaxing entry into 2012. My
day job is just warming up for the year and I’ve had very few commitments,
outside of working on my own projects – as well as actually finding time to
read (!), which is helpful since I got a few books for Christmas.
Reading note: I’ve been dividing my time between The
Academy Awards: The Complete Unofficial History, which is fun for a movie
buff but even more for an old-school Hollywood lover; Look, I Made a Hat, Stephen Sondheim’s second volume discussing
lyrics of all his shows (and ephemera); and Stephen King’s 11/22/63 – the first King novel I’ve read since his Dark Tower series finished in 2004!
Theatre season seems to be starting up again this week, so I’ll
have less time for reading (see you next Christmas, books!) but am determined
to not get too snowed under this year. As thrilling as it is to have three
shows on in such quick succession, it’s comforting to know my writing on each
is basically done; I’m still expecting to do some trims for my Short &
Sweet Sydney show, for example.
And speaking of Short & Sweet Sydney, in some dramatic
last minute news, the original actor has been forced to withdraw due to illness
– stepping aside early enough for her to be re-cast. You know what the tricky
thing about writing monologues is? If the one actor pulls out, it’s a tough ask
to recast – and there’s less incentive to because it’s not like there are other
actors in the cast who have already worked their arses off.
Luckily, my director has already found a suitable
replacement. Introducing, Erin McMullen.
 |
| Erin McMullen stars in Like a House on Fire at Short & Sweet Sydney Top 100, 2012 |
I’m excited to see what can happen in
less-than-two weeks.
*
Writing has slowed due to previously
mentioned eye infection – hard to focus on anything except the television! Ah,
so like a writer finding excuses for procrastinating. But I did get a lot of
writing done between Christmas and New Year.
I’m re-writing a play of mine from a couple of years ago, The Twelfth of Never. I have a director
interested in discussing it; he loves the first act and has issues with act
two. And there I agree with him – act two has always needed work. I just never
found a way to make it quite work. I had a lot of things to say but it never felt dramatic enough; I
had the characters say all I wanted them to say, but it didn’t seem to serve
their stories. Not exactly. I think I finally found the solution, which has
tightened up the second half – and turned the show from a two-act into a single act 75-80 minute show.
I’ve got the first draft of another full-length play, which
is an adaptation of a short story I wrote years and years ago. The short story
is titled A Subtle Rescue but I think
the play will be called something else. I’m not sure what it will be called,
but I like the process of adapting my own prose to the stage. The story was
intensely visual to begin with and some of the mechanics of telling the story
had to be changed, since we’re no longer in the characters heads. Well,
technically we are still in their heads – since the story is about a couple
invading each other’s memories to investigate where their relationship went
wrong. I think it will look amazing on stage, but I think this first draft
needs to be fleshed out a little because it suffers a little in the
translation; the audience is at the moment being fed the story without really
getting to know the characters.
I’m also in the very early stages of planning a cabaret
piece or two, which is a new medium for me. I dunno, I write one song (well,
two) for On Time and now I think I
can write a cabaret show. Hahahahaha! Regardless, that’s going to be my
challenge this year. I’m even thinking about directing one of the pieces, which
will be another challenge. But I’m certain I can meet them both and will – head
on.
I’m feeling much better now; focused on the year ahead.
Things are falling into place and now that my eye has cleared up, I’m in a much
better place to look down the road.
*
Tickets on sale now:
Short & Sweet Sydney – Top 100, Newtown Theatre (January 25 to January 29)
Painting with Words and Fire (February 15 to February 25)
Richard Di Greogorio: On Time – Adelaide Fringe (February 28 to March 3)
BOOK NOW! AVOID MY DISAPPOINTMENT!
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