Red Right Hand

MASTERMIND - HIS BOMB IS TICK(ET)ING

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:27:00 +0000

Over this last weekend, I attended a rehearsal for the upcoming run of Mastermind at the Eclectic Company Theatre this July 10-19 (tickets now available). I can assure you now, it's gonna rawk.

And here's the thing - I fully admit - I was not sure of it's rawkitude until last Saturday. I was hoping for the best, to be sure, but I handed over my script and it found it's way into the hands of a director. It could have been a crap director who decided to stage it full of absurdist symbolism, with Liz played by a man dressed as a giant opium-smoking hamster.*

Luckily, this is not the case. Susan Lee is directing and with actor Brad Wilcox have devised a version of the main character I had not previously imagined. Wilcox, who reminds me, in turns, of both a young Scott Bakula and a whatever-his-current-age Nathan Fillion. And this is appropriate, because if you dig the Firefly aesthetic, then you're gonna dig the look of this version of the titular super-villain.

It's a little scary handing over your work to be interpreted, but then if you're looking to make a career of out of scriptery, that's exactly what's gonna happen (unless you're all auteurish or something). It's fucking thrilling though when the results surprise you favorably.

As I said, tickets are now available: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/71273

Go the the Facebook page here, mark that you're attending...invite all your friends.

*Though, let's not be so hasty to write that idea off.

WHY THE THREE NAMES?

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:45:00 +0000

I'm not being pretentious, or excessively Irish...or a serial killer. I'm just distinguishing myself from these tools.

And the 33 other guys on IMDB.

COOL STUFF BY PEOPLE I KNOW

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:39:00 +0000

The Knightmare

Pulpy goodness from the Mad Pulp Bastard himself. I likes me a little pulp now and then, but this guy is the pulp master and he proves it in The Knightmare.

As a fan of the old timey Shadow radio shows, this audio drama by Bill Cunningham and produced by the Decoder Ring Theatre is right up my alley and the Bastard nailed it. Check it out, it's free and awesome and it comes in two chapters, two chapters.

Fury of Solace

Originally begun as an entry for the Dr. Horrible contest that had fans producing their own applications for the Evil League of Evil. Now, creator and star Emmett Furey is hard at work spinning it into a multi-media empire. In July he starts it as an online series, but with the twist that not every episode is int he same format. Some are videos, some are comics, there's music and minisodes. I can't wait for this to get underway. Emmet is also one of the brains behind Bumps In the Night on Strike.tv. Check it out, for 'tis a fine ghost hunting comedy.

In Plain Sight

"A Frond in Need" was written by Brynn Malone. She's cool and an awesome giver of notes in my writers group. Watchable online at the moment.

The Commune

I only know her internetularly, but I'm sure that will change sooner or later, but Elisabeth Fies has made what is, by all accounts, a kick-ass horror flick. I really wanted to see it at the Dances With Films festival, but couldn't make it, so I'm hoping that sooner, rather than later, I'll get another opportunity. Theatrical release, DVD...just gimme some creepy.

I'm even more excited to see Pistoleras. A female spaghetti western, How cool izzat? She's gotta make it first, though.

I intend to make this cool stuff a recurring feature, so people I know should get crackin' on making cool stuff.

MASTERMIND @ ECT

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:21:00 +0000

Mastermind will be plying his villainy at the Eclectic Company Theatre in July. Specifically, July 10-12 and 17-19. A total of six performances. Tix are fifteen bones. Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM and Sundays at a delightful 2PM. Have some lunch, go see Mastermind.

Written by me. Directed by Susan Lee. Starring Brad Wilcox and Beth Ricketson.

GEEK THEORY #3: THE WEST WING

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:58:00 +0000

In the West Wing Universe, the elections happen on different even numbered years and there are past fictional presidents, yet real life U.S. and presidential history is referred to as well. At one point did the real world diverge into the Sorkinverse? With the aid of some TV history, some real history, some conspiracy theories and a little too much Cherry Dr. Pepper, I shall endeavor to answer this conundrum that has plagued mankind for the last 18 seconds.

