Friday, June 11, 2010

Kacy Crowley: Direct From Austin


After finding some semblance of routine here in Boulder, it started shifting again until I'm back striving to get back to it. Sometimes it takes only something small to turn the whole day into something unexpected. Not that unexpected is bad, it's just that lately, its been turning into late nights and early mornings.

After I realized that I probably wouldn't be going back down to Texas anytime soon, I have been able to focus on what is at hand here, so that has given me some peace. However, starting the generator to 'everlasting peace' in Boulder is always a challenge. With the music, I've been able to keep myself in grocery money, but garnering paychecks to keep the phone on, the electricity, etc. has been more challenging. Yesterday, I designed the poster for two production workshops, one for youth and one for adults. The workshops will be five-minute plays, with a performance of the plays at the end of July. Hopefully, that will give me the paycheck I need for the rest of this month and July. I'll also get some pay for producing the music end of the festival here, which is always lots of work for little, but still lots of fun.

I suppose the biggest news I have is that I have decided to do 'Under the Desert' here before it moves to Los Angeles. Here's the crazy and exciting part. Since the play takes place in the desert, I made a decision to do the play out in the desert. For two days, I was in a frenzied state of conceiving this vision, and hardly slept. Although there was some 'mania' connected to it, I don't think I was having a manic episode. After all, doing a play out in the middle of the desert sounds like a rational plan, doesn't it? Okay, its nuts, but I'm still going to do it even though I've scaled down my delusion of grandeur. After visiting with Anselm Spring, I've decided to do it on top of the mesa where I did 'Bohemian Cowboy'. It's still crazy, but very doable. This time, however, I'm requiring that people walk up to the theatre site, so only the brave will be in attendance. I've also decided that I'm going to advertise on a 'word of mouth' basis, with posters that say, 'Under the Desert', for more information, ask a friend, or something like this. I'm going to use the 'rumor' marketing plan. I've already passed the play out to several people to begin my volunteer base. The actors I'll bring up from Los Angeles so that the transition back down there is easier to manage. Sean Thomas, the champion of the play in Los Angeles has agreed to come here and do the play, now we just have to find the actress in LA crazy enough to come to Utah for six weeks to do a play in the desert. But hey, it is Los Angeles. (love you LA!) I'm excited to get started, especially with the new re-write. Last fall, I read the play and thought, "well, this works pretty well as it is…" But after tearing through several plays in manic re-writes, I found the impetus to re-write this one as well. So, the 'Under the Desert' play in the desert proceeds without any caution.

Last night was another great night of music. Rob and Donna Owen invited several musicians down to a cabin in Deer Creek where we had a great session. Three guitars, a stand-up base, a flute, and a mandolin were present. I know I overuse the word magical, but in a word, it was 'magical'. During the festival, we are playing for Craig Miller who is coming down from SLC to teach some old school dance, so we will play during his session and then play the dance afterwards. We dove deep into our elementary school days and found some relics to play. 'Tom Dooley', 'She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain' etc., Oh, and people, yes, 'Turkey in the Straw'. (You would know it if you heard it) Thank God for those elementary music teachers who thought these songs were important to learn. Now I know why! In between running around, I've still found time to learn some new songs and write a couple of new ones. I'll debut them tonight at The Grill, a great place to try things out.

My brother Dan arrived day before yesterday, so the last two days have been pretty consumed with getting him set up to live here for the summer. I found him a place to live, a local guy here who has an extra room. Although Dan has no transportation and currently no phone,(on the broad assumption he will read this). He is always great to have around, and fun to talk to. He's funny and smart, always good assets to put into the mix.

I've also been busy making arrangements for Kacy Crowley to come to the festival from Austin. She is a great singer/songwriter, and I'm happy that she was willing to come! (You can find her music on I-tunes, and she has a myspace site as well, tell me what you think. Listen to 'Cave', its brilliant). As always, we like to also bring in 'The Usual Suspects'. These are the bands and musicians that have been here before and love it. I've been criticized for always bringing several of the same people back, but my theory works on building relationships with people. I bring them back because I like being around them and over the years I've gotten to know them. In our situation, money doesn't build a great festival, relationships do. Loyalty is still a big thing with me, and for many who participate in this festival, it is an opportunity for them to prepare and perform. I believe it not only creates a musical environment for the actual festival, but the environment is created long before in preparation. Many of the local people are preparing and rehearsing.

Next time, I'll tell you more about the movie evolution, which is on going and still alive. I did have an exciting moment the other day when Steven wrote to me and told me a producer (a big one) was coming to Los Angeles and wanted to meet with him about my script. Steven had sent my script to several producers, so this is a really positive happening. Still, like I've said through this whole process, I don't get to 'hopey', so that when everything changes course in any given hour of the day, I'm not disappointed or surprised. I may have to go to San Francisco next week, but that could change when I check my e-mail. In the meantime, I'm pushing forward. Oddly for me, knowing I'm doing a play always gives me some comfort. Like a favorite pair of house shoes, I like to walk onto a play set with them on, and know that if I'm making the decision to wear them, no one can really take them away…

2 comments:

Gerry said...

Sounds like Boulder is its usual busy self in the summer, as it has been for many many years. Imagine back in the days of bottling, with hundreds of bottles to fill for winter, and relatives and friends descending on us living in Boulder wanting to be transported to King's Pasture in our jeep for fishing. Daddy would start to cuss if too many of Mother's relatives appeared at once and she was not available for some much needed task. Since they loved to go to Boulder to fish-- But now it is a race to see if you all can get everything done so the Festival will come off great, and you will be able to feed yourselves, etc, while waiting a little longer for a ship loaded with more gold to come in! I hope Dan can learn to sprint up the road with no car. I always like to hear of more city folks discovering the wilds of Boulder as their own special wild place. I am sure great memories can be made of doing a play called Under the Desert in a real little desert on Thompson's ledge. Aunt Ann was happy you both got the chance to visit with her. I still think Dan will be a lot more use to you than I would be even without a car and phone. Maybe he thought you could send smoke signals. Angelina said he did call and give her the password.

kanyonland King 2.blogspot.com said...

I enjoyed your short visit. Come again! I guess the birding workshop is in full force today.
Are you checking out the birds? You might can get one or two to fly in for "Under the Desert".
Surely Steve can get that done.
I'll be interested in a new production. See you soon...we are going to get the last of the siding on the cabin before Jason leaves, we hope. Our fish are gone..but I heard a woodpecker when we went up there last.