And Now For Something Completely Different...

Well.  Lookee there.  Three - almost FOUR - months since my last post.  I'm obviously falling down on this whole blogging thing... heck, I'm not even doing all that well on my other blog (http://www.OregonFilmandTVDollars.com.)

Hey, what can I say... life happens.  I could go on at length about about what's been taking my time over the past few months... my work with the Oregon Media Production Association, for instance, or some of my other little projects... but eh.  If you've been reading this blog for any period of time you've seen plenty of apologies for the inconsistency of my posts, and if you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you're probably up-to-date anyway.

Instead of just passing my mea culpa's your way, how about I offer you something new?  A couple weeks ago I was sitting around enjoying Trish and my back yard, and I thought It'd be nice to share that warm fuzzy feeling with the world.  So, I've been pulling out my Flip video camera and recording short videos of the happenings in our little green space in SE Portland.  I'll upload these videos periodically to my YouTube channel - if you have a YouTube account, feel free to subscribe to the channel so you can see the latest little "Scene From Our Back Yard."



Of course, I can't guarantee you I'll be any more consistent with these little videos than I am with blog posts... so there's that...

Hope you're all doing well!

Harold

Cross Delancey Street With Me Next Tuesday

Great Image, huh? Don't thank me,
thank Birmingham's Theater LJCC!

Hey everyone

Long time, huh?  I know, I know... I should really spend more time keeping up with the blogging, but most of my writing time has been consumed by OregonFilmandTVDollars.com... now that the year is winding to a close, however, I may get a few more chances to post some of my overly-long yadda-yadda about life, the world, etc... at least that's the goal.

That's not the topic of today's post, however... even though the year's winding to a close, I seem to be getting busier and busier.  Before I run off to the next appointment, I wanted to let you know that I'm going to be appearing in the Portland Civic Theater Guild's "First Tuesday" reading of Susan Sandler's Crossing Delancey.

You may remember the 1988 film version of Crossing Delancey with Amy Irving.  The film is based on the play we'll be reading at 10:00 AM next Tuesday December 6 at Portland's Old Church (1422 SW 11^th - click here for a map)  If you're not familiar with the story, it follows
Izzy, a single New Yorker who runs her own bookshop and day-dreams of a life with one of her customers, a celebrated author. Her Grandmother Bubbie, however, has other plans for Izzy's future - she conspires with  Hannah, a flamboyant matchmaker, to set Izzy up with the man they feel is the perfect match for her: Sam, the pickle maker.  It's a beautiful, sweet romantic comedy - a perfect way to kick off the holiday season.

I'm lucky enough to work with Karen Wennstrom, Mary Mcdonald-Lewis, Chrisse Roccaro, and Rick Sanders on the reading... oh, and the show's director is kind of fun to work with too!

I hope you get a chance to come down next Tuesday morning and share this light little comedy with us.  Take an early lunch - we'll provide the sweet!

Hope you're all doing well...

- Harold

It Can't Happen Here... Right?

Hey there everyone. Long time no talk, huh?  Yeah, I know, I know... apologies, Mea Culpa, etc (you can always tell how busy I am by how often I update this blog and OregonFilmandTVDollars.com... which hasn't been too often of late, so you can draw your own conclusions.)

Even with everything that's been going on, though, I wanted to take a minute today to let you know about a very cool project I'm going to be part of tonight, Monday, October 24 at 7:30 PM.  Portland's Fuse Theater Ensemble is joining theaters around the country to perform a staged reading of It Can't Happen Here - an adaptation of Sinclair Lewis' 1935 novel that was performed in 22 theaters (in 18 US Cities) as part of the Federal Theater Project in 1936.  The nationwide readings commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of those Federal Theater Project readings.

So, why should you care about a play written in 1936?  What possible relevance could it have to the world we're living in right now?  Well... the book (and the play) were written during a time when no one could find a job... when the median income in the united states had hit rock bottom and didn't look like it would ever rise... when people were taking to the streets to demand a change.  In a situation like this, it's easy to see how people could fall in line behind a charismatic leader who promised to make things better (no, I'm not going to put a current-events link on THAT one... I'll let you draw your own contemporary conclusions...) even though s/he could turn out to be a dictator.

