The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

We briefly talked about this actor, Lisbeth Salander, who appears in the film. She definitely seems like she did a good job on the film from watching this short clip. It's amazing how lucky she got!

http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/12037

Jim Parsons

So once, awhile back, we spent part of a class discussing our favourite actors and I even shared one with you on the blog before (NPH!), so I decided to share another: Jim Parsons. If you’ve ever been around when I’ve gotten a text message, you’ll know how much I adore the Big Bang Theory. But a big part of the magic of that show is Jim Parson’s character, Sheldon. I think the thing I like the most about his work is his specificity to his character. Especially after all we’ve learned in this class, you really start to notice things that he does to completely embody the character, like how he utilizes objects, for example. But even further than that into the way he talks, the way he moves, the way he looks at people, and even the way he laughs. So I want to attach an article for you about him. It’s mostly about his work on the show, but it also talks about his roots in theatre in Texas. I thought was really great, for example, the fact the he was a founding member of a company in Houston. So check out the article and check out big bang theory!

Jim Parsons!

Sword Fights!

I found this video compiling clips of the Top Ten Sword Fights and I right away wanted to share it. I’ve actually been searching for something like it to share with you all for a while because last year when we did stage combat in voice and movement 2, I really became attached to it. I’m one of those people that needs to feel like the are doing things the “right way.” Well that doesn’t really exist here in our major, but I think because stage combat is so specific and precise, I’m really comfortable doing it. It even helped me become more comfortable and confident doing other activities in the class. So because of this, now when I see a great fight scene, I’m immediately drawn to it. So one or two of the ones in here are a little silly and not quite as interesting as the others in my opinion, but overall it’s real fun to take a look at.

Sword Fights!

Quilling!

So I’ve showed a bunch of different art things on here that were new to me and I have one more that I found. It’s called quilling! Basically it’s an art form where you cut paper into strips, roll them and then put them together to design a picture of sorts. The explanation sound s a little lame so you’ll have to check out the photos from the website below because I was definitely impressed. I really love art forms like this that use such simple concepts, but truly create something fantastic, like origami, for example. The process of quilling surprisingly dates all the way back to the renaissance and later became a hobby in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. If you look at the pictures, I really love how when the different colored strips are put together and the way the light hits it, it creates shadows and blends the colors! It’s something I’d actually even like to attempt myself.

Quilling!

Much Ado About Nothing

So I posted a while ago about Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, so you can probably tell I’m big Joss Whedon fan. Well, he’s done something kind of similar again, which brings me so much joy you can’t even imagine. This time, he’s doing a modern version of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing! It is adapted and directed by Joss Whedon, of course and was completely filmed in only 12 days. The coolest part is that the film will be the very first feature from Bellwether, a micro-studio created just for the production of small, independent narratives for all media. It’s all about coming up with ideas, getting them out there, and “embracing a DIY ethos,” something we saw with Dr. Horrible. So I hope you will all anxiously await the release next year with me!

Much Ado About Nothing

John Hurt discusses...

Actor John Hurt discusses on Charlie Rose his experience of being apart of Samuel Beckett's "Krapp's Last Tape."I really enjoyed watching this video because I learned a tremendous amount from Hurt's acting, and his technique. I also find Beckett to be an extraordinary writer, making the actor be that much more engulfed in his own imagination, as well as the script.

http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/12035

Carnage: The Movie

This review is very interesting because it discusses the tribulations of how sometimes theatre can't be put successfully on film. "In the theater the audience and the actors occupy the same space, which in this case means that the spectators are complicit in the ritual scourging taking place onstage. Theatrical space is already a world unto itself. But in Mr. Polanski’s film we are continually, literally aware of the world beyond the Longstreets’ apartment, which is visible through their windows. And this knowledge makes their bickering and posturing seem both unreal and trivial."


http://movies.nytimes.com/2011/12/16/movies/roman-polanskis-carnage-with-jodie-foster-review.html?src=dayp

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

In class, we sometimes discuss certain mannerisms on the t. The different people, their reactions to us, and how we go about throughout the course of the ride. In this Berlin train, the people find the joy in one another and fully crack up at one another. It's very funny to watch, and i bet you can't keep a straight face.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeauvE1M7qc&feature=player_embedded

"ONE ENERGETIC ACTOR"

Matt and I were discussing this hilarious actor named Chris Lilley from Summer Heights High, a television series that he created, writes for, and acts in. There are 3 main characters and he plays all three roles. Truly a great show if none of you have seen it yet. Also, I'm attaching a trailer to his new movie called Angry Boys, and it also looks pretty comical. I like him as an actor because he really is so versatile, being able to play many characters in an instant. Check out the trailer! My favorite is the skateboarder's mother.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXo81hWhfQ0

The Clock

So I’ve been meaning to get to the MFA all semester and now that I’m done finals, I finally went yesterday. While I was there I saw the exhibit that they have showing Christian Marclay’s film, The Clock (2010). So basically the film is a composition of thousands of clips from a large range of films, each showing one minute of the 24 hours in the day. The coolest part is that it’s played so that it is synchronized with the accurate time wherever in the world it is played. Therefore, when I went in the theatre at 5:27, the scene playing showed the time 5:27. So each clip has some sort of time-telling device such as watches, clock towers, sundials, alarm clocks, and so on. It’s really interesting to take a look at and apparently took several years to find and compile all the videos, i can;t even imagine how difficult that must of been. Anyways it’s still playing til December 31 and the MFA is free for us so you should check it out if you’re interested!

