Monday, May 22, 2006
In Hindsight...
I realize that the previous post was rather preachy, but I feel strongly about the lack of attention paid the internment of Japanese-Americans and their involvement in WWII. I also feel strongly about supporting Asian-Americans in the arts. Support your local Asian-American artists! (I need new shoes!!!)
Significant Changes Afoot
I haven't blogged about my show lately because it was postponed due to lack of funds. It's still going forward, though. There will be some significant changes that will be happening this week (cross your fingers). I'll be updating when they happen and when they can be public.
The playwright of my play was in town this past weekend. Lane Nishikawa, along with 2 of his actors and his producer, were in town to screen his newest film, Only The Brave. The film is about the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team and their mission to rescue the 141st Infantry Regiment, who were surround by German forces near Bruyeres, France during WWII. The 442nd was comprised of Japanese-Americans from Hawaii and internment camps scattered throughout the interior of the US. It is a war film, but it's a war film that talks about an under-recognized battalion and their valor and loyalty to a country that imprisoned them & their families just because of their ethnicity. It's a period of US history that continually fails to make it in the history books and is rarely taught.
On an artistic end, I thought they did a good job by focusing on the on the individual soldiers as opposed to showcasing epic battle scenes. This was due in part to the limited budget. It allowed us to learn more about the individual soldiers and the families they left behind. The film is not without it's problems, but overall, it was a very good movie. If you get a chance to attend a screening, go!!!
http://www.onlythebravemovie.com/
The playwright of my play was in town this past weekend. Lane Nishikawa, along with 2 of his actors and his producer, were in town to screen his newest film, Only The Brave. The film is about the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team and their mission to rescue the 141st Infantry Regiment, who were surround by German forces near Bruyeres, France during WWII. The 442nd was comprised of Japanese-Americans from Hawaii and internment camps scattered throughout the interior of the US. It is a war film, but it's a war film that talks about an under-recognized battalion and their valor and loyalty to a country that imprisoned them & their families just because of their ethnicity. It's a period of US history that continually fails to make it in the history books and is rarely taught.
On an artistic end, I thought they did a good job by focusing on the on the individual soldiers as opposed to showcasing epic battle scenes. This was due in part to the limited budget. It allowed us to learn more about the individual soldiers and the families they left behind. The film is not without it's problems, but overall, it was a very good movie. If you get a chance to attend a screening, go!!!
http://www.onlythebravemovie.com/
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
$50 for WHAT???
Dad: Do you have $50 for your niece?
Me: $50 for what?
Dad: She needs a stroller.
Me: Another stroller?
Dad: Not for her. For her dolls.
I've noticed that the word "no" seems to disappear from my parents' vocabular when it comes to my niece. "No" has and is prominent when talking to my brother and I ("Daddy, could you get me this pair of shoes? It's only $350.00." "NO!"). When it come to my niece (aka. The Carry-On, Munchkin, their Only Grandchild), it miraculously disappears. So Munchkin has informed her grandparents that 3 of her dollies NEEDS a stroller. The stroller has already been ID'ed and my parents didn't flinch at the price tag. Apparently, this stroller is NOT $50. That's just my share of the cost. I asked my dad if this stroller came with gold-plated rims or anything special like that. He only laughed and merely informed me that hauling 3 dolls across the house is quite a task and she NEEDS the stroller for her dolls.
Please note 2 exceptional points:
1) Needs. Not wants, but needs. This word came out of both my mom & dad's mouths. (Want = item that's nice to have, as long as someone else is footing the bill. Need = item that is necessary for life to go on.)
2) My father is, while not a cheapskate, fairly tight with his money. Except when it comes to his only grandchild. Not only has he not batted an eye at the price tag of some of his gifts to her, he has actually gone shopping for her! Sometimes of his own accord and sometimes by himself! And unless it's electronics (for himself) or sports equipment (for himself), he HATES shopping! I have seen him go shopping for clothes for his grandchild, by himself!!! He never goes clothes shopping for himself until my mom drags him out.
I think these are some of the signs listed in Revelations forcasting the end of the world.
Me: $50 for what?
Dad: She needs a stroller.
Me: Another stroller?
Dad: Not for her. For her dolls.
