Break time already?

It's lunch already. I'm skeptical that anyone has been working yet, given the inanity of the noises I've been hearing. But let's look at the evidence, shall we?

Exhibit A: Miriah Caine Ware and John Farrage

Exhibit B: Bob Williams

At least Opal Peachey is doing wall sits!

And Buddy Mahoney is hunting dinner, so that's helpful too.

Banton Foster just looks like he's sitting around and playing his guitar. Clearly, that's not work.

Salo has put on a good working face, but closer examination of the picture reveals toddler toys.

actor Andromeda Dunker might be working, or she might just be participating in a staring contest.

Nik Doner and Peter Dylan O'Connor in a pose-off.

The little tiki statue on the desk tells me that Richard Ziman is putting curses on people.

Patrick Allcorn is just hungry- this must be right before lunch break.

I have no idea what Jena Cane and Michelle Chiachiere are doing, but it looks suspiciously like a scene on my bus ride over here this morning.

Aha! I caught you, Jason Anderson. I might not know how to play a guitar, but I'm pretty sure you don't play it with a handi-grip ballpoint pen.

I will now present this evidence to the jury:

14/48 - The Unsung Heroes (or, The Cookieman Cometh)

Jim Jewell chops lettuce in a basement.

Deb Fialkow, over lunch, tells the story of her decision not to go to Walla Walla for her beau's birthday, and for, as she's now mentioned twice, "lake party."
She had been teaching in Leavenworth, and had all of John Bradshaw's Tupperware in her car. See, 'Martyr John' had been planning to go to Leavenworth also, for the aforementioned "lake party", but had come down with the flu. So, instead, he was going to stay in town. But not entirely to rest. He was going to bake for 14/48.
He is the white knight of baking for whatever theater group he shines his light on.
One of his treats this weekend: Crack Merengues (not his name)
Deb decided to stay home for many reasons. All selfless, all in the name of 14/48. She wanted to be here to see the plays, to deliver Bradshaw's crack merengues, to check in with the virgins and see how their first interaction with the great and terrible 14/48 monster, which can shake even the most hardened artists down to their bones. She couldn't bring herself to go on winery tours and have birthday celebrations and LAKE PARTIES. 14/48 needed her.



Jim Jewell and Linda Lombardi!
Thanks for nourishing our bodies so that we can have the energy to nourish our creative spirits!

These guys toil in a makeshift kitchen to feed hundreds of mouths over the weekend, three times a day, and it is a non-stop 48 hours of straight-up, no glory, food prep. Army style, but with better food I think.

Deb Fialkow just brought me a beer. Gotta Go.

Where am I?

Well...I'm awake.

I am thankful that:

- Jaime Roberts is such a rock star and is directing my show!

- My allergic reaction to whatever-it-was last night didn't get any worse.

- I have Dunkin' Donuts coffee at home. If you are from the East Coast, you know that there are certain types of tired that only Dunkin' Donuts coffee can cure.

THE BAND

14/48 provides a wonderous assortment of noises coming from the various rehearsal areas. I am blogging in an upstairs area when I hear "Arthur's Theme", by Christopher Cross, emanating from the floorboards. Once I satisfy myself that it isn't actually the floorboards singing, or a particularly talented colony of Carpenter Ants, or the ghosts of the Wing Luke Asian Art Museum, which formerly occupied this space, I take it upon myself to investigate further. I travel through a labyrinth of production spaces, where Mazen Award winner Gary Menendez sweats over today's list of ridiculous requests for set pieces and Michael Mowrey carries a crate that is to be a Pioneer Wagon to find the theater. Inside, the band prepares. By now, they have moved on, and are rehearsing "Ain't No Sunshine", by the venerable Bill Withers. I think Leslie Law sounds better than you, Bill. No offense.

Here they are folks.
Jason Anderson
Alan Echison
Banton foster
Leslie Law
Salo
Michael Owcharuk

Link to Web Album of 14/48 week 2

Photographer Matthew Larson has gotten some beauts. Here they are!

http://picasaweb.google.com/matthewlarsonphotography/1448Day2?feat=directlink

Link to Web Album of 14/48 week 2

Hard at Work!

