middle of the night update

I've been a way busy cookie this week - HAUS of Plays went exceptionally well, I'm pleased to say, and we're already planning the next. I've been working like mad at SHOCKra Studio, and I'm excited to say that come December, I'll likely be teaching a smattering of classes there! I've been wanting to teach pole classes for a really long time, and I'm very excited to finally get my chance.

Play-production will be slowin down for the holidays, but there are a smattering of events: a re-run of my piece from the HAUS for the 5 Flights Theater Company fundraiser on December 8th, and maybe maybe maybe creating a dance troupe to do something awesome at a concert with these guys:



More news a-comin soon.

xo
Maggie

wow

I've been offline here for awhile. A couple of random starts, and then nada. Blogdeath.

Well, for those of you that might still be listening, an update, of sorts.

First of all, I'm alive and kickin', which is always a good start. HAUS of Plays is finally underway in terms of rehearsal, and opens next Thursday. My piece for the HAUS, "The Curious Sofa," will also be a part of a fundraising evening in December for the 5 Flights Theatre Company - who are opening things up to multi-company collaborations.

That's the way to go these days, really. Pool ones resources.

Speaking of resource-pooling, The Latchkey Kids had their first event during Halloween week - The Dead Celebrity Halloween Ball. It went off very very well. People enjoyed themselves. The performances were rad. I finally got a chance to sort of work with my cousin Samantha, who's a badass visual artist. She brought some of her artist friends and they did live painting and drawing, Exquisite Corpse style, during the party. I have a particularly kooky one, ready to be put on a wall, once I have a wall that's suitable.

What else? Rusty was here for a few weeks, which was wonderful. NBTSC went really well - and we wrote "Cliche - the Musical!" in about 5 days. Pretty amazing. Someday I hope to put the piece up in full on some public internet source. I also went to Toronto for ten days to observe on Robert Lepage's take on Stravinsky's "Nightingale" at the Canadian Opera Company. Ten days in a gorgeous new opera house? Yes, please, thank you.

All in all, it's been a pretty amazing fall. Even glossing over it all like that, skipping the work on "Hurricane" w/ Ryan & Karen Ann Ledger, the trip to the Winchester Mystery House (a surprise from Rusty when I was staying with him in Redwood City), gettin' to have dinner with my hero in Toronto, free house seats to "Faust" at the Metropolitan Opera, a trip to DC with Rusty & Dizzy Balloon, a new job at SHOCKra Studio...

It's been busy times, I suppose!

Lookin' forward to HAUS - if you'd like to attend, send a note to:

rsvp@realtheatrecompany.com

xoxo
Maggie Moon

forever in my life

How to even begin with catch up?

The US reading went...well, it couldn't have gone better. I guess this is what it feels like to have a passion project get somewhat realized. HAIR was my last big love, and sitting in the back of Rita Morgenthau for this felt similarly exhilarating. Only different. Less like hurtling myself off of a cliff and not being sure if I was going to land. No, with this group of artists, landing was very much assured.

My dear metal friend, Mr. Ken Pierce, and his photographer Peter Parrella were kind enough to cover the reading in detail, and I am truly honored. Check it out:

Piercing Metal talks about US

In the days since, I've been somewhat recuperating while determining my next move while preparing a reading package for Mr. Gabriel while bopping around NYC for the usual summertime fun. I've been missing the hell out of Rusty, who had to return West to record with Please Do Not Fight on their new EP. I'll be seeing a good deal of the other coast as the summer progresses - a mid-July visit to LA, and a late August stint in Oregon on the staff of Not Back to School Camp. Remember my mention of learning to dress like a lady, back in February? Well, my tights-as-shirt apparently made a lasting impression...in my staff bio, NBTSC director (the amazing Grace) has written: "Maggie was a camper back in 2001-2002, during which time she taught hip-hop workshops, sang a lot with Abbi, and wore ripped up pairs of tights as shirts."

Word. Maybe I'll rip up a new pair for the occasion.

Tights aside, I am very excited about returning and working with unschoolers. Back in the day, I used to get a major recharge of my spiritual battery by being out in the forest frolicking with a group of such alternatively-minded people. It's been seven years...bout time for a recharge!

