boom boom ka

I'd be biting my nails in anticipation of many things, except I just got them "did" today, and don't care to ruin them.

Packages were mailed off today - to a Dad, a producer, and a rock star. Foxfire stood with me in line at the Post Office and helped me to imbue each package with "good juju." One moment I will never forget about Foxfire as long as I live: when I brought the Axl Rose belt to her apartment on the day of the Allies reading, she wrapped it around her neck in a coil. She then writhed around on her bed, ecstatic smile on her face, cooing about the "good juju" Axl was giving her. Hilarium. The process of good-juju-ing the packages was not as involved (since we were in public), but I feel it was still worthwhile.

Speaking of the Lady Foxfire, check out the totally badass Diva Talk interview she gave for Playbill! It features a mighty sweet shoutout. In fact, it's so sweet, I'm just gonna repost it here:

"I was handed [another] project by my friend Maggie Levin, who is Tony Levin's daughter. Tony Levin is a very famous bass player— he's Peter Gabriel's bass player. I had booked this reading over a year ago to star in this new Peter Gabriel musical, and the funding had dropped out. The writer and I had become really good friends because I had asked her to help me write the Heart musical. Finally I was just like, "Look, I'll produce the reading of your Peter Gabriel musical because it needs to happen because it's really good." So I produced that reading, and it went really, really well. We're actually talking to bigger producers. I'm just a baby producer. I'll do readings and stuff like that and get things going."

Mail and shoutouts aside, she & I got to chill a bit today and talk about new projects, weddings, Rock-Offs and whatnot. All good stuff. 2009 has been a killer year for our collaboration, and I see only good things in the future.

------------

Tomorrow I head off to LA to see Rusty. A much needed visit. We're in the beginning stages of a project that's been on my mind for a number of years; one that's sure to be filled to the brim with rock tunes and explosive epic-ness. And because it's my thang, there're already roles written in for Daisy, Foxfire and Rooney (from Allies!). I'm psyched to have ten days away in which to work on this and other pieces floating in my creative hemisphere. I get kinda bogged down with silliness and time-wasting busywork on the homefront.

Also continuing development with Ryan on "One Angry Dwarf," with Stephen on The Wall, and with Daniel on a bunch of things.

Meeeeeeep. Bedtime.

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

ALLIES Press!

The press release for ALLIES went out this Friday! Check us out on:

•Variety
•Playbill
•Broadway World
•Theatre Mania

And if you haven't already, please visit the ALLIES site to reserve tix for our concert reading!


P.S. For you oldtime blog followers (all 3 of you), what most amuses me about the press release is the synopsis (which I wrote myself), featuring the full name of the character I named after Numbers...'seductive,' and 'secretive' ol' Numbers...sounds more like Swank, actually.