Pics of Great God at TCC-SE

Another one in the books. I Have Angered a Great God played March 12-14 at Tarrant County College-Southeast Campus with a student cast and crew. I directed (and wrote it, had a cameo and was a member of the backstage crew). It was a very difficult rehearsal/production process, but the show came out fine.

 Here are a few photos of the production.

Mia Jimenez as Roberta Von Ritchie Ritchie and Noah Flores as the Great God

Mia Jimenez as Roberta Von Ritchie Ritchie and Tamie Tubbs as Martha

Emma Woodley as Therapist jones and Mia Jimenez as Roberta Von Ritchie Ritchie

Tamia Tubbs as Martha, Noah Flores as the Great God and Mia Jimenez as Roberta Von Ritchie Ritchie 

Mia Jimenez as Roberta Von Ritchie Ritchie and Noah Flores as the Great God

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Great God in the TCC Collegian

 

SE student Emma Woodley, playing Therapist Jones, speaks to the Tiki God, played by Noah Flores,
during a rehearsal of “I Have Angered a Great God.” [photo: Alex Hoben]

TCC-SE comedy tackles phone etiquette issue

Production delivers witty commentary with song, dance, Tiki god
FRED NGUYEN, campus editor
March 12, 2025

Through snappy dialogue, odd situations and the help of a few songs, SE Campus’ production of “I Have Angered a Great God” explores etiquette and self-awareness in the modern age.

The play follows Roberta, a woman constantly on her phone with her quirky ex-bestfriend Martha, who retraces her steps with the melodramatic therapist Jones to find out how she angered a Tiki god with anger-management issues.

“I Have Angered a Great God” takes viewers through flashbacks of absurd situations and, like most of McEntire’s plays, features song and dance numbers. The play is written by SE adjunct Brad McEntire and will be his third play performed at SE Campus.

An experienced playwright, McEntire also works in non-profit theater. He originally planned to have the play take place through text messages but ultimately decided against it.

“Watching a person text is about as theatrical as watching paint dry,” he said in an email. “It is utterly boring and isolating in life to watch someone text in front of you. So, texts became spoken conversations for the sake of the play.”

SE student Emma Woodley plays therapist Jones, who is treating both Roberta and the Tiki god for their problems. Despite being a last-minute addition after a fellow actor got hurt and was unable to fill the role, Woodley said she was happy with how the show was coming together.

“It’s been pretty challenging, but also kind of rewarding,” she said. “I know it’s really hard to not have the full amount of time to fully get it, but I think it’s gonna go well.”

In the opening act, therapist Jones tries to help Roberta and the Tiki God work through their problems but often goes on tangents about her personal life. Woodley said Jones is the only sane character in the entire play.

“She’s the one that’s connected to every single character,” she said. “She’s trying to make sure the great God doesn’t get angry. She’s trying to understand what Roberta did. She’s trying to understand Martha and her crazy, awesome mind. It’s like she’s the one that kind of pieces everybody together.”

“I Have Angered a Great God” will be SE student Tamia Tubbs’ first main role in a play. She plays the now-ex-best-friend Martha and said the experience of working on the play has been great.

“I go home like, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse,” she said. “I want to make sure I get my lines down. Make sure I’m very clear, make sure I got the dance right.”

McEntire wrote the play after noticing how unaware of each other people have gotten in recent years. He said etiquette has been one of the casualties of contemporary culture.

“It helps us get along as people,” he said in an email. “I miss a certain level of empathy, decorum and politeness that used to be a part of everyday life. It might be my imagination, but people used to seem aware of each other without treating each other as, you know, other.”
For Tubbs, the play is about not being distracted by your phone all the time.

“Personally, I am on my phone a lot, but I’m very aware of my surroundings,” she said. “I wouldn’t relate to Roberta and her situation. I think I’ll make someone mad because I’m too focused on my phone.”

The play will run from March 12 -14.

Admission is pay what you can and was done to make the play as accessible as possible.