On the work horizon, I've been asked to direct (or put in directing input, as I will be away for part of the rehearsal period) a reading of a musical written by my very good, old school pal Daniel Kelley. Daniel used to have a silent 3 in the middle of his name. He also used to write really hysterical, brilliant plays, and still does. I'm also directing/co-conceptualizing (there has got to be a shorter way to say that!) a one-man show for/with Ryan Bogner, based on the songs of Ben Folds. Um, hells yes. Plus Ryan (who was stage direction-reader for ALLIES, and a Company member in US) is a killer singer, and great writer...so I get to spend my summer working with great, talented writer dudes. Fine by me.

I almost forgot about working with Foxfire's pal Stephen Amato - another funny, talented writer dude. We're hoping to put together an evening or several of spectacular "straight plays" (Maggie do a non-musical?! Crazytalk!) that Real Theatre will likely produce...perhaps in conjuction with Foxfire's production company...or perhaps we'll form the mega-production-company that's already unofficially begun...


It's late and we'll see. We'll see. We'll see.

M

lovestoned

Brother in 'Shock the Monkey' Test Makeup
What ISN'T going on! Too much to blog about. I'm somewhat dancing around at the beginning of a giant, triumphant race...gun's about to fire...and really JUST about - we're at .2 seconds or something. But to break it down into interweb news bits, for ya...

ALLIES

Still truckin' along, with potential benefit performance in July. Going to be VERY different. Foxfire & I are working on so many projects right now, and she's been busy with Rooms (which you may see me representin' on NY1 or the lobby of New World Stages, depending on if they used anything from the fan-interview Daisy & I did for them this past Saturday), but ALLIES is still very much at the forefront of our minds. We want to be bringin' you Heart tunes, really, we do!

US

US has finally gone into real development - even if most of that development currently takes place in my apartment. Sessoms and I are meeting tonight to start on costume designs - and I will likely make her the guinea pig...guinea monkey?...for more makeup trials.

As soon as all the biz is done (and that's consuming my day today; fun with contracts and budgets), I'll post a cast list. Foxfire is of course, still starring, and Daisy & Rabbit in their namesake roles.

Other Shows

We're locked and loaded for Songs for a New World this August, America starts rehearsals on Friday, and I'm working on three other projects in other capacities...costumes for the NP Final Shows (yay for being asked back for enjoyable jobs, two years running!), the TU final Show (How to Succeed in Business), and production management on the School of Visual Arts Screenwriters Night.

If it hasn't been mentioned RTC has really, truly recieved its 501(c)(3) status - we are certified Not-for-Profit. Thank you, IRS! Big sigh of relief there!

Random Update

Item One:

Mama, at my age
(c. Arthur Elgort, 1980)
Item Two:
I have this big, giddy smile on my face that I've been unable to shake for weeks now...

all grown ups are pirates

Where have I been?

I don't know.

Life's been a little on the topsy turvy side.

But what you should know, dearest blog readers (do I have those? I'm not even sure.), is that ALLIES is set for a concert reading at the Zipper on January 26th, 2009! Wicked exciting.

Also on the horizon - costumes for Firebird at Talent Unlimited, another show at Norman Thomas. Lots of readings and stuff for RTC, although that definitely requires some extra assembly. Every night this week, I'm at a reading or a meeting or a discussion about a new show. Exciting, but I'm ready to be out of Phase One. Done talkin. Let's DO somethin.

xoxo
M

win/fail/shame

And here we are, in our full freakish glory. Ready to rock. Myself, Riff-Raff, and Columbia. Riff-Raff's traditional nickname amidst this group of people is Cooch, so thusly, it becomes his blog name. I think I'll keep Columbia for the lady.

Life, she is good. And I am a major procrastinator. I have spent the majority of the day, sitting about, being useless, and reflecting on the loveliness of the weekend. It was hardly productive - most of it was spent hangin out with the Castaways, talkin smack and cracking off-color jokes - but it was totally lovely. At Frankie's show in Woodstock, I ran into some faces from the way past - kids I worked with back in the Out of the Nest days, who I miss like the dickens. Miss Anna Rexia among them! O, how my life is lacking in Anna Rexia and the Mon Kee girls! A sigh for times gone by...

