Really interesting and challenging things recently. The Playwright’s Project that I mentioned earlier was a new experience for me. What a challenge for the playwrights. Three playwrights have 12 hours to prepare a script with the setting, perhaps a prop, and a cast of three assigned to them The actors are handed a 10 minute script at 9 a.m. the following morning and the show goes up at 8:00 p.m. for an audience. I was reminded of a time when I was asked to go on for a cast member who was ill. I got a call on Monday afternoon to go on Tuesday. No, I was not an understudy and hadn’t seen the script. I spent Monday evening and Tuesday morning working on the script in preparation for a 4 o’clock rehearsal in advance of the 7:30 show. It wasn’t a lead role but – remember, there are no small parts. I love live theatre and its challenges.

I recently attended the 40th anniversary celebration of Theatre for Young America. This group has been entertaining kids for 40 years and giving aspiring actors both adults and children an opportunity to perform in a professional venue along with other theatre professionals. Unable to attend in person but sending greetings via video were several professional ‘alums’ currently working in “the biz” in larger venues. The biggest surprise was when the muppets sent their greetings. No, they didn’t make their premiere appearances at TYA but they were co-workers of someone who did. Fun for all. Congratulations, Theatre for Young America.

What is next?

Next on my list is the Great Plains Theatre production of Driving Miss Daisy. Since the beautiful old building burned earlier this year the play will be in a theatre space on the grounds of the Eisenhower Presidential library. Artistic Director Doug Nuttleman will direct and I will be appearing as Daisy Werthan. The show runs November 7 through 16. Check out their web site: greatplainstheatre.com. I’ll see you in November in Abilene, Kansas.

This past week has presented me with some things which just boggle my mind. They may appear to be logical but somewhat defy my understanding of common sense.

SERVICE FEES.

1)  Seems to me that the cost of something would include the supplier’s operating costs. In other words, “Why should A pay a fee to be allowed to buy something from B.”  Case in point – within the past week I purchased some tickets for which I had a discount coupon. Great, a discount. When the tally was made: the advertised price of the tickets, minus my coupon, plus the “service fee”, the total was still more than the advertised price. To me the underlying message was, “Advertised prices are not always as advertised”.

2) A utility bill, which I must pay of course, shows the usage amounts and cost of the item. The cost is reasonable however the “service fee” which is then added is nearly twice the cost of usage. Wow.  How was that arrived at? Perhaps the board members sat down and said –“ Hey, they can’t get along without this so let’s tack on an exorbitant “service fee” and make even more profit.”  Oh well.

PASSWORDS

While I certainly understand the need for files to be protected in this age of internet hacking, spying and identity theft, my mind is beginning to wobble.

1)  My collection of passwords is now 2 ½ pages long.  Once you pass about ten or twelve passwords the ease of remembering them all disappears. So, okay I’ll just make them logical – – –

Oops, the rules are different for each required use.  e.g. Must have minimum of 6 (or 8 or 10 characters). Cannot include #, $, %, ^, &,*.  Must have at least 1 (or 2 or 3) capital letters. Must contain at least 1 (or 2) non-alpha characters. Etc. etc. etc.

And, of course one is encouraged to make them different, make them unique and change them often.

2) Recently I set up a library e-read account. Of course I needed a password to open my electronic reader, a different password to get into my library account and another unique password to be created for the e-read section of the library. Got the account all set up – don’t remember having to create an e-read password, I thought I had simply used my library card pin. Ahhh!  Sat down later to read the book I thought I had checked out and the program asked for my ‘password’.  After trying my library pin, several versions of some of the passwords I use, my email password(s), and everything else I could come up with as “logical” I gave up and used the device to play Scrabble instead.

3) I could go on and on about passwords but its time for me to get out my 2½  pages of passwords and change them all according to the rules of each one. Should be able to finish that in a couple weeks.  Do you share these frustrations? Let me know by contacting me by email and use the word Frustration as the subject.

(By the way, my passwords are also on my computer in a password protected file. I can’t remember its password for anymore so I had to put them on that old staple we call paper.  

New Works

The third annual Project Playwright is scheduled for the last two weekends in August (23, 24 & 30, 31 to be exact). The playwrights gather on Friday evening to receive their challenge for Saturday. They write a ten minute play about an assigned topic and then on Saturday morning they meet with a director and assigned cast members. The shows are rehearsed all day and put before the audience that evening.

Déjà vu– the same thing happen Saturday/Sunday once again resulting in an evening performance. Who decides which playwrights move on to the next session? You, members of the audience become the ‘critics’.  The last weekend in August will result in a final determination naming one playwright the critic choice for the year.

Sounds like great fun and a challenging experience for all involved. I will be appearing in one or more of the presentations during those two weekends. Sure worth your time to see professional playwrights in action.