 Donations will go to scholarships for students in the theater department.

Woodley said viewers should turn their phones off for this play.

“Stop scrolling it and just enjoy,” she said. “This is a show about etiquette, manners and phone etiquette. So then, best to just pay attention and be aware of your surroundings.

Original post: https://collegian.tccd.edu/52821/entertainment/se-comedy-tackles-phone-etiquette-issue/

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I HAVE ANGERED A GREAT GOD coming to TCC-SE

 

(click on to enlarge)

My play I Have Angered a Great God will be presented soon at Tarrant County College's Theatre Southest.

This is a full-length expanded version of the one-act I wrote back in 2010 for Austin's Frontera Fest and the Out of the Loop Fest in Addison.

Here's the blurb:
Roberta has somehow angered a Great God. She retraces her steps over the past few days to see where things went so horribly, horribly wrong. This task might be easier if she weren’t constantly, obliviously, on her phone talking with his now-ex-best-friend Martha, who barely made it into MENSA. I HAVE ANGERED A GREAT GOD explores what happens when contemporary cell phone etiquette meets an ancient elemental force: a Tiki God with anger-management issues... 

I am directing and am also playing a small part i had to write in. And I am part of the stage crew moving things n and off stage. Student cast and crew.

Dates and Times
• Evenings: March 12-14 at 7:30 p.m.
• Matinee: March 14 at 1:30 p.m.

Location:
C.A. Roberson Theatre, ESEC 1401,Tarrant County College, Southeast Campus, 2100 Southwestern Parkway, Arlington, TX

Admission is pay what you can. The box office opens one hour before performances for walk-up tickets (no reservations). Proceeds support TCC Southeast drama activities and scholarships.

More info: https://news.tccd.edu/2025/03/04/i-have-angered-a-great-god-opens-at-tcc-southeast/

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The Actor-Manager Production System of the 1700s

The 1700s marked a transformative period in the history of theatre, characterized by the emergence and widespread adoption of the actor-manager production system. This system, where a leading actor would also assume the role of manager, profoundly shaped theatrical practices and the evolution of performance art during the era. The rise of the actor-manager system was driven by cultural, economic, and social shifts, and it brought several advantages to theatre as both an art form and a business.

Historical Context

The emergence of the actor-manager system can be traced to significant developments in the theatrical world of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. During this time, theatre began to transition from being a predominantly court-sponsored art form to one that catered to a broader, commercial audience. In England, the Licensing Act of 1737 played a pivotal role in shaping the industry, granting exclusive rights to certain theatres (like Drury Lane and Covent Garden) to perform "legitimate" drama. This led to increased competition among these licensed theatres to attract audiences, resulting in a greater emphasis on star performers and increased novelty in the productions.

The gradual decline of the traditional patronage system also contributed to the rise of actor-managers. Previously, royal or aristocratic patrons had largely funded theatrical productions. However, as public interest in theatre grew and urbanization created larger, more diverse audiences, financial responsibility for productions shifted to theatre companies themselves. This change necessitated more entrepreneurial leadership, which actor-managers were well-positioned to provide.

The personality-driven nature of 18th-century theatre further facilitated the rise of actor-managers. Audiences increasingly valued individual star performers, and actors with significant public appeal often found themselves in positions of authority within their companies. These individuals combined their artistic vision with business acumen to take control of productions, blending the creative and administrative aspects of theatre management.

Advantages of the Actor-Manager System

The actor-manager production system brought several notable advantages that contributed to its prominence during the 1700s.

1. Enhanced Artistic Vision

One of the primary benefits of the actor-manager system was the ability to maintain a unified artistic vision. As both performers and managers, actor-managers could ensure that every element of a production—from the script and casting to set design and costumes—aligned with their creative intent. This holistic approach often resulted in more cohesive and compelling performances. For example, David Garrick, one of the most renowned actor-managers of the 18th century, was known for his meticulous attention to detail and dedication to realism in his productions. Garrick’s leadership at Drury Lane Theatre set a new standard for theatrical excellence and innovation.

