Hello, dear readers -
My, it's a chilly day here in Chicago and the abode of GreyZelda is in dire need of the heater to kick it up. No worries, our heat does, indeed, work. It just takes a bit of a nap during the day and goes strong when darkness falls.
Fanny Hooe is taking shape. The tale of the 17 year old girl who visits Fort Wilkins to see her dear sister, Detta, and her husband, Captain Ruggles is slowly solidifying itself to me, Mulch, and Miss M. The early summer months in the upper peninsula in 1844 are being painted on page and the work has officially begun.
We're excited to be creating this story from the ground up. And, thank you Dave Twotrees for the white paint, for it will come in handy on the white washed set of the fort, built to protect the copper interests.
We've started an online yahoogroup for the purposes of discussing all things theatrical with GreyZelda collaborators, past and present. We've been up and running by the seats of our pants for a little over a year now and we're exquisitely happy with the work being done and those who have helped us do it. It's awfully fun, isn't it, seeing a project take shape from beginning to end. Why we do it and keep on doing it, money or no. I'd be destitute and keep on keeping on. Any way you want it . . . as Matt Hedrick firmly constitutes.
Well, my dears, my fingers are a bit chilly and have the instincts to curl themselves up in balls - or find a pair of gloves. Either way, I think they're done blogging.
Have a warm and Happy Holiday season!
the nested Crow
Monday, December 20, 2004
Saturday, November 20, 2004
Long time since we blogged at yins
Ah, l'hiver -
It comes too soon, but the white flakes are always quite lovely. We here at GreyZelda have been dabbling - just finished with the Circus of Nuance. As you all know, we're members of the spareroom cooperative and Chris Jones (a fellow roomie), the Mulchman, and I came up with a curation idea to benefit our wonderful rehearsal and creation space. GreyZelda contributed our Lenore and I suppose I'll tell you how the evening went down . .. and then I'll precede to tell you a little bit more about our upcoming collaboration.
Lenore was a very short piece, so we put it at the start of the eve. A poe-lude. We created a funeral and the audience was a part of the congregation. Robert, Kristin, and Dave McCaul provided the morbid music. Ren Buenviaje conducted the ceremony. Jack Rucker stepped in to portray that villain, Guy de Vere. Lisa was Grendel's mother - oops, um - I mean Guy de Vere's mother. Sir Mulch was, as always, our hero. And dear Melissa Kuhlmann was his ever supportive, but mortified, sis. It was very nice, to quote Mary Kate. Encircling candles, velvetine brown cloth, dirgeful notes. All that make a crow puff with pleasure. And, it was only, like, seven minutes. So, there you go.
Miss Agniel followed after with her wonderful Slow Children Playing. She was the highlight of the evening.
Chris Jones popped in at the end with some road ramblings of places in between, which tied in that whole Nuance thing.
And the spareroom made over 200 bucks, so all went as planned, if not better.
Beginning in my month of December, we're going to begin the initial writing process of our next show, to be performed at StageLeft in June. Melissa K, mulch, myself, Miss Leezy and her man, Dave will all brainstorm and imagine the last days of the young Fanny Hooe, a lady who visited her sister and the men of Fort Wilkins back in the 1840's. It shall be a woeful tale set in the wilderness of Michigan's upper peninsula. We're very honored that Fanny reached her fingers out to us on our trip to the tip and wants her tale to be told by the likes of GreyZelda. We shall try to do the tale justice, but will insist that some eeriness come through. We'll let you know how the process is going. This will be a gigantic project for us, one that we're excited to start. Stay tuned.
Enjoy your holiday seasons,
crow z.
It comes too soon, but the white flakes are always quite lovely. We here at GreyZelda have been dabbling - just finished with the Circus of Nuance. As you all know, we're members of the spareroom cooperative and Chris Jones (a fellow roomie), the Mulchman, and I came up with a curation idea to benefit our wonderful rehearsal and creation space. GreyZelda contributed our Lenore and I suppose I'll tell you how the evening went down . .. and then I'll precede to tell you a little bit more about our upcoming collaboration.
Lenore was a very short piece, so we put it at the start of the eve. A poe-lude. We created a funeral and the audience was a part of the congregation. Robert, Kristin, and Dave McCaul provided the morbid music. Ren Buenviaje conducted the ceremony. Jack Rucker stepped in to portray that villain, Guy de Vere. Lisa was Grendel's mother - oops, um - I mean Guy de Vere's mother. Sir Mulch was, as always, our hero. And dear Melissa Kuhlmann was his ever supportive, but mortified, sis. It was very nice, to quote Mary Kate. Encircling candles, velvetine brown cloth, dirgeful notes. All that make a crow puff with pleasure. And, it was only, like, seven minutes. So, there you go.
