Artist Date, Weeks 19 and 20 ~ Playwriting Class

The reason I have not blogged for the last two weeks is not because I wasn't doing any Artist Dates, but one of my Artist Dates lasted two whole weeks.  I took a course in playwriting at the Theatre Artists Studio.  Hal Corley, playwriter and 5-time Emmy Award winner, taught the class.  The class was designed for people who never have written a play before and focused on writing a 10-minute play.  Not only did I write my first play over the two-week course, but I also participated in stage readings for all the other student's plays.  This course was exhilerating - but also extremely tiring.  The course just ended yesterday, and I'M POOPED!

Over the course of the last two weeks, I also managed to go see three productions.  The first two were Hal Corley productions - two plays he wrote and were performed at the Theater Artist Studio.

The first play I saw was Suocera - which means mother-in-law in Italian.  Suocera uncovers the rivalries and lethal dangers in a seldon explored family dynamic - mother-in-law and son-in law.

His second play Mama and Jack Carew is a harrowing look at an unlikely triangle that explores the dark corners of maternal relationships.  Both of his plays are very intense dramas and for mature audiences only. 

On a much light note - the third production I saw was The Producers at the Fountain Hills Community Theater.  All the actors were top notch, and the show was better than I expected.  I was impressed how a small comunity theater could pull off such a large broadway musical - but they did it - and it was GREAT!

Those who lose dreaming are lost.

AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL PROVERB

Artist Dates, Week 19 ~ Sunday A'Fair - Peace and Community Day

On Sunday, January 16th I spent the whole afternoon in Old Town Scottsdale at Sunday A'Fair.  The theme for this concert was Peace and Community Day  - A day of unity in conjunction with the Martin Luther King Jr. birthday.

The first musical group playing was a local favorite - Walt Richardson and the Peaceful Warriors. They were sensational.  I could have listened to them all afternoon.

The second performance was another local favorite -  jazz vocalist, Nancy Gee, and her protégée Judy Roberts.  Both women could really belt out a tune.

 

During the break at the concert I went over to SMoCA to check out their new exhibit - Dance with Camera.  Spanning films from the 1960s to today, Dance with Camera explores the visual and conceptual connections between Hollywood musicals, avant-garde cinema, postmodern dance and MTV.

Courage - fear that has said its prayers.

DOROTHY BERNARD

Artist Dates, Week 18 ~ Old Town Scottsdale with Ducks and Tigers - OH MY!

Oregan Ducks vs. Auburn Tigers
BCS Championship Game

I have been too couped up indoors for the past couple of weeks.  I really needed to get out in the fresh air and sunshine for one whole afternoon.  So I spent my Sunday afternoon in Old Town Scottsdale with just myself and no agenda.  First, I went to over to the Sunday A'Fair and heard Sara McAllister Band for awhile.  Then I went to SMoCA to see the exhibit Bridges: Spanning the Ideas of Paolo Soleri. 

Then I went over to Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and saw in their art @ young gallery the exhibition Bridges: Connecting Earth to Sky.  After that I walked over to the Soleri Bridge.  I had of course seen it, but never walked over it before.  Nice!

The downtown area was filled with Ducks and Tigers.  It was great seeing all the restaurants full of people.  I ventured over to the ESPN zone where the pep rally was going on, and watched a little from a far off distance.  Even though I really don't care who wins the BCS game, it was hard not to get caught up in all their excitement.  Their exuberant energy was intoxicating.

Next, I ventured over to the Artisan Market on 5th Avenue.  The streets were also full of musicians and bands, so I parked my butt by each of them and gave them all a listen.

I ended my day back at the Sunday A'Fair listening to Bríd Dower.  All in all, a very good Artist Date with myself.  A little music, a little art, and a lot of crazy Ducks and Tigers.

While you are upon the earth,

enjoy the good things that are here.

JOHN SELDEN

Artist Dates, Week 17 ~ New Year, New Starts

I am not one to make New Year resolutions - never have and this year is no exception.  I make changes when I feel like making changes...like I felt like making changes this past autumn so I started doing this Arist's Way course.

Other than going to see the film The King's Speech which was excellent, I stayed home this week and did more inner work.  I started off my inner work on 1-1-11 doing a global meditation with the World Puja Network.  I love when people from all over the planet get together at the same time and meditate together for humanity and planet Earth.  This meditation on 1-1-11 was to usher forth the next highest potential for humanity and planet Earth in the year 2011.