David Garrick (1717-1779) portrait by Sir Nathaniel Dance

Garrick guided Drury Lane’s artistic endeavors over 27 years. In that time, he acted some 96 roles, appearing about 2400 nights. His theatre in that period offered some 6400 pieces in repertory. Operating Drury Lane Theatre was a major enterprise, involving in any given season about 140 performers and house personnel. He was largely responsible for arranging the repertory and reading, approving and producing new plays. He also managed to write 49 new plays and alterations and adaptations, forming a body of dramatic literature in his time inferior in quality only to the plays of Goldsmith and Sheridan. He brought discipline to his theater, on and off the stage, and to rehearsals and performances. Garrick also effected a number of significant changes and reforms in stage practices, introducing innovations in the theatrical arts of scenery, lighting, costuming, and stage procedures. 

For instance, Garrick moved away from the static, painted backdrops used in the Restoration period and introduced more realistic and detailed scenery to better reflect location and mood. Though limited by the technology of the time, he made significant strides in stage lighting by focusing on the intensity and placement of candles and oil lamps. He aimed to highlight specific areas of the stage and create a more immersive atmosphere. Garrick introduced historically accurate costumes, which, at the time, was a stark departure from the traditional practice of actors wearing contemporary dress regardless of the play's setting. This innovation was particularly evident in productions of Shakespeare's plays, where he strove for authenticity in period dress, including paying attention to costumes in order to reflect the social status, personality, and context of individual characters. He was among the first to extend the rehearsal period significantly. He believed in thorough preparation, which contrasted with the previous approach of minimal rehearsals before opening night. He imposed stricter discipline during rehearsals leading up to opening a play for the public, demanding that actors learn their lines and blocking in advance. Garrick’s innovations marked a departure from the more static and formulaic practices of earlier periods, ushering in a new era of professionalism in the theatre.

Additionally, theatres sought to attract audiences by promoting individual actors with widespread appeal, often referred to as "star performers." These actors became central to the marketing and success of productions, drawing crowds who wanted to see their favorite performers on stage. This competitive environment also encouraged theatres to innovate by experimenting with new staging techniques, elaborate set designs, and creative interpretations of plays. These efforts ensured that productions stood out and maintained the interest of an increasingly discerning public.

2. Increased Financial Accountability

Actor-managers also brought a heightened sense of financial responsibility to theatrical enterprises. As individuals with a vested interest in the success of their productions, they were motivated to manage resources efficiently and tailor their offerings to audience preferences. This often involved balancing artistic ambition with commercial viability, leading to a more sustainable model for theatre companies. Actor-managers like Sarah Siddons and her brother John Philip Kemble exemplified this balance, combining their celebrated acting careers with astute managerial practices to achieve both critical and financial success.

Sarah Siddons (1755 - 1831) portrait by Thomas Gainsborough

For instance, they selected works that showcased their talents and aligned with their public personas. Siddons, in particular, excelled in tragic roles, so much so she cultivated a public image as the "Queen of Tragedy." These roles highlighted her dramatic skills and resonated with audiences. They often performed in Shakespearean plays, which were considered both culturally prestigious, fitting to their public personas and commercially reliable. Siddons and Kemble created a theatre-going experience that was refined and sophisticated, attracting wealthier patrons while keeping ticket prices accessible enough to draw in a broader audience. They also capitalized on the theatre’s role as a hub of social activity, making performances an essential part of the cultural calendar for elite and aspiring audiences alike.

3. Development of Star Performers

The actor-manager system also played a crucial role in nurturing and promoting star performers. By taking control of productions, actor-managers could design roles that showcased their own talents or those of other actors in their companies. This emphasis on individual brilliance not only attracted audiences but also elevated the status of actors within society. The emergence of iconic figures such as Garrick, Siddons, and Kemble helped to establish acting as a respected profession and contributed to the growing cultural significance of theatre.

