Archive for March, 2014

“God and the Devil Meet for a Business Lunch” by the Lake Players

God (at right) and the Devil (at left). Photo by Heather Yvonne Brush. Note the Sopranos hat.

Blake Lipscomb as the devil and Mary Anne Leslie as God. Photo by Heather Yvonne Brush. Note the Sopranos hat.

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I have a series of short pieces involving God and the Devil, which always end the same way, with the angelic Almighty getting the better of the harried Prince of Darkness. The Lake Players, at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, included the 10-minute “God and the Devil Meet for a Business Lunch” as part of their reading series on March 28.

Here are some photos from the evening, or you find the entire set here.

A full house! The show was in the social hall of Resurrection Catholic Church in Moneta, Virginia.

A full house! The show was in the social hall of Resurrection Catholic Church in Moneta, Virginia.

The devil (Blake Lipscomb) shows up at an out-of-the-way diner, hoping to make a business proposition to the Almighty.

The devil (Blake Lipscomb) shows up at an out-of-the-way diner, hoping to make a business proposition to the Almighty. Marlene Truesdell is the sassy waitress.

Guess what's on the menu. Loaves and fishes.

Guess what’s on the menu. Loaves and fishes.

Want to see more?

* Here’s video of a group in Sacramento, California doing the same piece in 2005.
* Here’s audio from when Falcon Radio Theatre in Seattle did the script in 2013.
* Video: “God and the Devil Settle a Contract Dispute”
* Video: “God and the Devil Debate The Issues”

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Behind-the-scenes photos from the short film “Unwanted”

Hank Ebert (left) with Gary Reid (the police officer) and Kelly Anglim (the evidence tech) with Charlie and Martha Boswell somewhere under the sheets.

Hank Ebert (left) with Gary Reid (the police officer) and Kelly Anglim (the evidence tech) with Charlie and Martha Boswell somewhere under the sheets.

I’m a stage guy, not a film guy. But once a year, Salem filmmaker Hank Ebert and I wind up collaborating on a short film for various local competitions.

In the past, we’ve done:
* “My Kid Could Paint That” for a festival at the Grandin Theatre in 2009
* “Back to the Future” for a Sweded film festival in the 2012 Marginal Arts Festival.
* “The Secret Lives of Goldfish” for the 2013 Bike Shorts Festival (behind-the-scenes photos here.)

This year, Hank and I once again have teamed up to produce a short film for the Bike Shorts Festival, which, as the name implies, is seeking short films about bicycles.

Since the entry deadline hasn’t passed  yet, and the film showing isn’t until early May, I won’t give away TOO many details, but below are some photos from our two film shoots on March 1 and March 8. You can find the entire set here.

Read the rest of this entry »

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“Revenge Is Sweet . . . ” to be produced at British festival this summer

Just got the word that my one-act “Revenge Is Sweet With a Slight Aftertaste of Irony” will be one of four one-acts produced this summer at a festival in Great Britain. Specifically, by the Congleton Players in Congleton, England in July.

More than 200 scripts were entered.

Here’s the synopsis:

REVENGE IS SWEET WITH A SLIGHT AFTERTASTE OF IRONY

A famous food critic visits a restaurant. The manager wants desperately to please him; the chef wants revenge. Dark comedy and slapstick ensues. Cast: Six — four male, two female. Running time: Fifteen minutes.

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Video: “A Spork in the Road” at the Liminal gallery

The February reading at the Liminal gallery in Roanoke dealt with “intersections.”

For me, that meant my short piece, “A Spork in the Road.”

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“The Ring” to be produced in new works festival in New York

A few years ago, I attended the state high school basketball championships — a series of games all day long in various size classifications. I was particularly struck by one of the girls’ games, which pitted a team with a star player destined for college hoops against a team with unheralded players. Out of that came “The Ring” — a look into the future in which those two players meet again.

There’s a five-minute version (set in a nursing home) and a 20-25 minute version (in which the unheralded player breaks into the star’s home to steal the ring she felt she deserved.)

I’m thrilled to report today that the five-minute version has been accepted into the 3rd annual NFA New Works Festival at the Newburgh Free Academy in Newburgh, New York. I’m also excited to hear one of my works is being produced, but this is especially gratifying because in this case it was the students themselves who picked this script to be produced. Mine was one of 14 pieces picked for production out of 100 submitted.

The festival will be May 30.

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