confessions of a serial theater lackey

See "August: Osage County" at the Arden; Support WHYY

2011-09-22T11:31:00.001-04:00

[From a WHYY email]

A father disappears on a hot summer night. A pill-popping mother summons her grown daughters back home. Dinner is served, lies are told, and the battle commences.

The Arden Theatre Company kicks off its 2011/12 main stage season with the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning August: Osage County by Tracy Letts. Directed by the Arden’s Producing Artistic Director Terrence J. Nolen, this fiercely funny Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play is a vivid portrait of familial dysfunction brought to life by an all-star Philadelphia cast.

***The final dress rehearsal of August: Osage County on Wednesday, September 28 at 8pm is open to the public as a Pay-What-You-Can performance. All proceeds collected will benefit WHYY and our mission to connect our community to the best arts and culture programming in the Delaware Valley.***

August: Osage County
Final Dress Rehearsal Performance Benefiting WHYY
Wednesday, September 28th at 8pm
Arden Theatre Company
F. Otto Haas Stage
40 N. 2nd Street, Old City Philadelphia 19106

Suggested Donation: $20 per ticket (single ticket prices are $29- $48)

Register Here >>>

A limited amount of tickets may be available at the door the night of the performance starting at 7pm. However, only cash or checks will be accepted at the door.

Reviews for "Big Boys"

2011-09-22T11:27:00.002-04:00

Montgomery Theater's latest production opened last weekend. "Big Boys" is a scathing look at the world of business through the lens of the ridiculous -- but if you've ever had a terrible boss or spent time in a cubicle farm, you might think some of the antics on display aren't too far off.

And now, some reviews are in!

The Philadelphia Inquirer calls it a "strikingly well-performed production." The Montgomery News proclaims, "The chemistry between the duo was electric."

It's not really noted in the reviews, but audience members are reacting favorably to my sound design, so I'm very happy, of course. I have to point out that song selection for this production was a great, collaborative effort with star/director Pete Pryor, stage manager Paul Dake, and artistic director Tom Quinn. What a team!

Pete Pryor and Jefferson Haynes in "Big Boys"

Team iLuminate

2011-08-09T12:53:00.000-04:00

I never would have guessed that America's Got Talent would hip to a really cool application of light-as-artform. Well, I didn't see the show, so I suppose Mark R of Coolest-Gadgets.com actually deserves the hat tip. If you are interested in cool applications of lighting technology, don't miss this!

Team iLuminate is something to see, in the dark » Coolest Gadgets

Lighting for Mad Scientists!

2011-07-17T21:39:00.000-04:00

For the mad scientist in your life, Schoolhouse Electric offers the Beaker Lab Light!

Just the thing lighting folks and mad scientists need

From the site's item description:

Beaker Lab Light shown with Red Twisted Cloth Cord. Two flasks included. Lamp stands 25" high. Cast iron base is 9" x 6" with an On/Off toggle switch. Includes 8 feet of twisted cloth cord.

The picture shows the lamp with Edison Triple Loop bulb which is not included (but is available here).

Wireless Room Lighting from Mr. Beams!

2011-07-13T17:30:00.000-04:00

Over at LifeHacker, Whitson Gordon sheds some light on an inexpensive solution for adding motion-sensing LEDs to add a little more light in certain areas of your home. Because these units are supposed to go out when you leave, this solution might even be useful in our theater's work areas (i.e., non-stage areas!) that are sometimes left on long after folks have departed the space. Read more at LifeHacker:

Mr. Beams Motion Sensing LEDs Light Up Any Room Without Wires, Screws, or Hassle

Roomba Zoom Zoom

2011-07-06T13:20:00.000-04:00

Somebody got the clever idea to use Roombas to paint with light via long camera exposures. For example:

Photo via JimOnLight.com

For more, check out JimOnLight for more pics and info!

Theater Techs: Memorize this Graphic!

2011-06-30T19:52:00.000-04:00

If you are a theater tech, you should memorize this "Does It Move?" graphic. Now, I would replace the image of duct tape with some Gaff tape, but that is a minor quibble.

Image from GraphJam

"The Prisoner of Second Avenue -- Reviewed!