I've noticed that the word "no" seems to disappear from my parents' vocabular when it comes to my niece. "No" has and is prominent when talking to my brother and I ("Daddy, could you get me this pair of shoes? It's only $350.00." "NO!"). When it come to my niece (aka. The Carry-On, Munchkin, their Only Grandchild), it miraculously disappears. So Munchkin has informed her grandparents that 3 of her dollies NEEDS a stroller. The stroller has already been ID'ed and my parents didn't flinch at the price tag. Apparently, this stroller is NOT $50. That's just my share of the cost. I asked my dad if this stroller came with gold-plated rims or anything special like that. He only laughed and merely informed me that hauling 3 dolls across the house is quite a task and she NEEDS the stroller for her dolls.
Please note 2 exceptional points:
1) Needs. Not wants, but needs. This word came out of both my mom & dad's mouths. (Want = item that's nice to have, as long as someone else is footing the bill. Need = item that is necessary for life to go on.)
2) My father is, while not a cheapskate, fairly tight with his money. Except when it comes to his only grandchild. Not only has he not batted an eye at the price tag of some of his gifts to her, he has actually gone shopping for her! Sometimes of his own accord and sometimes by himself! And unless it's electronics (for himself) or sports equipment (for himself), he HATES shopping! I have seen him go shopping for clothes for his grandchild, by himself!!! He never goes clothes shopping for himself until my mom drags him out.
I think these are some of the signs listed in Revelations forcasting the end of the world.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Where's My Gun???
A friend and I always joke about the stage management gun. This theoretical gun and a number of bullets would be issued to the stage managers, one bullet per cast & crew member plus 2 per director and designer. Now I'm wondering if there needs to be one issued to each designer. I'm currently doing sound design for a comedy. This is not a hard show to run - or as I told a friend of mine, this is not the theatrical version of rocket science. In fact, this is about as easy a show (from a lights and sound end) as possible. Instead, we're having "operator issues" (ie. the stage manager is not calling the show correctly). The lighting designer, stage manager and myself have now had 3 cue-to-cue rehearsals. For the theatrical outsider, cue-to-cues are rehearsals where we go from one sound/light cue to the next, in order, without all of the acting in between. For this show, this means going from the very beginning when the audience files in, to the curtain speech where they tell you to turn off all audible electrical devices, to when the actors first enter the stage. After that, we go to 2 sound effects in the middle of act 1, then intermission. After intermission comes the actors entering the stage for act 2, 6 sound effects, then curtain call. Not that difficult. Did I mention we held 3 cue-to-cues for the benefit of the stage manager? The last 2 were held right before shows with an audience. It's very disheartening to get there early for a hand-holding, private coaching session with the stage manager only to not see and hear any of the fixes during a real show. At this point, it's not a difficulty issue, it's a competency (or lack thereof) issue. This person should not be in the position of stage manager. Heaven forbid this person work on a show that's actually difficult. I think it would drive this person to a sanatorium!
On a different note, I judged a kareoke contest last Sunday (see my Nemesis' blog). I noticed he failed to mention me in his blog. (Ahem, ahem, cough, cough.) Judging the finals (thankfully) meant that I was judging the good singers. It was a tough competition, and as I predicted, I was the Simon of the judging panel. We had each finalist sing 2 songs (one fast, one ballad) and after their second song, we each gave our comments. I thought I was going to be lynched or at the very least, have my tires slashed. Yes, I was very critical (this was the finals, after all), but all of my criticisms were constructive. Let's just say I was not very popular with many of the cheering sections that attended that night. My life and my tires, however, remained intact and I was able to leave in relative safety, if not a little less popular.
On a different note, I judged a kareoke contest last Sunday (see my Nemesis' blog). I noticed he failed to mention me in his blog. (Ahem, ahem, cough, cough.) Judging the finals (thankfully) meant that I was judging the good singers. It was a tough competition, and as I predicted, I was the Simon of the judging panel. We had each finalist sing 2 songs (one fast, one ballad) and after their second song, we each gave our comments. I thought I was going to be lynched or at the very least, have my tires slashed. Yes, I was very critical (this was the finals, after all), but all of my criticisms were constructive. Let's just say I was not very popular with many of the cheering sections that attended that night. My life and my tires, however, remained intact and I was able to leave in relative safety, if not a little less popular.
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