Never, Ever, Ever....

....ever, ever, ever lose your wallet on public transportation.

Noone seems to have used anything, but my God..........

That is all.

I found out last night before showtime from my old roommate/current castmate Vance that one of the card players from our days of living together, Ben Byers, had passed away. The following is the Critic's Choice listing in the Chicago Reader regarding Ben's documentation of his illness.

Chicago actor and playwright Ben Byer had long dreamed of a career in movies, but he became a filmmaker almost incidentally: after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis--ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease--in 2002, the 31-year-old turned a camera on himself and his family as they embarked on a global search for palliative treatments. Growing weaker, Byer enlisted documentarian pal Roko Belic (Genghis Blues) to record his trip to Greece, where he visits an uncommonly resilient ALS patient, and then China, where he undergoes a risky surgical procedure to little effect. By the end, when Byer journeys to the top of Masada, the focus has shifted from fighting the disease to finding life's meaning, and the spiritual dimension lifts this stark, unsentimental video essay (2007) into the realm of art. 118 min. Producer Rebeccah Rush and editor Tim Baron will appear at all three screenings to pay tribute to Byer, who died July 3.

The movie will be playing this Monday and Tuesday at the Gene Siskel Film Center
164 N. State. Showtimes are Monday at 7:45 and Tuesday at 8:30.

I have also attached the trailer.

Ben was a crazy, funny man. He will be missed. My heart goes out to his family.

Act It In......They May Come.......

So, one of my adorable castmates is in a conundrum. She is a little bit frustrated that her friends have not come to see her show, a show she is very proud of (and she should be proud of it because she's great). They have waited until the last minute (as actors are wont to do), and couldn't get in because the show was sold out They got on the waiting list, apparently too late. She didn't want to be mad at them, but she kinda couldn't help it. I know how she feels.

There are many reasons your actor friends can't come to see your show. If they are doing one of their own, it's almost impossible. Hopefully, one of you has a Sunday matinee and one of you has a Sunday evening show. Some actor friends just don't make the effort to see your shows, but expect you to see theirs. Or they won't come unless you can get them a comp. I could go on and on about this and scold and judge....but maybe that is a blog post for another day......

As for your other friends/co-workers/lovers, it usually is a case of procrastination, or, God forbid, lack of interest. My non-theatre folks are more likely to see FIORELLO! than a show about Guantanamo Bay. And I have proof of this.

But this discussion did get me thinking. I have performed this role in FIORELLO 113 times - 7 weeks in 2006 and 14 weeks this year. And I will admit, some of the people who have missed this show both times are people who's opinions and talent I highly admire. That's the part that sucks - I know it shouldn't matter, but it does.

So there's my two cents worth.

Now, on with the show.

Riding Into The Sunset

When FIORELLO! closes this Sunday, I will have played Morris Cohen 113 times (including the 2006 run). He is, without a doubt, one of the most perfect roles I've ever played.

Three weeks after it closes, I start rehearsals for my next project.

No rest for the wicked.

And I am wicked........

Does He Come With The Game?

This was sent to me by my roommate Shane.
He knows what I like........
Thank you.
And enjoy.

Two Things

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July.....



And the art gallery just down the street from me was offering 10% off anything in the store because "HATE IS DEAD". I must admit, it made me smile...a bit.