Steady Rain Reviews Are In

I agree. There is still the key plot point I can't reveal that bothered me, but eventually enough people will have seen it.


Jackman, Craig fare better than 'A Steady Rain'


AP – Actors Daniel Craig, left, and Hugh Jackman take their bows at the curtain call for the Broadway opening …

NEW YORK – Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman emerged unscathed but "A Steady Rain" wasn't as lucky.

The two megastars opened on Broadway Tuesday to mostly positive notices in Keith Huff's two-character police drama, with many of the critics more critical of the play than the performers.

The AP said, "... while both men, particularly Craig, acquit themselves well, they can't turn the 90-minute evening into anything more than a chance to see two big-time movie stars emoting up close in a pulpy, plot-heavy entertainment."

The New York Times said "Big names, little show. 'A Steady Rain' ... is probably best regarded as a small, wobbly pedestal on which two gods of the screen may stand in order to be worshipped."

Let's Put on a Show CLICK HERE

Well since they just published this online I guess I AM going to do it.

I wanted to do a show that was simple so I am using tracks for songs I have recorded. I hope it works.

I wanted to call it TRACKS of My TEARS, but that sounds sad.

Dreams DO Come True, They Just Don't Always Look The Way We Want Them To!

Thinking Back Fondly on Kevin McCann CLICK HERE

(Kevin on the left, Joe on the right)
Once again, I want to post this and remember my friend Kevin!
You are not forgotten!!

Earlier I posted a birthday remembrance for my friend Kevin McCann.
Today, I post a remembrance of his passing.
Sept. 28th was the day Kevin passed on to the other side. The higher plane.
I still can hear his laugh.
I still remember the commitment ceremony he and Joe had at Disneyland, complete with the Del Rubio Triplets.
I still remember Gay Pride parades and parties at his place in Long Beach.
I still remember laughing with him on the sets of movies we did extra work on together.
I still look for him in the background of episodes of "The Golden Girls".
I still cherish my friendship with Joe in San Francisco.
And I still remember the sadness I felt this day several years ago, when I heard he had passed on.
And, I still remember the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but also, once I had done it, the proudest accomplishment I have ever done - sing at his funeral.
The joy, the laughter, the tears - but they all add up to missing a wonderful man, who loved his life, and his partner Joe.
I'll be holding extra good thoughts for you today Kevin.
And you too Joe!

You are deeply missed Kevin. And you will never be forgotten!

Thank you for being a friend!

FAME...the new Movie...is TAME

Went to see the new remake of FAME last night. My friend Phil and I went to the Ziefeld Theatre to see it.

I saw the original when it came out in the movie theatres.

I wasn't too excited about seeing this new version figuring it would be like High School Musical.

Well, although it has a few moments, it is so tame..somewhat lame...that it just never got the excitement level up.

Just read a review that it is a FAMILY FILM. They took all the grit and realism away.

And so, it's fine...but not FINE!!!

For Grace For Good CLICK HERE

For GRACE


Dear All,

Our 2nd Annual Women In Pain Conference: Gender Matters was a great success! If you weren't there in person, now you can enjoy the enlightenment, empowerment and great energy of the day!

To view a photo journal of the event, please go to For Grace's Flickr site:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/forgrace/

To watch a webcast archive of the entire conference, please link to our LiveStream site: http://www.livestream.com/forgrace

Hope all are enjoying a fine early Fall season...

Best,
John Garrett
Director, For Grace


For Grace
Dedicated to Ensuring the Ethical and Equal Treatment of All Women in Pain

forgrace.org

Do you tweet? Now follow For Grace on Twitter!




For Grace
PO Box 1724
Studio City, California 91614

A New Do and a New Me

Well, a shorter haircut sure makes a difference.

Once again, I had gained all my weight back PLUS 30 lbs. It's been a lifelong struggle.

But I am determined to keep it off this time. Since May 26, 2009 I've lost 32 lbs. These pics were taken this Wednesday after I got a haircut. 9/16/2009

Current weight, for real, 184
Age 49

Feeling fine, looking fine and owning my body...taking care of it one day at a Time!

Susan Boyle - Wild Horses CLICK HERE

This is AMAZING! I can't stop listening to it..much as I watched her YouTube video over and over.
I couldn't believe they chose this, but after listening I am so glad they did. Simon Cowell knows what he's doing.
No frumpy old lady she!!
I can see Susan singing this to her mother as she spent 2 years caring for her while she slowly passed.
I can't wait to buy the CD...and am so happy for her!
Susan is proof..that the Dream CAN come true!!!

