across 110th street

Friday night.
Looking for a little inspiration from my favorite Tarantino film.

Some days, I wish I had even .0008% of Pam Grier's badassery.

Turn it all the way up...and sing along, my friend.

and so we begin

Last night was our first rehearsal of The (edward) Hopper Project.
One could feel the collective sigh of relief go up in WNEPland.

What started out as a writing assignment (write a scene inspired by a specific set of Edward Hopper paintings) over 2 years ago, has finally been put into the hands of 17 actors and a band of able-bodied production folk.

I'm a contributing writer and as we went through the reading for the very first time with the cast, the actor playing the character I mainly wrote for was sitting directly beside me.

It's hard to describe listening to someone else read words you put on a page. Overall, I would define it as "quite satisfying."

My job as "writer" is complete.

My job as assistant director is just getting started.
(more on that later.)

My job as costume designer is already in full swing.

I have several goals for the costume design:
- maintaining/representing the fashions of 1952 accurately.
- using the paintings that inspired each scene for some direct/literal design ideas
- other costumes will be influenced more symbolically by Hopper's colors and themes - using colors from the "Hopper palette."

The supra cool part is that I adore his paintings. Getting to study them to find the elements which I think apply to each scene and character is really just a delightful exercise for my brain.

Now...finding all these vintage pieces?
That's gonna take some work.

I hear the words of my lord and saviour, Tim Gunn in my ear, "Make it work!"

With you in my heart, Tim...I shall.

jilted

While we have many more weeks of Autumn, it seems like most of the trees are on the tail end of their "beauty of decay" cycle.

There are still a few colorful leaves hanging on for dear life here and there, but instead of a robust array of reds, oranges and golds, it's getting to be pretty much mustard and brown uber alles.

And mostly, it's uber alles the ground.

I'm one of those folks who's mood is very affected by the weather.

When I notice a spectacular blue sky?
My heart will expand three sizes.

When I see the wind move through a tree straight out of a crayola box?
I want to point it out to strangers waiting at the train station with me.

When I feel a breeze (hot or cold) that hits you at just the right time?
I want to pull out a mason jar and chase it around like a firefly.

It's not really Seasonal Affective Disorder...it's not like I'm just happy in the summer (I'm not, I bitch about the humidity non-stop), or sad in the winter (there's nothing I like finer than a snowfall...if I'm stuck at home and not out in it.)

Just call me easily swayed.

I saw this picture over at dooce and got all swoony when I saw this ivy covered fence.



(I encourage you to click it to see the BIG version which is way better than this rinky dink copy.)

See.

Just looking at a picture of autumn in all her colorful regalia makes me go all knocked-kneed. There is no hope for me.

I'm in love with Autumn...and it's totally getting ready to dump me.