First, the facts.

Nixon is mentioned by name at least twice in the series. Specifically, in "17 People" and "Access." There is no mention, that I recall, specifically of Carter, Reagan, Bush the Elder, or Bubba. While there may be mention of policies or something that might be tied to those administrations, that can be reattributed to a fictional president. Also, in regards to Nixon, in "Six Meetings Before Lunch" there is mention of the panda(s) gifted the U.S. by China, which could lead one back to Nixon, but I'm not going to assume that and we already have a couple of Nixon references (only one actually puts him in the White House though).

We know of two predecessors to Bartlet. Lassiter, a two-term Republican, and D.Wire Newman, a single term democrat.

This only accounts for half the years between Nixon's resignation in 1974 and Bartlet's election in 1998. We know that Bartlet succeeded a Republican, so it was likely Lassiter. This would put his administration running from 1990-98. Thus, Newman's term was probably (but not necessarily) 1986-1990.

The change is narrowed from 1974-1986. With no mentions of who was in office in that period, it could be fictional or reality-based. Or both. Rather than take a full-on dump in sandbox I do not own, let's just pee a little by basing the shift from our world to Sorkin's on something already existing in reality. And then spinning it wildly like a coked-out ballet dancer.

Let's say that Ford took over for Nixon and was succeeded by Carter who then lost to Reagan as it was in real life. But what happened after that to move the election cycle two years and cause Democratic and Republican eras to essentially become reversed? That's some fuckin' upheaval, son.

These are also facts. Reagan was shot by John Hinckley. John Hinckley's brother is Scott Hinckley who knew Neil Bush, son of George Bush (I). They were alleged to be friendly and were set for a dinner engagement that was cancelled after John went bat-shit crazy. The Hinckley's had an only company. We know that the Bush family likes oil companies (Neil worked for Amoco at the time) and have worked for and/or owed them.

Hinckley had a history of being a little bat-shit already. He was prescribed drugs by a psychiatrist. He had previously been detained in what was likely an attempt to kill Jimmy Carter. He had guns with, crossed state lines and a journal detailing his plan. He was released.

Bush (I) was a former director of the CIA for year, not that long before running with Reagan. The CIA ran mind control experiments.

Here's where I go off the rails.

While in he was the DCI, perhaps he went noodling around in the files of people he and his family knew. He found John Hinckley was part of a program to create sleeper assassins in an extension of MK-Ultra, called MK-Omega. There were given bizarre psychoses (impress young actresses) to mask their underlying program (in his case, eliminate troublesome presidents). His programming misfired or accidentally activated at one point and he tried to go after Carter, but rather than lose the asset, the Company had him set free.

Reagan taps Bush for the Veep spot in '80 and, as in real life, they win. Now he's in a power position, more so if that pesky former actor were dead. Bush activates Hinckley. Hinckley is successful. Reagan is dead, Bush is now in position to carryout his family's fascist leanings (Prescott Bush was a huge dick too). It's now April 1st (apropos, no?) 1981 and Bush is sworn in.

However, John Chancellor on NBC news first uncovers the Neil Bush/Scott Hinckley connection. It is followed up and eventually the whole conspiracy is unraveled. Coming so soon after Watergate, the nation can scarcely take this level of shenanigans (to put it lightly). Bush in impeached and indicted. Bush's appointed vice president, former Secretary of State Alexander Haig gets to finally utter the words he did in real life "I'm in control here." But Tip O'Neill ain't having it. Trust has deteriorated too far in the country and in a special joint session of congress, a special election is enacted. Haig vetoes. The veto is overturned by the required majority and in 1982, the presidential cycle is reset.

Who was President from 1982-1990?

Julia Mansfield.

It was such a disaster that no one talks about it...ever. Whoever the next female president is, that's the first one.

NEXT GEEK THEORY:
I don't have one. I'm open to suggestions.

GEEK THEORY #2: DOCTOR WHO

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:18:00 +0000

If you don't watch Doctor Who, just don't bother.