Okay, I will attempt to be more factual in my captions today. However, as I sit here and hear the Golden Girls theme song coming from one room, and what sounds like a woman giving birth in the other room, I'm not sure there is such a thing as accurate analysis.

Opal Peachey is looking at the script that she will direct. That part of the picture is obvious. What is not obvious is whether her coffee cup is actually at her lips, or just off to the side of her face. Optical illusion, or too little sleep last night?

Richard Ziman is also looking at the script he will direct today. Try to detect the optical illusion in this picture...

Designer Michael Mowery, Costumer Amy Lazert, Designer Dante Olivia Smith, and Director Richard Ziman will come to a conclusion about the show they are working on in a minute. But first, they need to tackle the problem of Amy's coffee thermos. It's purple, and double-decker. I cannot seem to get over it.

Band member Jason Anderson and director Opal Peachey reading things.

MJ Sieber and DW Gibson look on as their actors finally get a sense of what these two are asking them to do. It's interesting to see how they each react to that power.

Paul Morgan Stetler, virgin director, and Aimee Bruneau, virgin writer. I'm pretty old, so it's been a long time since I've seen two virgins come together and make something happen. Quite exciting!

director Andy Jensen has questions for Zoe Fitzgerald, the writer of the script in his hand. She is going to answer him in her sleep.

The anticipation! It makes Opal Peachey positively glow!

Jaime Roberts too!

Annette Toutonghi is thinking something incredibly profound right at this moment. And we will never know what.

Peggy Gannon and Colleen Robertson might be discussing their script. Or they might be gossiping about the ridiculousness of Troy Fischnaller's pants.

By the way, now would be a good time for me to apologize for not knowing the difference between the last name Roberts and the last name Robertson. Colleen is a Robertson, and Jaime is a Roberts.

"This is how you take someone down in one move to the windpipe. Annette? Are you paying attention? This will come in handy some day." Jaime ROBERTS (thank you) instructs Annette Toutonghi and Chris MacDonald in the art of ninja.

Now is a good time to point out that that woman is still giving birth in the other room.

I bet that Brian Claudio-Smith was a good student. Teacher's pet good, even.

In contrast, I bet that Andy Jensen was the kid who did airplane spins in the outfield instead of....being at math class.

Bob Williams doing yoga while studying. Some people are kinetic learners.

I was going to find Jose Amador and ask him what he was thinking during this picture, but I think it's more fun to guess.

THE LINEUP - Saturday 8/7/10 !!!!

Theme: IT'S A MIRACLE!

Play #1: Manbortion
by Matt Smith
Directed by Charles Smith (no relation)
Performed by Annette Auger
Brian Claudio Smith (no relation/no relation)
Lisa Norman
Joanna Horowitz

Play #2 The Book of Answers
by MJ Sieber and DW Gibson
Directed by Stan Shields
Performed by Miriah Caine Ware
Sylvie Davidson
John Farrage

Play #3 Beyond Grave
by Aimee Bruneau
Directed by Paul Morgan Stetler
Performed by Peter Dylan O'Connor
Nik Doner
Megan Arnette

INTERMISSION

Play #4 Got a Lot of Mouths to Feed
by Robertson Witmer and Tina La Plant
Directed by Richard Ziman
Performed by Michelle Chiachiere
Buddy Mahoney
Brandon J Simmons (or Troy Fischnaller, you can't tell)
Jena Cane
Jose Amador
Play #5 The Kings
by Rachel Atkins
Directed by Opal Peachy
Performed by Bob Williams
Ahren Buhmann (last night's John Lennon)
Erin Stewart

Play #6 Sunshine
by Zoe Fitzgerald
Directed by Andy Jensen
Performed by Patrick Allcorn
Andromeday Dunker

Play #7 Sunrise, Sunset
by Celene Ramadan
Directed by Jaime Roberts
Performed by Colleen Robertson (who promised not to fuck this up)
Annette Toutonghi

this just might be another miraculous Saturday night at 14/48! Don't miss out. This show will only ever happen tonight.
tickets to tonight's 8 pm and 10:30 pm shows at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/
more info at http://www.1448fest.com/

Saturday 8/7 2010 Tonight's Theme in Actioin

The Theme: It's A Miracle!