For example, by treating acting as a high art form rather than mere entertainment, American actor-manager Edwin Booth elevated the public perception of actors as artists and intellectuals. He was known for his refined and intellectual approach to acting, particularly in Shakespearean roles. His portrayal of Hamlet became iconic and set a new standard for serious dramatic performance. Booth went on to build Booth's Theatre in New York City in 1869, which was considered one of the most elegant and state-of-the-art theatres of its time. It featured innovative technologies, like hydraulic stage machinery, and a focus on high-quality productions. The theatre's sophistication reinforced the idea that acting and theatre could be respected cultural institutions. Additionally, in 1888 Booth founded the Player's Club in New York's Grammercy Park. The club served as a social and cultural hub where actors, writers, artists, and other intellectuals could gather on equal footing with prominent members of society.

Edwin Booth (1833 - 1893) as Hamlet, New York 1866

The Player's Club embodied Booth's vision of fostering camaraderie and mutual respect between artists and influential figures from other professions, breaking down social barriers that had historically marginalized actors.

Booth carried himself with grace and professionalism, which helped counteract the lingering societal prejudice against actors as morally or socially suspect. This was especially significant for Booth himself, for he also had to overcome the stigma associated with his name after his younger brother John Wilkes Booth, (also an actor, though not as good as Edwin) assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. Edwin Booth carried himself with dignity and a composed demeanor throughout this period of personal and public turmoil. While he grieved privately for both the loss of the president and his family's disgrace, he refrained from public outbursts or defensive statements that might have been seen as self-serving. This quiet professionalism earned him sympathy and respect from the public, who recognized his distance from his brother's actions. Edwin was a Unionist and supporter of Lincoln who publicly denounced slavery and made it clear that he did not share his brother’s Confederate sympathies or political extremism. His commitment to his craft and his dignified demeanor helped change public attitudes. It helped solidify his reputation as a man of principle and integrity. Despite calls for his retirement, Edwin eventually returned to the stage, most notably in 1866, with a powerful performance as Hamlet in New York City. His triumphant return was widely interpreted as an act of resilience and redemption. His performances, imbued with deep emotional intensity, resonated with audiences who admired his ability to rise above personal tragedy and disgrace. By focusing on his art and maintaining high standards of professionalism, Edwin Booth reminded the public of his personal and artistic merits. The ripple-effect of this helped in making the acting profession more respectable and paving the way for future actors to be taken seriously.

Decline of the Actor-Manager System

The actor-manager production system remained a dominant force in theatre well into the 20th century, leaving a lasting impact on the art form. It laid the groundwork for modern theatrical practices by emphasizing the importance of cohesive artistic direction, financial sustainability, and the cultivation of star performers. The system eventually declined with the rise of ensemble-based productions, corporate management of theatre venues and the advent of new entertainment mediums in the 20th century. This shift was driven by several factors.

The increasing complexity of theatrical productions required more specialized roles, such as directors, designers, and producers, which diluted the centralized control traditionally held by actor-managers. Additionally, the growth of large-scale production companies and syndicates brought a more business-oriented approach to theatre management, prioritizing efficiency and profitability over the personal artistic vision of an individual actor-manager. As independent theatre magnates such as Charles Frohman and Fred Zimmerman, and later the Shubert Brothers and David Nederlander, began buying up theatres and forming theatrical booking monopolies the actor-managers lost negotiating power. The preference to keep a show running by extending its run, if profitable, played havoc with touring schedules. By the time the Theatrical Syndicate was formed in 1896, founded by five of the biggest theatre magnates, the death knell of the traditional nineteenth-century actor-manager had sounded. 