2011-06-27T10:47:00.000-04:00

Montgomery Theater's latest production, "The Prisoner of Second Avenue," opened this past weekend. Audience reaction has been highly favorable although many recognize themselves or loved ones in the plight of our main character, Mel Edison. The fact that "The Prisoner of Second Avenue" can still resound with authenticity 40 years after its premiere is, I believe, a testament to both Simon's writing and to this cast's prowess on stage. Erica Moser, an intern with Montgomery Media's TICKET section, seems to agree with my assessment.

She begins her review with the following:

What happens when you take the biting reality of unemployment and turn the formidable situation into a comic one? You get Neil Simon’s play “The Prisoner of Second Avenue,” which will run at Montgomery Theater from June 23 to July 16.

The show centers on Mel Edison (portrayed by Tony Braithwaite), a well-off executive who is let go when his firm goes under. As he deals with this unnerving event, along with the sweltering summer heat and the fear of robbers, he undergoes a breakdown.

Director Tom Quinn says, “The whole pressure of the economic decline has taken him towards the path to craziness.”

And somehow, this is a comedy.

Read the full review: This ‘Prisoner’ still relevant 40 years later: Montgomery Theater mounts Neil Simon’s serious comedy - Entertainment - Montgomery News

“Prisoner of Second Avenue”

continues through July 16 at Montgomery Theater

124 Main St.

Souderton, PA 18964,

Tickets: $22 – $35.

Info: 215-723-9984 or

www.montgomerytheater.org.

Opening this Weekend: "The Prisoner of Second Avenue"

2011-06-24T17:11:00.000-04:00

The Prisoner of Second Avenue

June 23 - July 16

Starring Tony Braithwaite

Mel Edison (Tony Braithwaite) can't sleep. A well paid executive, his firm suddenly hits rock bottom and he's let go. In the heat of a New York City summer, his air conditioner is broken, the neighbors won't shut up and there is a band of burglars on the prowl. Mel experiences a meltdown and it's the best thing that ever happened to him, but his loyal wife Edna (Mary Carpenter) is the one who has to gather all the broken pieces.

Prisoner opened on Broadway in 1971 and was nominated for the coveted Tony Award for Best Play.

We celebrate this comic masterpiece with a 40^th anniversary production.

Purchase Tickets Online

or call (215)723-9984 x10

124 North Main Street
Souderton, PA 18964
(215) 723-9984

I Laugh You

2011-06-21T11:00:00.002-04:00

I laugh the latest post at Montgomery Theater's blog, I laugh it very much. To understand that, go read "Funny" by Tony Braithwaite, who is starring in Montgomery Theater's production of Neil Simon's "Prisoner of Second Avenue."

Tony Braithwaite

Montgomery Theater Presents The Prisoner of Second Avenue

by Neil Simon

June 23 - July 16

Starring Tony Braithwaite, Mary Carpenter,

Linda Friday, Robb Hutter, Michelle Pauls and Ellen Ratner

Two Reviews for "Hail Mary!"

2011-04-21T11:12:00.001-04:00

Montgomery Theater's production of "Hail Mary!" is getting laughs ... and good press. Here are two reviews for your consideration.

First, Montgomery Media's Dante J.J. Bevilacqua writes:

Audiences who want a bracing combination of laughter and deep thought are in for a good workout here. The tongue-in-check comedy repeats many of the themes of shows like Bill Davis’ “Mass Appeal” and John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt.” And there is lots of contentious dialogue about tradition versus innovation, the dangers of absolutism in faith, and the delicate balancing act that any would-be reformer must strike so as not to sacrifice the best of an institution along with its excesses. [Full Review]

Next, Wendy Rosenfield of the Philadelphia Inquirer offers a less enthusiastic, albeit positive, review:

There are two types of plays about Catholicism: the ones with silly nuns, and the ones with serious nuns. Montgomery Theater's Hail Mary!, by Tom Dudzick, has much silliness, but wants desperately to fall on the serious side of that divide. Mind you, this isn't Doubt, John Patrick Shanley's exploration of patriarchy and power in the church. Dudzick isn't concerned with contemporary scandals or controversies, and dismisses them with one densely packed sentence referring to Catholicism's troubles with pedophilia, the Holocaust, abortion, you name it. He takes the safer route, asking, via a trio of nuns, one friendly, feisty priest, and a gentleman caller, all gathered in a classroom for this instructive purpose: What Would God Do? [Full Review]

During intermission for the first preview performance, I overheard an audience member remark to his friend: "I thought this was going to be a farce. Turns out it's pretty deep."