The Clock

Actors and roles

I'm not sure how the process of shosing actors for movies works exactly, but I do know that when you're trying to make a serious drama movie based on a real live tragedy, having an icon of comedy play a serious role in the movie is not a clever thing to do. I've seen many cases where they do this such as having Jim Carrey or Eddy Murphy play serious roles, but having Liza Kudrow from Friends act in Wonderland was definitely not a good choice in my opinion. It might help her career to get her out of the comedy box in which she is trapped, but It definitely doesn't help the movie. Although, luckily, she did such a great job, you almost forgot that she was Phoebe from Friends, but then she does this "Phoebe" gestures during the movie that just bring you back to thinkin ...." Ohhhh shit! I'm watching a movie...I'm not engaged in the story anymore... She is Phoebe from Friends....

A merit that Howard Hughes never was given, was the fact that not only he contributed in a tremendous way to the aviation Industry, as well as to the Film industry, but he also had many other businesses and companies such as the Hughe Tools which manufactured many of the tools we use today to repair things. But also, he was a real actor as well, people say he had a gift for acting that he never intended to make a big deal out of it. Rumors say, however, that he was planning on producing and acting in a film about a romance in between air wars. Who knows if he could've been a big influence in the acting world. Sometimes you're not aware of certain gifts that you have, just because the opportunity of knowing it never showed up  in your life. 

Friends

Tv shows like Friends, are like a live theater play. There's almost not stoping, and they have an audience that is watching them at all times. Friends is an example of what I would consider good funny acting. If you notice during the performance of the characters in the series, you would notice that their actions are very precise and since it's  a comedy show, you can understand how beat changes can make acting funny. 

Also a Friends, feature film might be coming soon to theaters, so heads up!

Cirque Do Soleil Mystere

The first time I went to a Cirque Do Soleil show was in las Vegas when I was 7 yrs old with my mom. And I thought it was absolutely amazing! Now some years later, I look back at tht specific show Mystere, which is a permanent show in Treasure Island in Las Vegas, and I think about how are the performers and musicians able to perform or play with the same feeling or enthusiasm, if they play this same show twice or 3 times everyday for many years... It must be really tiring to do the same act or play the same song for many years. you have any thoughts about how they deal with this? my thoughts are that they have every scene, movement, or note so memorized, that it just becomes a natural thing and part of the job. They loose the feeling and emotion, and become almost mechanical and specific. like matt mentioned the other day in class. If an actor writes at the end of every line in a script the thoughts and actions of that specific line, then you can play a scene as many times as you want, the same exact way. 

Toccata and Fugue on a step-piano!

I have no clue who these girls are, but this is awesome.  The play Toccata and Fugue on a step-piano! I have always wanted to play with one of these since I saw the movie "Big", but I haven't been able to find one... :(

Civilian action too much?

There's a viral video circulating around of a civilian getting thrown off the train in the UK by another civilian.  Maybe you all have seen/ heard of it.  It's got over 1 million views on Youtube.  I've read a few responses to the incident, but I really wanted to know what the victim had to say.

He looks like he was on the wrong side of a bruiser, if you ask me.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/offbeat/ticket-furore-man-paid-his-fare-16090995.html?r=RSS/

Your Own Theatrical Table Reading

By 

Full article Here: 


http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/staging-your-own-theatrical-table-reading/?ref=theater

HBO Go Mobile App Headed to Canada

TORONTO – Canada's Astral Media is bringing the HBO Go mobile app north of the border as it steps up its competitive fight against Netflix Canada.

The broadcaster isn’t alone.

Domestic mobile and cable giant Rogers Communications has unveiled Rogers Live TV, an iPad app that allows subscribers to stream live TV channels on the go.

The latest moves by Canadian players follows Netflix Canada crossing the one million subscriber mark locally in a growing online fight for Canadian eyeballs.

Astral Media CEO Ian Greenberg,told shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting that acquiring the HBO Go streaming product will allow subscribers of The Movie Network, a domestic pay TV channel, to access programming “when they want it, and on the device of their choice."

Greenberg said the HBO Go on demand product will be rolled out in the second half of 2012.

