Five Stars

Monday August 23 2010

"That black shape that you thought you saw whirling through the Edinburgh night sky at the weekend was probably the roof of the [Edinburgh] Playhouse, blown off by the glorious eruption that is The Gospel at Colonus and by the stomping, cheering response from 3,000 theatregoers who could scarcely believe their eyes and ears."

So begins the London Times review of our show in Edinburgh.

Of course you can let great reviews go to your head, and then the negative reviews nag and eat away at you. It's what you feel inside what matters. It's a terrific show and I'm still humbled to be a part of it. (And we'll just take this 5 out of 5 stars review and enjoy it.)

It's half an hour after our show lifted the roof off the Playhouse for the 4th and last time in the Edinburgh International Festival... and already the walls of Colonus are coming down. In another hour or so, the stage will be nearly empty of all evidence that we were there, and another show will take over the theatre.

Colonus fades away again, and life goes on for everybody again - drifting back home or elsewhere to act, sing, teach... or jump back in the horses.

I'm on to horse stuff tomorrow - Seren Arabians in England. Back to fresh air, dirt between my toes, real stars in the sky, and the sweet smell of horses.

Love

Sunday August 22 2010

We are in love.

With our Scottish in-house Edinburgh Playhouse crew. We want to take them home with us.

Opening night of The Gospel at Colonus on Saturday was a smash hit. 3056 seats sold out. The performance was awesome. The performers on fire and contagious. The crowd was great.

We had two shows today; tomorrow is our last one here.

"Until the next time," JD said.

We never know when it is really our last show - the last time this crazy, diverse family will get together... but the show has been going for 28 years in various incarnations (with 3 original cast members still in the show) - and Lord willing it will continue for another 28 years, give or take.

There are rumors of Australia, London, maybe a few other places in the works. Only time will tell.

Meanwhile, we'll try to pack our lovely Scottish theatre friends back home with us. They've been the best.

Creation

Thursday August 19 2010

A busy schedule in the world's biggest music festival means fast turnovers in a theatre such as the 3056 seat Edinburgh Playhouse. One show ends on a Tuesday night, is struck on Wednesday until everything is gone and an empty stage is left, and load in for the next show - the Gospel at Colonus - starts Thursday at 9 AM.

Throughout the 14-hour day, an empty stage grows into an ancient Roman amphitheatre. The pre-built wall designed by Alison is pieced together and raised,










the risers are built, the floors are painted, and the wall touched up with accents.

The lights are hung and focus begins according to the lighting designer Jason's plot.


The costumes are unpacked by Jesse.


The sound equipment is set up by Ron the designer and Pete the house sound guy - on stage (wireless microphone receivers, monitors, speakers, band gear, amps, cables) and in the house where I'll be mixing (mixing boards).


And in a rehearsal space, the actors are working through the show,

honing the art that will bring magic to life to the ancient Roman theatre.

Flowering of the Human Spirit

Thursday August 19 2010

Created in 1947 after the chaos of World War II, the Edinburgh International Festival was created with the mission of providing 'a platform for the flowering of the human spirit' - to transforming lives with the power of the arts. It was the first of its kind and is one of the largest art festivals in the world.

And even larger than that is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival that has grown up around it - for artists who weren't and aren't invited to participate in the EIF.


For three weeks, the city of Edinburgh is alive and deluged with arts - theatre, dance, operas, music, musicals, street performers, on stages, in homes, in the streets.

Together they form the biggest arts festival in the world, and that's why I'm here - The Gospel at Colonus has come to the EIF as one of the main acts! We're doing 4 shows at the Edinburgh Playhouse - the largest theatre in Scotland, with 3000 seats.

More to come...

Irons in the Fire

Sunday July 11 2010

"Have you lost your mind? Crewing!!" Barbara White (39 Tevis starts, 29 Tevis finishes) said to me, when I told her I was going to crew Tevis this year.


I probably have lost my mind. Although Nance has offered me her horse Quinn to ride again (!!), I figured after shooting and reporting on Tevis one year, and riding it last year, this year it was time I crewed it, to get the full spectrum. (One of the main draws is, we crew get to eat at In N Out Burger in Auburn as we are moving rigs and racing to crewing spots!!!)

I am afraid Barbara is right: I expect that during and after crewing Tevis, I will wish I had ridden it! However, I am committed to crewing for Nance and the Yosts (we rode with 3 Yosts last year), and whoever else I can step in to help, by dousing them with a cool bucket of water when they come into Robinson Flat and Forest Hill (after I douse myself of course). Besides, I have to admit, I'm pretty darn proud of my 100% one-for-one Tevis record - the whole thing was an unrepeatable magical first experience - and I want to hold onto that for a while. : )




After Tevis, I'll be home in Owyhee a few days, then it's off to St Paul Minnesota for my alternate life as a sound mixer for The Gospel at Colonus - a black gospel version of Sophocles' tragedy, Oedipus at Colonus, featuring the 4-time Grammy-winning Blind Boys of Alabama, Chicago's Legendary Soul Stirrers, Minneapolis' Steele Family (you might recognize the voice of Jearlyn, who's often a guest on the Prairie Home Companion), and many other extraordinarily talented singers and actors and actresses. We have a week-run of the show at the Ordway Theatre. (You can see my June 2008 archives for the last show we did in Athens).

You can get a glimpse of the Athens show (a promo for Ordway theatre) here on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij6t_ofrZFA .

Then it's home in Owyhee a few days before heading off to Edinburgh Scotland (!) for a 3-day run of The Gospel at Colonus at the Edinburgh International Festival.

Here's a promo for the EIF on youtube (also clips from the Athens show):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO8ncyNZCMM&feature=related .


Afterwards, I'm staying on in Europe for a couple of weeks, visiting Seren Arabians in England, and covering an endurance ride in Belgium and at Florac, France - the pre-ride for next year's European Endurance Championship.


Then I'm back home a few days before taking off for the World Equestrian Games - covering the World Endurance Championship in Kentucky. And I'm looking as much forward to that as I am to riding in the Shawnee National Forest with Genie Stewart-Spears, before the WEG!

I get back to Owyhee the night of Day 1 of the September Owyhee Canyonlands... and I hope to saddle up Jose and ride 50 miles starting on Day 2!

Of course The Raven will be accompanying me on my travels, as well as doing some reporting on his Forevermore The Raven blog.

Stay tuned for some fun adventures - and look for me at Tevis - I'll be the one wearing my silver Tevis buckle : )