A Steady Rain and the Retreat

Well, seeing Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig in person was worth having to get up Saturday morning at 4AM to take two trains and a taxi to the Retreat.
Friday it did indeed rain, steadily, but luckily stopped before show time.
I met Vito at the theatre and we went in. 4th Row aisle seats to the left of center. Excellent!
The play is very powerful, with the exception of one key plot point that I have to wait for someone else to see the show, before I can discuss it with someone. I felt it pulled me out of the play and made me realize they were using a real life event that is fairly well known, for a key plot twist. They could have done better.Hugh and Daniel were both at the top of their game and very powerful. Daniel Craig's character had more of a character arc and was also more likable. He did quite well and I was very impressed with him as I'd never seen him in a movie or on stage before.
Hugh I had seen in "The Boy From Oz". At first it seemed as if he were adding too much humor and sly winks to the character, which the audience was totally responding to. His accent faded a bit, then he got back on track (they both have Bronx type accents). Once the audience titters sort of passed, he got into character and I believed him in the role.
That was part of the problem, the audience was responding to him as Hugh Jackman the movie star who hosted the Oscars. Not his fault, but it was a bit annoying. The amount of titters and whispers at first was off putting. Still, both actors remained in character and never let that throw them.
It's a short play, 90 minutes with no intermission. Powerful!

Then, I went home and went to bed. Up at 4AM to take the train from Grand Central to New Haven. Lots of party people going home from the bars to Connecticut. When I got to New Haven I took a Shoreline East commuter train to Old Saybrook, then took at taxi to the retreat center.

It was rainy and misty and damp all day Saturday. I did go down to the lake but didn't go swimming. Just didn't feel like it. So I went and took a nap! That felt good.

The evening was great..dinner, a meeting and then CHARADES. I did pretty well, as did we all. A good time!

Today, Sunday was mostly sunny in the AM, then it really cleared up around 11AM. We had a meditation workshop by the lake. Wonderful.

After a great lunch and a gratitude session, we hopped on the bus to New Haven. We made the train by 2 minutes!! Luckily everyone got on.

A quick train ride then we all dispersed to our various homes. Sad, but we will hopefully all see one another soon, "in class".

Very glad I went and very grateful and humbled! HP was at work the whole time!
Thanks God!
Thanks Saul, Bill and Craig!

A Steady Rain

It has been raining all day...a steady rain in fact...

which..is ironic..because I got tickets to see "A Steady Rain" tonight starring Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig. It is a new play, not a musical. Last night was the first night of previews. Ironically I am seeing it tonight, on this day. My friend Vito is going with me.
It's bout two men who are best friends, since childhood, and are police officers. Something happens that threatens to tear their friendship apart. Sounds heavy.
I saw Hugh Jackman in "The Boy From Oz" when I first moved to NY. He was wonderful.
This is the same theatre where I saw Julia Roberts in "Three Days of Rain" which was my FIRST blog entry on here.
Hopefully this won't be my LAST.
I also am leaving to go to the Retreat tomorrow, instead of going today. But the wait is worth it.
I have to take an EARLY train up tomorrow, but it will be nice to get away from the city. Probably will rain as the weather forcasts that till Sunday, when we return.
Oh well, I'll focus on the workshop I am leading and just relaxing.
Thanks HP!

9/11/09 8 Years

This morning as I walked to the subway I could hear them reading off the names of those who died in the World Trade Center attacks. I live 2 blocks over so as I rounded the corner of John Street heading up towards Broadway I could see the sky and space where the towers should have been.
I got on the subway and though I got a bit irritated by someone jostling me, I then realized - I am lucky to be alive, healthy and blessed in so many ways.
For all those who lost their lives that day, I am sorry.
I will try, every day, to live and live my life to the fullest because that is all we really can do. Be kind and try to help one another.
I pray this never, ever, happens again!

'Ragtime' to Riches: Donna Migliaccio Broadway-Bound

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'Ragtime' to Riches: Donna Migliaccio Broadway-Bound
By Jane Horwitz
Special to The Washington Post, Wednesday, September 9, 2009

"From the ridiculous to the sublime" is how Donna Migliaccio describes the artistic about-face she'll make later this month. That's when she'll depart the playful spoof "Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)" currently at MetroStage, and head to Broadway to play early 20th-century radical Emma Goldman in "Ragtime."

" 'Musical of Musicals,' " explains Migliaccio, "is all about waving my arms and rolling my eyes" in broad parodies of American musical theater classics. "It requires a great deal of energy and a great deal of focus, which is the same thing I have to bring 'Ragtime.' "

Migliaccio played Emma Goldman last spring at the Kennedy Center in the revival now bound for New York, staged by Marcia Milgrom Dodge. The show starts previews Oct. 23 and opens Nov. 15.

Known for her larger-than-life singing voice (both in range and volume), take-charge stage presence, and knack for comedy and big emotions, Migliaccio says a Broadway career has "never been anything that I'd aimed for. My life is down here in D.C., so I kind of feel like I backed into it . . . but I'm really excited about it." A co-founder (with Eric Schaeffer) of Signature Theatre in Arlington, Migliaccio has been nominated 10 times for Helen Hayes Awards, winning in 2007 for Stephen Sondheim's "Assassins" at Signature.

She was appearing at the Kennedy Center last year in "Broadway: Three Generations" when she learned of the "Ragtime" auditions and was urged to try for the Emma Goldman part. The actress read up on Goldman, who was viewed in her day as an anarchist, feminist, anti-draft, pro-Bolshevik firebrand. "All fanatics are a little bit naive. You have to admire the fact that through everything that she went through [including jail and eventual deportation], she never once [lost] her ideals," Migliaccio says.

