Life's What Happens

I assure you, the rest of the Juana series is coming. I've been a little busy over the past few weeks.

For starters, our 8 year-old dog, The Doodlebug, was diagnosed with anemia some weeks back. She's doing much better now, but the vet bills are stacking up (blood tests, vet visits, prescriptions, etc.) To help cover the expenses, we're making Doodle pillows (pictured above, with The Doodlebug.) The response has been overwhelming, and I've spent a pretty fair chunk of my time slaving over a hot sewing machine.

This experience has inspired some thoughts regarding fundraising and social media, and I will share those in due course.

We paid visit to Hot Springs, Arkansas over the weekend. It was time to see the families and share the stage with the lovely ladies and gallant gents of Foul Play Cabaret. I also spent a chunk of Saturday with my nephew-in-law (pictured above, on the left) putting together a set and busking at Adair Park on beautiful Bathhouse Row. The kid's a natural.

I love performing in Hot Springs. It's where I graduated high school, where I met my wife (performing in The Crucible with a local community theater company), where we wed, and where we crashed for a little bit after college. The arts scene in Hot Springs is incredible, and its the thing I miss most about not living there.

Arkansans have a distinct DIY ethos that I haven't encountered anywhere else; a combination of imagination, determination, and defiance that is yet grounded in modesty and community spirit. It is inspiring to be around artists who possess that DIY ethos. It makes me want to be a better person.

Peppered in around pillow-making and travel to Arkansas is a veritable cornucopia of projects, props, writing, performances, and Gorn-knows-what-else I've committed myself to. Oh yeah. Like that burlesque parody of The Goonies that will be playing Hollywood Fringe Fest. I'm in that.

In short, the rest of the Juana series is coming.

Oh yeah, while I'm thinking about it ...

I've never had any takers, but what the hell? I might as well run it up the flagpole again. If anyone out there is interested in reviewing some shows at HFF for Mad Theatrics, shoot me a line (madtheatricsATgmail.com) and we'll talk. We have a specific approach to how we write reviews around here, and we prefer our reviews to be written by folks who have actually been involved with producing theater.

Someone once called Mad Theatrics "a refreshing, unrehearsed and intelligent alternative voice in the LA scene." It's certainly something I aspire to, and I'm always interested in bringing on more unrehearsed voices.