That is probably my favorite review of the play so far.

"Hail Mary!" runs through May 7. Purchase Tickets Online or call (215)723-9984 x10

Sarah Gliko and Rebecca Miglionico star in the new Montgomery Theater
production "Hail Mary!," continuing at the Souderton Theater through May 7.

"Hail Mary!" at Montgomery Theater

2011-04-15T15:59:00.003-04:00

After tonight's preview performance, Montgomery Theater's production "Hail Mary" opens tomorrow night and runs through May 7. I did the sound design, and helped hang Jim Leitner's light design, for this production.

Oh, and to prepare for the show, you can also check out a Friday 80s Flashback that was influenced by it.

Hail Mary! by Tom Dudzick

From the author of Over the Tavern comes this irreverent comedy that puts the "fun" in fundamentalism. This wonderful play is about a clash of wills between a young, plucky parochial school novice and her Mother Superior. Mary puts her future as a nun in serious jeopardy when she dares teaching children her personal, unorthodox views of God and his commandments. Her dream of Sisterhood is further threatened by the unexpected appearance of her childhood sweetheart. An eccentric priest adds hilarious complications to the mix. Will Mary give up her calling for the love of her man?

Purchase Tickets Online

or call (215)723-9984 x10

Very Cool Curtain

2011-04-08T17:18:00.000-04:00

Pae White has crafted an "aluminum foil" curtain for the main stage curtain of the Oslo Opera House. Isn't it beautiful?

Image from feelguide.com

Visit FeelGuide.com to read about how this curtain was created, and see a few more images:

Pae White Uses Computer-Assisted Loom To Weave Opera Curtain Of Scanned Images Of Aluminum Foil

Hat tip to: @Carl_BMI

Lovecraft on Stage

2011-03-18T13:25:00.000-04:00

Manhattan Theatresource has adapted H.P. Lovecraft's Things at the Doorstep. How does horror translate to the stage? According to The Rejectionist at Tor.com, the adaptation turns out to be:

an unexpectedly brilliant mediation on the use and function of horror, on H.P. Lovecraft himself, on the supernatural, on storytelling, on death, on hope.

Read the full review. And if you're in Manhattan, check out the show. Maybe they'll be encouraged to adapt some more Lovecraft. And that's always a good thing.

Things at the Doorstep plays at Manhattan Theatre Source, 177 MacDougal Street, through March 26, 2011. Performances are Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM, and Sunday, March 20th at 7 PM. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased at theatresource.org or by calling 866.811.4111.

Backstage Badger is Awesome

2011-03-14T22:27:00.000-04:00

It's like he is a prophet or something!

For more soothsaying, visit http://fyeahbackstagebadger.tumblr.com

Smart Bulb?

2011-03-10T13:43:00.000-05:00

The Insight Lamp certainly looks like a contender for brightest bulb in the room. Read more about it over at furniturefashion.com.

Roost Fixture with Edison Bulbs

2011-02-22T00:36:00.001-05:00

This lovely Roost fixture can be found in Kimberly and John Canale's apartment in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Script Rest?

2011-02-18T17:04:00.000-05:00

Think I could get away with using this during tech?

Book Rest Lamp

Let's Kick the Tires (There are No Tires)

2011-02-18T16:45:00.001-05:00

The final dressed set for Montgomery Theater's production of The Great American Trailer Park Musical! You should come on by and see what happens to the flagpole during the, um, dance number.

The Astronomer's Lamp

2011-02-17T15:20:00.000-05:00

This "Astronomer's Lamp" is such a beautiful piece of Steampunk furniture:

The Astronomer's Lamp by Art Donovan

I want it. And I'll bet you would like to have it, too. Well, it's not for sale, but someone is going win this handmade work of lighting art. If you want the chance to be that someone, follow the instructions on Art Donovan's design page. Just one catch: You'll need a Facebook account to enter the contest.

