The First One

My student, Mike Aguirre, got a play that he worked on in my Chelsea Rep Lab class into the Fringe this summer.  I believe it's his first full-length play.  It's about a singular piano teacher, Dolores, from the former East Germany, and her relationship with her young male student.  The writing and the way Mike has the piano pieces inform the story are really interesting.  Mike is a hard-working guy.  He's my first student to have work in a Fringe festival.  So it's exciting for both of us.
Here's more information about the Lab classes.  Mike is in the Advanced class now.
http://www.actingstudio.com/chelsea_rep/chelsea_rep_lab.html

NYC Municipal Archive Photos Now Online

http://gothamist.com/2012/04/24/nyc_municipal_archives_releases_nea.php#photo-1

The Municipal Archive has released 1,000,000 photos out of its huge collection and has posted them online.  I have included the Gothamist link, because the archive site was down yesterday.  But looking at the few in the Gothamist article, there is great stuff there.  In particular, one of a builder in Brooklyn looking at Manhattan as he works on the Manhattan Bridge, and Lucky Luciano's mugshot.  My favorite is the one shown, two girls walking east across 42nd Street in 1890. 

Athol Fugard

http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/12195
My student, Peter Evangelista, found this wonderful interview with playwright Athol Fugard and Charlie Rose from March 1st:  http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/12195

I've enjoyed Fugard's plays for years, and worked on a scene from A Lesson from Aloes in graduate school.  In this interview, he tells Charlie Rose how he does it (and makes it sound so easy).
The photo (which I lifted from from his publisher, http://www.iainfisher.com) must be at least 15 years old.  Fugard recently turned 80.

Jacob Grigolia-Rosenbaum

My friend and tireless collaborator (he's been in more plays of mine, by far, than any other actor) Jacob Grigolia-Rosenbaum is a fight/violence choreographer. His latest Broadway show is Peter and the Starcatcher. There is a great interview with him on Channel Thirteen's Metrofocus magazine, both written and video. It's a good look into how he works with actors (very, very patient) as well: http://www.thirteen.org/metrofocus/culture/peter-and-the-starcatcher-takes-fight-err-flight/

Radio Shangri-La Out in Paperback

My friend Lisa Napoli has written a wonderful book about Bhutan- both her time there a few years ago, and how the country continues to change. Bhutan was so difficult to get to for so long, it retained its distinctive character much longer than other places. Lisa went to advise the Bhutan radio station (prior to that, she'd been working for Marketplace on NPR). And I think because she is used to writing news, Lisa's style realy does make the reader feel like you're standing next to her as she has her Bhutanese adventures.
I have my own autographed hardcover copy of Radio Shangri-La, but if you do not, it's out in paperback now. It's also been chosen by Target as an Emerging Authors pick: http://www.target.com/p/Radio-Shangri-la-Reprint-Paperback/-/A-13981013#?lnk=sc_qi_detailbuttonhttp://

Another Blog!

I am a member of the League of Professional Theatre Women, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary year. The big party is the League supporting 30 new plays written, produced or directed by its members. And there's a blog which each member is contributing to: http://lptw30blog.wordpress.com.
My posting goes up this Thursday, but there's plenty there to read already. Entries by Liz McCann, Cheryl Davis, Tisa Chang, etc.
The Tiger Play is part of 30 Plays for 30 Years- it will be read at Open Source Gallery on two nights in September. Watch this space!