Battle-scarred

Tomorrow we begin tech on Watership Down. Tonight is our last free night for a while. It couldn't come at a better time. The right side of my body is covered in bruises and scrapes. I am sore everywhere, and I have some sort of unpleasant chest cold happening on top of it. Seriously, it feels like somebody dragged a rake through my lungs. To be honest, I'm not sure how much of the soreness is show-related, and how much is a result of this cold. But I can tell you for certain that my ass has never been so thoroughly kicked. I want nothing more than to go home, climb into bed, and stay there for the next thirty-six hours or so.

This experience has served to highlight a cold hard truth, one that I have struggled to ignore for the past few years: I am getting older. I am no longer able to fling myself about the stage with reckless abandon - or any kind of abandon, really. Last night was our most successful run of the show yet, and I am happy to report that my energy level stayed up enough to get me through it, but the moment we were done I could barely walk. I am genuinely afraid of Saturdays, when we have to perform this beast twice. I'll make it through. I don't really have a choice. But it won't be pretty.

Now that I'm done whining, I can report that I think this show will be something special. It is unlike anything I've ever done before. It is intensely physical (obviously), but it's also a great story with characters unlike anything most actors ever get to play. I mean come on. They're rabbits. But this ain't no kids' show. These are some bad-ass, hardcore, tough-as-nails wild animals in a battle for survival. You haven't seen anything quite like it. I promise.

The Count of Monte Cristo

I've been sitting on this for about six weeks, but the news finally broke today. Lifeline Theatre has announced its 2011-2012 season, and the first mainstage show will be an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo written by Yours Truly. The show will be directed by my friend and fellow Lifeline ensemble member Paul Holmquist. I am excited and terrified. Mostly excited. Usually.

We had a reading of an early draft a couple of weeks ago. It was the strangest experience, hearing words I'd written read aloud for the first time. It was very difficult to be objective, and mostly I found myself watching and listening to everyone else's reactions. Fortunately, the development process at Lifeline involves a great deal of helpful feedback from the rest of the ensemble, giving me some useful starting points as I dove into the next draft. And now that the initial shock has worn off, I hope I'll be able to listen to future readings with a more critical ear.

There's still some time before rehearsals begin. I'm acting in one show closing this weekend, with another in rehearsal and opening in a little over a month. But soon enough there will be another reading or two, and production meetings, and eventually we'll be ready to start rehearsing at the end of July.

Adventure!

The Count of Monte Cristo

September 9 - October 30, 2011

Based on the legendary thriller by Alexandre Dumas
Adapted by Christopher M. Walsh
Directed by Paul S. Holmquist

"Fool that I am, that I did not tear out my heart the day I resolved to avenge myself..."

Framed by a conspiracy of three terrible enemies, Edmond Dantès is torn from the woman he loves and wrongly imprisoned for fourteen years. After escaping captivity, he enters the upper reaches of Parisian society under a new name: the Count of Monte Cristo. With the aid of Albert de Morcerf, son of his former fiancée, the Count insinuates himself into the lives of his three tormentors and, one by one, seeks to use their own secrets to destroy them. A dark tale of intrigue and vengeance, in a world premiere adaptation.

Based on the 1844 classic by French novelist Alexandre Dumas (The Three Musketeers, The Man in the Iron Mask).

EEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Best. Day. Ever.

Back On the Wagon

As of yesterday I am back on Weight Watchers. For the last couple of months I told myself I was not really off WW, just taking a break for the holidays. But as the scale informed me on Sunday morning, that was a complete lie. I am pretty much back where I started. So it is time to knuckle down and get this thing done.

I should have known it would go this way. Ten years ago I tried the Atkins Diet. I started in the fall and lost a ton of weight. Then Thanksgiving approached and I figured I could take it easy between Thanksgiving and New Years, and then pick up where I left off. I was mistaken. Why I thought it would be different this time I have no idea. I will strive not to make the same mistake again.

Rehearsals for Watership Down start a week from today. I had planned to be in MUCH better shape for this. Now it's gonna be a hell of a lot of work. Yikes.

An Honor Just to be Nominated

No, seriously. It really is.

The ChicagoNow theatre blog, The Fourth Walsh (no relation), has opened voting for the 2010 Honor Awards, "presented to 10 winners in 10 categories for his/her exceptional contribution to the Chicago theatre experience last year." Yours Truly has been nominated in the category of Best Supporting Actor for my work in Neverwhere at Lifeline Theatre last summer.

This is the first time I've ever been nominated for a theatre award, and I promise you I am completely letting it go to my head. As thrilling as the nomination is, however, I would still really like to win. And you can help! Just follow this link to vote. Voting closes February 21st.

And I have still more exciting news to come!

Coming Soon...

I have an exciting thing coming up. I can't tell you what it is yet. But I completed a big step the other day, and I'm very excited about it. It's a whole new thing for me. Theater-related. You'll see. Soon. I promise.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Mandy and I saw Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at Steppenwolf last night. I'd seen the play before, and read it. It's one of those plays that everyone involved in theater is familiar with on some level. But in spite of my knowledge of the play, this show brought me to the point where I was holding my breath because I didn't know what would happen next. It was amazing. Exhilarating. Insane. I've seen this play before. I know the big twist at the end. And still, when the moment happened, there was a whole audience with a "Holy shit!" expression on its faces.

This is the second time I've seen Tracy Letts, who played George, on stage. I saw him last winter in American Buffalo, also at Steppenwolf. With both shows, I left the theater knowing that I want to do that. What I saw, just then? I want in on that. How do I make that happen?

No, seriously. I'm open to suggestions.