That's what this play is about, after all... it envisions a fictional America where a powerful president becomes a dictator - abolishing labor unions, free speech, and the free press. His sinister allies, known only as "the Corpos," recruit unemployed and dissatisfied young people and intimidate anyone who opposes their agenda. "No one agreed on the play," Hallie Flanagan told an audience some months later, "but everyone had to see it. It was called good, bad, savage, mild, American, un-American, Fascist, communist, too far left, too far right, a work of genius, a work of the devil."

I hope you'll join me tonight at Theater! Theatre! (check HaroldPhillips.net for the address and a map link)  for this celebration - and cautionary tale.  Admission is free, though donations for Fuse Theater Ensemble and Occupy Portland will be accepted.

And Now, Something NEW: OregonFilmAndTVDollars.com!

So you remember this post from a couple weeks ago? It's actually gotten quite a bit of attention... it was even re-posted in The Oregonian's online "The Stump" section, and garnered a couple of comments (one of which was fairly critical of the Oregon Production Incentive Fund... I hope I didn't make an enemy at the Oregon Center for Public Policy with my response :) ).

As I mentioned in the article, a lot of states are scaling back or cutting their film incentive programs. Given the woeful state of Oregon's economy, our next governor (and legislature) might be tempted to do the same thing - it's a politically expedient thing to do, after all... many people see the OPIF as a "give-away to rich Hollywood filmmakers," without looking at the milions of dollars and thousands of jobs the program brings in to the state.

If we don't want to see that happen, we in the Film, TV and New Media industry need to raise our visibility... we need to keep reminding everyday Oregonians that this industry provides jobs to lots of people - not just actors and crew members, but drivers, carpenters, electricians, and so many more... we need to remind them that the money these productions pay filters throughout the entire state, not just the urban areas... we need to remind them that our industry is vital, growing, and providing opportunities to everyone state-wide.

So... I've started a new web site: http://www.oregonfilmandtvdollars.com/. As I say in the "About" section, there are lots of sites that talk about Oregon Film… this site is something different. It's focused on highlighting the economic benefit our industry brings to the state - we'll be re-posting news stories, writing editorials, and most importantly sharing the stories of people in Oregon who have benefitted from the money our Film, TV and New Media Industry brings to the state.

So... here's where I ask for your help, Oregonians. I'd really appreciate it if you could:

>> Spread the word - tell everyone you know about http://www.oregonfilmandtvdollars.com/.

>> Subscribe To The Site - In the upper-right of every page is a button to "subscribe" - clicking this button and registering will send you an email every time a new post is published. I promise I won't overdo it... hey, you see how often I post on this blog!

>> Send me your stories - Have you gotten money - even $1.00 - from the Film and TV Industry here in Oregon? We want to hear from you - visit the "Share Your Story" page and let us know about it! If you have a photo you'd like to attach to your story, feel free to email it to me. While you're there, scroll down and place a pin on the Oregon Film And TV Dollars Google Map - show everyone how Film and TV dollars filter through the entire state.

>> Show The State (and the World) You Support The Industry - Yeah, this one's gonna cost you a few bucks... but only a few! You'll notice a box in the upper-right corner of each page leading you to my Zazzle Store, where there's a variety of T-shirts, Caps, bumper stickers and bags (more products will be coming in the next week or so) telling everyone how you use Oregon Film and TV Dollars. Spend a few bucks and let everyone know that it's not just "rich Hollywood filmmakers" that benefit from Oregon Film and TV Dollars - YOU use them too!

There ya go, folks... start spreading the word, and start sending me material for the site. With your help, we can keep the film and TV industry here in Oregon first-and-foremost in people's mind when they're looking at ways to heal Oregon's ailing economy. You and I know that the film industry, one of the few industries growing in Oregon, has a lot to offer the state's economy... now it's time to let everyone else know about it!