The highlight of the weekend, besides Rehearsal in General, had to be the four hours spent at a diner in K-Town, where we took up two booths to eat and blather and play Never Have I Ever. A game whose presence I haven't been graced with since quite some time ago.

Real Theatre benefit is next week. I have my fingers crossed so hard for a decent turn out. We need it. Bad. In these frightening times, making money for the arts is even more tricky than usual. But I believe very strongly in what we've got to offer for 2009, so we must must must achieve something with this event. Just a little something.

with held breath and crossed toes, I remain yours ever,
Maggie

it's just a jump to the left (and then five steps to the right)

I am tres tres fatigue.

Yesterday's 8 hour Rocky rehearsal didn't feel so hard at the time, but boy. After a 5 AM bus ride back to Manhattan, a script drop-off, a creative meeting with the guys at At Hand Theatre Co., and finally getting to my bread job at 1 PM...sitting here, I can feel rehearsal. Especially in my neck. Or maybe that's the weird position I slept in for part of the bus ride. Whatever it is. Time Warping and Hot Patootie-ing all day in spike heels will mess with you. But I'm pretty psyched about it nonetheless.

Tonight is the first informal readthrough of La Machine Infernale. The RTC staff plus a number of actors we don't typically work with (ok, Judy and Metro are 'old hat' I guess, but I love them so...), and Monsieur Jean Cocteau.

EQUUS was phenomenal. I was so excited about it, I bought a mug. Which they claimed was $15 dollars. The charge that showed up on my statement was $20. What the hell? Either way, it's a lot of money for a mug. But that beautiful EQUUS publicity photo is on it, so, oh well.

BOYS' LIFE was fun. Man & I sat right by Michael Grief, the designer, and their assistants, so we got to hear the little whispers of final dress notes throughout the show. It made me feel excellent that there are things that even Michael Grief has to whisper about on final dress.


This week, because I am blessed with awesome people being awesome and generous in my life, I will be seeing ROCK OF AGES (starring Constantine...!) on Thursday. Words cannot describe the joy...!

cleaning out the closet

I must face it. I'm a freakin' pack rat. I have so much junk, and half of it isn't even in my apartment.

So, as it pours outside, and I am thusly relieved of my Legally Blonde-hawkin', I stay put and try desperately to part with some of the crap that I own. Some of it is really nice crap. Please, if you are interested in owning some superfunky cool clothes, let me know. I want them to have a home.

If my life were a reality show, I would say that these last few months have been "like, such an emotional rollercoaster." Only, like, I'm not competing for Bret Michaels affections, or the key to Tila's heart. I am no one's rock of love, nor am I particularly fierce. But man, I rocked me some shows in the last few months. That whole list is down, and now, after a week of post-show depression, I'm teeter-tottering back onto the horse to pick up all the projects I dropped during my frantic gallop through the spring.

Oh, oops, there's US, better grab that. Oh fuck me, I dropped all of the RTC season shows too? Crap.

There's only so many shows a person can pull off at one time. Boy did I learn that the hard way.

Last night, in between screeching phone arguments with Man, Daisy & I helped Aussie & PJ repaint their old room white - having just moved into their full-on HOUSE in Astoria. As we slathered on a few coats of the cheapest paint the local hardware place could offer ($17.99 a can, and it lived up to its price), and danced around the perimeter of their abandoned bed-bugged bed, PJ started up the theatre nostalgia questions.

PJ: What was your first role in a play?
Aussie: I played a daisy in a spring performance.
Me: I was Mother Earth in Snow White. Even though there is no Mother Earth in Snow White.
Daisy: That is so Woodstock.
PJ: So what were you, Daisy?
Daisy: I was Maria in Twelfth Night. In Shakespeare Camp.
Me, Aussie, PJ: Whoooo, fancy!

I like my friends.

I need to pack for Woodstock. Now everything looks so cleaned-up and serene - even Man, who's asleep on the couch - I don't want to leave it. But I have more closets to gut through up there, and a Grandma to visit.

xoxo
M

award show thought

I would really like to win one of those, like, right before a big Nei-Play reunion or something. A Tony. Yeah. I said it. I would like two other people I know to win some also. And I'd like 'em all to be for the same show.