Astral's TMN has a supply deal with HBO for its top series like True Blood and Boardwalk Empire, and the Canadian broadcaster also operates HBO Canada in partnership with Corus Entertainment.

Rival Rogers Communications also has TV anywhere on any device in mind with its Rogers Live TV iPad app, now available for download via iTunes Canada.

The initial beta app can stream 20 channels on the iPad, with more channels to follow.

The Rogers Live TV app will officially launch in early 2012, with a version for Android tablets in the works.

Have you think about it?

If you are in Theater major, or you like acting, then you should know this: I was thinking the other day, that Northeastern not only produces good theater plays often, and not only it's located near the Huntington/ BU theater, but it's also very centralized in the city. This means that for some reason, you might call it luck, it is near many theaters and performing spaces were you can see great plays all year around without having to go to NY or  Europe.... this means that you should take advantage of this and watch more theater and movies than you usually do, and take advantage of this before you look back and say..." Jesus Christ, I should have watched more plays when I was in school... I mean the theater was like a block away... duh. 

On the set

I got an e-mail from my little sister, which contained a 30 minute video of many clips from behind the cameras "on set" scenes from Harry Potter "Deadly Hollows" movie. I find it very interesting due to the fact that in this clips, you can really notice whether the actors are great actors or not, because cameras make acting look better sometimes, but when you se a film actor performing on set-- it is a whole different story. Take a look at it and you will see what I'm talking about. Do you still think "Harry Potter" is a good actor?


Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvIv9XEINhM

Amy Adams

During the semester we've been discussing about actors we think are great performers. Well... I think i just found my favorite actress after Dakota Fanning. Her name is Amy Adams, I've been watching her in several movies for the past years, and I'm amazed by her versatility as an actress. She is incredibly committed to her roles, and amazingly talented. 

I recommend you take a look at some of her films, and you'll realize what I'm talking about. 

Her are some films i would recommend watching, were her performance is great.

Drop dead gorgeous

Enchanted

Cruel Intensions 2 

The Slaughter Rule, 

Pumpkin 

Serving Sara

Catch Me If You Can 

The Last Run 

The Wedding Date

Good choice.

AMC Lands Rights to 'CSI: Miami'

In a deal with CBS Television Distribution, the cable network will begin airing the David Caruso procedural on Jan. 2.

David Caruso is joining the likes of zombies, cowboys and ad men.

In a deal with CBS Television Distribution, male-skewing cable network AMC has picked up the rights to CBS' veteran procedural CSI: Miami, marking its first off-net acquisition.

The home to The Walking Dead, Hell on Wheels and Mad Men announced Friday that it has licensed the first 10 seasons of the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation spinoff starring Caruso as a former homicide detective as he leads a team investigating crimes in Miami.

“CSI: Miami is one of television's most powerful franchises, and AMC is proud to add it into our programming lineup," said Tom Halleen, senior vp programming and scheduling at AMC. "Dramatic storytelling is expressed at AMCthrough our library of celebrated films, award-winning original series, and now is further complemented through our first off-net series, CSI: Miami."

Currently airing its 10th season on CBS, the deal also includes two additional seasons should the procedural continue on into Seasons 11 and 

Lame or Interesting?

Lifetime Moves Forward With 'Blue Lagoon' Remake

Neil Meron, Judith Verno and Craig Zadan will serve as executive producers on the film.

Columbia Pictures

"The Blue Lagoon"

Lifetime has greenlit a remake of The Blue Lagoon.

The original 1980 feature, starring Brooke Shields, followed a shipwrecked boy and girl who are marooned on a tropical island and mature without the intervention of grown-ups. The Blue Lagoon grossed $58.9 million in the domestic box office that year. The success of the film spawned the 1991 sequel, Return to the Blue Lagoon, which introduced audiences to Milla Jovovich.

Casting is already under way on the new film, with a start date being eyed for early next year.

Neil Meron (Footloose, Smash), Judith Verno (The Craigslist Killer, Justice for Natalee Holloway) and Craig Zadan (Footloose, Smash) will serve as executive producers on the Lifetime project. Storyline

Finally.

Marrakech Film Festival Winners Announced

See full article here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/marrakech-film-festival-winners-jessica-chastain-272122

Tough Decision.

'Planet of the Apes,' 'Harry Potter' and 'Transformers' Shortlisted for Visual Effects Oscar Category

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences names its list of 15 awards contenders.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/planet-of-the-apes-harry-potter-transformers-oscar-272044

617 The Series!

Since we talked a lot about how we are fully capable of making theatre happen on our own terms I thought I would share my facebook find.  A group of twenty-something year olds has gotten together and with two of them spear-heading the whole project have created their own series.  617 The Series is independently created, funded, and operated.  It's crazy but it keeps all of these actors employed and as you can probably tell by the title, it's going on right here in Boston!  Also, most of us know our own NEU Theatre Department graduate Michael Underhill!  I'm currently watching their first episode on their website.  You can learn more about the project by watching this short video which boasts some pretty amazing stats.  So here's to some creativity-- it's like the post-college version of Friends in our own backyard!

