โทรทัศน์ความละเอียดสูง (HDTV) จะไม่มีการสงสัยทั้งหมดวิโรธกับคนที่กระตือรือร้นละครบ้าน. แต่ถ้าคุณไม่นับถือศรัทธาของภาพยนตร์บ้านอาจมีโอกาสที่คุณกำลังลังเลใจเกี่ยวกับการซื้อ HDTV ด้วยเหตุผลว่า HDTV เสียงซับซ้อนเพื่อเทคนิค – เป็นเรื่องสามารถดูออกวาง.

แต่จริงๆมีอะไรที่น่าเป็นห่วงเกี่ยวกับ HDTV. ทำงานเช่นเดียวกับโทรทัศน์อนาล็อกสามัญนอกจากคุณภาพของการออกอากาศนั้นดีกว่าและเร็วคุณจะต้อง HDTV อื่นคุณจะรับคง.

คุณพร้อมสำหรับดิจิตอลเปลี่ยนไป?

เหตุผลจริงคุณต้องเปลี่ยนประเภทโทรทัศน์ของคุณเป็นเพราะอย่างสหรัฐอเมริกาและสหราชอาณาจักรแน่สัญญาณกระจายเสียงของพวกเขาและโทรทัศน์ดิจิตอลสวยมากจะเป็นชนิดและบรรดาซ้ายกับอนาล็อกจะถูกปล่อยทิ้งไว้ฝุ่น.

บางคนอาจจะทิ้งเพราะอาจสับสน. แต่ HDTV จริงๆไม่ควรสับสนเลย.

ดิจิตอลดีกว่าอนาล็อกเนื่องจากผลิตภาพมีคุณภาพดีและละเอียดมากขึ้น.

ขณะที่อะนาล็อกเป็นไปได้ superceded มันจะไม่เป็นตาม HDTV แต่โดยรุ่นที่ต่ำกว่าการเรียก DTV HDTV. ไม่ให้คุณภาพสูงสุด DTV

ระหว่าง broadcasters changeover จะส่งสัญญาณใน (Standard Definition โทรทัศน์ (SDTV) ให้ TV อนาล็อกได้ดี. และ HDTV และมติในระหว่าง.

และโทรทัศน์ใหม่ชุดที่คุณซื้อจะสามารถอ่านสัญญาณ DTV.

นี่เป็นเคล็ดลับง่ายๆในการซื้อ HDTV คือ

เคล็ดลับ 1. ไม่พื้นที่ของคุณมีการออกอากาศ HDTV? หากมีสัญญาณ HDTV ไม่มีในที่แรกนั้นมีวิธีการใช้ประโยชน์เต็ม HDTV no. นอกจากสัญญาณด้อยผลิตโดยช่องทางปกติบางอย่างแท้จริงสามารถมองบิดเบี้ยวบน HDTV.

ปลาย 2. กำหนดงบประมาณของคุณ. งบประมาณของคุณจะตรวจสอบคุณภาพของ HDTV เสนอของคุณและถ้าคุณไม่มีเงินคุณจะไม่สามารถซื้อด้วยเหตุผลเข้าใจ.

ปลาย 3. ให้แน่ใจว่าหน่วย HDTV ของคุณมีการเชื่อมต่อที่จำเป็นทั้งหมดสำหรับองค์ประกอบละครบ้านอื่นๆหากไม่แล้วส่วนประกอบเหล่านั้นจะแสดงผลไม่ได้ผลถ้าเข้าและออกตัวไม่ได้มี.

ยังคิดเกี่ยวกับเครื่องใช้อื่นๆที่คุณอาจต้องการเชื่อมต่อในอนาคตอันใกล้.

เคล็ดลับ 4. นอกจาก HDTV ที่ให้ภาพสดใสคุณยังต้องการเสียงชัดเจนเป็นดี. จึงตรวจสอบให้แน่ใจ HDTV ของคุณมาพร้อมกับ Dolby Digital ล้อม Sound.

เคล็ดลับ 5. ในข้อสงสัยที่เสาอากาศหรือจานดาวเทียมของคุณมีดีที่ตรงกับ HDTV เมื่อคุณมาที่บ้าน HDTV ไม่มีคุณสามารถใช้และสนุกกับมันทันที.