And by the way, you're missing out on one of the most fun and best written shows currently in production. You...Dave...are you watching this? Why not?

So, in the original series of Doctor Who, it had been expressly stated that Time Lords can regenerate 12 times, allowing for a total of thirteen possible incarnations. It has been demonstrated that this limit can be cheated by a few means.

The Master employed some of the nastier ones, like hijacking bodies for his own use. The High Council of Time Lords had at one point offered the Master a new cycle of regenerations for his cooperation and success in a mission to save the Doctor. He cooperated...for a while. Then he tried to kill him, so no new cycle for him.

This is the key to my theory. Time Lords are not born with regenerative abilities. In fact, let's not even call Time Lords a race, even though that's what the Doctor does. Gallifreyans might be a race, but Time Lords are what they become, through selections and training. There have been references to Time Lord Academies, after all.

In the only Eighth Doctor adventure, the Master had plotted to steal new regenerations by jacking something called the Eye of Harmony. It is an artificial black hole that powers all the Time Lord's endeavors, including, apparently, all the TARDISes. Either there's a mini one on board or it's a connection to the main one or something, I dunno. I don't care.

My theory is such that the Time Lords grant themselves regenerations using the power of the Eye of Harmony. They capped it at twelve for philosophical, legal, and/or practical reasons but ultimately, since they control it, they can change their own rules and offer the Master more regenerations of they want. General rule though: You get twelve and then you die.

Since Time Lord's are linked to their TARDISes psychically, then they can access the Eye whenever they get killed, inside or out of the TARDIS. most of the Doctor's have happened outside.

When the Master regenerated from Derek Jacobi to John Simm in the new series, he'd already gone past his twelve and at least two hijacked bodies. Who knows how he wound up looking like Derek Jacobi. He did it anyway. He was in a TARDIS at the time. Not his, but being a Time Lord, it's not unreasonable to think that he could establish a link to one when he's fucking in it.

But what of the limit?

Well, the Time Lords are all dead. There's no one around to enforce the limit. The Master went to town. Kid in an infinite energy candy store. He not only regenerated for an umpteenth time, he seemed to even choose his appearance (something that had been established when Romanaregenerated in the original series).

So, no worries that the Doctor is starting to run out of lives like a Super Mario player who's gone well past his level of Troopa-trampling competence. He's about to hit his eleventh incarnation. (i.e. ten regenerations). He's only got two left. Nope. he's got as many as he wants as he has the only (known) remaining access to an/the Eye of Harmony. So we get to the end of the thirteenth Doctor (let's call him James) and a little writhing and pretty pretty lights and we get a fourteenth doctor (let's call him Russell). Business as usual.

NEXT GEEK THEORY (maybe):
At what point did the West Wing universe divert from our own and what caused the presidential election cycle to shift two years and was it the same thing in both cases?

GEEK THEORY #1: LOST

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:40:00 +0000

This has spoiler's for "The Incident," the last episode of the fifth season of Lost. It's that fucking simple. You read any further, it's your damn problem. Why do I keep apostrophizing plural s's. Not that one, though.

By the way, on an unrelated note, my personal rule about spoiler warning is: After one year from date of release or transmission, there are no spoiler warnings. Suck it. You've had time and obviously, you didn't care about it that much to watch/read/ingest it. It doesn't come up that much. The only time I remember being called on it was revealing that "Jack" is Tyler Durden three years after the Fight Club flick came out. This being in a group of people who I knew had pretty much all seen it...apparently except that guy. He had at least 1,100 days to see it. NO guilt.

For some reason, I've spent inordinate amounts of time thinking about some aspect or another of certain shows. Now, for a television writer, on the surface, this doesn't sound too odd. It could be mental spec prep or meeting prep or something.

No. This is me totally geeking out in a way I've not been prone to that much unless provoked...by other geeks. Unless I am spec'ing something, I generally try not to overly speculate on things. Largely because if I'm right, I feel kind of cheated. I start thinking "If I could have written that, why didn't I get paid to do it." I want it to be something I would never think of...and yet be totally perfect, set up and pay off.