Urban Nutcracker

One of the girls in the Linguistics department was telling me about how she spent last night at the ballet watching the Nutcracker but then she mentioned that there was a debate between that and the Urban Nutcracker.  I hadn't heard of that so of course I had to know more at which point she pulled out a metro with an ad.  So when I was looking for it online I stumbled on not one but two different urban Nutcracker productions-- they're complete opposites too!

Option A: Arts meets diversity...

Take a little Tchaikovsky and twist it with some Duke Ellington and you'll have BalletRox's Urban Nutcracker.  BalletRox combines young student dancers and professional dancers to create a ranging production.  They took the Victorian English setting and switched it to contemporary Boston, added dancers who practice over four different types of dance, a musical twist, and created a great display to the commitment that BalletRox has to the community.  It is currently being presented for the second year at the Wheelock Family Theater.

Option B: [WARNING it's not for the faint of heart!]

The Somerville Theater has decided to put their own spin on a Christmas classic entitled... wait for it... The Slutcracker (Disclaimer: I am not making this up).  What does this entail?  Basically it's a "Burlesque Spectacular."  This has been described as "some next level shit" by the Boston Phoenix and I'm not surprised.  You can watch the YouTube clip and you will probably agree.


I'll let you decide which one you'd prefer to watch, no judgments here, but it's a great way to enjoy your holiday season if you can!

Tax Breaks for Theatre

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/theaterloop/chi-tax-breaks-for-broadway-shows-in-new-legislation-20111213,0,4954771.column

In Illinois, new legislation has passed in which tax credit will be given to theatre producers for up to 2 million dollars a year. It's awesome that theatre is still being kept alive although many consider it a dying art. It's crucial that we keep finding ways to fund what is important to us.

A Pumpkin or A Carriage to the Broadway Ball?

I feel like a little girl BUT Cinderella is in the works for the 2012-2013 Broadway season!  It is the only musical written for TV.  This, again, sounds like an interesting concept however, they are taking some creative liberties with this production.  For example, there are no parents in the production, the king and queen don't live in the castle with the prince... it's all a little topsy-turvy but it still sparks my interest.  I'm so curious to see how this all pans out because this could either be a pumpkin or a carriage...

A Reconceived "Cinderella"

Children as the target

Almost three years ago I interned in a marketing department of the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) in RI.  So, as a part of my job description I got to put together the press kits and send out the mailings about the upcoming season.  My love of musical theatre and plays comes from having aunts and parents who continuously took me to see productions while growing up.  I remember when 101 Dalmations was going to PPAC and all of the performances were sold out rather quickly.  I didn't get it, I hadn't really heard of the production and was a little confused as to why this production as opposed to other top-notch Broadway musicals was so popular.  The one factor I never considered: kids!  Apparently, kids are beginning to make up a part of theatre audiences all over.  In Australia, one columnist writes about her own experience with her four year old daughter who saw a flyer for a production based on her favorite show and suddenly she was taking her daughter to the theatre and the ballet.  I guess kids aren't always my first thought when I think theatre but hey I guess I was one of them and I bet some of you were too.  It's interesting that now there are more plays, musicals, ballets, etc. that are specifically targeting children but it's a great market to corner.

Austin Powers-- The Musical!?!?!?

About the most surprising news I have heard all day-- Austin Powers is being turned into a musical.  I'm not sure how I feel about this-- I agree the movies are hilarious but I'm a little bit weary about putting this on stage.  Interestingly, Mike Myers is working on the script and a prequel about how Austin Powers got his mojo in the first place.  Now, I love musicals and I hope that this turns out really well and isn't a flop... but who knows!

Austin Powers the Musical?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/offbeat/story/2011/12/13/austin-powers-musical.html

So here's an example of why musicals have a bad name. It's because people take really superficial stories and put cheesey music to them. Why do people feel the need to put these movies like Spiderman and Austin Powers on the stage? Why not take a piece of real theatre that has the audience considering social change and put good music to it? It's because money drives business and people are more likely to spend money on musicals that were once popular movies instead of looking to see theatre with significance. So let's try to make some meaningful musical theatre.

The Blue Dragon...Comic Book Style!