สรุป

ขณะที่การเปลี่ยนแปลงจากอนาล็อกเพื่อ HDTV จะวางไว้จะยังควรมีหน่วยที่สามารถเปลี่ยนจาก HDTV เพื่อ SDTV โดยอัตโนมัติระหว่างการปรับรูปแบบของสถานีโทรทัศน์รวดเร็ว.

HDTV รวมถึงการแนะนำโปรแกรมติดตั้งจะยังมีประโยชน์มาก.

ชัดคุณต้องดูหน่วยที่จะทำให้คุณสามารถชมรายการโทรทัศน์และหนัง. ตอนนี้สหรัฐอเมริกาและสหราชอาณาจักรจะเปลี่ยนสัญญาณหล่อกว้างจากอนาล็อกเพื่อดิจิตอลและถ้า TV ของคุณเป็นไปล่าสุดคุณจะไม่สามารถดูโทรทัศน์เพียงกรอกเคล็ดลับง่ายๆเหล่านี้และคุณจะสนุกกับละครที่บ้านใหญ่บันเทิง.

I might as well leave you with Toby and Andrew for the hiatus. I have been writing a poem about Twelfth Night. Writing poems about plays is, I suppose, like composing music about music. But I like it. Anyway, I hope these gentlemen take better care of you, SOS, than I have been since coming here. They are great fun to drink with, although a little repetitive. (R&G, anyone?) You say honestly. Rest you merry.

TWELFTH NIGHT, ACT II, SCENE III. OLIVIA’s house.
Enter SIR TOBY BELCH and SIR ANDREW

SIR TOBY BELCH
Approach, Sir Andrew: not to be abed after
midnight is to be up betimes; and ‘diluculo
surgere,’ thou know’st,–

SIR ANDREW
Nay, my troth, I know not: but I know, to be up
late is to be up late.

SIR TOBY BELCH
A false conclusion: I hate it as an unfilled can.
To be up after midnight and to go to bed then, is
early: so that to go to bed after midnight is to go
to bed betimes. Does not our life consist of the
four elements?

SIR ANDREW
Faith, so they say; but I think it rather consists
of eating and drinking.

SIR TOBY BELCH
Thou’rt a scholar; let us therefore eat and drink.
Marian, I say! a stoup of wine!

A famous musical flop is returning to Broadway. Paul Simon’s The Capeman, which lost $11 million on Broadway in 1998 and earned Simon the nickname “The Flopman,” is being consider for next years’s  Public Theater season, the New York Post reports. Oskar Eustis, the head of the Public Theater, is in talks with Simon about bringing the show back next year. “Oskar loves ‘The Capeman,’ ” a Public Theater spokesperson says. “He loves the music and the story. He has met with Paul Simon, but there are not concrete plans at this time.”

Well, they may not be “concrete,” but there are plans, according to the gossipy Post.

Eustis, sources say, wants to do a concert version of the show. The book—by Nobel Prize winning Derek Walcott—will be pretty much eliminated, which is a good thing, sources say, “because it’s dreadful.” But Walcott’s lyrics — and Simon’s tunes — are haunting. “Born in Puerto Rico,” “Satin Summer Nights” and the gorgeous “Time Is an Ocean” are first-rate songs that got lost in the mess that wound up on Broadway.

“The Capeman” was never recorded, but Simon made a studio album, “Songs From the Capeman,” the year before the show opened that’s well worth hunting down.

Simon performed songs from “The Capeman” at BAM last year, which is where Eustis got the idea of bringing back the show. Simon, the Post reports, might perform in the Public Theater version as well.

“The Capeman” tells the story of Salvador Agrón, a Puerto Rican gang member who murdered two teenagers in Hell’s Kitchen in 1959.

The original production starred Ruben Blades as old Salvador and Marc Anthony as young Salvador.

If Eustis can get Anthony to play old Salvador in the Public’s concert version — and if Simon’s in it, too — you’re looking at a hot ticket.

Read more at http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/flop_secret_LnXWmOJrTf39LB0gbRTTSO#ixzz0XdaRPxJ6

kevin sessums gave me a shoutout on towleroad today. i’m very happy that it came in the context of me recommending the lily’s revenge and the brother sister plays–two large, ambitious theatrical events that have really inspired me.

This year we’re bucking holiday tradition…

For years we’ve headed across the street to James’ parents’ house for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s always felt like a fair trade. They’d provide the lovely dining room (ours is a teensy home office) and we’d provide the turkey.

But this year I’ve been relieved of my turkey cooking duties. I’ll still make the sweet sausage and sage stuffing and fresh cranberry/orange relish that I grew up on. But no bird. Boston Market has taken my place.

