Hansel and Gretel Ate My Brain

Also, a really icky sinus infection from being out in the wind and allergens all weekend. It must be some karmic retribution from making the cast sleep in unheated kennels, or something.
The show's producer is quite happy with my work, and wants to find funding to pay me with for future projects. Additionally, she seems to think my wee penchant for brutality would be more appropriate to Grande Guinol type productions. She's right---Grim's Tales give me the willies.

Show Opens!!

After months of writing, planning, rehearsals and brutality, the show opened to a very satisfying house. Ok, we opened in a parking lot, but from a theater history standpoint that just makes us like strolling players or something. We got laughs at all the right parts, and everyone clapped really really hard at the end. We have 3 more shows, and none of them are in parking lots! Today, I shall grant them leave to perform on an actual stage. I know, I spoil my actors........

I'm a Fucking SAINT, I Tell you........

..................and don't start with the "How can you be evil and a saint, too?" crap---look up St Augustine, for starters. Anyway, hagiography aside, I tell you I want to be canonized, or given a lollipop at the very least, because I haven't dropped a single f-bomb in front of anyone under the age of 19 during the process of directing this little puppet show.
To quote Kinky Freedman, "I would never say "fuck" in front of a C-H-I-L-D". But tonight, during our first tech rehearsal, when one of the mics made the whole system feedback, I came really fucking close. Thank fuck I'm not a fucking vulgarian.

countdown.......

......to community theater. Two weeks or so until we open, and the show promises to be........cute.

What do you want from me? Remember---EVIL.

Whoops! I'm Evil.......

Seems I have--quite accidentally--become a super villain. Oops.

Before you get all judgey, and risk incurring my twisted wrath, allow me to explain.

The"Dr Angst" facet of my personality---once minute---has staged a hellish coup and merged with my artsy-fartsy creative side. Sounds like a gay Bond villain to me.........

The change was slow, and subtle. The urge to direct community theatre, my draconian approach
to conflict resolution, and now, the final straw---I am putting people in thrall.

You may recall a comment from Kurt Xxxx ( I ask him how to pronounce Xxxx--he said "the European pronunciation") where he said, and I quote, or actually copy and past :
" Kurt said...

I love low pay! "

What, you may ask, has gotten in to him?? Besides the whole "was a teechur" thing????

Four words.

Funee. Tyme. Bat. Buddee.

The gift that keeps on giving.........funniest thing, Kurt was concerned about possible concealed nanny cam tech imbedded, and completely overlooked the whole "will tapping Voo Doo hex" angle.

So, now that Kurt-Kurt-Kurty-Kurt-Kurt is in thrall-thrall-thrally-thrall-thrall,

I have no idea what to do. He's geographically too remote to be of much real use, damn it.

Does anyone know where the de-thrall powder is? I can only take so much responsibility.

Lola---She Gets What She Wants, Apparently

The Satin Dollz in "Whatever Lola Wants" from Dan Blank on Vimeo.

the floggings will continue until morale improves

So, we have 5 more weeks of rehearsal.............and I'm NOT loving what I'm seeing. Seriously, I have to recast two roles---one adult, one child--if this is going to work. And rather than blaming "the phantom" and just dropping lights on them, I have to tell them. Verbally. Using words.
You would think I'd be more looking forward to it, happily rubbing my evil mits together, anticipating their anguish, but somehow I just don't.
Is it too late to blame the phantom? Or Andrew Lloyd Webber??

Oh, the ruthless, cut throat world of community children's theater. How many soul's must it have before it's unholy thirst is slaked??? How many ruined lives? How many dashed dreams? How many licks to get to the center of the tootsie-pop of local celebrity??

WANTED: MINIONS- hard work, low pay, ugly death.

I'm posting early this week, before rehearsal, rather than after.

Six individuals will be absent this week. (Still haven't healed completely from last week.)

Additionally, I'm having to be the responsible adult in charge tonight, since Anais' babysitter canceled. (Still haven't healed completely from last week.)

So, I have to open the space, turn lights on/off, etc---the things I usually have minions handle.
(Still haven't healed completely from last week.)

So I'll be responsible for holding the key to the church. Posting early, in case of that whole pesky bursting into flames thing.

Rehearsals Begin. Who Will Survive.....