Hope you're all doing well...

-Harold

Tony's Schmony's

Forget Broadway... tonight was the 31st annual Drammy Awards!

Ok, ok... so maybe those of you who don't live in Portland are more interested in the year's best on the "Great White Way..." If you live in Portland and attend live theater in our fair city (and weren't following me on Twitter as I "live tweeted" - until the service went down, that is...) you might want to know who won the awards tonight! Here's a run-down of the event:

The Crystal Ballroom was packed, as it is every year on Drammy night. Steve Smith kicked things off by welcoming everyone to the ceremony, and then handed things over to the Master of Ceremonies for the evening, Michael O'Connell. O'Connell's opening was reminiscent of Stephen Colbert's "The Word" segment on his nightly show; as Michael went through some of the high points of the past season (such as Portland Playhouse's explosion onto the theater scene) and the low points (like the closing of IFCC; Adrienne Flagg got a special round of applause from the room for her running of the facility) the screen behind him displayed commentary on what he was saying - to hilarious effect. Finally, closing with "Tonight we celebrate our hard work, and we celebrate each other," Michael handed things over to the awards presenters, and we were off!

(In case you're unaware of the way the Drammies work, the committee presents up to four awards per category. The number of awards varies from year to year, as do the number and types of categories. The Drammy Committee doesn't present “best of” awards, but rather awards for “outstanding” achievement; they believe identifying “outstanding” theatre – rather than simply the best of what was offered – better promotes excellence while preserving the integrity, value and meaningfulness of the award. You can find out more about the principles behind the awards by clicking here)

Margaret Chapman started things off by presenting the Portland Civic Theatre Guild's Youth Scholarships - awards of $750 to two young actors to help them continue their theatre education. The awards were given to Rafe Larson & Madeline Rogers.

Outstanding Performance by a Young Performer: Lea Zawada for Pinnocchio (NW Childrens Theater)

Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design: Diane Ferry Williams for Snow Falling on Cedars (Portland Center Stage)

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design: Richard E. Moore for 4.48 Psychosis (defunkt theater)

Outstanding Supporting Actor (4 winners):

David Margulies for The Chosen (Portland Center Stage)
Kevin Jones for Radio Golf (Portland Playhouse / BaseRoots)

Spencer Conway for Fool For Love (CoHo)
Victor Mack for Radio Golf (Portland Playhouse / BaseRoots)

Kimberly Howard couldn't make the prsentation by the Oregon Cultural Trust, so Tim DuRoche stepped up instead to remind us that anyone - with any means - can make a donation to a cultural organization and a matching gift to the Cultural Trust - which results in a tax CREDIT for the amount of the matching gift. A great way to support Oregon arts and culture, and help yourself at tax-time!

Outstanding Original Music: Ashia Grzesik for The Gray Sisters (Third Rail Rep)

Outstanding Original Score: McKinley For Gracie and the Atom (Artists Rep)

Outstanding Original Script (2 winners):

Joseph Sousa for Teeth of the Sons (Re-Theater Instument)

Hunt Holman for Willow Jade (Portland Playhouse)

Outstanding Supporting Actress (2 winners):

Laura Faye Smith for The Trip To Bountiful (Profile Theater)
Amy Newman for God's Ear (Theatre Vertigo)

Andrew Edwards then presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Lakewood Theater's very own Kay Vega. I can't begin to ecapsulate all that was said here... but she deserved all the praise she received!

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical (3 winners):

Danny Rothman for Ragtime
(Portland Center Stage)

Debbie Hunter for A Little Night Music (Mock's Crest) *

Amy Beth Frankel for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Broadway Rose)

*A little side-note here: in her acceptance speech, Debbie mentioned that Roger Doyle, the man behind Mock's Crest Productions, has been diagnosed with ALS, and A Little Night Music will likely be his final show as conductor for the production company.

