Crazytown

 

This Friday, KMM reconnects with his teenage nerd self,

Kirsten wishes you a Downton Valentines!

 and Geoff eats to cope!

TEENAGE ME

KMM goes to his parents house and reconnects with his awkward teenage self.
By Kevin Michael Murphy(Actor-Voice Teacher)

So I went home to Long Island on Wednesday to visit my nephew, and spent some time digging through my old things.  Turns out I wasn't very cool.

Exhibit A:

Here's a VHS-mini of my star turn as Tommy Albright in Valley Stream Central High School's production of "Brigadoon."  Also included in the tape collection were a bunch of movies my friends and I made.  We were obsessed with making horror movies.  Our biggest hits were "SKREAM"(yes, Scream with a K) and a murder mystery that centered around missing cans of tomato puree.  

Exhibit B:

I was obsessed with all things "Forrest Gump."  I watched the movie about 75 times.  I played the Feather Theme on the piano daily.  My college essay for NYU was centered around the quote: "You can tell a lot about a person by their shoes.  Where they're goin, where they've been..."  I talked about how I wore bowling shoes to school.  I somehow got accepted.

HAPPY BELATED VALENTINE'S DAY FROM DOWNTON ABBEY

By Kirsten Guenther (Writer)

Next Valentine's Day might I suggest a Downton Abbey Valentine? I can't tell you how excited I am for the Royal Wedding!

EATING TO COPE

Sure doctors and dieticians with their fancy "education" and "board certifications" say that people shouldn't turn to food in order to cope with life's problems. But what do they know really? I ate all week to cope with Whitney Houston's death and I feel great. Okay, my stomach hurts and I'm moving kinda slowly, but I'm not sad anymore. So there!
By Geoffrey Kidwell (actor)

I’m not sure if I’ve told you this yet. I think I have, but I’m not sure. Anyway, here’s the big news:

This summer – July 22^nd, to be exact – I am turning thirty!!!

The big 3-0.

DIRTY THIRTY!!!

And guuuuurl, how do you think I’m feeling? I bet you think I’m all sorts of worked up about it. I bet you think I’m crying into my pillow every night thinking about all the things I’ve never accomplished and all the people I've yet to sleep with.  

Duh. I’ve been doing that since Kindergarten.

But weirdly, turning thirty is something I’m really looking forward to. I’m pretty sure the thirties are going to be my decade and I am determined to enter this new decade looking and feeling – but mostly looking – super freaking hot.

And I’m not talking like, “Oh that guy is good looking from far away.” Oh no! My plan is to be like porn star hot. I want to be so hot that when people see me they literally just drop dead on the street from a new condition called erotic shock. You with me?

So I’ve been gymming it up, eating right, making sure I hate myself just enough to stay motivated, and doing these Scott Herman workouts.

(I highly recommend them, in case you’re interested.)

But as they say, The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men. Gang aft agley…which basically means, no matter how much you plan, some unforeseen shit always screws it up.

Unfortunately, my best-laid schemes definitely went agley last week at the news of Whitney Houston’s death.

This Thursday Kimberly talks about the issues facing minorities in the theater...

Leah rubs out a good cry...

And Ryan tells you why The Avengers is set to be one of the most innovative films of the year.

RUBBING OUT A GOOD CRY

As a kid my favorite song on 'Free to Be You and Me' was "It's Alright to Cry" - I still have it record. It's a great song. But I know, as an adult, that it's not really alright to cry. Crying is for children, people who like soap operas and those who haven't found proper medication yet, right?! Right! Well excuse me while I wipe some snot on my sleeve as I continue heaving. 
-By Leah Bonnema (Stand Up Comic) 

I used to be a crier; overrun with emotional abandon it would come out of my eyes and usually all over the place. A drive by crier, at any moment I might whip around the corner shooting raw emotion at poor random souls in my side view. Then somewhere along the line, I stopped. Sometimes I would know that there was a cry in there that should probably come out so it wouldn't randomly overtake me on the train because some woman with a beehive and a lovely neck scarf happened to remind me of my nana. In such cases I would put on an underdog movie and get it all out at home, alone, in the dark and ashamed. I assume it's quite similar to a habit I hear boys all across America are acting out pre-date so they don't get excited and blow a load in their pants before dinner is even ordered. Rub one out beforehand, pre-game styles.

