The deadlines, deadlines, deadlines... of April 2010

 [Section of "Bifurcation, Hysteresis, Catastrophe" by Jebney Lewis and K.R. Wood, an installation piece utilizing found plastic bags and pallet wood. I had the opportunity to write about these artists in April for City Paper.]

APRIL 30: Preliminary workshop draft of "William Weathersby" - Theatre Exile
We sat at Dirty Franks with Millers and shots of... something -- a $2.50 special. Sitting across from a reader of your play is like sitting with a demon or god of some kind. They have access to parts of you that even you yourself are not privy to. They also have the power to bring definition to your limitations, just by opening their mouths. I sometimes wonder if success -- more readers -- would mean a house of horrors.


APRIL 24: Act one revision of "William Weathersby" -- Theatre Exile
Some days I see it like this: journalism is a best friend. But plays are lovers that make and break your heart on a whim.



APRIL 22: Jorge Cousineau and the experimental play, "Only Sleeping" -- Philadelphia Metro
Cousineau felt compelled to apologize for wading too far into the underlying ideas of this collaboration. 
"I know it's just a little article," he kept saying. 
"I'm not going anywhere. Take your time," I said. It's a simple little phrase, but I never thought to utter it during an interview. A breakthrough.

APRIL 19: The legendary low-fi of Strapping Fieldhands -- Philadelphia Metro
Bob Malloy moved from Ohio to Philadelphia intent on plugging into the literary scene, but found he couldn't live with his typewriter alone. When he discovered a four-track recorder in the early 90s, Strapping Fieldhands was born. Soon there was a five-piece band formed around his music and lyrics. A growing following took root, and today the Fieldhands are revered by many as one of Philly's unsung indie heroes. While Malloy may still be a touch disappointed that some members resisted taking the band national way back when, his enthusiasm for the ensemble has been reborn. Some old school fans in high places are trying to give them a bit of a push. Malloy was a fun interview. Didn't hold back, and was even willing to discuss Anton Chekhov. I'm a fan for life.
PRE-EDIT DRAFT
[Archive photo provided by Weathervane Music.]


APRIL 19: Massive student loan debt in U.S., education section -- Metro Newspapers
Robert Applebaum founded a group called Forgive Student Loan Debt To Stimulate the Economy. It's a beautiful thing.


APRIL 15: The ritz-y Phoenix condos go to auction, real estate section -- Metro Newspapers
Shouldn't have taken this one, and I sort of knew it when I accepted. Isn't that always the way?


APRIL 14: Career centers on campus, education section assignment -- Metro Newspapers
1. Studies show that students who don't use career centers don't get jobs when they graduate. 2. Studies show that students that do use career centers generally don't get jobs either -- put ever-so-slightly more often. 3. New article: studies show there are no jobs.


APRIL 13: Act one revision, "William Weathersby" -- Theatre Exile
This meeting was at Nick's in Old City. Director Brenna Geffers is a gifted reader, and for that reason I couldn't help but run up a tab.

 APRIL 9: The retro swing-sass of Delco Nightingale -- Philadelphia Metro
Erin Berry and I enjoyed spray-gun cola while she worked the slow-and-early shift at Atlantis in Kensington. (Deadline before drinking.) Berry is fascinated by history of music and fashion. As a costume designer in New York, she constantly worked on period clothing. And Delco is all about the swing and sass of mid twentieth century Americana. For some reason Metro decided that readers would enjoy a delicious honey ham with this article. [Click on image to see larger]


APRIL 7: Grant money stays the same, cost of college goes bonkers, education section -- Metro Newspapers
Perhaps nowhere can you find more concise evidence of a deepening class system in the U.S. than in glancing at the many charts and graphs depicting student grants and loans. The lines for grants (quotient of free education) are almost uniformly flat over the last two decades, while cost lines look like mountain climbing diagrams.