Miss Agniel followed after with her wonderful Slow Children Playing. She was the highlight of the evening.
Chris Jones popped in at the end with some road ramblings of places in between, which tied in that whole Nuance thing.
And the spareroom made over 200 bucks, so all went as planned, if not better.
Beginning in my month of December, we're going to begin the initial writing process of our next show, to be performed at StageLeft in June. Melissa K, mulch, myself, Miss Leezy and her man, Dave will all brainstorm and imagine the last days of the young Fanny Hooe, a lady who visited her sister and the men of Fort Wilkins back in the 1840's. It shall be a woeful tale set in the wilderness of Michigan's upper peninsula. We're very honored that Fanny reached her fingers out to us on our trip to the tip and wants her tale to be told by the likes of GreyZelda. We shall try to do the tale justice, but will insist that some eeriness come through. We'll let you know how the process is going. This will be a gigantic project for us, one that we're excited to start. Stay tuned.
Enjoy your holiday seasons,
crow z.
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Copper Harbor
As I sit, listening to Billy Joel on launch.com , I decided to leaf through people's blogs and have really loved reading some and learning of others' goings-on. Some are completely frivolous - like ours, mostlike - but there were those that were completely fascinating. And I discovered through my interloping how to allow others to comment from the outside. So, leave your comments now, dear GreyZelda followers!
A couple of my favorites are the old professor's and buffalospath so do peruse.
Mulch and I just got back from our upper peninsula visitation and our biggest gift from the land of silver birch and beavers is that we've come up with inspiration for our next production. I'm not going to go into tons of details just yet, but over the next few months, the title and what it's about will be revealed. But, do know, we're really excited about and think it will be an interesting project.
So, stay tuned . . . I'll let you in on a little hint . . . some say she was eaten by a bear . . . and that's really cheezy, but I am finished.
Ravens eat crow for dinner,
Crow-girl
A couple of my favorites are the old professor's and buffalospath so do peruse.
Mulch and I just got back from our upper peninsula visitation and our biggest gift from the land of silver birch and beavers is that we've come up with inspiration for our next production. I'm not going to go into tons of details just yet, but over the next few months, the title and what it's about will be revealed. But, do know, we're really excited about and think it will be an interesting project.
So, stay tuned . . . I'll let you in on a little hint . . . some say she was eaten by a bear . . . and that's really cheezy, but I am finished.
Ravens eat crow for dinner,
Crow-girl
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Ah . . . it is finished . . .
Well, my dear readers (if we have any, and, if we do, I thank you from the bottom of my craven heart . . . )
Metamorphosis ended and many things, as always, were learned. It seemed to be critically acclaimed and it was lovely working in a primetime capacity. Now, I do wish audiences wouldn't be such persnikety procrastinators. This is coming from someone from the inside to those on the outside - know that your presence is needed the first couple of weeks, more so than the final. We had small houses, for a while, and it gets a spirit down - and I'm just speaking for myself. There were performances that were absolutely exquisite, seen by only a handful - which is very special for the handful, but do know that your presence is required at the beginning . . . plus you won't have to battle the throngs at the end.
People calling for free tickets. Arrrgghhh. Who do they thing they are anyway? And if they are that person, don't you think they could scrounge together the bucks to come see a just starting theatre company? If they're such rock stars, 15 bucks would be a cakewalk to their likes. But, a friend did say, if they're asking for free tickets, just give it to them, you never who they might be. Sage advice. But it still curdles my soul and I'm sucking on the whey. Unless your family, those who have helped make the show what it is, or the dearest friends of the dear, my deep dark soul says "Sucks to your ass-mar!", but I will smile and hand you your free program and show. And shoo you from an actor's entrance, but that's another story.
Many things were learned this time around. Mulch and I wrote them down on a piece of paper . . . let me search diligently for it . . . and it appears that I can't find it, but I'll see if I can recall:
Don't look back. Thanks, Bob. Dylan, that is.
Actors, essentially, are in it for a gig. One mustn't be sad, when one doesn't hear from them again.
Professors are not sages. They're merely people who aren't actively doing it and would like to spit your way for doing it.
Offer the damned people comps.
Mulch and Crow can, and will continue, to work professionally together, letting their passion fall by the wayside, gosh darn it.