                  Rub out those salty tears in the privacy of your own shame!

I guess I was embarrassed of how easily accessible my emotions were, as if it was a form of weakness. But the fact remains that I am a hugely sensitive person. At my last job, I, on more than one occasion (twice to be exact) called in late to work because I found a bird somehow broken on the side of the street and it ripped me in two to leave him/her there. I was just going to have to sit with them until some other bird came by for help or I gathered said bird into a box and brought them home giving them ample time to get better, safe from children with mean rocks. The second time I called in I could hear my boss sigh, as if to say, there goes Leah with the over active emotional ties and empathy issues again. 

A MARVELOUS GAMBLE

Screw the Oscar bait...I can't wait for the big budget comic book movies coming this summer.

By Ryan Bogner (Producer, Wingnut)

This sunday is one of Hollywood's biggest and most important nights...but one of Hollywood's most groundbreaking events isn't happening until May 4th.

No I'm not talking about 

I'm talking about Marvel Studio's unprecidented film:

You might ask what is unprecidented about what seems to be on its face a run of the mill high concept studio blockbuster.

It's all in the story leading up to the film.

INEXPLICABLE REDEMPTION FOR A PLAYWRIGHT

Exploring a playwright’s responsibility to her community...
By Kimberly Lew (Playwright/Blogger)

Race has been the talk of the theatre industry lately, from Stephen Adly Guirgis' statements on the ethnicity of his characters to a controversial casting choice of Oklahoma, and since the release of The Broadway League's most recent report (and the responses to it), the prevalence of minorities in the theater-- both on stage and in the audience-- is a hot button topic. As a minority in the theatre myself, these discussions have been very important, enlightening, and at times disheartening for me to follow. And in spite of the varying opinions, I am very glad these threads of conversation are being had at all.

(Poster from Qui Nguyen's
The Inexplicable Redemption of Agent G) 

The discussion of Asians and theatre in particular has come to the forefront lately, kicked off by a rousing panel organized by the Asian American Performers Action Coalition (AAPAC) where a slew of industry professionals discussed the diminishing roles for Asian actors in the theater. When it comes to casting Asians in non-ethnic-specific parts or even providing roles for specifically for Asian performers, evidence has shown that the number of Asians on stage is dwindling. What the panel sought to explore is what areas of the theatre ecosystem need to change in order to improve the statistics, and as a playwright, I can't help but question my own role in giving opportunities to my community.

This Wednesday Matthew takes you behind the scenes with 35MM...

Pam counts down the top 10 drinking movies...

And Gregory helps you prep for the #CTOWNOSCARS.

MURPHY MADE: 35MM REHEARSAL

By Matthew Murphy (Photographer)

Perhaps you've managed to avoid the obnoxious self-promotion for a certain show I'm working on with CRAZYTOWN creator, composer extraordinaire, and boyfriend-of-the-year Ryan Scott Oliver called 35MM.  If, in fact, you have managed to avoid us, let me explain the nitty gritty details:

•We've created a multimedia musical exhibition feauturing Ryan's songs and my images. 

•We've lined up an amazing cast of performers featuring Alex Brightman (Wicked, The History Boys), Ben Crawford (Shrek, Merrily We Roll Along), Jay Armstrong Johnson (Hair, Catch Me If You Can), Lindsay Mendez (Godspell, Grease) and Betsy Wolfe (Everyday Rapture, Merrily We Roll Along).

•We're doing TWO NIGHTS ONLY at Galapagos Arts Space in Dumbo, Brooklyn.  March 7th and March 12th! 

•You can pick up tickets here! 

Without further adieu, I wanted to take you into the world of 35MM rehearsals, which commenced earlier this week. 

(Jay Armstrong Johnson)

(Director, Jeremy Bloom)

(Ben Crawford)

(Lindsay Mendez, Alex Brightman)

(Betsy Wolfe, Lindsay Mendez)

(Alex Brightman)

(Lindsay Mendez)

(Cast)

MATTHEW MURPHY is a New York City-based arts photographer. His work regularly appears in The New York Times.www.MurphyMade.com
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