 APRIL 6: Actress Leah Walton and the comedy of "Nerve" -- Philadelphia Metro
Walton spoke to me at 10 p.m. from a rehearsal hall where she was marking through a few of the dance steps in "Nerve." Her dedication to precision is remarkable, but she was still generous with her time -- enough to listen to my venting about critics. She was recently in a rare Tennessee Williams play, "Gnadigies Fraulein." It's a searching allegory of cruelty, art, love and class. "Poo, I want Stella, or I'll make a little pouty face in print," said our local paper of record. [Click on image to see larger]


APRIL 1: Brent Zeller's vision for physical education, "Evolutionary Education" -- Metro Newspapers
Why world class gymnasts biff it at the Olympics. Fun interview.

 APRIL 1: Another Jebney Lewis experiment at Nexus Gallery - City Paper
Jebney and K.R. were nice enough to give me a ride back to Kensington after the interview, with K.R. having to straddle the transmission. Jebney is constantly in a panic over getting himself too deep into a project. Overcommiting. We had beautiful discussions on the sheer madness of deadlines, none of which made it into the piece. LINK TO ARTICLE
[Photo by me with K.R. Wood's camera (thanks)]

This week in playwright-er-ing

William Weathersby at Exile
My deadline is fast approaching for the workshop  of "William Weathersby." 

The free public reading will be:

Monday, May 3, 7 p.m. 
Theatre Exile
1340 S. 13th St.
Philadelphia, PA
www.theatreexile.org

I'm currently working with director Breanna Geffers on further developing this script. Events like this create nessisary pressure on the writer (me), and help to force discoveries in the text. Along with the play, I'm also working on doing a better job of listening and fascilitating conversation about the text. So I'll be interested in the post conversation. In the past, I usually ran and hid at the corner bar. 

Inspiration and Participation!

 [Photo by Jamie Moffett]

Was thrilled to take part in a Good Friday vigil yesterday outside of the Shooter Shop on Emerald and Allegheny in Kensington. I hope to write about North Philly's growing anti-gun movement someday.

Heeding God's Call, The Simple Way and many others partnered to create this event, in an attempt to pressure the Shooter Shop into signing a basic 10-point code of conduct. The Shooter Shop has thus far refused. It was an impressive, disciplined, non-violent event.

It is well documented that Pennsylvania has arguably the most lax gun laws in the Northeast, and this is a huge problem for the whole region. Hopefully, one day the law will be changed, but events like this are a proven, effective strategy to curb the amount of illegal guns flooding into Philly's neighborhoods. That saves lives, and gets the ball rolling in the right direction.

Recently, Shalom House and others used similar tactics with Colosimo's gun shop in Kensington. One of the effects it had was to pressure federal investigators to focus attention on that shop. Colosimo's is no longer selling guns.

More than 200 people died last year in our city due to gun violence. It is an epidemic, and I think every Philadelphian can agree that enough is enough. This movement is a clear-cut, tangible way to save lives and change the city for the better -- just by showing up. How often does that opportunity come along?

The next event:
An organizing assembly
April 18, 4 p.m.
Wayland Temple Baptist Church
25th and Cecil B. Moore

Victory is mine!

A few weeks ago, a large package arrived in my apartment lobby with my name on it. After digging through layers of bubble wrap and styrofoam peanuts, I discovered the very painting that Nic Coviello is hanging above, with an inscription on the back: "Thank you Bruce for your direct, honest writing." What a victory. I celebrated that night at the corner bar.


Nic was featured last year in the dearly departed Metro arts and culture section. For almost two years I collaborated on these artist profiles with photographer, Chris Gabello. Looking at Nic's painting in my hands, it became a little clearer to me why I am so fulfilled by this work. So much of my creative writing is, by necessity, centered around my personal experiences. But what a joy it is to reorient myself and listen carefully to others -- to shed light on their life and work.

For me, writing is almost entirely an attempt to dignify human beings... nurses, plumbers, brain surgeons, abstract artists, they each have stories that need to be told. I think it is a rare and useful thing whenever a non-celebrity, non-powerbroker is actively listened to. For me, this is work of value.

"Listening with a pen." Perhaps that should be my blog's new title?