T-Qualizer

2011-02-17T13:52:00.001-05:00

The next time I am in tech, I will be wearing this t-shirt:

T-Qualizer Shirt

Bassoon

2011-02-16T16:44:00.000-05:00

Hat tip to the lovely and talented @BatfishLD

Shakespeare Isn't for Children

2011-02-16T11:01:00.000-05:00

An important Public Service Announcement from Kyle:

via Kyle Tumbles

NoteSlate: I want to take my post-show notes on this!

2011-02-08T13:34:00.005-05:00

If this device really arrives later this year, I will be so tempted to purchase it.

NoteSlate /// intuitively simple monochrome paper alike tablet device

NoteSlate is low cost tablet device with true one colour display, real paper look design, long life battery (180h !), together with very handy usage and very simple and helpful interface for pen and paper. This easy, compact and portable gadget is used anywhere you want to make any notes, drafts, sketches, any ideas for future reference. Paper for everyone! Write a note and check it later, save it, or delete it. Maybe send it after. Just one colour is enough to express the basics. Keep your life simple. You will love it. For $99.

Laughs Abound in the TRAILER PARK at Montgomery Theater

2011-02-08T11:15:00.002-05:00

Walter Bender of StagePartners.org reviews Montgomery Theater's production of The Great American Trailer Park Musical.

The Great American Trailer Park Musical continues at Montgomery Theater in Souderton, PA, through March 5.

Catching Light in Jars

2011-02-07T16:21:00.001-05:00

I find this strangely beautiful and clever. And I might even make one myself.

Source: There, I Fixed It

It's Not Entirely Unlike This...

2011-01-28T18:36:00.000-05:00

I'm not entirely certain why this image makes me think of the system problems I have to solve, but it does.

Image Credit: "I Think I Found The Problem. It Was Everything"

New group steps in to save Bucks County Playhouse

2010-12-28T13:06:00.000-05:00

"The curtains are going up on a brighter future for the Bucks County Playhouse.

"The New Hope landmark, a symbol of the county's artistic and literary heritage where luminaries such as Grace Kelly and Neil Simon cut their teeth, has been rescued by a consortium of Broadway professionals and community leaders, it was announced Tuesday."

JOHN SLAVIN / File Photograph

The Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, fallen on hard times recently, was once an incubator for stage and screen talent.

New group steps in to save Bucks County Playhouse | Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/22/2010

source: www.philly.com

Theremin Thursday for November 25, 2010

2010-11-25T22:23:00.000-05:00

Reference: Theremin Thursday Defined

Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow US citizens. Relax after your feasts with a little Mozart this evening.

Video: "The Elvira Madigan Concerto" -- The main theme from the "andante" movement of Mozart's piano concerto #21 in C major (K. 467), this piece was used the Swedish film, ELVIRA MADIGAN (1967), hence its designation as "The Elvira Madigan Concerto". In this video, Peter Pringle plays the theme on the Moog Ethervox.

Theremimage: Our Theremin photo this week is a peek at the Ethervox (not the exact item played by Peter Pringle in this week's video, but similar). There is a very nice write-up on this device over at synthfind.com. Note: there are less than 50 of these MIDE-enabled devices in existence!

Theremin Thursday for November 11, 2010

2010-11-11T17:47:00.000-05:00

Reference: Theremin Thursday Defined

A weekly collection of links featuring the only instrument that makes electricity sing!

I'm short on time this week, so I'm offering up only one video. Sorry!

Video Exhibit A: Honor the Veterans! -- As today is Veterans Day in the US, I present this video of Thereminist Thomas Grillo playing a United States Service Medley on his Moog Etherwave Pro theremin. Accompaniment provided by the Centenial Concert Band.

Theremimage: Our Theremin photo this week is the bazooka theremin. Yes. A bazooka wired up to work like a theremin. Pretty cool, huh?

Theremin Thursday for October 14, 2010

2010-10-14T21:27:00.000-04:00

Reference: Theremin Thursday Defined

A weekly collection of links featuring the only instrument that makes electricity sing!

Video Exhibit A: Human Theremin! -- It's a Halloween costume. It's a DIY Theremin. It's both! NerdKits has complete instructions for making the ultimate in wearable instruments. And there's still time to order yours and be the cool kid at your neighbor's costume party. Check out the video! (Hat tip to Hack A Day).

Exhibit B: BOWW Tribal Poetry -- Electronic, rhythmic, and other instruments provide the score for a poetry slam in Berlin. Barbara Buchholz plays Theremin.