And, we're making it as we go along, and we mustn't ever forget that.
There was more, I'm certain, but for now, this is what I will submit. Perchance I will be rid of it someday when guilt swipes me over, but these are my blogged statements. Again, greyzelda has nothing to do with this, tis just the winged lady crow.
Caw,
crowgirl
Metamorphosis ended and many things, as always, were learned. It seemed to be critically acclaimed and it was lovely working in a primetime capacity. Now, I do wish audiences wouldn't be such persnikety procrastinators. This is coming from someone from the inside to those on the outside - know that your presence is needed the first couple of weeks, more so than the final. We had small houses, for a while, and it gets a spirit down - and I'm just speaking for myself. There were performances that were absolutely exquisite, seen by only a handful - which is very special for the handful, but do know that your presence is required at the beginning . . . plus you won't have to battle the throngs at the end.
People calling for free tickets. Arrrgghhh. Who do they thing they are anyway? And if they are that person, don't you think they could scrounge together the bucks to come see a just starting theatre company? If they're such rock stars, 15 bucks would be a cakewalk to their likes. But, a friend did say, if they're asking for free tickets, just give it to them, you never who they might be. Sage advice. But it still curdles my soul and I'm sucking on the whey. Unless your family, those who have helped make the show what it is, or the dearest friends of the dear, my deep dark soul says "Sucks to your ass-mar!", but I will smile and hand you your free program and show. And shoo you from an actor's entrance, but that's another story.
Many things were learned this time around. Mulch and I wrote them down on a piece of paper . . . let me search diligently for it . . . and it appears that I can't find it, but I'll see if I can recall:
Don't look back. Thanks, Bob. Dylan, that is.
Actors, essentially, are in it for a gig. One mustn't be sad, when one doesn't hear from them again.
Professors are not sages. They're merely people who aren't actively doing it and would like to spit your way for doing it.
Offer the damned people comps.
Mulch and Crow can, and will continue, to work professionally together, letting their passion fall by the wayside, gosh darn it.
And, we're making it as we go along, and we mustn't ever forget that.
There was more, I'm certain, but for now, this is what I will submit. Perchance I will be rid of it someday when guilt swipes me over, but these are my blogged statements. Again, greyzelda has nothing to do with this, tis just the winged lady crow.
Caw,
crowgirl
Saturday, August 21, 2004
Metamorphosis
Hello, folks.
Well, the reviews are coming in and it seems that people are becoming as big of fans as we are. Now, if we can just get the populace rolling in . . . our money bags are a bit tight and non-existant . . . and we were left with footing the majority of a bar bill this evening. Grrrrr. Money pisses me off. We're not doing this business for the moolah, but we're praying to break even . . . something that seems further and further in the distance. But, I go on.
I think this show is amazing. I watch it every evening from a different vantage/side and I fall in love with it over and over. The actors are phenomenal. Franz Kafka, to me, makes for a lovely evening. Robert's music is wonderful.
Anyway, please come, if you're reading this. Shut your computer down, give a call on the phone, and come hang out with us StageLeft. We're wanting to see you.
Take care, folks,
crow Jane
Well, the reviews are coming in and it seems that people are becoming as big of fans as we are. Now, if we can just get the populace rolling in . . . our money bags are a bit tight and non-existant . . . and we were left with footing the majority of a bar bill this evening. Grrrrr. Money pisses me off. We're not doing this business for the moolah, but we're praying to break even . . . something that seems further and further in the distance. But, I go on.
I think this show is amazing. I watch it every evening from a different vantage/side and I fall in love with it over and over. The actors are phenomenal. Franz Kafka, to me, makes for a lovely evening. Robert's music is wonderful.
Anyway, please come, if you're reading this. Shut your computer down, give a call on the phone, and come hang out with us StageLeft. We're wanting to see you.
Take care, folks,
crow Jane
Sunday, August 08, 2004
Moving day
Wowza, wowza, wowza. It's moving day, folks. The GreyZelda Theatre Group is moving our production of Metamorphosis into StageLeft and we're excited. Woke up like kids on Christmas. Such a big list of things to do, but it gets a gal (and boy) going. We're meeting Kevin Heckman at the theatre at 1:30 to exchange the money and keys. Then, Charlotte and all present at the theatre will get to business. Wall reassembled, lights hung, chairs placed, dressing room cleaned, banner hung, etc.
Later,
the Crow lady
Later,
the Crow lady
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
One Week and Counting.....