Deadlines in review

[Dan Scholnick and Aimee Ando in their just-completed Kensington loft -- a rare opportunity to utilize photography in my work.]

the crimes that are mine
Maybe it's the early winter sunset. I've been undeniably blog-lazy of late. But that stops tonight! I'm back with a new Google Docs function. This month I'm linking select posts to pre-edited drafts. I have a few misgivings. Chief among them, the world will see the idiotic mistakes I make before my editor has a chance to catch them.  However, more and more I find myself sharing the pre-edited material with subjects. To my surprise, I find that people often enjoy the director's cut. Plus, for artists, it provides an opportunity to experience more detailed writing about their craft. I have to expect that everything and anything I send to an editor will find its way into print. So what's wrong with posting it here? We'll see. 

home schooling
Started work for a new section of the paper -- real estate. How does a lifelong renter get the real estate gig? Same as a perpetual freelancer for the careers section. Practice. Practice. Practice.

I couldn't have asked for two better subjects to kick this thing off. Dan and Aimee sat more-than-patiently for the camera until I finally settled on a usable image. And Chris Kleinberg and I philosophized over coffee for two hours after our interview. I think I finally met my argumentative match. Chris and his wife, Nikki, founded Cambria House four years ago. It's a beautiful, friendly, intentional community in North Philadelphia. The world needs more people who think and give as they do.
Cambria House ran Jan. 27 

pre-edit draft

Dan Scholnick ran earlier in the month
pre-edit draft


Wig out
Wear Your Wig To Work Day was January 29th in Philadelphia. Dancer Gabrielle Revlock has been promoting this beautiful concept since 2002. We had a great chat at the Last Drop Cafe, where I received an official Wig Day button. I'm accused of wearing a wig everyday, so I just went as is. 
Ran on Jan 27, Phila Metro

pre-edit draft

when you're not home
Really fell for Sean Taylor's paintings this month. He juxtaposes American power with our quaint perceptions so well. Great interview. Love it when artists can resist the temptation to self-sensor.
Ran at some point in January, I think

pre-edit draft

cooking and writing
A happy hour drink with Blood Feathers was among my favorite workday moments in last couple months. They're the first band to be signed by the new Philebrity label. I think we were able to bond around the day-in, day-out process of making time for writing. They're songwriters. But it's the same process, I think.  Pretty much. [Photo by Matt King]
Almost sure this ran on Jan 15, Phila. Metro

pre-edit draft

"pause/record"
Jeff McNeil -- AKA Thee Phantom -- has his act together. When I initially contacted him, I thought I was dealing with an agent. He was just so professional.

I enjoyed his mash-up of the Beasties and Bethoven.
Ran at some in December, Phila. Metro
pre-edit draft

I'm not Prig-y
What fun to talk about Shakespeare on film with local film-crazy-encyclopedic-mind critic, Matt Prigge. His #1 all-time, Orson Welles' "Othello."
Ran in January, I hope. Phila Metro
pre-edit draft

straight drugs
Finally got to to do a piece on theater director, David O'Connor. I've been a fan since his production of "One Flea Spare" a few years ago. He was working on "Peter Pan" for the Arden.

"Peter Pan" is all about drugs. I'm convinced.
Ran at some point in December, Phia. Metro

Other recent arts and entertainment features include: jazz composer and tenor sax-man, Tim Warfeild; "The Threshing Floor," a solo-play by James Ijames about James Baldwin (say that three times fast); "Riffing On the President's House," a new dance/jazz piece with composer Bobby Zankel; yet another interview with local "Top Chef," Jennifer Carroll.

And I finally got to ask Bruce Warren why there's no local hip-hop on WXPN. "Because our listeners really don't like hip-hop." Take it or leave it. Anyone want to start a letter writing campaign?

sprockets 
Also came to the end of the many, many trade-degree assignments. I had a blast talking shop with local mechanic, Nick Schummer. Great guy. Lousy quizzo etiquette. (I know him from the corner bar.) [Photo by Justin Geller]

Other education pieces in recent memory include: MSW in social work, paralegals, class-capture technology, and student-teacher relationships.
These pieces used to run on Mondays, but now I guess its Wednesdays, maybe.

gold of the Golden Nugget
Oh, and I wrote a travel piece on Las Vegas... AND I ACTUALLY GOT TO GO TO VEGAS. But more on that next time. It's way complicated. The photo I took here is one of the last things I remember. (Damn the movies for stealing my experiences.)