Video Exhibit C: Jean Michel Jarre -- Jean Michel Jarre plays a Theremin at the O2 Arena London on 10/10/10 as part of his 2010 World Tour.

Theremimage: Our Theremin photo this week is another look at the Human Theremin controls (or is this Spider-Man webbing controls?).

Endnote: Repeating this from last week (yes, I'm really that big on this show) -- If you're interested in catching a live Theremin performance, and you're going to be in the Bucks County, PA, area for the Halloween weekend, you should consider coming to Sellersville Theater 1894 for The Divine Hand's 3rd annual Halloween concert.

Theremin Thursday for October 8, 2010

2010-10-07T23:49:00.011-04:00

Reference: Theremin Thursday Defined

A weekly collection of links featuring the only instrument that makes electricity sing!

Video Exhibit A: The Day The Earth Stood Still -- Selections from Bernard Herrmann's score for the 1951 film "The Day the Earth Stood Still." Bob Nagy presents this live Theremin concert in front of a mainly polite audience at a fund-raising event in Arkansas. I cannot say that Arkansas is one of my top ten states for Theremin performances, but it looks like Mr. Nagy gave a great performance.

Exhibit B: Poe "Heartbeat" -- These guys stumbled across Poe's tell-tale heart when
they ran a Moog Etherwave Theremin through the OTO Biscuit sound effect processor. Please note that you need to have a good woofer system, or at least some decent headphones, to hear the low frequencies featured in this clip. This would make an excellent Halloween sound effect.

Video Exhibit C: The Cemetery -- A moody composition for Piano and String-Synthesizer (and, of course, Theremin). Photos from a visit to Highgate Cemetery in London lend to the otherworldly feel.

Theremimage: Our Theremin photo this week is a poster for Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey, Steven M. Martin's 1993 documentary about Leon Theremin. I love the classic 50s vibe in this image (deftly amplified with an appearance by Gort!).

Endnote: If you're interested in catching a live Theremin performance, and you're going to be in the Bucks County, PA, area for the Halloween weekend, you should consider coming to Sellersville Theater 1894 for The Divine Hand's 3rd annual Halloween concert.

A "Cool" Dimmer Use

2010-10-06T22:41:00.006-04:00

Some people get downright, um, creative with the dimmers at their command. For example, @lekogirl tweeted:

If you click that twitpic link, you will see that one controller is clearly labeled for a very important task:

A fridge? Seriously?? Wow. Whatever you do, don't leave that one down overnight ... especially if you have any dairy products in that there fridge.

Theremin Thursday for September 30, 2010

2010-09-30T17:57:00.003-04:00

ther·e·min
[ther-uh-min] –noun; a musical instrument with electronic tone generation, the pitch and tone volume being controlled by the distance between the player's hands and two metal rods serving as antennas. Origin: 1925–30; named after Leo Theremin (b. 1896), Russian inventor.

Thurs·day
[thurz-dey, -dee] –noun; the fifth day of the week, following Wednesday.

Ther·e·min Thurs·day
[ther-uh-min thurz-dey] –noun; a day to celebrate the electronic instrument invented by Leo Theremin.
—Related forms: #ThereminThursday -- a hashtag used to denote twitter content related to Theremin Thursday

Video Exhibit A: Artist Plays Theremin With a Jellyfish -- Underwire has a story about Yuri Suzuki who has created an electronic instrument played by jellyfish. Yes, you read that correctly. According to Olivia Solon of Wired UK, Suzuki demonstrated a "see-through capsule filled with water containing a number of jellyfish. The movements of the jellyfish in the water influence the sound emitted by a theremin." Unfortunately, jellyfish are not exactly plentiful in the UK, so goldfish were used during the exhibition instead. Still, it's a pretty cool concept. Check out the video:

Exhibit B: Sir David O'Clock's OVERTURE FUTURISTA, Part Two: Distruzione della Quadratura -- Now, I don't know what that title means exactly, but the video intrigues me and the music, in my opinion, demonstrates first rate use of the theremin. Let me know what you think. Especially if you decide to check out Part One (I'll look at it later tonight).