It’s a rite of passage I suppose. I recall making our first bird in a kitchen about the size of a yoga mat when James and I were just newlyweds. He’s still padding around in the sweat jacket he wore that year, which makes me smile. I suppose I can let the bird go.

I’ll have more time for my new baby—my blog. Knowing there are oodles of holiday performances out there that you need to know about, sleeping in just doesn’t sound like much fun. So I’ll spend the next few days hunting and gathering.

Hopefully you already have a copy of the current issue of Raising Arizona Kids magazine, so you can check the calendar section early and often for fun things to do with your friends and family during the holiday season.

But for my fellow performing arts lovers, I’ll be sharing a series of blogs on upcoming performances in three categories (one per day)-dance, music and theater. (Don’t ask me what order they’ll run in—a girl’s gotta have some whimsy.)

For today, I’ll share some ways you can celebrate the holiday season while giving a little something to others…

Arizona Jewish Theatre Company. Online auction to benefit their education department. Auction runs through December 11th—which means you can enjoy holiday shopping from home and help Valley kids enjoy great theater!

Ballet Arizona. Nutcracker party to benefit their education, outreach and performance projects. Saturday, December 12th, from 10am to 2:30pm at the Camelback Inn. Enjoy a lovely luncheon, dance performance and shopping in Nutcracker Village. You can also donate to support their Nutcracker Angel Night for underprivileged children.

Childsplay. Buy a teddy bear (donated by Build-a-Bear) sporting a handcrafted sweater by Tempe fiber artist Sonja Faeroy Saar to benefit their Benjamin Fund, which provides free tickets to organizations working with underprivileged youth or youth with disabilities.

Free Arts of Arizona. Buy gift bows (made of authentic movie trailers) while supplies last at Harkins Theatres to benefit arts programs for abused, homeless and at-risk youth.

Greasepaint Youtheatre. Free performance by Greasepaint LIVE troupe with holiday bazaar featuring local artists, homemade treats and more to benefit the John Cannon Memorial Scholarship Fund. Wednesday, December 16th, from 6-8pm (show at 7pm). Also, receive $2 off your ticket price to Oliver! on Saturday, December 5th at 2pm when you donate an item for the St. Mary’s Food Bank holiday drive.

If I’ve overlooked a family-friendly art, dance, music or theater event with a “giving back” component this holiday season, please comment below and share what you know.

I look forward to seeing you Thursday with some musings on the things I am most thankful for. If you still have bird duty, just come back and visit after you’ve finished your pecan or pumpkin pie.

I’m always thankful for our one-of-a kind readers…

–Lynn

Here’s a little bonus Black Friday shopping tip for you: If a store opens before Starbucks, how much fun can it really be?

The Nolan Insignia website is named after a former relative, Johannah Nolan. We are keen genealogists and we also believe in ancestor worship and ancestor spirits, in the Shaman sense. One of our direct relatives was a man called William Makepeace who worked as a Footman for Lady Olivia Bernard Sparrow at Brampton Park in Huntingdon, in the 1830’s. Some relatives were wealthy and others were poor but they always had a good sense of self and were proud of their abilities, whether they were serving others or serving themselves. Some were farmers, some were teachers and others had a trade. Many were interested in the arts.

Sir Harrison Birtwistle, the composer is related to us via Caroline Makepeace Harrison, one of the daughters of William Makepeace and Mary Cragg. he is a distant cousin, (hence his name, Harrison). We are also related to science fiction writer and novelist Stanley Makepeace-Lott, from a time when some of the family lived at 75, 99 and 105 Brunswick Road in Liverpool, Merseyside, now possibly demolished.

A very intrepid distant cousin (with a lot of time on his hands and presumably a lot of hobby money to spare!) has actually traced one branch of our family back to the 15th Century. Some of the Makepeaces were cousins of the Washington family and both families held on to Sulgrave Manor in Oxfordshire until about 1659, where apparently there is a statue of George Washington, so presumably we are all distantly related to him too!

The reason for this post is that we’d like to think that we are also carrying on some of the Makepeace art at Nolan Insignia, as we take our Theater of the Streets very seriously as a ‘Street’ art-form.

Sir Harrison Birtwistle

Sulgrave Manor

Nolan Insignia

Presenting an Excellently atmospheric view of the first official state dinner hosted by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, honoring His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India,  and his wife Mrs. Gursharan Kaur.

