Off Golden Pond

Wrapped my first full stage acting gig in ages just last night. I did a staged reading a couple months ago, and had a brief walk-on role in Richmond a few years back, plus a couple other events (like a stadium demo in DC with Robb Hunter), but really I haven’t done much by way […]

Year One Done

Grades are in, the school year’s over, and the first hopefully-annual UWYO Stage Combat Workshop is in the bag. The last week before the workshop, a university photographer came and snapped some shots of the broadsword class practicing for their Skills Proficiency Test. I’m hoping to work with our graphics person to make some stage-combat […]

WYO Catch-up… and Workshop!

Obviously I’ve been neglecting my industry blog. It’s been an exciting academic year, one that draws to a close in just a few weeks. To allow for a few highlights: Directing The Liar Participating in the recruiting process, including TX Thespians, CO Thespians, and other events. I look forward to seeing some of those students […]

Cowboy Country.

So it’s been a while. For anyone not following me or Fight Designer, LLC on Facebook or otherwise in contact… I’ve moved. I’m now pretty well established in Laramie, WY; been in the new job at the University of Wyoming almost a month, ditto with the new house, and it’s about a month and a […]

Front Fire Fracas

My handful of posts on this blog about front-fire blank guns have been consistently some of the most popular entries, according to my WordPress stats. Those of you who have read them know that the biggest importer, if not sole importer, of front-venting blank props is Maxsell.   It’s a small business based in Florida, […]

Richard III

Richard III is now officially opened at Agecroft Hall. While it brings with it all the challenges of outdoor theatre (rain, insects, the occasional airplane or loud bar mitsva party down the block), it’d be hard to find a more appropriate venue for summer Shakespeare outside of one of the handfuls of period theatre recreations. […]

Chekhov, Love, and Trust

On my way back now from an excellent, rejuvenating week with the National Michael Chekhov Association (NMCA), my second time attending their Teacher Intensive. The last one I went to was in Florida, and this was my first time up in Maine, where it’s hosted by the USM Gorham campus. Lovely area up here, plus […]

Many 48hrs ago

With the local 48hr film fest rapidly approaching again (and no, I’m not planning on working any projects this year) I found that last year’s entry is now online, after being held back from public view post-contest while they used it to promote other projects. It was a pretty miserable, long, day of shooting, but […]

Revolver Wrangling

Had a new one come up for me during a couple night shoots this week; An actor was using a real Smith & Wesson .38, firing a few half-load blanks in a fun noir-ish scene that called for him to be threatening one person, then shoot another and come back to threatening the first. I […]

Old things put out to stable

I dream of a time when not every job has to be a rush job, while I also suspect such a time may not come for decades… when old age will add its own sense of urgency. In the meantime, that remains the status quo, whether it be a crossbow prop that gets used in […]