During the Kennedy Center "Ragtime" run, she discovered the importance of "staying tied into the passion of the character without ripping out your vocal cords at the same time." That and keeping Goldman's trademark pince-nez on her nose. The specs were attached firmly with spirit gum. "There were perform ances where I would be gesturing fairly vigorously and hook my thumb into the ribbon on the pince-nez and snatch them right off my face." Ouch. "You suffer for your art," Migliaccio observes.

On Sept. 17, Virginia Beach native Heather Mayes will take over for Migliaccio at MetroStage in "Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)." This opportunity comes early in Mayes's career.

During rehearsals, the young performer watched Migliaccio, and was "writing down all of her blocking, writing down all of her choices and at the same time, taking inspiration from what she's doing." In addition to "being completely entertained by her," adds Mayes, she was "trying to stay focused on how am I going to make this my own." While she'll surely lend a different flavor to the show, Mayes says she and Migliaccio share traits as "great belters" and "bold comedians."
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YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Justen Dardis Mascot 1,000th Blog Post!!! Thanks Justen!

Click in the image to enlarge it



Another great benefit of both this blog AND Facebook!
I got a note from Kirk Sibley asking me if the Justen Dardis in my photos was the Justen Dardis who had once been the Mascot at the University of Arizona.
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Hi Tony, you don't know me. But I found your name when looking up some information about Justen Dardis, who passed away several years back. I am quite certain he went to the University of Arizona and was our school mascot in the mid 80's. Our mascot turns 50 years old this year and I'm trying to make sure Justen's role as mascot is remembered along with all the others that have been our school's mascot. From your blog post it sounded as if you might have known him fairly well so I thought I'd check in with you. The pic you posted of him and Lily Tomlin does bear the resemblence to the pics of the Justen Dardis from U of Arizona newspapers from that time period. Can you shed some light on this? Thanks in advance.
Kirk Sibley
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Justen would be embarressed but he'd also be VERY proud because it is obvious he loved doing that!

Thanks Kirk for including Justen!

Spiritual Windex

Today in church at Marble Collegiate the sermon was on opening our eyes, to helping others. In a nutshell that is. At one point Sister Carol Perry used the term "Spiritual Windex" which I liked. Cleaning our thoughts and the way we see things, clouded and through negative filters.
I liked that. Sometimes my vision gets clouded and I let my thoughts turn negative.
So, I will get out my Spiritual Windex and clean that foggy view.

I took a nice nap, then went for a long walk. I walked over to the WTC site, then crossed the bridge over to Battery Park by the Marina. I then walked along the Hudson River on the bike/walking path. It was chilly in the early evening. I walked all the way up to Chelsea to 23rd street then crossed over to 8th, then walked over and fed Tom's cats, Dick and Dee Dee. I am feeding them while he's gone.

I then went to Jamba Juice and got a Peanut Butter Moo'd. Then I walked some more over to Madison Square Park, bypassed the Shake Shack which had a loooong line!
I did get on the subway and rode down to Brooklyn Bridge exit, got out and walked home from there. I almost walked onto the bridge but by that time it was chilly and I only had t shirt and shorts on. Well, long shorts.

So, a good long walk. In the city that I love. Not a bad way to spend the day!

Ah...blessed! Thank you God!

Hey, She'sa My Birthday Too!

From one of my favorite "I Love Lucy" episodes when Lucy and Ricky are in Italy and they are trying to call home for Little Ricky's birthday!
Today, September 1st, is my birthday!!
I share it with Lily Tomlin, Barry Gibb and Gloria Estefan!!
And Lisa Gourdine and Marge Leek!
I was born in Omaha, Nebraska on Offutt Air Force Base!
I was born a month premature so I had to be kept in an incubator, hence the misconception that I was hatched!
When I got home, my brother Terry gave me chicken pox or measles and back to the hospital I went. Thank you Cheryl!
Still, I am grateful to be alive and grateful to be healthy. I have some amazing people in my life and I am very blessed.
Thank you God!
Thank you Mom and Dad!
This day is a celebration of all I am and all we are!
Life is an exclamation point!!

9/1/1960
9/1/2009

From and including: Thursday, September 1, 1960
To, but not including : Tuesday, September 1, 2009

It is 17,897 days from the start date to the end date, but not including the end date

Or 49 years excluding the end date

Alternative time units
17,897 days can be converted to one of these units:
1,546,300,800 seconds
25,771,680 minutes
429,528 hours
2556 weeks (rounded down)

From my Facebook page
John Edwin Griffin---
before any candles are lit
or any cake tasted....
may you know
deep inside
all the
joy
love
laughter
blessings
are right there
if you will notice
all inside you
all around you....
all above you and
all beneath you as well
so today may you experience
in thi...s this day and those to come
that this, the happiest of birthdays
brings you an awareness of the happiest of days ahead