Inside the White House state dinner, as broadcast by Twitter at 8:59 pm, Tuesday, November 24, 2009.

For a little history click, Freezing to Kushner>

I toast and applaud the Berkeley Rep, happy that the Thrust Theatre’s arctic conditions will soon be a thing of the past.

TicketsNow is your online source to the best tickets for buyers and sellers available since 1999. They have great seating for NFL, NBA, NHL, WWE, The Orchestra, The Theater, Concerts and Plays. It allows us fans to purchase tickets that are hard to find or are sold out. TicketsNow is safe and secure and comes with 100% guarantee. TicketsNow also guarantees that the seats or section will be as good as or better then you are expecting. There are of course no returns, exchanges, or cancellations. You can also purchase gift cards available all the time online 24 hours a day. Gift cards purchased with TicketsNow can even be created by you and sent via email. So if you are looking for something you think may be sold out or you can’t seem to find make sure you check out TicketsNow.

Secret passageways under Chinatown, remnants of a bygone Bowery beer hall, a rooftop film studio…Author David Freeland writes of these and more in his book Automats, Taxi Dances and Vaudeville: Excavating Manhattan’s Lost Places of Leisure.  Freeland seeks to find continuity through history, using the lens of leisure activity in New York. He is more interested in what’s hidden and forgotten, the “fossils and impressions of former existences,” as he explained in a talk at Columbia GSAPP on November 19th.  Though a historian by practice, his process is more archeological than pedagogical. He says that “looking at discordant architectural and design related spots can give you clues to history of the place.” His inherent curiosity led him to uncover the original roof of the Atlantic Garden beer hall on the Bowery, which by all accounts had been completely demolished. Looking up at the ceiling of a souvenir shop in Times Square, he noticed patterns that turned out to be the remnants of a once elaborately decorated automat (waiter free restaurants with vending machines) from the early 20th century. Most poignantly, none of the buildings he writes about are landmarked, despite the history behind them.

Here’s a look at a few locations from his book that you can check out:

Underground Passageway in Chinatown

Doyers St. 1890 (Source: Flickr user Straatis)

On numbers 5-7 Doyer Street in Chinatown, the Chinese theater once stood on this curvilinear street. Folklore says that the obtuse angle of this street contributed to gang warfare, as rival gangs could approach each other from opposite ends of the street unseen. An underground escapeway leading from the theater to Chatham Square still exists, now populated by acupuncturists, feng shui and travel agencies. Actor Ah Foon was escorted through this tunnel in 1909 one night, knowing that his days were numbered after repeatedly taunting a rival gang in performances. He made it safely to his apartment but was shot on the landing in the middle of the night.
What to See: Enter on Doyer Street, between Pell St and the Bowery, from a doorway east of the yellow Co Co Fashion sign, descend through multiple staircases and wander along hallways until a staircase leads you out onto Chatham Square. Untapped pictures of this forthcoming…

The Atlantic Garden, 50 Bowery and 20-22 Elizabeth Street (backside)

Interior of the Atlantic Garden (Source: NYPL Digital Gallery)

The largest and most famous of the Bowery beer halls, this sumptuously decorated building opened in 1858. It had its own brewery, shooting gallery, an all female orchestra, a giant mechanical music box (the orchestrian) and movie screens. The battle over a Sunday liquor license lasted over forty years, with constant raids and arrests of bartenders, waiters and the owner himself. Despite all this, the Atlantic Garden was one of the more democratic sites in 1880s New York—a place for immigrant families (predominantly German and Italian, but there were even some Asians!) to escape the swelter of the tenements.

20-22 Elizabeth St. (Source: Curbed)

The clue for Freeland: the roof shape. From there, he discovered a 19th century stone projection off the roof.

What’s Left: On Elizabeth Street, now occupied by the Jing Font Restaurant and the Cantoon Garden Restaurant. On Bowery, a row of jewelry stores.

How to Get There: N/Q/R/W/J/M/Z/6 trains to Chinatown

Ultimately, what is Freeland’s message? The epilogue encapsulates his wide-eyed, detective-like perspective. Not a strict preservationist, he wonders how history will be passed down when the physical signs disappear:

When future New Yorkers explore their neighborhoods, what will they see? Will they be able to trace history…by finding visual cues and investigating them? New Yorkers are a curious lot…The challenge they will face in the future is that exploring history becomes more difficult once the physical markers themselves are gone.