I have never heard of this before so bear with me because I think it's so interesting!  Robert Lepage who is known for his interest in changing how people see theatre, has definitely opened my eyes.  Lepage turned his play The Blue Dragon into a graphic novel instead of publishing the script.  He hired an artist in Canada to create all of the images that he created in the play.  Every piece of dialogue is included in the 176 page graphic novel and there is even a comic version of Lepage himself!  Here's a little taste of what the finished product looks like!  There is a bit of a cinematographic spin on the images in the book but it adds to the overall effect.  Be sure to read the text underneath the photos because they give some interesting information like in order to avoid overcrowding the text bubbles with the lines in the play, the artist inserted the extra text at the bottom or sides of the page with little character heads!

The Blue Dragon Images

From Stage to Page

Accents speak louder than race!

So many of you know that I’m also a psychology major, but the thing I’m interested in most is social psychology, which is why this article I want to share with you really sparked my interest. The article is about how accents affect our relationships and I think being theatre majors we all understand the importance of voice and talked about how accents can affect a piece. The article explains that as humans we create relationship networks largely based on the race, gender and age of others. But recent research shows that when you add accents to the mix, race becomes less important and we are instead drawn more to people with the same accents as ourselves. Interestingly, it is most often the case that people with non-native accents will be discriminated against even if they are fluent speakers of the language. I’ve kind of experienced this myself speaking German with my American accent to Austrians in Vienna, so I can assure it’s true and another reason why I was drawn to this article. You should really check it out, it’s very interesting!

Accents speak louder than race

Spinning Dancer

So I’ve always really loved optical illusions. When I was little the Sunday paper always had one at the back and to be honest, it was the only reason I ever picked up a newspaper at that age. So I don’t know if any of you have ever heard of the spinning dancer, but I came across it for the first time recently. It’s supposed to appear as though it is spinning both clockwise AND counterclockwise. Well, I’m sure many of you are skeptical, as I was to begin with. I kept staring and staring, but it only turned one way and then finally just as I was about to give up and close the window, it began turning the other way! I was still skeptical assuming it was a video and it changed to spin the other way on it’s own and it wasn’t an optical illusion. So I called Tara over and made her look as well. Finally, after a minute of looking at the piece, it changed for her too! We were still skeptical until we discovered that for me it was turning counterclockwise and for her it was turning clockwise! So check it out cause it’s really fun to stare at for a while and watch it switch back and forth!

Spinning Dancer

Prejudice Runs Rampant

So, we all know that prejudice and stigmas of race relations in this country are not as "in the past" as most would like them to be.  In fact, the method of white supremacist thought still pervades our lives everyday.  I'm not saying that people are still blatantly going out of their ways to lynch and burn black people alive (even though crimes of that nature DO still happen), but the method of thought instituted in this country, way back whenever, is still rammed down our throats even today!  It's just done in a more widely accepted and less obviously offensive way.  Nowadays, the preferred method of delivery for this (excuse me) fucked up thinking is purported through mainstream entertainment.  Old prejudices are still there, but turned to nuance that most Americans, with our focuses elsewhere, either don't notice or turn a blind eye to.
Think about it.  Just 50 years ago, Black-Americans were being sprayed by water hoses, chased down by dogs like prey in the wild, and hung from trees and burned alive.  All done in the name of "preserving the peace" "the greater good" and "domestic tranquility" and "protection of civil rights."  Do you REALLY think that after only 50 years and a black president that that instituted white supremacist thought of oppression has been erased from the minds, lives, laws, government and culture of America?  I think not.

I ain't sayin'.  I'm just sayin'...

Anyway...the thing that sparked that was a comedic article I ran across on cracked.com.  They're pretty hilarious, honestly.  They make very good points, but it's funny.  So, it's not too hard on those that prefer not to discuss "unpleasant things".

It's called: "5 Old-Timey Prejudices That Still Show Up in Every Movie"

Check it out: http://www.cracked.com/article_19549_5-old-timey-prejudices-that-still-show-up-in-every-movie.html?wa_user1=2&wa_user2=Movies+%26+TV&wa_user3=article&wa_user4=trending_now

gangsta fight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xkh6j7RMqk

At first this seems like a gang fight caught on tape, but then

as the video goes you see what it actually is. These guys

created a low budget video but also incorporated some technology

and a story to it. I like it when the unexpected happens.

The Hobbit in 3D

I have never actually been a fan of 3D movies. I tend to avoid them like the plague, but I just watched this blog about the making of the Hobbit in 3D and it has changed my opinion. What is most fascinating is how much everything has to change in order to shoot the movie in 3D. Everything from the fabric, the color saturation of the set, and the makeup has to be rethought. They also explain the inner workings of the RED camera and the process of shooting a movie in 3D. I think I might also be biased because one of the cameras they shoot with is named Perkins.

THE HOBBIT

GO the Fok to Sleep

I was in Borders last night and I saw what looked like an awesome children's book, but upon looking at it closer it was clearly not a children's book. This book is called Go the Fuck to Sleep and is one of the most hilarious books I have read. It is structured like a child's bed time story but it is written more for the parents than for the children. I talked to Jenna about it later and she told me that Samuel L. Jackson does an audio reading of it. I listened to it and almost fell off of my chair laughing. I just had to put it up here because it is so freaking funny.