This week in playwright-er-ing

Earlier this month, I learned that my play, WILLIAM WEATHERSBY, will be given a workshop/reading in Theatre Exile's new X-hibition Series. Brenna Geffers is scheduled to direct. The public reading will be May 3rd, 2010.

I actually completed the current daft of this one long before WHISKY NEAT. So it's a little strange to work on the rewrite. It's like being introduced to myself from five years ago. And, let me tell ya, what a confused little shit this kid is.

At the time, I worried that this play would have a short shelf life. Without being fully able to articulate it, I think I was attempting to tap into a notion that I was sensing in those around me -- a sort of subconscious grieving for the end of the American middle class. I felt that my generation was perhaps the final representatives of this particular tribe, and I wanted to sing a beautiful elegy for us all. Well, unfortunately, for obvious reasons, the play feels even more topical now than when it was written. One thing I'm going to try this time out: not being the cynical bastard I used to be. I'll be looking for possibilities of redemption, both in me and in the play. You have to look in both places to find it in either one.

[LEFT: the Theatre Exile staff. I hear they have impeccable taste in new plays.]
Just for kicks, my three favorite Theatre Exile productions:
1. VALPARAISO (2004)
2. RHINOCEROS (2000)
3. KILLER JOE (2006)

Theatre Exile
1340 S. 13th St.
Philadelphia, PA
www.theatreexile.org

Deadlines in review

[Balloon sculpture by Jason Hackenwerth]

Last week I accepted an assignment to profile Jason Hackenwerth, a pretty well-known artist in the modern art world, for those of you that travel in those circles. I do not. And that's what makes it such a joy to write about. In a certain sense, I feel that every feature should be written from the perspective of the dumbest guy in the room. The writer is our conduit in this strange land, and we want him to ask the questions that we are too polite to utter: Is that thing right-side-up? You'd be surprised at the great quotes that can be launched from something as silly as that. The more sophisticated my questions, usually, the less I get in return. I don't remember that enough when I'm on the other side.

Primarily, Hackenwerth creates massive sculptures out of balloons -- you know, the long, skinny ones used for balloon animals. I've never seen anything like it.
Ran on November 6 in the Philadelphia Metro



The first year I worked for the Metro I wanted to cover street musicians. This was problematic, though, since they usually didn't have specific shows to promote. And without that, the story wasn't time sensitive for my editors. They sat on them forever, and I didn't get paid until it ran. I made sure all my pieces related to specific shows from then on.

One of the first musicians I covered was 20-year-old Anna Christie (yes, real name ). At the time, she was playing her heart shaped melodies in Suburban Station on a regular basis. Well, now she really does have gigs, lots of them, and she's working on her second album with her band, Sisters 3. They grow up so fast! What fun to write about her for the second time. Someday I'm going to find the right venue for the street musician profiles -- would be a blast.
Ran on November 20 in the Philadelphia Metro



I always have a good time interviewing choreographers. They are the kindred spirits of playwrights, I think. Young dancer Scott Park recently created a dance especially for Halloween. It's based on "white lady stories" -- ghost stories involving betrayed women.
Ran on October 30 in the Philadelphia Metro



Wrote a piece on local playwright Seth Bauer last week. He has two plays running at once -- New York and Philly! "Don't wait around for something fancy [big budget production]. Work with whose in the room." Great advice for any playwright, I think.
Ran on November 13 in the Philadelphia Metro



Four more career pieces for Metro: bartenders, IT technicians, social workers and HVACR repair. I love to get into the nitty-gritty of other people's jobs. I don't know why. I've never been particularly good at the nine-to-five myself. I have a feeling I'm a better listener to HVACR repairmen than the wives of HVACR repairmen.
These pieces generally run Mondays in the Boston, New York and Philadelphia Metros