I would file this under "do-able."

Come on. Don't act like you don't want one too.
You know you spend tonight planning your speech.
You wouldn't be a normal performing artist if you didn't.


We did a wicked-fun photo shoot this morning for the PG project (Boy, Man, Aussie, PJ, Babydoll, and Boy's boy all took part)....for which it was difficult to wake up on time, as I spent last night watching the Nei-Play Shetacular 2008 and drinking altogether too much. Last night actually marked my first time ever leaving Blackstone's in a good mood. As I reflected to Man when we arrived home, it was much due to the fact that I {well, we} were able to do 'the fun part' of acting like single people, but still wind up at home with each other. I will be the first to admit, I flirted SHAMELESSLY with a couple of people (cough...cough...Kiwi...cough), then ran around with Man actually unhooking girls' bra straps...yeah. And I managed to exit the bar in this jovial mood! Most nights I've spent in a shameless flirt at Blackstone's end up with me, or one of my girlfriends, crying or almost-crying, and storming home drunk and unhappy. So score for changing history!

Um...over n out.

grey skies are gonna clear up

Been up for eight hours on two hours of sleep, and it's only noon! Man and I are literally on opposite schedules - he went to bed just as I was leaving the house this morning. Albeit I was leaving at five AM to work a SpikeTV Pros VS Joes event at Madison Square Garden. Now I've come home, crawled into bed, and awakened him so he can get to work by one.

Lots is new, and lots is awesome. Man moved from Texas to NYC, and we are having a time of it. We did, in fact, have champagne in Tennessee on New Years' Eve. We are nearly moved out of the apartment on 106th street, which is depressing, but onwards and upwards! We are moving uptown by a few blocks, into Mom's apartment - as she is moving out, to live with Teach! It's quite the shuffle. Most of our days consist of downloading an absurd amount of movies, trading pants, working weird hours, doing RTC biz and chattering to each other in strange voices.

Heath Ledger died. What the fuck.

I got this fantastic job, working with kids in the Drop-Out Prevention Program at Norman Thomas High School, here in Manhattan. I'll be directing the first play they've done in 15 years, and I think we'll be writing an original. The woman who hired me was interested in putting up "Waiting for Godot" with a similar design to the Out of the Nest production I did a few years ago, but when I got to the site, the kids seemed way...disinterested in that. I'll take my cues off them and see what we can put together. Either way, I'm following through on the promise I made to myself when I walked out of the Central Park Boathouse in May 2007 - if I have to starve first, I will make my living in the theatre realm, and I will not take a shitty full time bread job.

And I have nearly starved (in fact, still working on crawling out of the hole a bit, but I can see the light) waiting for a job - this job - the right job. Here I am. STOKED, man.

And look out for the RTC, because we are about to do a HUGE marketing and fundraising push...because we have all kinds of good stuff up-n-comin.

2008 SHOW SCHEDULE (thus far):

1) Tango Ballet Performance
by Sophomore Dancers at Talent Unlimited HS
When: February
Role: Costume Designer

2) Decades Ballet Performance
by Junior/Senior Dancers at Talent Unlimited HS
When: March
Role: Costume Designer

3) Beckett Shorts including Catastrophe, Play, and Come & Go
by The Real Theatre Company at Trinity High School, Talent Unlimited, and possibly other schools
When: Throughout the spring
Role: Director/Producer

4) Untitled Show
at Norman Thomas High School
When: May
Role: Producer/Director, possibly Playwright

5) Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
at Talent Unlimited HS
When: May
Role: Costume Designer

6) How I Learned to Drive
by The Real Theatre Company at Theatre Row (directed by PJ)
When: June
Role: Co-Producer

7) Gorey Stories
by The Real Theatre Company
When: October
Role: Director

8) Bye Bye Birdie
by The Real Theatre Company
When: December
Role: Director


Holy...gosh. It's only January and there's 8 shows booked. I'm terrified, but that's like catnip for me. I wanna put that list on the floor and roll around in its wonderful fantasticness.

Oh, and as of yesterday, I've been fingerprinted by the Department of Education - I'm in the system, man. Eeeeek!