For your consideration: The following information from yesterday’s MD Daily Record article.

The owners of the five-screen Charles Theatre would keep the Senator a movie theater… and potentially add a smaller auditorium.

“When you have another screen, you have more flexibility,” Kathleen Cusack said. “If you have a second screen and you have a movie that isn’t making a lot of money, you can move it there and put something else on the main screen.”

If the Cusacks add a 120-seat theater to the Senator, the main auditorium would shrink from 940 seats to 760. Cusack said the smaller theater could be used as an arts education area.

It was our understanding that the interior spaces, including The Senator auditorium, were now under the ‘protection’ of Baltimore City’s Commisson for Historical & Architectural Preservation (CHAP) Landmark and Special Designation Lists.

So, we have to wonder how could the BDC reconcile James “Buzz” Cusack’s plan with CHAP’s intent to protect the interior beyond “normal maintenance”?

For that matter, given Mr. Cusack himself is a CHAP member, why would he even suggest such a move?

From a historical standpoint (one which we share), subdividing the auditorium is unthinkable and therefore a plan we could not support.

With all of the shows and attractions in Branson, who needs Broadway? While Southwest Missouri may sound like an odd location for such a rich musical heritage, Branson has grown to one of the best cities for live performance in America. With nearly 50 theaters and over 100 shows, this city is THE destination for music lovers. While Branson’s reputation signifies its importance in the country music scene, you can pick up Branson show tickets to performances of any variety. From rock and roll to Broadway productions and magic shows, the live theaters and concert halls in Branson entertain over seven million visitors every year.

Performances run throughout the day, from sunrise to sunset. With an early morning breakfast show at the White House Theater and a late night performance at Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater, you can wake up and go to bed with music!

Family Values

The biggest appeal of Branson is its family-themed atmosphere. While you can find the same level of talent that exists in Las Vegas, you won’t find the same mature subject matter. All of the Branson Missouri shows are appropriate for anyone, regardless of age.

Who Has Played in Branson?

The real question is “who hasn’t played in Branson?” Legendary country singers Johnny Cash and Kenny Rogers both had theaters in Branson and superstar Wayne Newton plays numerous shows in Branson every year at his very own Talk of the Town Theater. On any given night, Branson, Missouri shows feature some of the most respected talent in the music business.

How Much Do Branson Show Tickets Cost?

While some ticket prices to shows in large pavilions across America have soared to astronomical rates, don’t expect to have to break the bank to afford Branson show tickets. Even the most popular shows cost under $60, and many Branson, Missouri vacation packages offer discounts when you pair your hotel stay with one or more concerts or show productions. Taking kids to the show, too? All children’s tickets are cheaper than regular price adult admission, and many shows offer free tickets to children 12 years old and younger. Because these shows are affordable, you can see more and do more while you are on vacation.

Themed Shows

Whether it’s a holiday performance or a celebration of one of music’s biggest bands, many Branson Missouri shows feature some of your favorite music. You can check out the Loretta Lynn Tribute Show at the Owens Theater or even The Liverpool Legends at Starlite Entertainment Theater, the latter of which includes all the Beatles’ classic material. If you are visiting during the holiday season, The Grand Palace Theater features the classic Christmas Music of Mannheim Steamroller.

As you can see from this brief introduction to Branson’s music scene, a Branson Missouri vacation combines family fun with incredible music for what will undoubtedly be one of your most memorable vacations. Check out the full list of shows in Branson, and be sure to see some of these can’t-miss performances while you visit the Music Capital of the Midwest!

November 21 – I went back to see Fela! a second time and loved it even more, and Andy went crazy for it, too. We sat downstairs this time, which is a whole other experience than the balcony. Much of the cast, including the star, enter through the audience and promenade back and forth throughout the show. That, combined with Marina Draghici’s wrap-around set, Robert Wierzel’s dazzling lighting, and Peter Nigrini’s all-over-the-house projections, puts the audience right in the thick of the show. And although Kevin Mambo is very good, Sahr Ngaujah is even better – dark, self-contained, and riveting. It’s an absolutely unconventional Broadway show in almost every way. There is a narrative thrust, and there is a lot of storytelling, but it happens in a multitude of highly theatrical ways. The audience is invited to be very alive. Who knew Bill T. Jones could create this kind of 360-degree theatrical event? It was tremendously savvy of him to project the lyrics of many of Fela’s songs – not just to translate the character’s sometimes impenetrable pidgin-English but to acclimate the audience to taking in verbal information visually, because there are key moments in the show when it’s all about that, including the climactic action of the show (the invasion of Fela’s compound by 1000 soldiers, who go on a rampage of beating, torturing, and killing), which happens in complete, shocked, and eloquent silence. Sometimes the lyrics make a fantastic condensed poetry, again best illustrated when the words are projected:

Like rats we steal
Make a hole
Oil flow

The piece is a peculiarly visceral combination of concert, dance, political rally, and history lesson. What we learn about Nigeria is not a pretty picture: “Our tradition is corruption.” And the specifically African observation of ceremony is acute from the very beginning without being overstated or over-solemn, the sacred mixed in with the everyday. Fela enters surrounded by a pack of male dancers hunched over as if comically impersonating his dogs or monkeys (it takes proud men to play the fool), but the first thing they do onstage is honor the ancestors. It would be easy to overlook how much of that is embedded in the show through the design – the altar built in below the portrait of Fela’s beloved matriarch, the invocation of the orishas above the proscenium. The first time around, I was so revved up by the first act – especially the ecstasy that takes over the theater during “Originality/Yellow Fever” – that the second act seemed a little scattered and let-down. The second time I see that the second act is just more serious about sewing together the links between spirituality, politics, sex, and music. I was expecting “Zombie,” a song I know and love for its delirious insistence and adrenalin-boosting syncopation, to be as theatrically thrilling as the rave-up “Yellow Fever.” But really “Zombie” is an intense interrogation of how a military government turns citizens against one another, transforming them into mindless slaves – so the choreography and staging reflects that substance, rather than ignores it. The trip to the land of the dead in act two is both psychologically eerie and visually spectacular in a crazy, inventive, sui generic way. This is where I noticed one big difference in the lead performances. Once Kevin Mambo put on his mourner’s makeup, he sort of disappeared as a character. Not so Sahr Ngaujah: he stays completely connected to the character, to the audience, to the mother he seeks to contact beyond the grave. Very very rich and exciting piece of theater. I haven’t even said anything about the superb band (read the Village Voice feature article for the full background on the Brooklyn-based outfit Antibalas) or the corps of amazing and tireless dancers. Fela’s music has haunted me day and night with its long-lined, loopy, sexy, incantational spell.

On YouTube, you can check out some clips that convey some of the energy of the show, like this one.

So that one-woman show I saw last Tuesday sadly didn’t do much for me, and did nothing for Nancy since she was fresh off of seeing Jude Law in Hamlet (a Broadway double-header, impressive). However, there was a glimmer of hope in the program. In the Next Room or the vibrator play is a comedy set in the 19^th century based on the (true) history of doctors using vibrators to treat hysteria and release “pent up emotions in the womb”.. I guess this was fairly common and not considered a sexual practice. Vibrators didn’t appear in porn films until the 1920s so no one really had any idea about them. The playwright, Sarah Ruhl, sums it up perfectly: “The Victorian bedroom could have been a very radical, experimental place, because who knew what they were doing?”

This sounds hilarious and is something I can definitely sign up for. I love/studied Victorian literature and early feminist American texts; The Awakening, The Clever Woman, The Yellow Wallpaper, and Wild Sargasso Sea (among countless others) are texts I have on memory speed-dial. All my theater-loving friends are living in other countries at the moment (all three of them) so I may have to fend for myself, but I’m excited to go see it!

Hans Rosling's Data Graphics at TED Conference

Edward Tufte is fantastic. If I had a log cabin I would go and read his books for days. After purchasing a film projector last week, I have immersed myself in watching TED talks projected large scale in my home. Also fantastic. Hans Rosling’s 20 minute lecture on being able to visualize statistics is simple phenomenal. Countries are represented in circles of different sizes relating to population and are placed on an X,Y axis of health and wealth and Rosling animates the graph moving the placement of those countries on the graph as time progresses. We see countries evolving or failing. Reassigning the X,Y values, we see life expectancy rise up in most countries but literally see sub Saharan countries fall back with HIV-related deaths. Who know that watching moving circles could be an emotional experience – but it is. The bottom line is that so many types organizations have access to this data, but Rosling makes the point that this data is sitting in databases not being comprehended.
While so many major global organizations can benefit from this instigating initiatives, museums can simply play the role of projecting this information for the public.
Thanks TED.