Video Exhibit C: Rachmaninoff's "Vocalise" Performed by Dalit Warshaw -- You might think this is just a standard example of the theremin for classical performance, but you would be wrong. This clip comes from a series of videos in which Ms. Warshaw is playing Clara Rockmore's theremin. Yes, that Clara Rockmore, the great artist who truly made Leon Theremin's invention sing!

Theremimage: From now on, our weekly theremin photo will be called the Theremimage. This week, I leave you with another look at Yuri Suzuki's musical fish:

That image is from Core77's coverage of the London Design Festival. Yes, that teapot in the background was part of the show.

My official "tech" shirt

2010-09-05T14:55:00.002-04:00

Pick My New Phone -- The Choice!

2010-07-22T19:12:00.003-04:00

Notice #1: Cross-posted from my personal blog]

Notice #2: This blog entry has nothing to do with theater (unless you count the fact that I use my phone to keep in touch with the tech crew).

I really wanted a cool title for this post. I considered "I Kissed A Phone" (too cutesy), "The Smartphone Has Landed" (too audacious?), "Smartphone Accomplished!" (too Iraq War), and "What (Phone) Have I Got In My Pocket?" (too Tolkien). In the end, I just went with something that should tie this post in with the previous ones in this thread.

Anyway...

Anyone out there remember I was looking to upgrade my smartphone? Well, I narrowed my choice down to two options, but I didn't really mention anything here since early June. If, however, you follow me on twitter, you might have caught a reference or two as to what phone I finally selected.

It's funny, but my choice ultimately came down to two things: Cost and availability. On the cost factor, the Droid Incredible was going to cost me about 4x as much as the Palm Pre Plus. Concerning availability, as of June 22 the Incredible was backordered into mid- to late July. Now, my favorite time to test drive a new phone is when I travel because I can really put a device through its paces and see if it will work for me. As things stood, I was going to be driving to Boston on July 2 and staying for a few days, so I definitely wanted to pickup a new phone before my departure.

Hello Palm Pre Plus.

I'm working on a full review of my experience with this device, both on my Boston trip and day-to-day since then. I'm nowhere near ready to post it, but at least now you know what I've got in my pocket.

JimOnLight.com Wants A Student in the World to Have $500 for Books

2010-07-19T13:58:00.004-04:00

If you are a lighting student, I urge you to run, do not walk, over to JimOnLight.com (I know we're talking about a virtual destination and you cannot actually run or walk to it, but "surf over to" just does not carry the same emphasis, OK?).

Why should you visit JimOnLight? Well, if you are in any way involved in technical theater, you should already know what an awesome resource JimOnLight can be. But in addition to the usual goodies shared and knowledge parsed over there, Jim is running a contest that will reward the winning student with $500.00 to use on those expensive books that lighting students have to purchase. You read that correctly: Five. Hundred. Bucks. That's 5oo reasons just to visit and see what you have to do, right?

So, what do you have to do to get this prize? You have to make a video about light. Go read this post for the full details and contest rules.

Oh, and speaking of rules, the Theater Lackey thinks JimOnLight.com rules. Go enter the contest and tell 'im who sent ya there!

Theremin Thursday for June 24, 2010

2010-06-24T23:18:00.003-04:00

Time for another round of Theremin Thursday links. This week, I have found six different videos featuring the Theremin -- or thereminesque sounds -- for your enjoyment:

Bazooka Theremin -- It's just what it sounds like: a bazooka rigged to play as a theremin! (Drastic measures, anyone?). The video is all too brief, but if you are a fan of recycling, then it's a must-see.

A "Cold War" Theremin -- Not a classic Theremin, but an analogy synth device stuffed inside a Swedish military flashlight from the 1960s.
A live psychedelic trance set by Multiman. Gear includes an opto Theremin, speak & spell circuit bending, atari 2600, etc. How often does a Theremin make a rave appearance?
"I am Locutus" -- Interesting mashup of audio and video with Theremin, Drums, and footage from ... Star Trek! If there is a subliminal message here, it's probably, "Resistance is futile!"
"Carnivore IV" by Carbon Dioxide Orchestra. Get ready for some serious noise (and a host of interesting pen and ink drawings). See if you can hear Toto's "Rosanna" playing in the background of the recording. Credits -- Bill Valdez: Dry Ice on Copper Sheet; Leroy Jaramillo: Violin, Vocals; Dave Dixon, Samples and Loops; Victoria Lundy, Theremin.