In 1874 the Meiningen Ensemble  began to tour Europe. The group was founded by the first modern "director" George II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, a cultured and intellectual member of the higher nobility in the German Empire. He and his ensemble brought many innovations that became widespread over the next sixteen years the company toured. This included highly detailed choreography, especially in the crowd scenes, an emphasis on verisimilitude over vocal and physical acting technique, the use of a well-trained ensemble over the star system and a focus on historical accuracy in scenery, costumes and props. The Meiningen Ensemble greatly influenced many other theatre professionals including Ibsen, Stanislavski and Antoine. The concept of a professional leader molding the production from outside of the performance (especially someone who had not even written the work) was novel at the time. On top of this, theatrical tastes were changing. Realism was becoming fashionable and the classical canon and melodramas - the standard fare for many actor-managers - was on its way out.

The rise of ensemble-based productions emphasized collective creativity and collaboration, moving away from the star-driven model of the actor-manager era. Furthermore, the emergence of radio and cinema as dominant forms of entertainment significantly diminished theatre’s audience base by the early decades of the 1900s. These new mediums offered mass accessibility and lower costs, drawing the public away from traditional theatrical performances. As audiences shifted their focus to these innovative platforms, the financial viability of the actor-manager system waned. Together, these changes set in motion the decline of the actor-manager system, paving the way for a new era of professionalized and diversified theatre management. 

Though these changes ultimately marked the end of the actor-manager system as the dominant theatrical production system, its influence can still be seen in rare cases in contemporary theatre, where directors often take on roles similar to those of 18th-century actor-managers.

Legacy of the Actor-Manager System

In conclusion, the rise of the actor-manager production system in the 1700s was a response to the changing cultural and economic landscape of the time. It lasted as a viable production structure for over a hundred years and declined also because of changes in the cultural and economic landscape. By combining artistic leadership, managerial responsibility and personality-led presentation, actor-managers transformed theatre into a more dynamic and professionalized industry. Their contributions not only shaped the theatrical practices of their era but also laid the foundation for future innovations in the theatre arts.

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Looking Back at 2024

For the last decade (plus) I have been putting together a year-in-review here on the website. This look back is mostly to take stock of the past year and serve as a kind of archive for me. 

By the way, for those with the tiniest bit of inquisitiveness, here is 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. 

2024 was NOT the best year ever. It seemed to start strong, but went downhill a few months in and just kept going. Here's 2024 in a nutshell...

Things started out pretty good. My folks took mine and my sister's family to Black Bear, Colorado for a ski vacation. First time I'd been skiing since I was a kid. First time for my son. It was really fun and I remembered how much I really like skiing.

Me and the fam on the slopes - Loveland Ski Area, Colorado

I directed my friend Jeff Swearingen in my one-man show The Beast of Hyperborea at the Theatre Network of Texas' TEXFest in late February. We figured it'd be a good excuse for us to have an old-school theatre adventure together. So he acted, I did... well, everything else.

TEXFest was a large-ish conference held February 21 -25 in Victoria, Texas. Traditionally, a sort of showcase of community theatre offerings, the organization set out to widen its reach a bit and my little indie company, Audacity Theatre Lab, became a participant. I submitted The Beast of Hyperborea and it was accepted as one of several productions from around the state. I figured an auditorium filled with community theatre board members, staff and artistic leaders would be a great place to show off the play. I believe it to be quite producible for small theatre organizations and eventually want to get it published and out into the world.

I was also taking a series of "adjudication" classes and was required to watch and evaluate every production over the weekend. Additionally, I was teaching two workshops about solo performance at the conference. And of course, I wanted to take a workshop of two myself, just as a participant. Needless to say, it was ridiculously busy.

Leading a Solo Performance workshop at TEXFest 2024

Trouble started just as we got to Victoria. Completely unprompted and randomly, our original hotel gave away our rooms before we arrived, seemingly unaware of how reservations work. Thanks a heap, Candlewood Suites. We moved across the street to a Holiday Inn Express. Jeff stayed away from everything and holed up in the hotel room, running lines on his own. So, I represented and managed to show up to all the things I needed to show up for and was social and networky.