HC Smith

Jonathan Moscone has a lovely post on the Cal Shakes blog about workshopping the first draft of John Steinbeck’s The Pastures of Heaven, an upcoming play by Octavio Solis:

On the path to making a play, you look for its DNA: what it’s made of. Changes will be made—cuts, rearrangements of scenes, additions, etc.—but what needs to be there at one point is the play’s DNA. Its self. Octavio’s Pastures has real DNA. It has a genuine theatrical life, blending Word for Word’s sensibility of translating literature into theater with my love of the nakedness of storytelling in the hands of actors (as we explored in Nicholas Nickleby). But more importantly, it has heart. And poetry. It’s also very very funny. And that’s all Octavio. He pulls Steinbeck’s quiet words off the page and finds the juxtapositions between humor and pathos in a way that makes me happy to feel like I am in the hands of a Chekhovian writer.

J. Smith-Cameron, left, and Matthew Broderick in “The Starry Messenger,” a new comedy by Kenneth Lonergan. (Photo: Sara Krulwich, New York Times)

News alert: A fabulous review of Kenny Lonergan’s latest play, The Starry Messenger, appeared in the New York Times this morning. Thank you Ben Brantley for giving this carefully nuanced work its proper due.

Here’s a sampling:

[The Starry Messenger] re-establishes Mr. Lonergan, who hasn’t had a new play on the boards since 2001, as a possessor of all the crucial parts of a good dramatist’s anatomy: a critical mind, an empathetic heart and a musical ear that hears whole lives in sentences. And Mr. Broderick delivers his finest, most affecting performance in years.

To read Brantley’s full review, click here.
My November 9th posting on The Starry Messenger can be read here.

Φοιτητές του Παν/μίου Βαρσοβίας παρακολουθούν την εκδήλωση για την επέτειο του Πολυτεχνείου

Εκδήλωση για την επέτειο του Πολυτεχνείου πραγματοποιήθηκε στις 17 Νοεμβρίου 2009 στο Εργαστήριο Ελληνικών Σπουδών του Ινστιτούτου Διεπιστημονικών Ερευνών “Artes Liberales” (IBI AL) στο Πανεπιστήμιο της Βαρσοβίας. Για την εξέγερση του Πολυτεχνείου μίλησαν οι διδάσκοντες Γιώργος Κοϊνάς και Μαρία Καραμπάτη, καθώς και ο δημοσιογράφος Νίκος Κομίνης, ακόλουθος τύπου στο Γραφείο Τύπου και Επικοινωνίας Βαρσοβίας. Προβλήθηκε βίντεο με υλικό από την περίοδο των γεγονότων του Πολυτεχνείου και ακολούθησε συζήτηση με τους φοιτητές.
Στην εκδήλωση τιμήθηκε ο Νίκος Κομίνης για την προσφορά του κατά την διάρκεια της υπηρεσίας του στο Γραφείο Τύπου Βαρσοβίας και την συνεργασία του με το Πανεπιστήμιο.

Η καθηγήτρια Μ. Borowska ευχαριστεί τον Ν. Κομίνη

setting: a North Carolina B&B community
time: 2003

SCENE 1
common person 1: “I paid my bills.”
cp 2: “I got Mexicans to cut my grass.”
cp 1: “good.”
cp 2: “what are you doing.”
cp 1: “look who just came in.”
cp 3: “hey.”
cp 1: “where you been.”
cp 4: “I am married.”
cp 5: “where’s who been.”
cp 1: “yep.”

SCENE 2
cp 3: “hey.”
wife 3: “the neighbor’s yard looks nice.”
cp 3: “Mexicans do a good job.”
wf 3: “yep.”
wf 3: “help me with this crossword puzzle?”
cp 3: “uh-huh.”
wf 3: “no, look at 4 across …”
cp 3: “all right, maybe ‘turpentine’ then.”
wf 3: “uh-uh.”

SCENE 3
cp 3: “when is the golf program?”
wf 3: “it comes on in a minute, be a little more patient.”
cp 3: “all right.”

SCENE 4
boss 1: “good morning, Joe.”
cp 1: “mornin’ Ralph.”
bo 1: “good morning, Ken.”
cp 3: “morning Ralph.”
cp 1: “did you watch the golf program.”
cp 3: “I did.”
cp 1: “me too.”
cp 3: “I am going to dinner tonight.”
cp 1: “with your wife.”
cp 3: “yeah.”