Speak & Spell Music -- I already posted this footage on Monday, but I figure Pete Edwards talk about his love of "circuit bending" fits well with the Theremin theme. Enjoy!

Our picture this week is an Opto Theremin crafted by Stephen Daveloose. I love the Giant Ant Attack graphic on this thing!
You can see this bad boy in action on Daveloose's demo page (scroll down to "Theremin D").

Circuit Bending

2010-06-21T20:29:00.003-04:00

If you follow me on Twitter, or you have seen some of my recent blog posts, you know that I'm a fan of the Theremin, as well as electronic music in general. A few days ago, I was flicking through the channels and landed on Current TV. I stopped because this guy, Pete Edwards, was talking about "circuit bending" and I thought it was pretty cool. I mean, the sounds he coaxed out of Speak & Spells, talking baby dolls, wristwatches, etc. was nothing short of amazing! (Disclaimer: My opinion only. YMMV.)

Apparently, it was an older TV episode because this clip of Edwards' TV appearance was uploaded to YouTube in early 2009. I figure fellow electronic music aficionados and sound designers would like to check it out!

Can you believe he does this for a living? Talk about following your passion!

Theremin Thursday for June 17, 2010

2010-06-18T01:23:00.003-04:00

Yes, it's already Friday. But I still have to archive the Theremin Thursday links I tweeted earlier on Thursday. This week, we have four offerings for the discerning Theremin fan:

Xbox and Theremin? -- @Lux_Seeker, by way of @MarkMosher, tweeted the URL to an interesting story posing Kinect as possibly the "perfect video Theremin interface." Apparently it was unveiled at E3 this week.

The Therenana --The Therenana banana Theremin is described as “hobby electronics gone wrong.” That's probably not too far from the truth, but I still think this fruit is a pretty cool gadget!
"Geometry" by Rupert Chappelle -- Mr. Chappelle returns to my weekly Theremin compilation with one of several recordings titled "Geometry." As per usual, he plays Harrison Instruments Model 302.

"Recalcitrance" -- Australian born Singapore recording artist Shueh-li Ong performs a song from her first CD at the the Esplanade. In this piece, Ong plays Theremin alongside the Artsylum Quartet. According to the YouTube description, this "could arguably be the 1st theremin and string quartet performance in Singapore and at" this venue.

To close this post, here is a photo of a sweet Theremin crafted by @sarcasymptote:

Flying V Theremin is an epic win!

Get Your Tickets for MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS

2010-06-17T13:08:00.011-04:00

Here is the email notification for our latest production at Montgomery Theater

get your tickets now for

Moonlight and Magnolias

starring

Tony Braithwaite & Marc Weil

1939 Hollywood is abuzz. The greatest movie in history has script troubles and movie mogul David O. Selznick is bleeding a fortune. Five days, he figures, is all he has before his goose is cooked. But he's got Hollywood's best rewrite guy, Ben Hecht; he's got big-time director Victor Fleming; he's got a typewriter; he's got asupply of bananas; and he's got the key to the office door. No one's going nowhere until the script is fixed! Ron Hutchinson's thrilling and hilarious play captures the true life madness behind the scenes ofGone with the Wind.

Previews start this Thursday
Show runs through July 10
Purchase tickets today!
or call (215) 723-9984 x10
to purchase tickets by phone

Montgomery Theater

124 Main St.

Souderton, Pennsylvania 18964

215-723-9984

Pick My New Phone (Is There an App for That?) -- Update!

2010-06-17T12:03:00.001-04:00

Notice #1: Cross-posted from my personal blog]

Notice #2: This blog entry has nothing to do with theater (unless you count the fact that I use my phone to keep in touch with the tech crew).

As you know, I'm looking to upgrade my smartphone. Several folks have provided feedback here on the blog, by twitter, on my Facebook wall, and by email. Thanks to that input, and a little trip to the local Verizon store, I have narrowed my options to two devices.

Palm Pre Plus: My last three or four phones have been Palm devices. They easily sync with Mac OS X (contacts, schedule, photos, memos, etc.). The Palm Pre Plus has been rated as having the best OS out there. It can be used as a mobile WiFi hotspot for up to five devices. It has a great touchscreen as well as a slide-out keyboard (with actual keys). Speaking of the keyboard, I am pretty much used to its layout because it is so similar to the Centro. And, with Verizon's current pricing, I can get this smartphone for free.