The show went well and was appreciated by an overwhelming number of the conference participants. It won a bunch of awards and Jeff won an acting award. We even got a taste of small-town/ community theatre "drama" when some disgruntled person from one of the shows that did not advance started a rumor we were "ringers" specially invited to the conference.

Victoria, Texas proved to be deep in Trump-country, which is 180 degrees from me and Jeff's own political leanings. Made the vibe of the town feel oddly uninviting and antagonistic. We went into one BBQ joint and they had "Trump" money on the walls and played NewsMax on the TVs. The barbeque was not at all good enough to make up for it.

Jeff and I at TEXFest 2024, Victoria, TX

When we won the Best Production Award, we were slated to advance to the next level of Texas Network of Theatres' conferences that would take place in Little Rock, Arkansas in Early April. Jeff, who doesn't do much stage work nowadays and is focused on film projects, could not commit to another performance. He was also not taken with the community theatre feel of the conference or the super-Conservative vibes of Victoria. I decided to allow The Beast of Hyperborea to advance, knowing I would need to learn the part as well in case Jeff dropped out on me at the last minute. I did learn the part just in case Jeff bailed, rehearsing on my own. Though I am glad I was prepared, it was a lot more work than I wanted at the the time.

My hope was that by presenting the play to so many community theatre folks at one time, the piece might

Meanwhile, back in north Texas, I was rehearsing Enterprise by Brian Parks at the college I work at. It had a student cast and crew. Enterprise is a fast-paced comedy about corporate workers caught up in a sinking system. I had originally planned to do Parks' play Goner, which I had directed for Audacity back in Spring of 2003. Unfortunately, it proved to be way too politically incorrect to be done at a community college in 2024. I read a bunch of other plays and Parks himself sent me several other of his works to read. Enterprise was one of them. He writes really fast, really sharp and biting satires. I am a big fan of his work. However, what sometimes worked in fringe or indie theatre twenty years ago doesn't always work in contemporary educational theatre settings.

The student cast of Enterprise by Brian Parks at TCC-SE in Arlington, TX

In early April (4th thru 6th) Jeff and I drove to Little Rock for the South West Theatre Conference. It was singularly weird trip. Little Rock had lots of road construction and one-way roads that made driving around it like navigating an M. C. Escher painting. Our hotel, out by the airport was architecturally bizarre with rooms that had entry doors on each end. Jeff had a free breakfast buffet. I, however, who had the same kind of room, arbitrarily did not receive the free breakfast treatment. If I wanted it, I'd have to pay $15.

This was eclipse weekend as well. Older retirees with RVs and high-powered photo-telescopic lenses on their cameras would continually start conversations with me every time I got in the elevator. The conversation always about the upcoming eclipse. If not retirees, then it was stage moms. There was a kid pageant event in the hotel, so the lobby and other public spaces had young girls covered in too much make-up practicing dance routines under the overbearing eye of their moms or guardians. And every pageant mom I encountered filled the stereotype brilliantly. Everyone was so harsh and brutal with their daughter. The whole place was just weird.

The South West Theatre Conference ended up being a roughly thrown together showcase for the theatre companies that advanced from Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arkansas. There was one workshop, on swing dancing. Not much else. The only attendants were folks associated with the productions that were there. There was a vibe of scoping out the competition rather than a convivial social atmosphere. 

Jeff and I showed up to tech - the first group to tech - and they were still figuring out where to put the companies' set pieces. The light and sound booth operators - supplied y the conference - were chatting and on their phones. Once I got the tech started for BoH, I thought everyone was on the same page. They were not.

The Beast of Hyperborea went as the first production of the whole weekend. Not ideal. I don't think the organizers planned it that way maliciously, but the first production sets the bar for the rest of the productions. Jeff and I sort of thought maybe because we did so well at TEXFest, they were gunning for us a bit, putting us in the opening slot to take us down a peg. Jeff did a decent job in the show. Not as good as he had performed the piece in Victoria the month before, but not embarrassing by any stretch. The lights and sound were way off however. The booth operators seemed oblivious that the show had started. I am not sure if the messed up cues counted against us, but it was irksome.