Next on 1-1-11, I listened to the kick off program for the Awakening Zone...The International Network for Empowered Awakening.  Long story short...I had my own awakening a couple of decades ago.  For the past several years I just no longer choose to hit the snooze button.  It's time to get up and get out of bed.  I'm up..let's go!

Later on 1-1-11 and throughout the week I have been watching Oprah Winfrey's new network OWN.   I am so happy she is now on cable TV.  She said awhile back that she wants to highlight guests she has had on her Soul Series radio show to her television audience.  Now that she has her own network she will be able to do just that...bring it on Oprah. 

Each night this week I listened via the internet to Prediction 2011 Week hosted by Jennifer McLean.  One of my favorite shows was with local Phoenix Psychic and Professional Astrologer Joseph Anthony.   Joseph stated that 2011 is much more significant than 2012 because it will be the year of the great awakening. Mars, the action planet, will kick us into higher gear as it moves into Aries on March 3rd, and we’ll become more aware of self and consciousness. As Mars starts to align with other planets, it will trigger more energy and move us beyond our limits. That's good!  I need a good kick in the butt sometime.

The general consensus of Prediction Week 2011 was that many of us will shift from "seeking" to "manifesting."  Also, we'll experience an increase in our personal intuition and a greater knowing.  All I can say is, "Bring It On!" 

I am what is around me.

WALLACE STEVENS

 

Artist Dates, Week 16 ~ Movie Week

I love movies.  Films are my favorite art form.  Not only do I like seeing films, I equally like discussing films with others.  This week turned into another themed week by chance.  I saw five films this week...two in a theater, and three I rented.  All five films deal with dysfunctional families to some degree and all the trials and tribulations they go through.  I guess if it weren't for dysfunctional families and their stories, then what would a Hollywood screen writer have to write about? :-)

The first film I went to see by myself was Rabbit Hole, starring Nicole Kidman.  I loved this film, and it is on my top 10 best movies of the year list.  The film was adapted from the Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name.  Nicole Kidman was outstanding and gave one of the most stellar performances of the year.  I hope she walks away with another Oscar...she deserves it.  When I told my friends I wanted to see this film, they all said they could not stomach seeing a depressing film.  The film is not at all depressing, in fact I found it extremely uplifting, and also very comical.  Plus the topics brought up in the film are right up my alley.  I am one of those What The Bleep Do We Know thinking people.

Next, my hubby and I saw The Fighter.  Both of us liked this film very much. It's based on a true story, but exactly how true the story is..I'm not too sure.  Nonetheless, it was enjoyable.  This film should be honored with many awards this season, especially in the acting department.

Over the week I also rented a few movies that I wanted to see, but never got to the theater to catch.  So continuing on with dysfunctional family week, I rented Mother and Child, City Island, and Cyrus.

Mother and Child

As much as I like The Kid's Are Alright, I liked this film even more.  Now this one was a real tear-jerker.  This film only made a little more than one million dollars at the box office and was only in a handful of theaters around the country.  Too bad because it was a great film.  Annette Bening is even better in this film than she is in The Kids Are Alright, and sadly she is not being recognized for this stellar performance as well.

This film is a HOOT!  Another great film which only made six million dollars at the box office.  This film is laugh out loud funny.  I rented it because director/producer Stephen Simon of The Spiritual Cinema Circle highly recommended it to the circle members.  I am glad he did, because this film is a real gem.



The next film I rented I thought would be very weird and quirky, and it was, so it did not disappoint.  The characters in this film were by far the most dysfunctional of all.  This little filmed made over seven million dollars, better than the other two films.  Even though I liked it, it was still my least favorite of the three films I rented.

I prefer to see films on the big screen, but I don't always get a chance to see them in movie theater.  Thank goodness they come out so fast on DVD and Blu-Ray these days.  I love films so much that I will always watch all the extra features on a DVD or Blu-Ray.  If I really like a film, I will even watch the whole movie with the director's commentary if there is one. 


Next movies I am planning on seeing are True Grit, The King's Speech, and Blue Valentine.  Movies I missed seeing in the theater but are waiting for them to come out to rent are Get Low, Conviction, Never Let Me Go, and Nowhere Boy.

What a man thinks of

himself...determines,

or rather indicates,

his fate.

HENRY DAVID THOREAU