GO THE FOK TO SLEEP

The Three Stooges MOVIE 2012

Finally, I've been waiting for the day when the three bonehead characters will work on a project in my generation. I can't wait to see this. I think that the editing of noises when one character hits another is precise and hilarious. Regardless of the reviews and criticisms for this movie, I will watch it and enjoy it! Come on, the trio is frickin' ridiculously funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4IoUo_ZJkY&feature=share

Boston is the Place to Be!

I found it very interesting how many young actors are finding more jobs and success while living in Boston, rather than moving to New York and "taking it by storm".  After some have been educated in Boston, they feel its much more opportunistic when already knowing people and companies in the area. In this article from the Boston Globe Arts section, many actors are profiled with their thoughts of staying in Boston to satisfy their acting desire. Who knew that Boston was becoming a huge part of the theatre scene??

http://bostonglobe.com/arts/2011/11/27/boston-theater-youth-revival/mS0RY5XSqNkFqHFVSOcKZP/story.html

Edgar Muller- Fantastic Artist

Go to the the website, http://www.metanamorph.com/ , then go to Past tab then 3D Art. Click on "The Crevasse". From there, you can watch how the 3D street painting in Ireland is made! It was presented for the "Festival of World Culture." Its very artistic and interesting how with the 3D Art, an environment of depth can be created.

Julius Caesar- An EPIC scene; I hate the word epic, but its actually relevant in this case

I watched the Rome HBO version of Julius Caesar a few months ago, and I particularly remembered the scene where Caesar gets murdered. Spoiler ALERT: He does get murdered. Watching it seriously made me want to become a better actor. It is an awesome scene with great actors. I encourage you all to watch it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FvgP5hO99o

The Quality Most Needed – by Laurette Taylor

In this article, Laurette Taylor, an actress, discusses beauty as it relates to the art form. Also, she talk about how success is trivialized and put into different meanings. She then goes onto saying that imagination is the forefront most important aspect of an actor's work. This article intrigued me because of all the female actresses in Acting 3, but I also think it can be applied for us male actors as well. Take a look at it!

http://www.sheilaomalley.com/?p=388

Shameless Self-Promotion #2

One of my friends from high school recently recorded his first music video and got his song on itunes. It is not the most important thing going on in the entertainment world right now, however I am really proud of him. He has been working for years writing his own songs, and performing around the city. He is studying music and made his dream of a music video come true. I think it is just a testament to the fact that we really can do whatever we want, we just have to stop being lazy and do it. So please support my friend Alex. Watch his video and share it with others. Not to mention it is a pretty catchy tune.

BREAK UP SONG

Voice-Over Tips

I'm forever looking for advice to get ahead in "the Biz", so I cam across this little nugget that I thought could be very useful to those that may be interested in expanding our talents beyond the stage.  It's basically a compilation of tips from various casting directors, producers and directors on how to stand out and get that first gig.  Check it out!

http://www.awn.com/mag/issue4.06/4.06pages/kenyon/voicesurvey.php3/

AWD

Hey Guys, You should all check out this totally super awesome video that our own Jenna Stelmok and Marlee Delia made for their advanced writing in the disciplines class. It’s a reflective portfolio of all the work that they did in the semester, but they put an inventive twist on the project (accents and silly names included). I’m really not a big fan of writing and since I still need to take this class myself, it’s cool to see that they had the opportunity to do something really fun like a video. You should all take a break from studying to check it out, especially since I think a lot of you haven’t taken the class either. Spoiler Alert: voice over by Matt Gray.

Video Part 1

Video Part 2

45 most powerful images of 2011

Anita actually sent me this link, but it is amazing. Buzzfeed made a list of the 45 most powerful images of 2011. So many of these pictures are inspiring. I was talking to Juliana and Kelsey and these pictures made us want to write plays. Particularly for me the pictures of people being pepper sprayed during occupy movements spoke to me. It was the apathetic looks on the police officers faces while they are injuring non-violent protestors that truly lit the fire under my butt and make me wants to write a play about this. On top of these photos being inspirational they are beautiful as well. Take a look at them, you never know what will spark your interest.

45 MOST POWERFUL IMAGES

Improv Everywhere

First off, we should improv everywhere. Secondly, there is a really cool company called improv everywhere and they do fun little things around NY and around the world. They basically just want to bring fun back to the world. What is interesting about it is that it is a very public and inviting way to get people to accept performance art. Improv everywhere has done many things, dancing in store windows, the pantsless subway ride, and the city wide dance party. On there website the founder is talking about doing creative things around the city and how it connects everyone that watches it. Watch their videos they are so funny!

