Song in my Mind ~ God, I Hate Shakespeare - Something Rotten! (Original Broadway)

*NOTE...  I'm rambling in this at midnight..  so, first off sorry.. second, good luck in following it...



Well...  I guess I'm going to rant a little.  However if you been unlucky to have been in my presence in the last few weeks... well....  I've been ranting a lot.



About a month ago I was higher then high...  I was very much in a creative mode as I'm in Grey Gardens (three more shows starts tomorrow, come see it!!)  Jonathan the director allowed me as Asst. Direct and to steer the show as the vision I had for it.  He allowed me pretty much full range of blocking and well incorporating everything I thought needed to be done to adapt it to the stage we had. Basically that came down to him not having to reel me in "as in going to crazy one way or another". I was also  in charge of "thinking up the set".  I had a idea in my block head, however being a Computer Aided Drafting High school nerd...  my vision was poorly transcribed to paper.  However the set builder, pulled it out of my head and did an absolutely amazing job.  I programmed the lighting for the show.  Jonathan left it up to me to come up with the catch phrases for the radio ads.  I was so trilled to be able to use all my creative juices.



The last week, some things happened that well..  was tough to understand.  I will say that some was unprofessional, even for a amateur show.  Now I know I'm never completely innocent, but I was really let down, for the high admiration I had with the people I was working with.  Especially if the role was reversed, the one would have never stood for it if it was directed to them in that fashion.  HOWEVER...  that being all said, after opening night, the show was 95% exactly how I wanted the show to be seen by an audience..  Good bad or indifferent, in this case the ends justified the means.  The show is Amazing!! However on opening night, I didn't cry.  I really thought well you know, I've seen many directors cry, seeing their vision, their baby come to life...  Well I was still really hurt over some of the things that happened.  But still, as I told Jonathan, the only person I had to make happy was him, by carrying out what he needed me to do.  So, mission completed and a really fantastic show, with a fantastic cast, was doing (still is...  we had a week break, and well last night was amazing, we where all on!) a fantastic job.



Then I got news, news that I wasn't surprised by.  By the most disrespectful way, a facebook message on opening night of GG at midnight.  No phone call...  No.. well you know..  The board, in a move that was never done before.  Veto'd the play I was suppose to direct in the winter.  Citing that they think the show would not "sell" in DuBois.  Total disbelief...  God of Carnage, a show that only won a Tony for best play in 2009, and a Olivia (however that is spelled) in the West End for best comedy...  BTW they say they didn't veto it, they gave me a chance to change, but I've only prepared for this show and the Last Five years, and well after this show, a musical is not what I wanted to direct solo at his time.... however.. well it is what it is.  Some said they didn't think Grey Gardens would do well...  as the story isn't super known, after the cult following that is...  people forget...  however, that was one of the things after the show I kept hearing.  Best show ever on this stage.  AS for mainly the two Leading Ladies in this show are simply the best...  perfect for these roles....  However also, because the show has a lot of depth to it.  It's what I been saying at theatre meetings for the last three years. Need the shows that make you think!!  They did not like God of Carnage as it has real themes, deep themes..  makes you think themes...  There has been shows on that stage, that was more off color because they were fictitious in nature, farces...  The language in GofC isn't any worse that some shows that were done.  In fact I was more uncomfortable with the content of the last play was there...  Nothing wrong with it, as its the arts, sometimes you need to feel uncomfortable.  But just another time my chance to finally "grab the prize".... have a outlet of my love of Theatre...  has totally become a major source of hurt and depression.  They choose to replace my slot, mind you I pitched this show for the last three years, they waited till it got approved to well, become whatever they became.  A time of my life that really should have been a major good memory, has been ripped away..



Now I know I'm rambling, and some would wonder why I can just let things go.  If you really know me, you know why, even if you don't understand why.  I've probably turned it into a lot it isn't.  I took it personally... an personal attack, as I'm different, not in the click or however that is spelled.  But saying it wouldn't sell is complete BS.. They replaced it with a Shakespeare show that centers around crossing dressing...  SERIOUSLY??  Well its ok since its shakes and all those thous and doufs  you have no clue what is going on...  (ok being a bit drama queen, but you get my drift)  Also its been said many times...  Shakespeare DOES NOT FILL SEATS.  If you cater to a "older" audience, or are afraid you will offend one person, so you do shows that only appeal to that one person and you bore four others...  You will not grow.  If you don't grow...  well you know.  And it struck me.  This happened in 1999 to me with Warren Players just when I felt it was going in a good direction, some high and mighty holy roller, caused a take over of the board, just because a director was going to direct Jesus Christ Superstar.  They didn't think it should be done as there was no "Resurrection" at the end......  Well...  that organization did take many steps backward.  They couldn't afford their house anymore, moved into a horrible space.  However then they did what I was suggesting to do two years prior, and became a theatre in residence, in a house that housed Equity shows, truly a amazing house...  AND THEY FINALLY DID JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR.



Now if your still reading this..  wow..  again, I'm not perfect in this.  And I have been a complete arse over this.  But my passion is theatre.  My outlet seems to be dead.  My pride was hurt, so I want to pout and take all my toys and leave.  I currently can't be the better person and say, well I tried, and be fake and pretend it doesn't matter.



So please come see this amazing show. As it might be my last, or at least last for a really really long time.  After this show I don't even want to go into that theater.  I know in some time I will only remember the positive, as with Into the Woods I remembered only the positive, well until the rough patch in Grey Gardens... and then I wondered if that was karma biting me in the ass... as I didn't fully agree with that director, as some didn't agree with me...  however...  still...  This crap seems to only happen to me...  for example I was with the fire dept and Penn Dot at a scene of a tree down today..  a car comes by, runs over a piece of wood in a way that it pops out of the tire, comes flying towards me...  I see it coming, however I could not move fast enough to preventing it from completely hitting me in the balls...  OUCH!!  However I did not hit the ground, thankfully it was higher, and I only have a bruise..  but seriously...  WHAT ARE THE FREAKING ODDS OF A STICK POPPING OUT OF TIRE, FLYING THROUGH THE AIR, AND MAKING ME SING AN OCTAVE HIGHER??



Just have to wonder if your just that bad of a person that Karma has to find creative ways to get ya...



So come see my farewell show!  And if its not.. then I'm like Cher and Babs, and then it will be my next to last farewell show.



However tying everything in...  God I hate Shakespeare!!!!