....................and what will be left of them?

We began our journey of a thousand steps tonight.

I'm calling in a ringer at the end of the month to understudy half the roles. Keeps people sharp when they see their prospective successor.
And I taped this picture by Sebastien Millon to my script notebook, just to remind my beloved cast of thespians that failure=being eaten.

More sunshine and puppy muffins later!

Be sweet, and go read Sebastien's blog--linked to the left--CHRONICALLY SICK,ETC

Suffer For My Art--- Other People Must.......

...apparently.
You know me. I'm a problem solver, never content to merely whine--I prefer to take action.

After rereading my last post, I realized the answer to my problem was as obvious as inbreeding at a Tea Party. All I had to do was eliminate or even just significantly reduce the number of competing elements. All those things that were keeping people from auditioning for my production of Hansel & Gretel had to DIE!!

A judicious application of arson,blackmail,contaminants,drugs,electricity(pictured),forgery,
garrotes,homicide,insects,judo,karate,lions,mustard(gas),nails,
origami,perjury,quinine,
rabies,snakes,torture,unkindness,virus(computer),wi-fi,xenophobia,yodeling, and zither music
was all it took to bring down my enemies. Goodbye, scouting. Adieu, school athletics. Sayonara,
see ya around, don't let the screen door hit you in the ass on your way out.

I have a full cast! I had all I needed and more turn up--qu'el surprize-- so rehearsal may begin next week. And the smoking shell of this chastened city may begin licking it's wounds, rebuilding, and chiseling into stone the lesson of the week: "When our overlord smiles and says "please", do it at once, or he'll break both your knees".

I made it an easy to remember little rhyme. I'm such a giver!

City I Live In Too Damn Interesting

Seriously. What do you have to do to cast a community theater project? Back in the flashback inducing old days [twitch!], we clambered over each other to audition. It got us out of sheep milking, thorn harvesting, and other such hated chores. But here in Hipsterville? Way different.

All the fun/stimulating/trendy stuff we have here totally eliminates the need for community theatre. YouTube gives the wannabees their illusion of stardom, and the fear of ridicule stymies all others. What the damn hell, and shit a monkey!!!!!

I have most parts cast, but as a budding Bond villain and mal vivant, I want a huge crowd of minions!!!! But I'll take 6 or 7 stout hearted types. Any age. Even really old people. Or animals.
I may resort to puppets if this last round of auditions doesn't produce.

Once "Popular" Blog in Mothballs; Ersatz/Former/Part-time "Blogger" Blames Workload, Extracurricular Activities

(AUSTIN,TX) Once "semi-prolific" semi-blogger Trey Hoel, known to some as "Taarzaan", professed a lack of time and energy as chief reasons for his lack of posts. "Between full-time self employment, aging, and directing community theatre projects, I just forget to blog", whined the rapidly greying hippie, "plus with everyone just reposting porn on Tumblr, who the fuck has energy to compose text?". Public reactions have ranged from apathy (68%), to vague interest in the theatrical componants (12%), to deeply prurient curiosity about porn (20%).

I Just Wrote This Horrid Joke

..............and had to share it.


Why can't Anna Nicole Smith find a parking space at Walmart?



























( punchline in comments)

Tilly VS the Closet Monster

This bit of cinemania is brought to you by the ever whimsical Bart, and the ever stalwart Tilly.

Lady Frankenstein

Since you've been so good and patient, and haven't whined for a new post (like you still care), you may stay up late and watch this awesome cheesy crapola movie. And you may also have unlimited snacks. Just don't tell yer Ma, ok? I'm not up for another excoriation........
ALSO: totally NSFW--gratuitous boobies/naked ladies---remember the bit with Karloff throwing the girl in the pond? Recreated here with a naked lady. Plus, the monster looks like it was designed and rendered by an 8 year old child, and the creepiest part is the sexual politics. And the way the underlying necrophilia theme really gets obvious. Think of Lady Frank as Mary Shelley's alter ego, or something. And don't tell yer Ma, seriously.

Sing Along

When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me,
speaking words of wisdom

Irony Mass Inversion Impending.