So this is first in a series of, I dunno...three or four. Also, use the comments to suggest things for me to theorize about. Like "What was in Inara's syringe if it wasn't for suicide?" in Firefly? But not that, because that's been outed (and not about Book's past either. It's kind of obvious. He was an Operative. End of story).

Now, on to it. This isn't so much a theory of what the smoke monster is as who it is.

It's that guy.

The guy on the rock, not the guy on the log.

And now he's using his smoke monstery abilities to be this guy.

The guy with the orange shirt, not guy with the paper hat.

This is not exactly supported by the following but fits the following:

That Locke is not Locke, because Locke is dead and unceremoniously dumped out a cargo box.

When last Ben Linus tried to call upon the smoke monster (or Cerberus, as named by Radzinski on his glow in the dark map), it didn't come out to play. Because he was already standing right there, looking like Terry O'Quinn.

When Locke first encounter Smoky, he saw a bright light. When Eko encountered him, he saw flashbacks of his life and was killed for not confessing his past sins. For not being evil enough? Because, yeah, it's probably Jacob is the good and his black shirted friend is the evil, in plain simple visual terms. Maybe he saw light because smoke monster was checking him out to kinda be his tool for...whatever he's doing. Maybe it was a brain scan. Maybe it knew it was going to have to be Locke one day. With all the timey-wimey stuff going on, I'm sure there's some possibility of knowing this.

Smoky can only take the forms of the dead, maybe. Kinda like The First on Buffy. He appeared as Eko's dead bro-ham. And that's why fake Locke told Richard to tell real Locke he had to die.

Smoky lives in an underground temple. Jacob lives under an old statue. There's some parity in that. Suggests they've both been there quite a while. Both are are full of Egypty stuff. Side note: I think Richard Alpert is Egyptian or something. Explains the eyeliner. I've seen that mentioned elsewhere though and has no real bearing on this.

They both wear black.

NEXT GEEK THEORY: DOCTOR WHO
Why we don't have to worry about the Doctor running out of regenerations and why the Master had no problem doing so despite the fact that he ran out of 'em a long time ago.

NO REASON

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:11:00 +0000

THINGS THAT ARE THE WAY THEY ARE

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:59:00 +0000

I am currently exactly halfway through my Fringe spec, currently titled "The Gain." The Leverage spec that had been mentioned previous has been mothballed...for now anyway. Area Four's initial vomit draft is completed and will be put through the notes ringer...later, right now I'm returning to a previous pilot for tweaking.

A feature script is in the preliminary stages. It may either be a feature version of The Black House or of Mastermind.

Mastermind will be produced in July by the Eclectic Company Theatre in North Hollywood. There will be six performances as a part of their Hurricane Season Festival of New Plays. There will be more about that later.

And it also appears that Mastermind may be produced this summer in Canada. More on the "international premiere" as it develops.

There's one thing that I'm not going to tell you about. But it was huge. For me.

I've got to dash off a new Auslander shortly. Likely set in Mexico and titled "Viva El Extranjero!" Also, there is news pending regarding The Auslander...watch out for that at some point.

Had a bunch of meetings around town, all of which went in varying degrees of well, however the staffing environment being what it is, all are likely all just groundwork for the future.

KHAAAAAAN!

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:21:00 +0000

A meditation on the greatest moment in the history of film. (LA Weekly)

COMING IN JULY

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Fri, 29 May 2009 20:05:00 +0000

"There will be mind control drugs in your pancakes."

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Tue, 26 May 2009 08:50:00 +0000

Bloody brilliant, these are.

Movies redone as vintage paperback covers.

OK, getting back to work now.

Here I am/I'm the master of your destiny...

TOWEL DAY

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Mon, 25 May 2009 20:53:00 +0000

Honoring the date two weeks after the death of Douglas Adams (rather than the date itself). As Adams is easily one of my top five most influential writers (you know, to me), I cannot let this pass this year.

Allow this to be my virtual towel. This is a clip from the extras on the Doctor Who: "City of Death" DVD. It has fuck-all to do with Doctor Who, so have a watch.