How do, kin folks and cow pokes? Mulch man here dropping the language and goings-on surrounding "Metamorphosis" and personal life. Overall, I would say the current environment in Greyzelda's house is one of frenetic, but not frantic, and diligent optimism. It's a crazy time, being the week before opening and all. We have a lot on our respective plates, what with tech coming up, costume acquisition ( the slow boat from China being slower than expected ), promoting, and polishing off Gregor. However, that insane rush really gets me off sometimes, that tension of; "...can we do it? are we on schedule? how can we adapt? " It's always exciting to create your own work, but to thread the artistic, technical, and administrative elements of this craft into your daily routine has almost a ritualistic sense to it. Everything you do causes forward momentum toward the destination. I really do believe that this show is going to have an impact. I believe there is an audience who grows weary of standard realism, or at least welcomes a change up. And it's true, that this play may somewhat cater to the Kafka afficianados of the world, but I feel it's crucial human elements will make it accessible to all.
I've grown a deep emotional connection with Gregor. My heart clinches when I ponder his sadness. It's exhausting physically and emotionally, and personally the most important artistic undertaking that I have ever endevoured to. I have Lady Crow to thank for letting me get to know him so closely.
On a casual note, things are okely dokely. I got my six month raise at work. The Cubbies finally have an All-Star shortstop, and I recently found my long lost Death Angel tape. Plus it's humid as hell in my apartment, ( e.g. the fungus is among us. ) Not really. Anywho, I believe there has got to be some kind of work that needs done. If not, theres Worlds Wildest Police Chases to be watched. Until next time campers, this is your humble narrator bidding adieu and,
HAZZAH!
I've grown a deep emotional connection with Gregor. My heart clinches when I ponder his sadness. It's exhausting physically and emotionally, and personally the most important artistic undertaking that I have ever endevoured to. I have Lady Crow to thank for letting me get to know him so closely.
On a casual note, things are okely dokely. I got my six month raise at work. The Cubbies finally have an All-Star shortstop, and I recently found my long lost Death Angel tape. Plus it's humid as hell in my apartment, ( e.g. the fungus is among us. ) Not really. Anywho, I believe there has got to be some kind of work that needs done. If not, theres Worlds Wildest Police Chases to be watched. Until next time campers, this is your humble narrator bidding adieu and,
HAZZAH!
Sigh . ..
The lady crow here . . .
So, the SpareRoom has played its part in the process of Metamorphosis. For a little over two months, the Group created a show from a wonderful novella by Franz Kafka. We're unable to have the space the week before we open (heart grips in panic every other minute), due to a Butoh workshop that HAD, HAD, HAD to be conducted this very week!!!!!!! No, the workshop was not as flexible as it gets its movers to be, but like all things, GreyZelda is nothing, if not, a Plan B girl. So, Plan B turned out to be having the show as performance ready as possible. We've been doing some basic scene and monologue work the last couple of days, which is really great. Something I've not ever gotten to do as an actor, and I think it's excellent to work with the characters this far into it. Really roll around in the nitty-gritty.
There are lots of things to be accomplished in the next few days: must make programs!!!! must get all costumes!!!! Must send out press photos!!!! Must make press kits!!! Must break wall down and rebuild!!!! Must pass out posters!!!! Eeeeek. Must learn how to delegate, more like.
as the crow flies . . .
So, the SpareRoom has played its part in the process of Metamorphosis. For a little over two months, the Group created a show from a wonderful novella by Franz Kafka. We're unable to have the space the week before we open (heart grips in panic every other minute), due to a Butoh workshop that HAD, HAD, HAD to be conducted this very week!!!!!!! No, the workshop was not as flexible as it gets its movers to be, but like all things, GreyZelda is nothing, if not, a Plan B girl. So, Plan B turned out to be having the show as performance ready as possible. We've been doing some basic scene and monologue work the last couple of days, which is really great. Something I've not ever gotten to do as an actor, and I think it's excellent to work with the characters this far into it. Really roll around in the nitty-gritty.
There are lots of things to be accomplished in the next few days: must make programs!!!! must get all costumes!!!! Must send out press photos!!!! Must make press kits!!! Must break wall down and rebuild!!!! Must pass out posters!!!! Eeeeek. Must learn how to delegate, more like.
as the crow flies . . .
Friday, July 30, 2004
Sleazy or good marketing?
