'Plaint of the Playwright

What pisses me off about that one is that there's no pretty picture to go with it.

On the other hand...

Which Evil Criminal are You?

Okay, that's just creepy. Broom Street people don't have to ask why.

So with that, I'll stop.

That's right. I have nothing else to post today.

Mulder, are you saying that I should click here?

posted by Rob Matsushita on 8:58 PM | link

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[ Friday, January 11, 2002 ]

Hey.

I got nailed at work again for spending more time doing this page than working (which wasn't really the case, but I won't get into that) so I'm not really going to post anything but this entry today.

Computers In Love has opened. I really enjoyed it--people really seemed charged by the show I wrote--Jen Quale, our most excellent stage manager told me that it was the one everyone seemed to be talking about.

That's a good thing, but I really like "Sonata For Internet," (Doug Reed's show that I directed) too. It's a weird play, in that it moves so fast that the audience barely has any time to react. It did get a good audience reaction, though, and that makes me happy.

Well, pretty good. I mean, we had some blank stares, but we expected that. But I've noticed that people who see it more than once seem to like it more.

If I had any criticism of the show overall (meaning all the plays), it's that I wish it were faster--but that's a problem that will fix itself during the run.

As for me, I admit that it feels great that my work is done. I can relax, now...

...and do more work on my next show.

Oh, yeah. I'm an addict.

*sigh*

Yet again, I wish that this were the only job I had. I really want to write professionally, and not have to 9 to 5 it just to be able to make ends meet. (Now there's a dependable cliché)

I don't really want to get too much into that, because it's, well, predictable and whiny--and could easily take over this whole blog, if I really got into it.

I will add, however, that Betsy got me a copy of the 2002 Writer's Market for Christmas, which (I only now realise) is one of the most indespensable items you can own as a writer. So now I've got all this energy and and all these tools to go and actively try to Reach For That Dream...but none of the time.

See, last year, I took some time off after I quit my job just to give a serious try at really being a writer. I was very happy with what I wrote, but what I only figured out now is that I really misused all that time.

What I should have invested more time in was shopping myself a bit; try to get stuff sold, published, or whatever--I was working so hard at being a writer that I didn't do enough work to keep myself a writer.

Financially, Betsy and I are only now starting to recover...but it was both of our choice.

But I did fuck it up.

At least I 'm at a point now where I'm not as worried that it was my last chance. The time will come again.

In the meantime, if you don't click here, then the terrorists truly win.

posted by Rob Matsushita on 12:48 AM | link

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[ Thursday, January 10, 2002 ]

As if I haven't plugged it enough on the page, but Computers In Love opens tonight. I watched the final dress yesterday, and I'm very happy with it.

"Sonata For Internet," the play Doug Reed wrote and I directed, is one of those odd little pieces that I'm guessing audiences will need to see twice to fully get...but last night people seemed to really respond to it.

As for "Tech," the short play I wrote and Bob Moccero directed, I was very happy with the production and the response.

Dave Durbin (who you may remember from Whatever Happened To Bette And Joan? or my wedding) confirmed for me something I'd been wondering--his performance in it is an impression of me, or at least, he's adapting some of my mannerisms. I'd been wondering if anyone would ever do this to me (since I've done it to so many), and I'm actually flattered by it.

Particularly when he told me: "The second you told me how much of the story was true--like the email--I just said: 'Oh, yeah. I'm gonna be Rob. Totally gonna do the whole acerbic, sarcastic, dead-pan, 'someone just shoot me' delivery.' Oh, yeah."

Which is really cool, considering I was still working at Sitel when I was directing Whatever Happened To Bette and Joan.

In "Welcome To The Terror Dome" news, Steve Van Haren of RoundHill mentioned to me that we "may have a venue" for it.

It seems Madison Theatre Guild wants to start an "After Hours" series of shows to be put on after one of their shows. They had a decent success with their last one, and want to continue it.

"But," he added sheepishly, "They're going to want to read it first."

Oh, I said.

"Oh, sure, I think it'd play well after Harvey," Casey Grimm added ironically.

No idea if it'll go anywhere, but hey. The second I find out, you find out.

Oh, and if you know what's good for you, you'll click here.

posted by Rob Matsushita on 10:06 AM | link

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[ Wednesday, January 09, 2002 ]

So, Joel Gersmann's been calling me all week, leaving messages on my machine about something being "very important."