Outstanding Costume Design (4 winners):
Darrin Puffar for A Little Night Music (Mock's Crest)
Mary Rochon for Pinnocchio (NW Children's Theater)
Rachelle Waldie for East of the Sun , West of the Moon (Shaking The Tree)
Sarah Gahagan for both El Quijote (Miracle Theater)

and Trojan Woman (Classic Greek Theater)

At this point, Matt Haynes and Bruce Hostetler presented the PATA Spotlight Awards for outstanding achievement by the people who work behind the scenes.

Stage Manager: Carol Ann Wohlmut

Crew: Kenichi Hillis

Production Management: Annalise Albright

Matt also took a moment to acknowlege the hard work of Jen Raynak, PATA's former President, in bringing professional standards to the organization.

Outstanding Choreography: Jessica Wallenfels for Gracie and the Atom (Artists Rep)

Outstanding Musical Actor: Gavin Gregory for Ragtime (Portland Center Stage)

Outstanding Musical Director (2 winners):

Rick Lewis for Ragtime (Portland Center Stage)

Kurt Crowley for Forbidden Broadway (Broadway Rose)

Outstanding Scenic Design (2 winners):

Mark Haacke for El Quijote (Miracle Theater)

Tim Stapleton for This Lime Tree Bower (CoHo / Our Shoes Are Red)

Outstanding Ensemble: the cast of 4.48 Pyschosis (defunkt theater)

Outstanding Producer (the first time this award has been handed out): Greg Tamblyn for Disney's Beauty and the Beast (Pixie-dust Productions)

Outstanding Director (2 winners):

Grace Carter for 4.48 Psychosis (defunkt theater)

Chris Coleman for Ragtime (Portland Center Stage)

At this point Sue-Ellen Christianson presented the Portland Civic Theater Guild's awards to theaters for infrastructure - two grants of $1500 went to Live On Stage for the purchase of new sound equipment, and to Miracle Theater for the purchase of sound and communications equipment. Sue-Ellen also presented the Guild's Leslie O. Fulton award - two grants of $5000 went to Sarah Lean Foster to pay for her to study and teach for six months, and to Tim Krause for a trip to a theater conference in Chile.

Outstanding Actress (4 winners):

Malanya Helene for Hopeless (Brooklyn Bay)

Maureen Porter for The Gray Sisters (Third Rail Rep)

Valerie Stevens for The Gray Sisters (Third Rail Rep)

Heidi Hunter for Kindertransport (Jewish Theater Collaborative)

Outstanding Actor (3 winners):

Joseph Sousa for Teeth of the Son (Re-Theater Instrument)

Dennis Kelly for This Lime Tree Bower (CoHo / Our Shoes Are Red)

Michael O'Connell for The Lying Kind (Third Rail Rep)

Outstanding Production (2 winners):

4.48 Psychosis (defunkt theater)

Ragtime (Portland Center Stage)

So... there ya go! A good time was had by all - especially the winners :) No, really, we all had a good time.

Now that Followspot is gone, I'll expect you all to be snarky amongst yourselves...

-Harold

Support Your Local Filmmaker (Part 2): In The Theater!

Hey there folks

You might remember an earlier post in which I urged you to visit Amazon.com to pre-order Portland-area filmmaker Todd Freeman's film Pray For Hell. I won't go into all the benefits of supporting your local filmmaker again... click the link above if you want read through my usual long-winded diatribe.

I did want to let you know, however, that there's an opportunity to "try before you buy" coming up here in Portland. In advance of the November 10th DVD release of Pray For Hell, Todd's a series of showings at the Clinton Street Theater - the film runs from tonight (November 1st) through Thursday (November 5th).

Now, I'm not in this film. I do know many of the people involved, though... and I'm really excited to get the chance to see it on the big screen tonight. I'll be attending the 7PM showing - hopefully Todd and his brother Jason will be there so I can lift a glass to their success.

If you get the chance over the next few days, try and make it by the Clinton Street to see the show... and if you can't make it down, do consider ordering the film from Amazon, adding it to your Netflix Cue, or picking the DVD up at Target or WalMart after the 10th...

Maybe I'll see you tonight...

-Harold