Jeff on stage in The Beast of Hyperborea at SWTC in Little Rock, AR.

We did not win best production this time. Instead a group we had beat in Victoria won. I was mixed on the outcome. It was not as clear that we had a superior production as it had been in Victoria, and the other group had made a few improvements to their production. And I liked the main actor of that production a lot. However, they were a bit overly smug about their victory at this conference. It bothered Jeff tremendously and I heard about it endlessly from him for the rest of the trip... how we had been "good ole boy-ed" by these people who all knew each other.

I personally thought it was just an unfortunate turn of events and didn't begrudge the group who won. If we had done a bit better ourselves and the tech crew had been on point, I may have cared more. 

I returned after Little Rock to jump into tech for Enterprise. The show went well. The actors eased into it by the end of the run and the technical crew gradually got on top of the amazing number of cues (each scene ends with a sharp blackout).

At the Titanic Museum in Branson, MO

After that things seemed to slow down for a while over the summer. My folks once again treated mine and my sister's families to a vacation. This time to Branson, Missouri. It was fun to be with the family, even though Branson is not quite my vacation hot-spot. We saw some good shows and ate too much junk food.

Deep dish pizza in Chicago

After Branson, Ruth and the kid and I drove up to Chicago. I made an appointment with Enzo Custom to get measured for a custom suit. What I did not anticipate was road construction and the traffic in downtown Chicago. Plus it was raining heavily. I missed the appointment. The next day, we did walk around Chicago visiting Navy Pier, the Lincoln Park Zoo and the big Bean sculpture. We ate deep dish pizza (vegan for the boy and wife).

We then drove up to Minnesota. We went to Snake Discovery, a small reptile "zoo" that David followed on YouTube. We stayed for hours and he even met the gal who does the YouTube videos. He then drove into Minneapolis and had dinner with my old college friend Phil Gonzales and his family. The weather was wonderful and it was really good to catch up.

Catch up with Phil and his family in Minneapolis

We made out way home with a stop for the night in Kansas on the way.

I flew back to Chicago for a weekend on my own about two weeks later and did go get measured for a custom suit from Enzo. The whole experience was quite a hassle and more expensive than originally anticipated, since I had to fly back and get a hotel and so on. This on top of the cost of the suit itself ($1,200).The suit arrived at the end of the summer. It was okay. I expected more from a made-to-measure suit. But now I have at least one medium grey suit that fits me, more of less properly.

In mid-June I published a Spanish-language version of I Brough Home a Chupacabra. I was very grateful to have Frida Espinosa Muller of Cara Mia Theatre Company help me with the translation. She and I worked together ages ago along with her now-husband David Lozano. So now, an ebook version of Traje Un Chupacabras a Casa is available on Amazon.com.

Get a copy... HERE

Jeff and I were scheduled to perform at the Omaha Fringe festival, a pace we had taken BoH the previous year. However, on the morning we were set to leave, August 8, I received terrible news. My mother-in-law had passed away. She had some sort of heart issue and died suddenly. I had a quick call to the Omaha Fringe and a quick discussion with Jeff and we decided he'd drive up on his own and represent us. Hotel reservations had already been made and we did not want to let down the fringe at the last minute, if it could be helped.

The show we were taking was a theatrical version of our Fun Grip Improv sets. We called it the Fun Grip Inventium. Jeff performed with some local improvisers there in Omaha. He filled them in on the format. Apparently, it went well. I was pleased with him stepping up to represent as he did.

I, of course, stayed behind. As one would expect Ruth was shattered. There was a lot to do. With my mother-in-law's passing. It cast a pall of sadness over the tale-end of the year. She was a great lady and her passing definitely left a hole in a lot of lives.

In early August, I was invited to be a surprise "Mystery" show ta the 2024 Festival of Independent Theatres. I performed Robert's Eternal Goldfish at the downstairs space at Theatre Three in Dallas. There was few audience members (especially since I did not have but a few days to promote it), but the it went well enough that I was invited back as another "Mystery" show two days later the same weekend.