This is the curse of being a Broom Street Theater director.

We've got some director's meeting coming up--which is a big deal because we normally only have one a year, where we say what show we're doing and what slot we want. The upside is total creative freedom, the down side is that the right hand doesn't know what the left foot is doing.

Hence, the meeting.

So now Joel's been calling me.

If you know Joel, then you usually don't want to talk on the phone with him.

So when I was out the day before yesterday for a Computers In Love rehearsal, he called virtually very half hour (according to my wife) looking for me.

He finally left a pissy message saying "I can only assume you're out of town, but this is very important."

You may wonder why I didn't call back, if you've never talked to Joel. Okay, maybe even if you have.

It's because I know this is probably only a reminder about the meeting.

Never mind that it was a conversation with Scott Feiner (first-time director and long time friend) that inspired this goddamn meeting.

So, anyway, he keeps calling, he keeps calling, so I finally call him up--get the fucking machine (of course)--and mention that I'm only home until seven (it was then six), so he of course calls me at 6:40 and keeps me on until 7:10.

So.

What's the big important thing?

What did he have to ask me?

What was so important he couldn't leave the subject on my machine?

"Uh, are you going to bring any food to the meeting?"

I would be pissed if I hadn't lied about having to be somewhere by seven.

Anyway.

Last night, after watching 24, my wife, Betsy, says to me: "I read your script."

I cringed a bit--Betsy's taste is different than mine (duh) and so frequently she'll take the diplomatic way out and point out that we "just have different tastes."

But she did say that she liked it, that it was "very powerful," but she agreed with Casey about "too much exposition, too fast."

Yeah, that's a no-brainer.

But she did say that considering I pounded it out in less than two weeks, it's pretty amazing. (This sounds backhanded, I know, but she meant it in a good way...)

I know what you're thinking: "She's your wife. What else is she gonna say?"

Believe me, she'd say if she hated it, trust me.

Meanwhile, my friend Jesse had this to say about it:

"Good stuff. Seems less 'cool line' packed or refined then other stuff i've read from you, but that's for the rewrites i guess. I really don't like the name..."

Jesse was never a big Public Enemy fan.

At any rate, I'm not gonna change it unless Chuck D asks me to. I love that sound of it too much.

Oh, for the love of all that's good and pure, click here.

posted by Rob Matsushita on 9:42 AM | link

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[ Tuesday, January 08, 2002 ]

Casey Grimm, co-founder of RoundHill Theatre Company, is, so far as I know, the first to read Welcome To The Terror Dome start to finish. Steven Van Haren, the other co-founder, is still reading it now--but he did give me a "Whoa," from what he read.

Initial reactions he had: Out side of a general look of horror, he did mention that he thought that it does work as a thriller. "It's very tense," He said, "and the dialogue works."

I told him that a scene involving a paper cut and a stapler is based on a true story.

"That's actually my favorite scene," he said, adding, "although, technically, the whole show is really one big scene."

That's true--it's 75 minutes of "real" time.

Some criticisms he had were that there were points where it moved too fast--that too much exposition is given too quickly.

I think he's right, at least in one area where the main character, Polly, talks about how she and her husband met. That's going to need more dialogue for sure.

The great thing about being at 75 pages is that I can add stuff without having to worry about the show getting too long--a problem I usually have when I write. (I'll get into the writing process in later posts.)

He also mentioned that it will "piss a lot of people off." Not something I'm gonna shy away from at this point. But keep in mind--it's a thriller.

Two more days until Computers In Love!

Oh, yeah, and for the love of god, click here.

posted by Rob Matsushita on 11:53 AM | link

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[ Monday, January 07, 2002 ]

Okay, so I finished the first draft of "Welcome To The Terror Dome."

It came in at 75 pages--which is a pretty respectable length.

I was so giddy, I sent copies via email to a few friends and fellow writers.

As the days progress, and I get more feedback, I'll put some of the comments and criticisms up here.

Actually, what I'd really like to do is document the whole process from script to stage--but there's no guarantee this will even go that far. I guess we'll all find out together.

Also, I'm hoping to get a new "Rock On, Sisterfriend" up here as soon as I can...hopefully by the end of this week.

posted by Rob Matsushita on 11:46 AM | link

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