I'M IN THE LAB

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:29:00 +0000

You would think that between staffing season meetings and the upfronts news and the cancellation of Marvel's best super-hero comic, I'd have something to post about.

Nah. I'm busy. I'm working on shit.

Why aren't you - you know - working on shit?

FRANK
Hi, this is Frank over at St. Claire’s. Is Walter Bishop there?
INTERCUT:
INT. WALTER’S LAB - NIGHT
ASTRID’s doing some filework. The lab is dark, except for the glow of her flatscreen monitor. Handset lodged in the crook of her neck. Too busy to stop working.
ASTRID
No, I’m afraid he’s not in right now. Is there anything wrong?
FRANK
So he’s not dead or nothing?
ASTRID
No. Of course not.
FRANK
When was the last time you saw him?
ASTRID
A few hours ago.
FRANK
So he could be? He could be dead now?
Okay, now she'll stop working.
ASTRID
What’s going on?
FRANK
I think I thought I saw his ghost or something.
Off Astrid; weirded and worried.

By the way, Glee. Dug it. Feel a little dirty about that.

"KICK OUT THE JAMS"

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:08:00 +0000

street sweeper social club (w/ trent reznor)
san diego, ca
5.16.09

"TERRIBLE LIE"

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Mon, 18 May 2009 01:41:00 +0000

nine inch nails
san diego, ca
5.16.09

I AM A LEAF ON THE WIND-- NO. NOT THAT. THAT DOESN'T END WELL.

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Wed, 13 May 2009 19:03:00 +0000

It is considered, in any culture that matters, that when you're killing time before your meeting outside The Grill at Uni, should you spy a space pilot or deranged multiple-personality killing machine it is a sign of good luck.

In other news, it appears that Mastermind shall once again be on the boards. Details are not yet finalized, but this time I don't have to produce it myself. I look forward to showing up and watching it. Watch this space for updates.

In other, other news, I'm reconsidering the Southland spec. I'm getting kinda itchy to do a Fringe spec. Though with the events of the final, there might be some rethinking to do there as well. I've gotta decide soon if there's any chance of squeezing it in for any of the program deadlines in the summer.

In other other news, Star Trek kicked sweet, sweet space ass. As a reformed Trekkie, it made me giddy with...giddyness. And it's in continuity...unfortunately, it leaves Enterprise completely intact. Those first three seasons...gah. Did enjoy the reference to Archer's beagle all the same.

NOTHING EVER ENDS

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:51:00 +0000

The last NIN tour starts today. The first new Star Trek starts today.

Mash up!!!

AREA FOUR: PAGE SIX

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Mon, 04 May 2009 14:53:00 +0000

Finished the vomit draft of Area Four last night. More or less. Now it goes to...the group.

EXT. VACANT LOT - LOW QUALITY VIDEO - NIGHT (TEN YEARS AGO)
Outside somewhere. Too dark know exactly where it is. Lots of GANGBANGER youths and boom box blaring “Got Your Money” by O.D.B. in the b.g.
YOUNG TAEWON (20, hip-hop gangsta) pulls a YOUNG LUTHER CRUMP (18, Bulls t-shirt, skinny and as comfortable as a rabbit at a dog track).
TAEWON
And yo, this is our boy, know what I’m sayin'?
CAMERA OPERATOR (O.S.)
Say it, dawg.
YOUNG LUTHER
My name is Luther Crump.
CAMERA OPERATOR (O.S.)
And what?
YOUNG LUTHER
And I’m eighteen. Eighteen years old.
TAEWON
Yeah. He be legal and what-not.
CAMERA OPERATOR (O.S.)
What you gonna be when you grow up?
YOUNG LUTHER
(with no enthusiasm at all)
I’m going to be a Chicago Police Officer.
EXT. AREA FOUR HEADQUARTERS - DAY (PRESENT)
A press conference. LUTHER CRUMP (28, CPD dress blues, only marginally more comfortable stiffly reading prepared remarks behind a dozen tv microphones).
LUTHER
Those were the words I frequently said to myself as a young man. I know what you’re thinking. “When was that? Yesterday?”
Among the officials is DETECTIVE JIM “SWERVE” SWIERCZYNSKI (40s, testing the limits of department fitness guidelines as much as the stitching on his cheap suit). He’s standing beside DEPUTY CHIEF KURT RUTZ (little more years, little less weight, crisp uniform).
SWERVE
Press for a new detective? Really?
RUTZ
Don’t.
SWERVE
You know, I took an impressive dump this morning. Think we should get channel nine down here for that?