All shows are at the Arts Asylum, 1000 East 9^th Street in Kansas City, MO. Tickets are $10 each evening or get all four nights for just $25. I don’t know what my role(s) will be yet but yours can be “critic”.

Check projectplaywright.com to find out more (or to see how I have confused the process).

See you there.

 AND

 It’s What Theatres Do and What Theatre People Believe in – – – THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

I’m sure the news of the fire destroying the beautiful building housing Great Plains Theatre has been heard by the acting community all over the U.S. What a shame to lose such a landmark building and displace the theatre company which has worked so hard to bring professional theatre to the area. The staff is committed to working toward continuing the season. Artistic Director Doug Nuttleman has said the season will continue. Let’s hope the same for next year’s season.

CLICK on their website and see what the season’s productions are. Pick a show or two or three and make a day trip to Abilene to support this enterprise. Be sure that Driving Miss Daisy is one of your choices. It will be my great pleasure to take the role of Daisy Werthan. Don’t know the venue yet but feel sure it will be a wonderful place to see the show.

So, hope to see you in November for the Great Plains Theatre production of Driving Miss Daisy. Show is scheduled to run November 7 through 16. Location to be announced.

Bonita

Did you ever notice that the TV station you are watching advertises itself? Or that magazines usually devote a full page ad encouraging you to buy the magazine again or, better yet, to subscribe and have it delivered weekly/monthly, etc.? Interviews with well-known actors/authors/producers and such always seem to come down to the new movie, the new role, the new book, the new production.  Publicity, that’s what it’s all about. Those being interviewed  want to get the word out about their work. This is a most reasonable and important part of the industry – promotion/self-promotion.

Why should I be any different from them? In the spirit of promotion/self-promotion I have conducted the following interview with myself:

 BBQ:  (That’s “Bonita’s Blog Questions”, not food)  So, Ms. Hanson, do you have anything exciting on the horizon?

 Bonita:  I am glad you asked. November 7 through 16 I will be appearing at the Great Plains Theatre as Daisy Werthan in Driving Miss Daisy.  I am excited to have this opportunity and encourage people to come to this delightful and insightful play.

BBQ:  Who is your director for the piece?

 Bonita:  The fabulous Doug Nuttleman will direct.  I have worked with Doug before and really admire his approach and dedication to the work.

 BBQ:  Have you met your co-stars?

Bonita: Unfortunately not. Last time I spoke with Doug he was in the process of finalizing casting for those roles. I do know that Hoke will be played by Horace Smith.  He’s from Knoxville, TN.  And coming in from Indianapolis, IN is Mark Fishback and he’ll be portraying Boolie.  I know we will have a great time together.

 BBQ:  Anything more you would like to communicate to our readers?

 Bonita:  Only this, the play premiered in New York City in April of 1987. It is one of the classics that continues to be produced. It follows Daisy, Boolie and Hoke through the years of 1948 to 1973 and yet is timeless its message is timeless.  This will be a welcome challenge for me.

 BBQ:  How do we get tickets?

 Bonita:  You can call the theatre at 785-263-4574 or order online at www.greatplainstheatre.com. Hope to see you there.

 BBQ:  Thank you for sharing this information. I’ll be there and will certainly encourage others to attend as well.

 

            Ok, I’ll admit I probably spend too much time watching television. The mute button helps when the overly loud commercials come on but still they leave me feeling some frustration. These are some of the things I have noticed:

1)         If a new commercial features a sleeping baby so others must whisper, you can be sure another commercial for a different product will feature a sleeping baby so other participants whisper. Currently – at least two with entirely different products are airing.

2)         And, yes . . . I know different camera angles can enhance the view but if I knew from the onset what product the commercial was touting, I might find this more inviting. Sometimes I try to guess what is being advertised only to find out at the end of the fascinating 30 seconds that what I have just seen seems to bear no relationship at all to what I am supposed to be encouraged to buy.

3)         Production values of national commercials are often slicker than local ones. I feel sure it’s the amount of money spent that makes that so. And, I am sorry to say, many local ones feature owners and “real people” that couldn’t sell me a bottle of water in the desert. Just not convincing. National ones may have better production values but seldom anything really clever.

4)         I find it interesting to keep count of every time the screen flashes a different image. The editors must really enjoy putting together these tiny pieces meant to impress. 20 images in 30 seconds? Seems to me that gives little time to consider the action. Is this a reason kids have such short attention spans?

5)         I do enjoy many of the European commercials. Do they have a better sense of humor? Yearly there is broadcast a collection of the ‘best’ commercials of the year. Many are European – and one does not need to speak the language to laugh and get the message.

There are other aspects of commercials on tv I could mention but we will leave it for now. At least the commercials are catching my interest even though they provide me with no incentive to buy.

A better reason to write about this might be that it keeps me from commenting on politics.