IMPROV EVERYWHERE

Skateboard Sculptures

http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2011/11/22/skateboard-sculptures/

I found this website of "skateboard sculptures" and I thought they were really cool. Each sculpture is not carved from a block of wood but layered together with only skateboard pieces. This made me think of the subtext we talked about in class for the before the door, the purpose of the subtext being to define every connecting moment of thought. This is just like the pieces of skateboards that are layered back to back with each other. It may seem like too many skateboards when starting out, but we see in the end result that they are all necessary to fill out the sculptures and give them depth without leaving any spaces empty. Therefore, our thoughts as the character are like the skateboard pieces and without enough we do not have a beautiful piece of art.

In the Name of the People

The oldest theatre in Rome, Italy has been under occupation for the last five months.  The Teatro Valle has been occupied in the name of the people-- some have called it a cultural revolution.  Talk began to circulate about the possibility of the theater becoming privatized or being turned into a restaurant.  The people of the city stepped in and began the occupation demanding for the theater to belong to the city or to the people.  The fight of the people is not just about the theater but about the downfall of funding for the arts in the area.   You can learn more from the article-- it's a fight for the arts in the midst of all the occupations occurring worldwide.

How Texture Effects Us

I found this cool article about the top 10 psychological studies of 2010. They're all pretty cool but I was especially interested in the second. It talks about how our tactile sensations can effect how difficult or easy we perceive something to be. It says that after touching something rough we are more likely to think that our following action is difficult than if we had been touching something smooth. Its really astounding that just the texture of something can effect us so much. The other studies it mentions are also interesting, there's one about how to better your willpower which I know is something I need going into finals week.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-science-success/201012/the-top-10-psychology-studies-2010

Serial Killer Story- The Zodiac Killer

I've been reading a bunch of articles of some pretty sickening murders. One of which was the Zodiac Killer. As we discussed last class, these killers have weird comforts and intentions of trying to get caught or leaving clues. I've been trying to find the motive of each of these unidentified killers. For example, the Zodiac Killer's watch and finger prints were left for police to find. Why?

http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/zodiac/river_1.html

The Truth About Ballet and Heath Problems

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/8934279/Ballerina-lifts-lid-on-health-problems-rife-in-industry.html

Ballerina Mariafrancesca Garritano has written a book called The Truth, Please, About Ballet. In it she describes the eating disorders ballerinas commonly suffer from due to the pressures of theatre directors and dance instructors. Although most people know the ballerina stereotype to be stick thin, it is terrible that size should make a difference within the art form. Garritano describes how unhealthy the profession can be. It's really a shame because I know very talented dancers who are an average healthy weight, but would perhaps not be wanted in the business because of it. Discrimination is the same whether it be racial, sexist, or aesthetic.

Quotes to Inspire

http://www.performingartsconvention.org/advocacy/id%253D28

Check out these quotes that promote dedicating your life to the arts. They're pretty cool.

Stigma of Theatre and Poverty

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/theatreblog/2011/nov/30/no-money-in-theatre

I love this article. I think it addresses a critical issue in every young theatre-person's career. We are all told theatre is not a money making field, but does this narrow what we think we can achieve? The article says it all perfectly. I know that we hinder ourselves if we do not believe that we can do anything.

MY LIFE AMONG THE SERIAL KILLERS

by Helen Morrison M.D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Morrison

Spontaneous Song

This may be completely unrelated to anything, but I thought it was pretty cool at the time. My family is awesome. And I think you guys deserve a sneak peek into my life at home. It was my Dad's 50th bday on the 26th, and after cake and ice cream, we were sitting around the dining room table just chatting. We all had cups for drinking, and once I got bored, I turned mine over and began banging on the table with it. This video I took captures a bit of what followed for about 20 minutes after that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=FXvh7ywhxHc

Old Movie Magic

So since I’m headed to London next semester I’ve been trying to read up more on U.K. news, especially reading reviews on what shows are playing and what I’ll be able to see when I’m there. In the midst of my research I came across this article yesterday about that old movie magic and how it’s something we just don’t see anymore. For example, It’s a Wonderful Life is mentioned and being my father’s all-time favourite movie, it’s one I’ve seen countless times. For me that movie is powerful and you come out differently on the other side having watched it. The article talks a lot about how movies today don’t have that kind of passion anymore because movies are made instead to sell. Who could possibly disagree with that? But this writer also has hope for some new movies coming out: Spielberg’s War Horse, Scorsese’s Hugo, and Hazanavicius’ The Artist. He thinks these movies might be a step in the right direction towards getting back that old movie magic. So check out the article below, it pretty interesting.

