Saturday, October 3, 2015

In Sickness and In Health


If there's one certainty in life, it's that when I'm writing the script for the annual Christmas play, I always seem to find it impossible to resist stopping to update my blog! Thus, here I am!

Yep, it's that time of year again. The holidays approacheth. I'm a dozen pages into the Christmas script, and have stalled out... at the point I'm at, I could take it in any of a number of different directions, toward a pair of different possible endings... and I can't decide how best to proceed... I really want to share the premise with you here, now, but I want it to be a surprise! Let's just say, it's unlike anything we've ever done at Mt. Zion before... as in, radically different.

As is my custom, the play is dialog heavy, loaded with concepts and Christmas tropes... but my hesitance comes from the fact that I could conceivably add a heavy dose of action, which could either enhance or detract from the dialog... it could either be awesome or contrived... can't decide!

But I'm a professional. I'll figure it out... tonight, I hope...


The Christmas play is one of SEVEN different projects I'm currently involved with, in some capacity. 2 web series, a TV pilot, a short film, a full feature, a play and a radio drama. I'm a busy little boy! Over-commit much? Maybe... plus, there's all that Minecraft to play! What's a man to do!?

I'm missing my L.A. acting classes. But I can't go back up again until I either take care of my car problem, or until the illustrious LW decides to go up again, so I can hitch a ride. In the interim, I languish, untrained...

This music video is wonderfully artsy... me likey...



You know what I've been doing a lot of lately? I'll tell you, but I can't tell you why... I started watching videos on YouTube of illusionists and card manipulators (like Ricky Jay) and magicians, and that transitioned into watching videos of high-stakes poker players... man, I had no idea that subculture even existed... for some odd reason, I've been absorbed by it. I have zero interest in gambling of any kind, and don't claim to have any idea whatsoever how to play the game, but the people involved are incredible characters, and watching them interact at a poker table, and banter and bet and bluff and fold and joke and throw tens of thousands of dollars around... something about it fascinates me.

Here, watch this card handling trick by Ricky Jay, and be amazed...



I don't know why I get on these little tangents... magicians and cards? Never really interested me at all... perhaps it's research for some upcoming script I know nothing about yet... I did recently write a short script (15 pages) about a roulette gambler, which went straight into my archive. Ah, the life of a writer!

What else have I been up to? Other than writing, not much. I've been reading a little -- I read Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence (outstanding book) and Tuf Voyaging by George RR Martin (also outstanding)... started reading a fantasy book by Kameron Hurley called The Mirror Empire. I'm on the prologue, so I have no opinion of it yet. Let's see if it makes three outstanding books in a row, eh!

Ah, the life of a reader!

I've been sick of late. Not "sick" sick, like anything contagious or flu-like... it's my annual sinus thing. It starts in my throat, then splits its efforts, going up into my sizable shnozzola, and also settling down into my chest in an annoyingly rattling manner. Usually runs its course in 1 to 2 weeks, which means no workouts for me! All my massive muscle mass is atrophying accordingly.

The only bonus to this sinus things is that if affects my voice. It effectively drops my voice an octave or two, so I get my deeeeep voice going. That means one thing... yep, I get to work on my Sam Elliot impression!

Believe it or not, yes, I can nail that voice, all deep and rich and full. I really wish I had recorded it when it was it's best. I'm almost over my sinus thing, so my voice is almost back to normal, which means my Sam Elliott impression is super weak now.... Next year, I'll record it and post it for you...

I'd say I've diverted my attentions away from the Christmas script for long enough. Gonna dive back in. Ah, the life of a procrastinator!

Take care, y'all!

Dave the Rambling Goofball

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Per your author recommendation, I checked out Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence....¡Ay,caramba! Is Prince of Fools less macabre?

Looking forward to your Christmas Play. BA

David Wagner said...

Prince of Fools has its macabre moments, but nowhere near the strength of the Prince of Thorns. Yeah, that is a dark tale, the whole trilogy. I thought I adequately warned everyone in my review of Prince of Thorns! I tried, anyway. Shades of black, that sort of thing...

The Christmas play should be one to remember... when the script is done, I'll send it to you, to read...

Unknown said...

How about doing a play with two endings..hmmm..then let the audience reflect