Hmmmmm. Lady Crow here. I'm in a state of mulling. I know this fellow female director who lifts people's email addresses from mass mailing in order to advertise her show. Is this sleazy to do? Or good advertising? For a small, new theatre company, it's just getting your information out there. And, if people don't like it then they can simply email and say, "Yo, take me off your list." But, on the other hand, it's like a telephone number. Would I mind if a theatre company called me to say, "Hey, here's our new show . . . check it out!" Nope, I wouldn't. It might be interesting to me. But, I could also see advertisements and reviews and be in the know about it that way. But is that too late?
Mull, mull, mull.
But, the show's going well. I'm really proud of it and the actors have fully committed performances. The music is lovely and I'm thinking the lights will be pretty damn cool. We won't know until we're in the space, of course.
We're performing the opening movement sequence at a Benefit for the Protesters heading to the Republican National Convention this Saturday, July 31st. It's going to be at the SpareRoom, located at the corner of North and Western, so check it out. There will be additional performances by Hedonists, Maybe and others. And a good time will be enjoyed by all, methinks.
OK, that's it. I'm just chillin' like a villain here in the pad on my day off.
Take care all,
Crow
Mull, mull, mull.
But, the show's going well. I'm really proud of it and the actors have fully committed performances. The music is lovely and I'm thinking the lights will be pretty damn cool. We won't know until we're in the space, of course.
We're performing the opening movement sequence at a Benefit for the Protesters heading to the Republican National Convention this Saturday, July 31st. It's going to be at the SpareRoom, located at the corner of North and Western, so check it out. There will be additional performances by Hedonists, Maybe and others. And a good time will be enjoyed by all, methinks.
OK, that's it. I'm just chillin' like a villain here in the pad on my day off.
Take care all,
Crow
Saturday, July 24, 2004
Our first Blog
Sounds like BLOB . . . Mulch doesn't feel like composing a blog today so it's all about the lady. We got the link to this blogging business from www.michaelmoore.com. Check out the site. We would definitely be rabid to vote if Mr. Moore were our man.
So, why have this here ranting space? We're going to let the folks know how the process is going, how GreyZelda is growing, what's going on with us, and everything in between.
We're moving into a crucial week of rehearsal for Metamorphosis. We don't have our rehearsal space the week before the show opens so this week will be an experiment of runthroughs. Charlotte, the lighting designer, comes on Monday and we might be having this guy, Seph, assist us with light board and being an outside eye. We've gotten wonderful feedback about him from Robert, our musician and friend, and Theresa, a lovely soul. Hopefully, that'll work out. What's really great about this process has been the amount of help offered this time around. We were really by ourselves last time but I think the quality of work that was done on One Flea Spare has gotten people into our camp - and not a bad one at that.
The show is its own entity. A creature of our collective imaginings. I hope the people like it but it's not meant to mass entertain. We're hoping to get an audience that transcends the normal theatre going group. But that's everyone's hope. It is what it is and each performance will change. "To change", Mr. Samsa toasts, and there it is.
So, I'm going to make this a short one, just to see how it appears. I hope all who have read this is doing well and if it's just me, well then, I'm turning the corner into Mulch's illness - he's got a summer cold, methinks, and I'm starting to feel some effects of some sorts . . . and it's not wine because it's only one in the afternoon . . . not that that stops some, but . . . .whatever. I'm out.
So, why have this here ranting space? We're going to let the folks know how the process is going, how GreyZelda is growing, what's going on with us, and everything in between.
We're moving into a crucial week of rehearsal for Metamorphosis. We don't have our rehearsal space the week before the show opens so this week will be an experiment of runthroughs. Charlotte, the lighting designer, comes on Monday and we might be having this guy, Seph, assist us with light board and being an outside eye. We've gotten wonderful feedback about him from Robert, our musician and friend, and Theresa, a lovely soul. Hopefully, that'll work out. What's really great about this process has been the amount of help offered this time around. We were really by ourselves last time but I think the quality of work that was done on One Flea Spare has gotten people into our camp - and not a bad one at that.
The show is its own entity. A creature of our collective imaginings. I hope the people like it but it's not meant to mass entertain. We're hoping to get an audience that transcends the normal theatre going group. But that's everyone's hope. It is what it is and each performance will change. "To change", Mr. Samsa toasts, and there it is.
So, I'm going to make this a short one, just to see how it appears. I hope all who have read this is doing well and if it's just me, well then, I'm turning the corner into Mulch's illness - he's got a summer cold, methinks, and I'm starting to feel some effects of some sorts . . . and it's not wine because it's only one in the afternoon . . . not that that stops some, but . . . .whatever. I'm out.
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