THE AMNESIAC AVENGER STRIKES AGAIN

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:19:00 +0000

Yes, I do seem to have an affinity for bad guys that forget they're bad guys.

The latest issue of Astonishing Adventures has hit the internets. Soon, the hardcopy will be available at Amazon.com. Previous issues are still available.

Continuing my unbroken streak, this issue contains yet another adventures of The Auslander, this time with art by Larry Nodolsky. "My Hostage, My Hero" finds the mysterious foreigner with a debilitating injury and minutes to stop a diabolical plot. Whats a good guy to do? Force somebody to help him, what else?

It was not the first time the white-haired foreigner had heard the crack of bone. It wasn’t even the first time in the last two minutes. It was, however, the first time that the cracking sound had emanated from his own body.

And check it out, the Mad Pulp Bastard himself, Bill Cunningham has a story in it. It's called "Passover" and I think I'll go read it right now.

Open publication - Free publishing - More short stories

And soon, I should have some interesting Auslander news.

THINGS, STUFF AND A COUPLE OF VIDEOS

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:15:00 +0000

These are things I could have written about but didn't because I was all wrapped up doing Mastermind.

PALEYFEST - DOLLHOUSE

Pretty cool. A lot of the rightmost panelists didn't talk a lot, but Joss did. It's easy to listen to him talk about anything on account of him being, you know, witty. Nothing major in the way of news that came out it, but it was certainly interesting from the perspective of a series with network troubles and a somewhat disgruntled exec.

Matt Roush, Joss, Eliza, Fran, Dichen, Miracle, Craft & Fain

Saw five people I know there. Probably missed another five.

In other Joss news, he won the Bradbury Award at the Nebulas.

PALEYFEST - PUSHING DAISIES

Certainly benefited from the more-fun-with-an-audience effect. Not that I didn't like Pushing Daisies in the first place. Very cool to see the last three episodes on the big screen. I'll not spoil them as they will air next month or so and be out on DVD.

Except to say that closure is provided, abruptly, but not unsatisfyingly.

Fuller was present and unofficially announced a 12 "episode" continuation of Pushing Daisies from DC Comics.

Watched with Josh and Jul Weiss-Roessler (who can be found at Boring Future Generations and Pink Raygun respectively) and an Unidentified Individual of Some Import. Cat and Fiddle. It was warm and there was an unusually high douchebag quotient outside, so we got the big corner booth. We spoke of pilot progress, sobering realizations, live theatre, job opportunities, lack thereof, and the fact that the J's had seen both my evil twin and the UISI's earlier that day.

There was some question that I am the evil twin and he was the good one, but...no.

WRITING

Returning to it after having been preoccupied. Thinking about not finishing the Leverage spec. I'm not sure it's working. Though maybe finishing, subjecting it to the writers group and a rewrite might cover things. Wanted to get it done for the programs this year, but might go with Mad Men instead...or Southland. If I get to that quickly.

Yeah, seriously considering Southland. It's looking pretty viable at the mo'. Holding off though, while I finish my own (Chicago) cop show...now called Area Four. I settled on Area Four because it's the police region that covers a lot of gang territory while also covering the gentrified/hipster/white collar neighborhoods like Humboldt Park and Wicker Park. Midtown and West Side.

And I've been convinced to attempt a feature script again. Haven't done in some while. It'll be a feature version of Mastermind.

RANDOMISH VIDEO

You've probably seen this by now. If not...here it is. Carousel by Adam Berg.