The Result: A Magical Child Rearing Poop Tree, to name one. Jesus and Elvis at the Final Table at the World Series of Poker, to name another. Mazen Award winner Tina La Plant has co-written a musical with Rob Widmer (The Rob Widmer Accordian School for Girls)"... which captures the spirit and glory of the American Frontier and celebrates the miracle of survival in the face of adversity and, um...um...peril," according to a sleepless Widmer, who then leaves to attend a different rehearsal elsewhere.
Jason Anderson of the band sits prone and alone on a couch pondering the opening song for this evening. (Shows at 8 and 10:30 at Theatre off Jackson. Be there, this won't be one to miss)
We'll see what's going on elsewhere and get back to you soon...
With TONIGHT'S SHOW LIST!!!

Yesterday

Since I wasn't here yesterday, and I'm not an actor, in order to acquaint myself, I will look at some scenes from yesterday and try to figure out what was happening....

Paul Stettler must be teaching Jodi-Paul Brown-Wooster how to play itsy-bitsy spider.

The band appears to be debating the history of the socialist movement.

Brian Claudio-Smith, John Farrage, and Ahren Buhmann have clearly started a garage band in their parents' basement.

Chris MacDonald is being styled by Lisa Norman. It's hard to get the part just right.

Nik Doner, Michelle Chiachiere and Meghan Arnette (and their pet mouse) are holding a seance over sandwiches. Or blessing the sandwiches. But if you're Catholic, there's not much difference anyway.

Peggy Gannon and Patrick Allcorn are getting married and plotting a bank robbery. It's a good way to start a marriage.

Brandon Simmons and Phillip Endicott re-enact the ancient myth of Dancer and Prancer, the reindeer gods who got lost over the arctic on their way to Canada, and established a new colony of reindeer with nothing but a box of plastic forks.

Colleen Robertson and Annette Auger have just partaken of the kool-aid and are waiting for the spaceship.

Annette Auger and Annette Toutonghi remind Joanna Horowitz that she wore the wrong outfit to Burglar night.

Bob Williams finally found the right outfit to audition for the yellow bear triceratops clapping band.

Jose Amador channels Carol Channing. Of course.

"Great, you stalked me here, didn't you." Says Erin Stewart to Chris MacDonald.

Meghan Arnette tries the old, "I fell and skinned my knee" trick to get out of eating that crap that Michelle Chiachiere calls dinner, but Michelle is on to her.

Peter Dylan O'Connor took a break from acting to call his bookie.

Sylvie Davidson just got made as a spy in India. Not sure how as her outfit is so inconspicuous.

"Oh my god! The wine is gone!" We understand your pain, Mariah Caine Ware.

Buddy Mahoney is trained to kill you in .08 seconds with nothing more than a ballpoint pen.

All Virgins to the Stage is a directive that is either seldom or often seen- according to which industry you work in. Matt Smith, Ahren Buhmann, Stan Shields, Jaime Roberts, and Meghan Arnette may or may not have heard this directive before in another industry.

Tequila shot shadow puppets!

Jaime Roberts, Rob Witmer, and Tina La Plant have a meeting about pretending that they aren't working. For no money.

Phillip Endicott has just been told by Brandon Simmons where the plutonium is. Either that, or Brandon just said something uncharacteristically insane.

To see more pictures from yesterday, go here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/matthewlarsonphotography/1448Day2?feat=directlink

Well, enough pictures of last night. Now it's time to post what's going on today, and perhaps get some actual insider information to weigh against the accuracy of my own assumptions.