Austin,TX-- It became apparent early today that conformist attitudes in young adults have caused the hipster population to overtake the mainstream population, thereby making hipster the new mainstream. Edgy has become the new banal, and obscure is the new redundant. Additionally, sources report that apathetic has become the new impassioned. Then they rolled their eyes, and sighed "whatever". Irony mass inversion is expected to create a gaping black hole of mediocrity, sucking the entire hipster culture to a dimension you no doubt have never heard of.

Recycled Post-Earth Day Post

I barely remeber having writen this, so--semi-new to me:

The Ultimate Social Network Quiz

1. Which character from Alistair Crowley’s Diary of a Drug Fiend do you most identify with, and why?
2. If you had to be a transvestite crack whore for one day, what brand of make up would you use? Condom? Box cutter?
3. What’s your favorite antibiotic?
4. Favorite pain? Pain killer? Serial killer? Cereal?
5. You’ve been nailed by the wrists to a redwood deck, and a drooling psychopath is standing over you with an axe, ready to behead you.
A: How did you get there?
B: Why you should live, in 50 words or less.
C: What are you wearing?
6. Where did you hide your stash when you were in high school?
Middle school? Kindergarten?
7. Des Cartes said :” Je pense, donc je suis”. Would you date him?
8. Jock or nerd: which one goes best with white wine?
9. What has it gots in its pocketses?
10. If you were an STD, which one would you be?
11. What’s your most shameful secret? Be specific, with details.
12. Everybody has their price—what’s yours?
13. Who should be first up against the wall when the revolution finally happens?
14. Besides me, wise ass.
15. You encounter Andrew Lloyd Webber, Anne Gedes, and Ayn Rand in a deserted meadow. You have only one bullet. What do you do?

Welcome to Austin! Don't Be A Douche!

I read somewhere that Austin was the 6th most moved-to city last year. I'm treating it as good news, because it helps raise the ratio of clients to massage therapists for the better (MT's are as thick here as mosquitoes in a swamp). But on the other hand, I must despair of the inevitable culture dilution that occurs. So welcome, new comer, but leave that urban blightmare bad attitude in your storage unit. Don't bring us your paranoia, your impatience, your douche baggery. Adjust to a more sincere, mellow, thoughtful existence. You've been living in a game preserve for assholes. You are used to being a creep reflexively-- like blinking. Texans generally don't stand for that. We've barely gotten past dueling and feuding, so don't push your luck. Years of rigid role expectation, forced courtesy, and country music have made most Texans into walking time bombs. All you have to do is go a short distance away from here to find them. And sometimes, they drive in to shop. So for safety's sake,for the children, for puppies and Christmas, just to make sure you don't inadvertently provoke someone into acting out in a big, scary way-- clean up your fucking act.

Leagle Department Mumbo Pocus

Dear Kxxx,

Your FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™ is ready to be shipped. Our shipping department will get around to it before too long, unless they go on another week-long drug fueled orgy of destruction. Then, it might be a few weeks. Anyway, our legal department insists I furnish you with the following disclaimer/list of warnings/waste of everyone’s time:

Disclaimer:

Your FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™ is intended for decorative and recreational use only. No actual fun is guaranteed.

FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™ is for external use only.

Do not use FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™ if redness or swelling persists.

Discontinue play with FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™ if you experience loss of vision or hearing.

Do not expose FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™ to cosmic radiation, as this can cause specific side effects, sometimes fatal.

Do not blaspheme in the presence of FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™

What's wrong?

Do not allow FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™ to become wet.

Do not expose FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™ to open flame, or other source of heat.

Do not taunt, threaten, or cajole FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™

Discontinue play with FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™ if you experience erection lasting more than 4 hours

I had the pear dream again.

If choosing to utilize the BED TYME BUDDY™ feature of your FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™, do not allow perspiration, saliva, or urine to come in contact with FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™

Was I there?

Do not operate machinery or drive a car under the influence of FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™

Do not loan money to FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™

Yes. I think I'm insane.

Hide all prescription drugs, alcohol, and firearms in proximity to FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™

I know you are.

Avoid prolonged eye contact with FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™, as this can lead to a loss of will and/or blood.

Do not perform erotic dance moves in the presence of FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™

Do not in any way flirt with or “lead on” FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™

We hope your FUNEE TYME BAT BUDDY™ will bring you minutes of enjoyment.

(not for sale to minors under 21)