Performing Robert's Eternal Goldfish at the 2024 FIT, Dallas TX

In early September (6th - 8th), I performed The Beast of Hyperborea at the Ft. Worth Fringe. Up until about three weeks out, Jeff was set to perform it. He had to bow out due to other commitments, so I stepped in. I had not performed it for an live audience myself since 2019. It is a difficult show. However, it went fine. I may perform it myself again sometime down the road.

Performing The Beast of Hyperborea at the 2024 Ft. Worth Fringe

In late August I was set to direct a play I had been working on all summer at the college I work at. Back in May I read maybe 25-30 plays trying to find something that would fit  the limitations of the coming year. There were very few students signed up for the production class, so a very small cast-size show. The Technical Director left so, the show would have to be easy as far as scenery and tech. The other director was considering maybe a thriller and or a horror play, so I needed to stay away from that. My personal bent is towards the funny and weird. After reading over two dozen plays, I decided I'd just write one with two to four characters.

After a few false starts I found an old one-act I had done back in 2010. It was called I Have Angered a Great God. With a little finagling, I expanded the core idea of the play into a full-length script.

I was glad to have the production to direct since none of the classes I had to teach made in the fall (and the one that did was snatched up by a full time faculty member whose own class hadn't made... adjuncts ALWAYS are the bottom of the totem pole, ALWAYS).

Auditions were held the week after school started. I needed four actors to cast the show. One showed up to audition. Apparently, all the student who would have acted in the production had gotten seasonal work at the Six Flags Amusement Park working in haunted houses and so on. 

Instead of finding an alternative to do, or even considering my suggestion that we do some short solo student shows and combine it with me doing Robert's Eternal Goldfish, my fellow faculty decided to just not do a production during the first part of the fall. At the time, it really felt like a kind of betrayal. I had moved metaphorical mountains for this group at the school in the past. Now, I was cast aside. This left me high and dry. No classes. No directing gig. No income.

Besides what little I had made with the performing gigs over the summer, I had no substantial income from May until the end of the year. Hard times. 

By this point I was burnt out and depressed. My mother-in-laws passing, the disappointment of no gigs at the college led to a steady decline in overall motivation. This was also probably due to the difficulty of the projects at the beginning of the year, too, which had caught up with me. I stopped going to the gym. And because I was living on fast-dwindling savings, my social life also slowed to a near-stop as well.

The end of the year was bleak. In November we held a memorial service for Ruth's mom. 

The holidays were fine. A bit lack-luster, but that was probably because of my general mood.

During the fall I tried to rally. I took a long look at my own resources. I figured it was time to start making my income separate from any given institution. I'd need to generate my own income somehow and I'd have to do it from home. I was a stay at home dad since my wife still insisted on home-schooling the boy. This meant that I could not go out and just find a McJob to get by since we'd then have the added expense of child care costs without me home to watch him.

I redesigned my website. I started pouring energy into a new YouTube channel and made an "email magnet" (free content for joining my mailing list) to grow my email list. I watched a lot of tutorials of how to be an independent content creator. My subject would be theatre, with a focus on solo performance. The trouble being that I do not think there is super high demand for this in the online world. Theatre is pretty niche and can't be digitalized easily. It is, however, one of my strengths, so I persevered. Only way to know for sure is to really try and really fail.

The learning curve was steep and only over the last little bit have I started putting together a tangible plan of what to sell and how. The website redesign took a long time. So did the email magnet ebook I put together. The YouTube channel stumbled out of the gate. It has definitely been slow going.

That about wraps up the year. I am looking ahead to brighter days in 2025. I have renewed optimism and a goal of removing myself from dependence on income outside of my own control. As I am writing this, the New Year just passed and I feel the creative recharge activated. The gym calls to me once again. Upwards and onwards.

Just, thank the Universe, 2024 is finally over.

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