HTC Droid Incredible: The name really says it all as this is an incredible device. All the pros of the Droid OS, but none of the reported problems of the Motorola Droid. It cannot be used as a WiFi hotspot, but it can be tethered to your laptop for internet connectivity. The camera is great and it has an LED flash! Now, this device is fairly pricey, and I have to wait if I want it (most locations had about a three week wait to get the device as of a week ago), but I do get a discount on it (thanks to my "new every two" feature with Verizon).

At this point, I still have to perform my own tests to see which device is better at all the tasks I need it to do. But if I am looking for something to keep me for the next two years while I wait for Verizon to get the iPhone, it seems I should lean toward the Palm Pre Plus. It's available now, has WiFi capability (included with the data package), and the price is right. As long as it handles webmail, music, Twitter, and Facebook like a champ, my decision should be pretty much made, right?

Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

Theremin Thursday for June 3, 2010

2010-06-04T02:08:00.005-04:00

I have tweeted #ThereminThursday links, and then collected them here, for two weeks in a row. I must really be on a roll!

This week, we have seven offerings for the discerning Theremin fan:

Jean Michel Jarre - Theremin Memories -- The amazing synth artist Jean Michal Jarre playing Theremin, live, in Athens.

"Nuclear Monkey Wrench" by Rupert Chappelle -- Chappelle is featured in so many videos, I selected this one solely for the tune's name. (Monkeys FTW). Just like in last week's vid, Chappelle plays the Harrison Instruments Model 302 Theremin.
"Besamo Mucho" by Dorit Chrysler -- The beautiful and talented Ms. Chrysler plays theremin and sings on this track. Recorded live at The Stone in NYC. (I think I'm in love).

Heavy Metal Theremin? -- Guy runs his new Theremin through a bunch of his FX. He makes the damn thing ROAR (and that is pretty metal, right?).

"Saturday Matinee" by ZenTherStick -- Retro styling of this tune is reminiscent of the 50s and 60s film (cult) classics that featured the spooky Theremin!

"Doctor Who Theme" by ArcAttack -- My personal favorite this week. In this clip, a DJ plays Doctor Who's theme song on GIANT TESLA COILS. It is electrifying!
Droid Does ... Theremin? -- In this clip, a guy uses a coin to interact with the magnetic field generated by an HTC Droid. Portable theremin, anyone?

Would you like to own a Theremin? Theremin World has a coupon code for 15% off Moog Etherwave theremins and kits at InstrumentPro.com -- visit http://www.Thereminworld.com/shop_theremins.asp

Now, let's see a still from that awesome Doctor Who/Tesla bit:

Does he do birthday parties??

Compressing Our Music To Death?

2010-05-30T13:36:00.003-04:00

I saved this article back in December and only got around to reading it today.

[NPR] The Loudness Wars: Why Music Sounds Worse

The NPR article includes this helpful poster for understanding "dynamic" in music:

Christopher Clark's visual analogy for dynamic (click for full PDF of poster)

I'm very much interested in the claim that after listening to a "whole album of this highly compressed music, your ear is fatigued." Based on some of my own experiences of late, I'm thinking it might not be too far off the mark.

So what do you think? Has compression given us a huge portable library of music that is draining more than entertaining?

Theremin Thursday for May 27, 2010

2010-05-27T17:21:00.007-04:00

For your ethereal enjoyment, I offer the following links:

Etherwave Case Mod --The equivalent of neon running lights on a hot rod. I kid you not.

"Fool Me Once, Shame On You" by Rupert Chappelle -- A little avant-garde piece with Chappelle playing the Harrison Instruments Model 302 Theremin.

Good Times With a Theremin In Public -- I guess this is some kind of science/art/performance installation. I'm guessing.

"Time Machine" -- Johnny Quazar & the Swingbots performing live

Loisan - Deep Dreams (Original Mix) --Techno music flavored with a bit of theremin

Junction attention! -- Improvisational performance by a five piece band with theremin, piano, guitar, cello, and Erhu

Frankentheremin is alive! ALIVE!!