MASTERMIND KILLS ('CUZ THAT'S WHAT HE DOES)

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:39:00 +0000

Mastermind's premiere performance went off pretty damned well, if I say. And I do have a tendency to just remember the things that went wrong, even if no one else was aware of them.

However, I'm scarcely objective. So look at these couple of reviews (in the links), from people who are generally really objective about stuff and not just people I know.

Emily Blake of Bamboo Killers says:

The play was funny, tragic and beautiful. I didn't look at my watch at all. Actually I don't have a watch but if I did I wouldn't have looked at it.

And Josh Weiss-Roessler, he of Boring Future Generations said:

With a twisty "am-I-a-supervillain?" story and rapid-fire dialogue that plays like a strange, cool marriage between Joss Whedon and Aaron Sorkin , Sullivan's play is equal parts tense and funny, with wit and creativity to spare.

~~Their checks are in the mail.~~ Their PayPal is being processed.
A great thanks to all those who found the time to come to a fairly warmish little theatre on a very nice Saturday night to check out my endeavor. And it looks like I'll have made back my expenses.

I've had work on the stage before, but this is the first time I was solely responsible for getting it up on its feet and doing so in three weeks was nerve-wracking to say the least, but my cast and crew pulled it all together in awesome fashion.

Mastermind will hit the boards again if I have anything to say about it. Hopefully with the original cast intact. They rock.

J. Claude's mom was there. I thanked her for having him.

MASTERMIND IS ABOUT TO UNLEASH HIS FIENDISH PLOT

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:27:00 +0000

Mastermind is tomorrow, April 18 at 8PM. Details if you click the logo.

I want you to come. I want you to bring your friends. I want you to bring your enemies.

It's been a peculiar three weeks as I've gone from thinking "there's no way I can put on a play from scratch in three weeks" to putting on a play from scratch in three weeks. And I owe the three faces below immensely for joining me in this mad endeavor. I'm also grateful to Hollie Overton for hooking me up these guys.

Meet the cast of the premiere of Mastermind.

J. Claude Deering got his BFA from NYU's Tisch School, studying primarily at Stella Adler Studios.

He's appeared on Entourage and Criminal Minds and just finished shooting the ABC pilot Inside the Box. He also appeared in the film The Ugly Truth. This summer he will join the 2009 Williamstown Non Equity Company.

Katharine Brandt is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and has studied at the Stella Adler Studio and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Recent film and theatre credits include Tape (the Elephant Theatre), Hamlet and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare in the Cemetery), the stage premiere of Federico Fellini's Il Bidone (Rushforth Productions), Twelfth Night (Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre, London), and Deception (LA Int'l Short Film Festival winner).

She is the co-founder of Tall Blonde Productions and a co-creator of LA's Shakespeare in the Cemetery at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Jonathan Runyon is a graduate of the Stella Adler Theater Conservatory in New York City. He recently finished a four month run of the play Taking Steps at the Odyssey Theatre.

His television credits include appearances on Criminal Minds, The West Wing, and Mad Men.

MASTERMIND

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:15:00 +0000

Online tix here.

SORKIN CONSIDERING NEW SERIES IDEA

noreply@blogger.com (m) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 12:05:00 +0000

From Entertainment Weekly:

Word is that Sorkin is mulling over the idea of a new TV drama that takes a behind-the-scenes look at a cable news program (think: Keith Olbermann's show on MSNBC).

Yes. That would be good. That would be perfect. It would let Sorkin get all Sorkiny on issues like he likes to do and actually be in a place to do it. Not, like...say a late night sketch show in LA.

And since he did Sports Night, in which Josh Charles played a character not entirely unlike Keith Olbermann, he should get Charles (he's not really doing anything) and get him to play Dan Rydell again.

He should totally build a Sorkinverse. He's come close. West Wing did vaguely reference The American President once ot twice. And Studio 60 namechecked the law firm that Sam Seaborn worked for.

And BTW, tickets are still available for Mastermind, next Saturday. They are only available online in advance, so go click, get, and see you there.