The return of that old movie magic

Chinese Acrobats

So I’ve always been a big fan of cirque du soleil. I think the work is astounding and I love to watch and I’m sure many others would agree. So this summer when I had the opportunity to see Chinese acrobats perform, I jumped on it because they reminded me of cirque du soleil. I was very much in awe and really loved it despite my constant gasps of fear every time they tried something I deemed completely impossible. I had never even heard of Chinese acrobatics until this summer, but it’s actually a very important part of traditional Chinese performing arts dating back over 2000 years. They do all kinds of crazy balancing acts, impossible jumps, and move into such positions, I’m sure they must not have bones. They also used many instruments such as bowls, chairs, bikes, hoops, springboards, poles, and a few items I’ve never seen before so I couldn’t possibly tell you what they are. You should really look at the two videos I put below because my explanation doesn’t nearly do it justice. These performers are truly incredible and I don’t feel as though they get near enough recognition for it!

Video 1

Video 2

Stop Motion Animation

I found an amazing stop motion animation video under 3 min (3 min movies aren't a crazy idea!) and just thought it would be a fun thing to share. It utilizes google maps street view too which is pretty cool.

ADDRESS IS APPROXIMATE

Are we crazy?

A big problem that we have as creative people is that we are very harsh with ourselves. We like to bash our own work just because we feel we are not good enough. I found a TED talk with the author of Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert talking on this very subject. The basis of her talk examines going back to the early ideas of creativity. Theatre during the Greek and Roman time was thought to be from a divine source. Supposedly there was a personal spirit guide to help with projects for each person. If someone someone made was not successful it was there for not all their fault, the god did not "show up" for his part of the job. That is not to say that we can place all success on this guide, but it takes some of the pressure off. Creativity and suffering do not have to go hand in hand. When work is surrounded by support and open-mindedness it is more successful. Something that Elizabeth Gilbert brings up is that it is not healthy to be so destructive while working on creative projects. I think it it a very good point and one I am going to try and keep in mind. The video is about 20 min., but it is so fascinating to listen to. Please listen to it, it really changed my view on things.

ELIZABETH GILBERT TED TALK

Painted People

http://www.woohome.com/art-design/painting-on-bodies/3608

I found these pictures of Alexa Meade's art that she calls "Living Still Lifes." It is fascinating to see the paintings half done because at first I couldn't tell that they were real people they look so much like paintings. I never see art projects like this out in public. It must be so cool to see first hand - a living, moving painting. It shows how easily our eyes can be fooled and gets people to take a second look when most people have their heads buried into something else and have their iPods in. It is certainly attention grabbing.

Naked with Pigs

http://www.emptykingdom.com/main/featured/empty-kingdom-interview-miru-kim/

Miru Kim is a photographer who created a series called The Pig That Therefore I Am. I think her desire to roll around with pigs is bizarre, however, I admire that she brings to light the similarities between pigs and humans. Kim talks about the dissection of a fetal pig that she had to perform which made her want to explore the equality of humans and pigs after seeing their similar anatomy. In seventh grade I too had to dissect a fetal pig and I never ate the meat of a pig again after that. Today I am a vegetarian and I think this piece of Kim's art speaks loudly about how close we are too what we slaughter, and I think that's something to take a look at.

Spray Paint Art

So, I was just introduced to something called spray paint art. So I don’t know if many people know what this is cause I definitely had never heard of it and it sounds like it could be graffiti art, but it's actually completely different because it’s not done on the side of buildings, but rather most often on poster boards. So what’s really cool about this is that it’s usually done as a performance often on street in large urban cities. So the artists will usually create landscapes like planets, comets, pyramids, city scenes, and things of the like. Often, a really important part of the art is the music that the artists will use to accompany the performance because it will not only affect the painting, but the experience for the spectators, as well. For me it was so cool because when I first started watching one of the videos below (not knowing what it was), I couldn’t help, but think it was bullshit, but then as he kept going and I could see the colors combining and it actually started turning into something. I was really in awe of it by the time it finished so I really wanted to share it with you guys. The first video is the first one I ever watched that introduced me to this and the one after it is just one of the paintings that I really love.

Video One

Video Two

So I read this article in the paper this morning and I tried to find it online so I could share it with you guys and I was able to find this link which allowed me to view the entire article so hopefully it works the same for you. Anyways, basically it’s an article talking about how Boston is becoming more of a place to forge a career rather than just being the early stepping-stones that jumpstart it. A lot of people talked about how they would much rather stay here in Boston than move on to New York City and it’s now really possible to make it their long-term professional home. Which is something they said you really didn’t see possible as early as just a decade ago. I thought it was really cool how one of the girls talked about how it’s become a special community of artists here doing great work even though they might not have the big budgets you’d see on Broadway. I just feel that it was always the general idea among the pubic (and maybe this is just where I grew up) that making it in theatre equals New York, but that’s not really the case anymore and it’s nice to know that others are taking notice too. So I really like this article and I hope you guys check it out.

Boston theater’s youth revival