SCENE 5
valet 1: “hello.”
cp 3: “thank you.”
vl 1: “your wife looks lovely, sir.”
cp 3: “yes, you’re a gentleman”, handing valet 1 $5.
vl 1: “enjoy your dinner, sir.”
wf 3: “did you give the valet his tip.”
cp 3: “yes.”
maitre d 1: “what?”
cp 3: “table for 2.”
md 1: “right this way.”
… a minute later …
md 1: “may I get your chair madam.”
wf 3: “that’s fine.”
wf 3: “what are going to eat.”
cp 3: “soup.”
wf 3: “that sounds good.”
cp 3: “what are going to eat.”
wf 3: “soup.”
cp 3: “that sounds good.”
wf 3: “I like the music.”
cp 3: “pianos are pretty.”

SCENE 6
wf 3: “turn out the lights.”
cp 3: “good night dear.”
wf 3: “good night.”
… several hours later …
zoological monster 1: enters the house 3 through front door ( off stage ).
hs 3: shakes slightly
cp 3: sleeps soundly
zm 1: advances toward bedroom
hs 3: shakes slightly more
zm 1: advances closer to bedroom
cp 3: feels the bed shaking a bit
zm 1: enters the hallway area towards bedroom
hs 3: shakes very much near bedroom
zm 1: “ahhuuhh-ehh, hhuuuu-ehh-hnhnhnhn, uhhuu”, loudly at bedroom entrance
wf 3: opens eyes
zm 1: grunting, thudding gait, steps forward
zm 1: crosses dark bedroom threshold
cp 3: very concerned
wf 3: also very concerned
zm 1: proceeds along cp 3’s bedside
zm 1: turns beyond cp 3’s side of footboard
zm 1: proceeds beyond, parallel to footboard
hs 1: bedroom is destructively rattling
wf 3: can’t believe it
zm 1: crashes through window, destroying much of window frame
hs 1: window glass shatters outward, downward from the second floor window
zm 1: exits bedroom with shards of glass and wall portions
zm 1: lands undaunted in yard beneath window
cp 3: gets out of bed, quick steps to remains of window
cp 3: “its running through the neighbors yard.”
wf 3: joins husband at window
zm 1: moves into a distant darkness
cp 3: calls inurance company and emergency serveices
for several hours there are many investigators examining the scene

SCENE 7
wf 3: “are you going to have breakfast.”
cp 3: “yes.”
wf 3: “what do you want.”
cp 3: “toast, eggs.”
wf 3: “ok.”

SCENE 8
bo 1: “good morning, Joe.”
cp 1: “mornin’ Ralph.”
bo 1: “good morning, Ken.”

cp 3: “morning Ralph.”
cp 1: “how was dinner, Ken.”
cp 3: “it was good.”
cp 3: “did you get the files ready.”
cp 1: “yes.”
cp 3: “good.”

SCENE 9
cp 1: “hello.”
cp 4: “good to see you.”
cp 1: “when did you get the shoes.”
cp 2: “yesterday.”
cp 1: “good.”
cp 4: “have a good evening everybody.”

SCENE 10
wf 4: “dinner’s on the table.”
cp 4: “I am hungry.”
wf 4: “do you like pesto.”
cp 4: “it’s good.”
wf 4: “ok.”
wf 4: “drink your orange juice.”
cp 4: “I will.”

SCENE 11
cp 3: “golf is on.”
wf 3: “my hands are full.”
cp 3: “I am watching golf.”
wf 3: “here’s the wine.”
cp 3: “where’s the pimento.”
wf 3: “I have to make separate trips.”
cp 3: “ok”
wf 3: “here’s the pimento.”
cp 3: “ok.”

SCENE 12
cp 3: “I am thinking about buying a boat.”
cp 2: “boats are nice.”
cp 3: “I looked in the newspaper.”
cp 2: “classified ads?”
cp 3: “yes.”
cp 2: “all right.”
cp 4: “how much.”

curtain down

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we ate, each of us, a
bucket of ham to go along with
enough bread all right
and we drank a pound of juice
    … or more I’d say

I leaned over and spoke
to my neighbor, but there were
goats on the hillside so
how could we get along

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I bought some chicken at the convenience store; the clerk told me the beer and cigarettes would be more pleasurable with chicken juice;

the cigarettes were fine, but when I added the juice to the beer there was a smoking red flavor that murdered the housewives next door, so I threw all of it out;

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